Ranked · 10 courses · updated 2026

The Best Golf Courses in Germany

German golf is better than its reputation, and far deeper. From Harry Colt's heathland in Hamburg to a true links on Sylt and championship courses around Berlin and Munich, here are the ten we rate most highly, ranked, with our verdict on each and how to play it.

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By the GolfForKings editorial desk · How we rank · Last reviewed June 2026

Photograph: Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, via Google

How we chose them

Germany rarely makes the shortlist when golfers plan a continental trip, which is exactly why it rewards the curious. The country's best courses span three distinct traditions. There is the classic heathland and forest golf of the old clubs, where Harry Colt and Germany's own Bernhard von Limburger shaped courses through pine and heather near Hamburg, Bremen and Stuttgart. There is a genuine seaside links on the island of Sylt. And there are the modern championship venues, backed by serious money around Berlin, Munich and the Rhine, that have hosted the German Masters, the BMW International Open and the Solheim Cup.

We weighed design quality, conditioning, championship pedigree and the pleasure of the round, and we favoured courses a travelling golfer can realistically arrange to play. Every fact here, from designers and opening years to host events, was checked at the time of writing. The verdicts are ours, and the order reflects our editors' view rather than any single published list, so reasonable people will reorder the top five. If you want any of these built into a costed trip, that is what our concierge does.

The ranking

Hamburger Golf Club Falkenstein

Harry Colt with Alison and Morrison, 1930 · Hamburg heathland

The consensus best course in Germany and one of the finest inland courses in continental Europe. Laid out in 1930 by Harry Colt and his partners Charles Alison and John Morrison, Falkenstein is a pure heathland gem in the woods west of Hamburg, all heather, pine and silver birch over gently rolling, free draining ground. There is not a weak hole on it, the conditioning is immaculate, and it plays firm and natural in the great British heathland tradition. A members club that welcomes visitors on weekdays by arrangement.

Plan a Hamburg golf trip

Budersand Sylt

Rolf-Stephan Hansen, 2008 · Island of Sylt · links

Germany's one true links, carved from a former military site on the southern tip of the North Sea island of Sylt and opened in 2008. Rolf-Stephan Hansen routed a wild, windswept course through real dunes, with firm turf, deep bunkers and the sea never far away, attached to a sleek five star hotel and spa. It has been a fixture among the best fifty courses in continental Europe for over a decade and is the most distinctive round in the country. A resort course, so among the more accessible on this list.

Plan a Sylt links trip

Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, St. Leon Course

Dave Thomas, 1997 · near Heidelberg

The most decorated championship venue in Germany, the St. Leon course was designed by Ryder Cup player and architect Dave Thomas and opened in 1997. Backed by software billionaire Dietmar Hopp, the club is immaculately run and tournament hardened, having hosted the 2015 Solheim Cup and the Porsche European Open. A long, polished, water lined modern test with superb practice facilities, it is the closest thing in the country to an American tour venue. Visitor friendly with two strong eighteens.

Plan a Rhine valley golf trip

Club zur Vahr, Garlstedt

Bernhard von Limburger · near Bremen · forest

A magnificent and ferociously long course cut through dense pine forest at Garlstedt, north of Bremen, and the masterwork of Germany's great architect Bernhard von Limburger. Narrow, demanding and beautifully secluded among the trees, it has long been ranked among the very best in the country, with its greens, tees and bunkers carefully renovated by Christoph Staedler in 2004. A traditional members club and a connoisseur's favourite that takes visitors on weekdays.

Plan a northern Germany golf trip

Golfclub Beuerberg

Donald Harradine, 1983 · south of Munich

The pick of Bavaria's parkland courses, a Donald Harradine design from 1983 set in rolling country south of Munich with the Alps on the horizon. Mature, spacious and elegantly routed, with excellent par 3s and a serene mountain backdrop, it has built a reputation as one of the most enjoyable rounds in the south and ranks among the Platinum Clubs of Europe. A private members club that welcomes visitors by arrangement.

