Audi quattro Cup

Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre

Valais/Wallis, Switzerland

Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre, known as the Severiano Ballesteros Course, is an 18-hole, par 71 layout measuring approximately 6,277 yards, situated on a plateau at 1,500 metres above sea level in Crans-Montana, in the Swiss canton of Valais. Golf on the site dates back to 1906, with the full 18-hole course inaugurated in 1929 following early design work by British architect Harry Nicholson, who reshaped many greens and added bunkers to the original layout. In the late 1990s, Severiano Ballesteros undertook a comprehensive redesign, completing a new course in 1999, after which it was renamed in his honour during the 2002 Omega European Masters. The course sits between the Rhône Valley and a panorama of Alpine peaks including the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. The high altitude means the ball travels further than at sea level, which partially offsets the course's relatively modest yardage. The terrain is relatively flat for an Alpine setting, occupying an open plateau framed by Swiss pine trees. The Ballesteros redesign introduced tiered, sloping greens that demand precise approach play, and bunkering that has drawn mixed assessments from professionals. The 7th hole, with its green perched on a ledge framed by mountain scenery, is widely regarded as the course's signature hole. The 18th features a water hazard guarding the green that has produced considerable late-round drama. The European Masters was first hosted here in 1939, and has been held at Crans-sur-Sierre annually since 1948, making it one of the longest-running continuous tournament venues on the European Tour. The club also has a nine-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus, which opened in 1988.