Hamburger Golf-Club Falkenstein

A Colt course among heather and pines

The Hamburger Golf-Club was founded in 1906 and was one of the founding members of the German Golf Association a year later. By the late 1920s its existing ground had become too crowded, so the club moved to Rissen on Hamburg's western edge. Colt, Alison and Morrison designed the new 18 holes, which opened on 24 July 1930.

Falkenstein is short by modern standards, measuring 5,864 metres from the white tees, but the land and the angles keep it exacting. The course rises and falls through woodland and a protected park landscape. Fairways can be narrow, greens often sit above the line of approach, and heather and strong bunkering give the holes their definition. There are no water hazards. The club describes a three-ball round of 18 holes as taking about four hours and fifteen minutes.

Guest play is mainly for weekdays

Guests with handicap 36 or better can request a weekday tee time. At weekends and on public holidays they need an invitation and must play with a member. The range is reserved for members and golfers who have paid a green fee, and the club does not hire out carts because its paths are not designed for them. Pull trolleys are available.

The course has a strong sporting tradition as well as architectural pedigree. The club has fielded teams at the top level of German golf for many years, while the heath, old trees and changes in elevation still give a round the character of the landscape Colt and his partners found here.