Golfers Play Above the Clouds at Switzerland's New Burgenstock Resort

Besides enjoying a new challenging course, guests at Switzerland's newest luxury resort will have breathtaking views of some of the Swiss Alps' most fabled peaks: the Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau as well as the Stanserhorn and Buochserhorn.

Open from April to the end of October, the 2,175-yard Par 33 course (women's 1,946-yard) offers tremendous variety. Head Pro Jim Broughton waxes poetic about the course's signature Hole 5, a Par 3 with an intimidating water hazard guarding the front right and a two-tiered green. He advises staying short and left. He describes the first hole as tough, as the Par 4 hole can lead to a blind second shot. The last hole is a beautiful Par 3 offering a stunning view of the 6,982-foot Mount Pilatus on most days. As the wind can sometimes be tricky here, Broughton recommends golfers choose their club carefully.



Built on the mountain pastures of the Trogenalp in 1928, the original nine-hole Alpine course – one of Switzerland's first courses – was carved out of the rock and granite cliffs. Soil was taken from the crevasses of a former glacier and stone from the excavated cliffs. In 2013, Stadler Golf Courses, Germany's preeminent golf course design firm and one of the top in Europe teamed up with Sommerfeld, another well-respected German firm known for its skill in course construction, to undertake a comprehensive re-design, while keeping the course's signature features including magnificent stands of beech and spruce trees and large rock outcroppings. Städler architects are known for designing sustainable courses in harmony with their natural settings.

A new course layout was fashioned to make play more challenging. Tees, fairways and greens were rebuilt. Two water hazards were introduced and new trees were added.

In its continuing effort to be sustainable, the resort stipulated that excavation materials be repurposed for the course's construction. Throughout the course, a sustainable irrigation system was introduced and modern drainage was installed. Water is being extracted from the resort's cooling and heating water system and recycled to be used again. The new driving range will open next month.

Greens fees for hotel guests start at CHF70 (about US$71) for nine holes on weekdays and go up to CHF110 (about US$111) for 18 holes on the weekends.

After a round of golf, guests will want to head for the Golf Restaurant which serves seasonal Swiss dishes such as White Asparagus Royal Mimosa, Strozzapreti with Wild Garlic and local Bürgenstock Sbrinz cheese for its spring menu, as well as classics like Caesar Salad, Beef Tartare and a Wagu Golf Burger. Chef Grössinger sources milk and cheese from the local Canton and sustainable fish and quality meats from local Swiss purveyors as well as from France and Ireland. Golfers can choose to dine on the terrace with its beer garden ambiance or, in cooler weather, sit by the fire inside. The cozy restaurant is also ideal for parties and can accommodate up to 40 guests.

The Bürgenstock Resort will open this summer for guests. For further information go to https://www.buergenstock.ch/en, call 011 41 41 612 9010 or email info@buergenstock.ch.