Golf in Switzerland: Focus on Valais and Vaud.
There is some magnificent golf in Switzerland within close proximity to many of the major ski resorts including a few within the resorts themselves.
If you’re thinking of buying a property in the Swiss Alps you may be wondering if it’s all about the skiing, however Switzerland has an abundance of outdoor activities on offer, including an extensive number of pristine golf courses all packed with incredible mountain and lake scenery.
Alpine Property Search takes a look at some of the golf courses that are close to popular ski resorts proving that you can get “the best of both worlds” from your Alpine property all year round.
Golf in Switzerland in ski resorts in the Valais and Vaud cantons.
Golf clubs situated in the mountains are spectacular and offer some of the most beautiful golf in Switzerland. Not only are they a feat of design but they tend to be based on natural plateau and offer the most incredible views while swinging your clubs ensuring that playing golf in Switzerland is always a memorable experience.
Villars Golf Club, an 18-hole golf club at an altitude of 1600m on the road towards Gstaad via the Col de la Croix. It is an exceptional setting, surrounded by peaks such as the Dents de Morcles, Les Diablerets, the Grand Muveran and with unbeatable views over towards Mont Blanc. The club is private but welcomes the public.
Verbier Golf Club offers two 18-hole golf courses, Les Esserts and Les Moulins. Both courses invite you to partake in mastering the short game of golf as the fairways are shorter than normal, but they promise to challenge you with a number of hazards including plenty of water features. The setting here is wonderful at 1600m with views over the Combin, Rogneux and Mont Blanc mountain ranges. The club is private but is open to the public every day subject to fulfilling the club criteria.
Crans-Sur-Sierre Golf Club is in Crans Montana and is simply stunning. Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world, it is situated at an altitude of 1500m and enjoys outstanding views over the Rhone Valley to the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. Home to the Omega European Masters, its two courses, the Severiano Ballesteros and the Jack Nicklaus, are a challenge to all. The club is private but welcomes visitors that fulfil the club criteria. Crans Montana’s unique plateau topography allows an additional two courses close by – the Super Crans course which is in Vermala and the Noas club in Chermignon d’en Bas. Both these courses allow unhandicapped visitors.
Golf in Switzerland near ski resorts in Valais and Vaud.
On the flat of the valley floor there are numerous golf clubs offering challenging fairways with views of the majestic peaks of the French and Swiss Alps towering above. These golf clubs have the advantage of being some of the most easily accessible golf in Switzerland whilst offering beautiful vistas, and are easy to access from some of the ski resorts in the surrounding area.
Montreux Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course situated on the valley floor just south of Lake Geneva. It has its own microclimate due to its position in the valley away from the mists of Lake Geneva and protected by the mountain ranges above, which means that the club can stay open all year round. Although it is a private golf club it welcomes visitors of any ability. The club is 22 minutes by car from Villars, 50 minutes by car from Verbier and 55 minutes from Nendaz, all popular ski resorts in the area.
Sion Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course mid-way up the valley in the centre of Valais. It has rather a unique and historical setting just outside the pretty town of Sion with outstanding views of the castles of Valère and Tourbillon. With the Vaudois Alps on either side and vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see, this is a beautiful golf course. With over 300 days of sunshine per year, Sion Golf Club is one of the only golf clubs in Switzerland to open all year round. The club welcomes the public that can fulfil the course criteria. The club is 50 minutes by car from both Villars and Verbier, 25 minutes from Veysonnaz and Nendaz by car and 30 minutes by car from Crans Montana.
Sierre Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course slightly further up the valley floor from Sion near to the village of Granges. The course has been specially designed with nature in mind and over 8000 species of trees and flora have been planted around the course. With views up to ski resorts on both sides of the Rhône valley and the majestic Valaisan peaks, this club enjoys an enviable position. The club is private but allows access to those who fulfil the club criteria. Sierre Golf Club is 25 minutes from Crans Montana, Veysonnaz and Nendaz by car, 55 minutes from Verbier by car and 1 hour from Villars by car.
The Domaine Imperial Golf Club is an exclusive 18-hole golf course situated directly on the shores of Lake Geneva between Lausanne and Geneva. The club benefits from outstanding lake views as well as stunning panoramic views of the mountain ranges beyond. The club is private, and membership is strictly through acquiring a share of the Domaine Imperial Golf company. Visitors are welcome if they fulfil the club conditions of play but only between Tuesdays and Fridays, before midday and by reservation only.
Golf and Country Club de Bonmont is an 18-hole course in a countryside setting on the northern side of Lake Geneva. Set around a chateau which is now run as a hotel specialising in golfing and tennis holidays. this is a private club but the course is open to everyone and welcomes all abilities of player throughout the week and weekend.
The Golf Signal Parc Bougy is an 18-hole public golf course which is one of the 8 Migros Golfparcs situated in Switzerland, whose ethos is to make sure that golf in Switzerland is an accessible sport for all abilities at an affordable price. It is the first public golf course to open in French speaking Switzerland and enjoys a fabulous setting between Geneva and Lausanne with 360-degree views of The Jura, Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.
Golf de Pra Roman is an 18-hole public golf course just outside the old Roman town of Lausanne on Lake Geneva. Situated only 10 minutes from the centre of Lausanne this course is open to all abilities. This is another Swiss course that has been designed to make golf accessible to all and therefore less elitist. The course is nestled between Lausanne and the Jura mountains and enjoys a beautiful panoramic backdrop.
Lavaux Golf is an 18-hole private golf club set amongst the vineyards above lake Geneva on the eastern side of the lake. There are outstanding views of the lake and the Alps from many of the fairways. The club is unique as it welcomes children from non-members, and is considered to be one of the most dynamic training centres in French-speaking Switzerland. The club is open to non-members though it would be worth calling ahead to discover their criteria.
