Pfueti Bavaria!
That was a little too rural for the organizers in Bad Griesbach, Lower Bavaria, because after two appearances in 2015 and 2016, this year's "Porsche European Open" is moving north to the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. From July 27 to 30, the 155 registered players will have a tough time there, as the location is called "Nord Course Green Eagle" - one of the most difficult and longest par 73 courses with a length of 7,165 meters, a rating of 78.4 and a slope of 148.
Moin, moin for the top golf league
Alongside the PGA Tour, the European Tour is one of the most important tournaments for top players. Originally started in Europe, it now includes tournaments in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Many players use it as a stepping stone to the PGA Tour in the USA. However, with prize money of 2 million, it is significantly lower than the US PGA Tour. Nevertheless, it is particularly popular with German golf pros. Marcel Siem, Max Kieffer, Florian Fritsch, Bernd Ritthammer, Alexander Knappe, Sebastian Heisele, Max Kramer, Niklas Adank, Hinrich Arkenau and Benedict Staben are registered. They will be competing against an illustrious international field including Major winners Jimmy Walker (USA) and Charl Schwartzel (South Africa), Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed, PGA Tour winner Pat Perez (both USA), defending champion Alexander Lévy (France) and European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Björn (Denmark) as well as numerous other top players from the European Tour.
In the "green hell" of Winsen
Just outside the Hanseatic city, Michael Blesch (PGA golf instructor) and Ralf Lühmann founded the Green Eagle Golf Courses 10 years ago - a 42-hole course. The 186 hectares are designed for all levels of play: The 3 courses offer a public 6-hole par 3 course, the 18-hole South Course for all skill levels and the 18-hole North Course as a championship course for international tournaments. Water and sand - wherever you look, that's the first impression and rock legend Alice Cooper even called it a "green hell".
The North Course at Green Eagle is basically a course with two faces:
On the front nine, the terrain is tricky, a shot-making ensemble full of tricky holes with some tantalizingly small greens, but on the back nine it is one thing above all - a goliath. From hole 10 onwards, 4,068 meters are added to the 3,093 meters of the first course. The holes get longer and longer, but after the grueling 16th hole, the most beautiful awaits on the 17th: an almost 140-metre-long par 3, carry over the lake to the beautifully redesigned green framed by trees in a semicircle. Well then, have fun watching or live in Hamburg. On Saturday, Moving Day, tickets cost 35 euros (38 euros at the box office) and those who want to watch the final on Sunday pay 37 euros (40 euros at the box office).
www.greeneagle.de www.europeanopen.com
