Testing Saare Golf – The Best Course on Saaremaa

Bo Sjosten

Translated by AI

It’s day two of our trip to golf country Estonia, and we’re on our way to Saare Golf on the island of Saaremaa, or Ösel as it is called in Swedish. Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia and home to one of the country’s seven courses.

The drive from Tallinn to Saaremaa takes about four hours. Estonia’s main roads are of good quality, most of them much like ordinary Scandinavian country roads. Highways are rare outside the bigger cities. It’s easy to find your way, and you can bring your own car or rent one locally. Gas is a little cheaper than the EU average.

After about two hours’ driving from Tallinn you reach the car ferry to Saaremaa. The crossing takes about half an hour, and once you have parked the car on board you can go up to the dining room for a light lunch, or a beer in the cafeteria (except for the driver: the alcohol limit in Estonia is 0.00%), or simply enjoy the view from the top deck. After the ferry it takes about another hour to reach Kuressaare, the largest town on Saaremaa.

Kuressaare

Kuressaare lies on the south coast of Saaremaa. It isn’t big (the whole island has only 35,000 inhabitants) and is a bit like a small Scandinavian town, picturesque and a little sleepy. But appearances are deceptive. There is an almost endless range of activities, such as sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and, of course, sun and swimming. But the biggest reason tourists come here is the spas. The first spa opened as early as 1840, and today there is a good choice for every taste. I stayed at the George Ots Spa Hotel next to the marina, an excellent hotel with modern rooms and free access to the spa, including a selection of different saunas. Perfect after a round of golf. And fast Wi-Fi, of course.

But we weren’t here for the spa; we were here to play golf. Saare Golf lies just west of town, close enough to walk. I rented a bike at the hotel and cycled to the course in five minutes. Everything is close in Kuressaare.

Saare Golf: the best course on Saaremaa

Saare Golf calls itself “the best course on Saaremaa.” That’s not a hard status to achieve: Saare Golf is the only course on the island. But even if there were more courses, it’s easy to see that Saare Golf would be the best. It’s a really fine course.

The quality and attention to detail are obvious from the start. The clubhouse is modern in design, with a well-stocked pro shop and locker rooms on the ground floor. Upstairs are the restaurant and bar, overlooking the 9th and 18th holes, just as it should be. The restaurant also has an outdoor terrace where you can enjoy the sunset over the closing holes. Everything is very tastefully done, and tasteful was also the word for the lunch, which far exceeded our expectations.

The practice area is also worth a mention. Besides the driving range and practice green, there is a three-hole practice course by the clubhouse. Short but not easy, with both water and bunkers in play to sharpen your short game.

Saare Golf meets USGA standards

The 18-hole course was designed by the Finnish course architect Lassi Pekka Tilander to meet USGA standards. It opened for play in 2008. The land was previously covered in forest and scrub, so a lot of work went into clearing it. The terrain was quite flat, so a number of lakes were dug to provide material for shaping the course. The result is a gently undulating course with plenty of water in play.

Playing the course, it sometimes feels as if you’re on a links. With tree-lined fairways and plenty of water, that’s obviously not the case, but the fairways have a definite links feel. Perhaps it’s the prevailing southwesterly wind, often strong, that reinforces the links feel. When it blows, the course becomes a challenge.

Many holes look relatively straight and easy from the tee, but bunkers and water have been placed strategically and make the course much harder than it looks. Add a little wind, and the into-the-wind holes in particular become serious challenges. The 13th and 14th stand out as a little different from the rest. The 13th is a short par 4, dogleg left with water in the bend. The 14th is a long par 4 with water on both sides.

Both nines finish right in front of the clubhouse, in a traditional layout with water between the holes. The 18th is a par 4, a gentle dogleg left with water on the left. You can play safe to the right and leave yourself a long approach, or take a risk on the left and be rewarded with a shorter approach (or a ball in the water). A good finishing hole where many a competition will be decided.

Golf and spa: a perfect combination

When we visited, the course was in excellent condition, especially the greens, which were close to perfect. We definitely recommend this course. And if you also like spas, Kuressaare is a perfect destination.