With almost 50 tournaments spanning five continents, it is no surprise that the European Tour offers some spectacular views along the way. Whether it’s a renowned links course on the Scottish coast or the cosmopolitan skyline of one of the world’s most vibrant cities, there is not much that can’t be seen from one of our tee boxes.
From this week’s host golf course Emirates Golf Club in Dubai to the mountainous vistas of Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, europeantour.com has selected five stunning tee shots to look out for in the 2017 season.
16th hole – Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort - 128-yard par three
Few holes generate as much excitement and fervour as the hole now known as Himmerland Hill. Year on year, huge galleries gather at the marquee hole of the Made in Denmark to cheer on those looking to ace the short par three. The carnival atmosphere that builds on this hole throughout the week is visible from the tee, and once on the green the players have been known to snap the odd selfie or two.
2015 Made in Denmark winner David Horsey said, “All the best par threes in the world are short and that one with the amphitheatre around the green makes it such a special place.”
7th hole - Crans-sur-Sierre GC – 331-yard par four
The glorious Swiss Alps provide a perfect backdrop for the Omega European Masters and that is exactly the view the players have when they tee off at the seventh hole.
A reachable par four offers a strong chance of making birdie, with 195 recorded in 2016. It might be easy to be distracted by that gorgeous view from the tee box, but with the hole ranked the second easiest on the course for the last three years, clearly the players have figured out how to stay focused amidst all that beauty.
18th hole – Old Course, St Andrews - 361-yard par four
With a vast green, the treacherous Valley of Sin and one of the most recognisable clubhouses in golf in the distance, the view from the 18th tee at St Andrews is unique.
It’s a shot and a landscape that all the game’s greats have contemplated at some point in their careers during The Open Championship, with it also attracting plenty of attention during the final two rounds of the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
8th hole - Emirates Golf Club – 459-yard par four
It’s hard to miss the towering skyscrapers of Dubai on the horizon at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, but on the eighth tee at Emirates GC players will be playing directly towards the impressive skyline.
In contrast to the tradition of St Andrews or the natural beauty of Crans-sur-Sierre, it is the modern aspect of this particular view that keeps fans and players enthralled.
16th hole – Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort – 463 yards
The 16th tee box at Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort takes the idea of an elevated tee to another level.
Players at last season’s Turkish Airlines Open played their tee shots at the 16th off the roof of a villa, with the special tee box location adding an extra 34 yards to the hole and generating headlines worldwide.