Plan a Bavaria golf trip

Golf and Country Club Seddiner See, South

Robert Trent Jones II, 1997 · near Berlin

The grandest golf address near Berlin, in the lake district south of Potsdam, where the championship South course opened in 1997 to a Robert Trent Jones II design with Kyle Phillips leading the work. A long, manicured and strategic test, it has hosted national championships and is run to an exacting standard, with a polished clubhouse and a second course alongside. A leading club that takes green fee visitors by arrangement.

Plan a Berlin golf trip

Stuttgarter Golf-Club Solitude

Bernhard von Limburger, 1969 · near Stuttgart

Another Bernhard von Limburger design, opened at Monsheim near Stuttgart in 1969 and host of the Mercedes German Masters from 1987 to 1993. A classic, tree lined parkland over gentle terrain, sensitively redesigned by Thomas Himmel in the mid 2000s, it remains one of the best conditioned and most respected courses in the south west. A strong members club with a fine tournament history that welcomes visitors on weekdays.

Plan a Stuttgart golf trip

Gut Larchenhof

Jack Nicklaus Signature · near Cologne

Germany's flagship Jack Nicklaus Signature course, near Cologne, built to tour standard and long the home of the BMW International Open on the DP World Tour. Generous and beautifully presented, with water, mounding and large greens in the polished Nicklaus idiom, it is one of the most reliable big match experiences in the country and a regular on the professional circuit. An upscale members club that takes visitors by arrangement.

Plan a Rhineland golf trip

Wittelsbacher Golfclub Rohrenfeld-Neuburg

Joan Dudok van Heel, 1986 · Neuburg an der Donau

A quietly excellent Bavarian course laid out in 1986 by the Dutch architect Joan Dudok van Heel across the gently rolling Rohrenfeld near Neuburg an der Donau. Mature parkland and former hunting ground give it a settled, natural feel, and it is consistently rated among the best in Bavaria. A welcoming members club and a fine addition to a southern Germany golf trip.

Plan a Bavaria golf trip

Golf Club Bad Saarow, Faldo Course

Nick Faldo, 1997 · near Berlin

Part of the vast resort on the Scharmutzelsee east of Berlin, formerly the Sporting Club Berlin, the Faldo course was Nick Faldo's first design in continental Europe and opened in 1997. A demanding, links influenced layout over open ground, it hosted the German Open in 1998 and 1999 and sits alongside an Arnold Palmer course on one of the largest golf complexes in the country. A resort venue, so easy to arrange for a Berlin trip.

Plan a Berlin golf trip

Designers, opening years and host events verified June 2026. Several are private members clubs with limited visitor access. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking. Check tee time availability.

Play the best of Germany

Tell us which of these are on your list, heathland, links or championship, and roughly when. One concierge arranges the access, tee times and base and costs the trip to the head, with no obligation.

Germany golf questions

What is the best golf course in Germany?

Hamburger Golf Club Falkenstein, the Harry Colt heathland course laid out near Hamburg in 1930, is our pick for the best in the country and one of the finest inland courses in continental Europe. Reasonable people reorder the top five, but Falkenstein anchors any serious list.

Is there a links course in Germany?

Yes. Budersand on the island of Sylt is Germany's one true links, opened in 2008 on a former military site among real North Sea dunes. It plays firm and windswept in the seaside tradition and is attached to a five star hotel, which makes it both a distinctive round and a relatively easy one to arrange.

Can you play the top German clubs as a visitor?

Most of the leading clubs, including Falkenstein, Club zur Vahr, Beuerberg and Stuttgarter Solitude, take visitors on set weekdays by prior arrangement, usually with a handicap certificate. The resort and tournament venues such as Budersand Sylt, St. Leon-Rot, Seddiner See and Bad Saarow are the most openly accessible. Always confirm access directly before booking.

When is the best time to play golf in Germany?

May to September gives the warmest, driest weather and the longest days, with the heathland and forest courses at their best in early summer. Spring and early autumn offer good conditioning, value and space on the tee sheet, while the island links on Sylt is at its most dramatic in a summer breeze.

The Tee Sheet

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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, opening years and host events verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.