The European tour is enjoyed by sports fans on a weekly basis and tournaments are regularly staged at some of Europe’s most picturesque courses. Golf fans flock to these stunning locations to watch the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Patrick Reed tee off, and we take a closer look at three of these sporting hotspots.
Le Golf National
Le Golf National was thrust into the mainstream in 2018 when it was announced that the albatross course would play host to the Ryder Cup.
The long-time French Open venue won several accolades at the World of Leading Golf awards which capped off a superb twelve months for the Parisian venue. The course, which is just fifteen miles from the Eiffel Tower, has been in existence for 25 years and is known for its finishing stretch.
Photo: Golf National
There is plenty of variety here and the course is surrounded by water, making it one of the most picturesque and exciting courses on the circuit.
65,000 spectators witnessed the drama of the Ryder Cup in its magnificent surroundings earlier this year with the French course providing yet more thrills and spills across the three days.
As predicted by Oddschecker, Europe emerged victorious in the inter-continental tussle with USA captain Jim Furyk praising the venue despite his country’s defeat. He called it a “wonderful course” before admitting that the location played a major part in Team Europe’s success.
Real Valderrama
Real Valderrama is often referred to as the “Augusta of Europe” and has established itself as one of the best courses in the world. The Spanish venue hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup where Seve Ballesteros captained Team Europe to a narrow victory.
Photo: Glencore Golf
It isn’t the easiest course to get to grips with and closing holes can be a very tricky proposition for even the most seasoned golfers. Whatever time of year you choose to visit Real Valderrama, the greens are always in tip-top condition and it is a venue which is universally loved by both fans and players.
The course’s signature hole is the fourth and is a tiny elevated green perched above a waterfall. It is known as La Cascada and is just one of the many iconic features which can be found at this terrific golfing venue.
St. Andrews
Even non-golf fans are likely to be familiar with St.Andrews. It is one of the oldest and most iconic courses in Europe but despite this status, it is open to the public all year round and is undoubtedly a must-visit location for sports enthusiasts.
Photo: Golf Away Tours
It can be found in picturesque surroundings on the coast of Fife and the course itself is very accessible from the town centre. The old course will be extremely familiar to golf fans as it has hosted a number of Opens and it also contains familiar names such as the Swilcan Burn and the Valley of Sin.
The greens are absolutely superb and visitors are often taken aback by the size of the fairways. It is the place where the sport was invented and every golf enthusiast should make it their mission to visit St.Andrews at least once.
It is the perfect place to hone your golfing skills and if you’re not confident enough to take to the greens, it is the perfect location to unwind and absorb a sporting event.
Whether you’re a keen golfer who wishes to emulate the professionals or you simply fancy taking in the breath-taking surroundings of some of Europe’s best courses, these three venues should be situated at the top of any list. Europe boasts some of the world’s finest golfing venues but this trio undoubtedly stands out from the crowd.
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