Hardenberg (Niedersachsen)
Northeim, Niedersachsen
- AddressGut, Levershausen, 37154 Northeim, Germany
Canadian-born architect David Krause – an associate of Robert Trent Jones at Valderrama in the 1980s – established his own business in 1993, arriving in Germany after spending a couple of years in France. One of his first German designs was the Deinster Mühle course near Hamburg and from that fine start he’s gone on to oversee more than twenty golf projects, one of which was here at Hardenberg in 2004.
The local distillery has been producing schnapps and liqueurs for over 300 years, and one of its most famous brands is “Schwartzhog”, a dark-coloured digestif named in honour of a black wild boar that apparantly saved the inhabitants of the nearby castle from an unexpected attack back in the 16th century. The hog is meant to have squealed during the night when it sensed invaders, enabling the Hardenberg army to see off the attack.
Why the history lesson, you may ask? Well, the signature hole on the Niedersachsen course is the par three 11th and its island green complex is shaped like a boar’s head, exactly as depicted on the Hardenberg family crest! From the back tees it's a meaty 200-yard shot – take that Sawgrass #17.
There are actually twenty-four more holes in play at the Hardenberg Golf Resort, a 6-hole beginner’s course and another 18-hole course named Göttingen that was designed by Donald Harradine. Back to Krause's Niedersachsen, it is (almost) everything that is good and bad about modern golf in one course. On the outside it's a completely mixed bag and yet, when stripped down to the bones, there is quality at the core. It looks as if every hole had a different designer and the modern notions of brute force and “Tour style” are certainly there as well. And yet it is loads of fun to play for everyone.
Krause stands for eclecticism taken to an extreme – all for the sake of variety, but at the expense of naturalness and believable aesthetics. Conventional wisdom has it that “Best of” courses never worked and never will, but the set of par threes here defies any such conventions. Despite not being easy on the eye, this modern course is one to play.
Canadian-born architect David Krause – an associate of Robert Trent Jones at Valderrama in the 1980s – established his own business in 1993, arriving in Germany after spending a couple of years in France. One of his first German designs was the Deinster Mühle course near Hamburg and from that fine start he’s gone on to oversee more than twenty golf projects, one of which was here at Hardenberg in 2004.
The local distillery has been producing schnapps and liqueurs for over 300 years, and one of its most famous brands is “Schwartzhog”, a dark-coloured digestif named in honour of a black wild boar that apparantly saved the inhabitants of the nearby castle from an unexpected attack back in the 16th century. The hog is meant to have squealed during the night when it sensed invaders, enabling the Hardenberg army to see off the attack.
Course Reviews
Leave a Review
This course has not been reviewed.
If you have played this course, consider .
Thanks for the review
Your review has been successfully submitted and will be reviewed for approval.
Course Reviewed
You’ve already submitted a review for this course.
