Crans-sur-Sierre golf guide: the Alps' most scenic round
The high-altitude European Masters course at Crans-Montana, redesigned by Seve Ballesteros — where the ball flies far and the backdrop is 4,000-metre peaks. The course, when to go, and getting there.
Crans-sur-Sierre is the most spectacular round in the Alps — a high-altitude course on a plateau at Crans-Montana, 1,500 metres above the Rhône valley in the Swiss Valais, ringed by 4,000-metre peaks. It has hosted the European Masters (now the Omega European Masters on the DP World Tour) since 1939, and the thin mountain air means the ball flies gloriously far. Its championship layout was reshaped by Seve Ballesteros in the mid-to-late 1990s.
It's not a long or brutal test — the setting is the point, and it's open to visitors. Here's the course, its summer-only season, and how to reach it.
Where
Crans-Montana, canton Valais, southern Swiss Alps (~1,500 m)
Course
The Severiano Ballesteros Course (par 71); a 9-hole Nicklaus too
Nearest airport
Geneva (GVA) ~2.5–3 hrs via rail to Sierre + funicular
Best time
Summer only — roughly mid-May to October; peak summer best
Access
Open to green-fee visitors; book online or via reception
Nearby
Crans-Montana resort; the Valais; an Alpine summer holiday
European Masters host since 1939; one of the world's most scenic courses
Golf has been played at Crans-Montana since 1905, and the modern championship course — reshaped by Seve Ballesteros from 1995 and renamed in his honour — has hosted the European Masters since 1939, one of continental Europe's oldest professional tournaments. At around 6,274 metres and par 71 it's not long by modern standards, and the altitude shrinks it further: the ball carries noticeably farther up here.
Its defence, and its glory, is the setting — tumbling holes on an Alpine shelf with the Rhône valley below and a wall of snow-capped peaks behind. Few courses anywhere are as purely beautiful to walk.
How to play Crans-sur-Sierre (season & booking)
Crans-sur-Sierre is open to green-fee visitors — book a tee time online or through the club's reception. Because it's an Alpine course it's summer-only, so the golf calendar is short and the good weather is prized; reserve ahead in peak season. Green fees vary by season, time and group size, so check the club's current rates rather than a quoted figure.
This is summer golf, roughly mid-May to October, snow permitting — the plateau is under snow and given over to skiing and Nordic trails in winter. Peak summer gives the most reliable weather and the clearest mountain views; the Omega European Masters is played here at the end of the summer. Mountain weather changes fast, so pack a layer whatever the forecast.
Getting there
Crans-Montana sits above the Rhône valley in the Valais. The classic approach is by rail to Sierre, then the Sierre–Montana–Crans funicular up the mountain (about 13 minutes). Geneva Airport (GVA) is roughly 2.5–3 hours away by rail; driving up the mountain is also an option. It's a proper Alpine-resort journey — part of the appeal.
How to play it
Crans-sur-Sierre is best enjoyed as part of an Alpine summer holiday — the Crans-Montana resort is a full summer destination of hiking, biking and mountain restaurants, and the golf slots into it beautifully. It's a very different European golf trip to a links pilgrimage: come for the scenery, the mountain air, and the novelty of watching your drives fly at altitude.
What to pack
The kit this trip demands
Alpine golf means strong high-altitude sun and fast-changing mountain weather — pack for sun with a warm, windproof layer always in the bag:
Yes — it's open to green-fee visitors, bookable online or through the club's reception. It's a summer-only Alpine course, so reserve ahead in peak season and check the club's current rates.
Why is Crans-sur-Sierre so famous?
It's one of the most scenic courses in the world — a high-altitude layout at 1,500 metres at Crans-Montana with the Valais Alps behind — and it has hosted the European Masters since 1939, now the Omega European Masters on the DP World Tour. Its championship course was reshaped by Seve Ballesteros.
When can you play golf at Crans-Montana?
It's summer only, roughly mid-May to October, snow permitting — the plateau is under snow and used for skiing in winter. Peak summer gives the best weather and mountain views.
Does the altitude affect play at Crans-sur-Sierre?
Yes — at around 1,500 metres the thin air makes the ball fly noticeably farther, so the course plays shorter than its yardage suggests. A rangefinder helps recalibrate your distances.
How do you get to Crans-sur-Sierre?
It's above the Rhône valley in the Valais. Take the train to Sierre, then the Sierre–Montana–Crans funicular up the mountain (about 13 minutes). Geneva Airport is roughly 2.5–3 hours away by rail.
