Severano Ballesteros at Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre

The Severiano Ballesteros course at Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre occupies the same elevated Alpine plateau as the club's more famous Jack Nicklaus course, sitting at approximately 1,500 meters above sea level in the Swiss canton of Valais. Designed by the late Spanish champion and opened in the early 2000s, this layout reflects Ballesteros's playing philosophy and his relatively brief career as a golf course architect. The course shares the dramatic mountain setting that defines golf in Crans-Montana, with views across the Rhône Valley toward peaks including the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa on clear days.

The routing takes advantage of the natural terrain, incorporating elevation changes and strategic bunkering that reward creative shot-making rather than pure power. Ballesteros designed the course to be playable for members while still offering challenge from the back tees, with an emphasis on angles and positioning over length. The layout features several holes that move through stands of Alpine forest and others that play across more open terrain characteristic of the high-altitude plateau.

While the Nicklaus course hosts the European Tour's Omega European Masters each summer, the Ballesteros course serves primarily as a members' layout and provides an alternative routing for the club's guests. The two courses together make Crans-sur-Sierre one of Switzerland's most substantial golf destinations, combining championship-caliber golf with the resort atmosphere of the Crans-Montana region. The club maintains traditional Swiss standards in its facilities and dining, reflecting its position in an established Alpine resort community.