Kreßbach Castle Golf Club — high plateau round near Tübingen

If you drive a few kilometers from Tübingen towards the Swabian Jura, you will suddenly find yourself on a golf course that you would rather expect in the Allgäu or foothills of the Alps. The Schloss Kreßbach Golf Club is one of the younger courses in Germany: founded in 2008, it opened in 2013 with all 18 holes and added a modern clubhouse in 2016. The centrepiece is the par 72 championship course in a classic out-in design. It measures 6,108 meters of the yellow tees and challenges golfers of all levels on 18 varied lanes.

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Front Nine: Strategy and the Double Dogleg

The round starts fairly with a short par 4 and a slight slope. However, even the second track shows the character profile of the course: A blind tea shot on the 475 meter long par 5, a fairway hanging to the left and strategic bunkers frame the green. Lane 4 demonstrates the clever use of water: A pond on the left in the Drivelande zone makes you think when choosing racquets.

The showpiece of the Front Nine is lane 6: a 530 meter long double dogleg with a stream crossing and a real risk-and-reward decision from the tee. Longhitters are allowed to abbreviate the biotope — anyone who plays for safety chooses the lay-up. The plateau green hangs to the right, while a small pond lurks behind it. Lane 8, a short par-3 across a moat, rewards a precise shot at the L-shaped green.

Back Nine: Challenging lengths and the signature hole

Behind the dirt road that separates the two halves of the square, the terrain level continues to rise. Lane 11 — a par 3 of up to 200 meters (221 meters from Schwarz!) — is one of the most challenging holes of the round despite a slight slope. The curved green hanging forward does not forgive inaccuracies. Lane 14 surprises with a sharp 90-degree dogleg to the left, which long hitters can aggressively overplay.

Golfers will hardly forget the end of the round: Lane 17 is the course's signature hole — a 161 meter long par-3, where the tee must be played over water. The green lying across the playing direction is only 17 meters deep; anyone who doesn't play the ball high enough will end up in the wet. Lane 18 concludes the round with a beautiful bunker landscape around the green.

Conclusion: Tactically clever golf in the southwest

Kreßbach Castle is a young complex with lots of charm. The tracks are tactically sophisticated, varied and easy to walk on foot. The friendly service at the reception rounds off the visit. Golfers looking for a rewarding round on a high plateau in southwestern Germany will definitely find what they are looking for here.