The UK’s Golf Monthly magazine has listed its top 20 golf courses for Europe, 2009 in its latest edition. You’ll have to buy the April, 2009 edition to see the exact rankings and why the editors chose the courses, but here is a sampling of what they consider to be the best on the continent.
The Iberian Peninsula is the top destination for European golfers, and it has a number of courses in this year’s top 20. Spain’s Valderrama is a mainstay among Europe’s top courses and it makes the list once again. Also on the Iberian Peninsula, the old course at Vilamoura in Portugal has become a popular destination for Algarve holiday travelers and is now noted as one of Europe’s best as well. The Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya in Spain and another Algarve course, Monte Rei North outside of Faro are on the list as well. El Saler in Spain is one of the first ecologically designed courses in the region and is integrated into a protected landscape.
The Sporting Club Berlin is known as one of the toughest courses in the country and was Nick Faldo’s first continental course. Other courses include the Royal Zoute in Belgium, which has a distinctly British feel to it, while Les Bordes is a pretty and difficult French course in the Loire Valley. Another French course on the list is the Albatross Course at Paris National, which is home to the French Open.
Farther to the north in Sweden, the Hamlstad North Course is a beautiful place to play. Another Swedish course is the Masters Course at Barseback, which is along the coast and has some spectacular scenery changes from woods to coastal views. In the other direction is Castelconturbia in Italy, which has the equally spectacular Italian Alps as a backdrop. Get your copy of Golf Monthly and find which course suits your game best, then make plans to enjoy a great holiday of golfing.
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