Fontana

Austria’s No.1-ranked course is located close to the famous town of Baden south of Vienna.

It was designed by the Canadian architect Doug Carrick – in association with Hans Erhardt – and it is not unlike one of his other famous designs, the eponymous course on the banks of Loch Lomond.

As there, here water plays a key part in proceedings, for this is a challenging course with numerous bunkers and water hazards

It is strong enough to have been a venue for the European Tour from 2006 to 2009 as well as 2015 plus being a candidate venue for the Ryder Cup 2022.

In immaculate condition, it begins with holes in open parkland that travel over undulating fairways before water dominates what is a dramatic closing stretch.

This is ‘target golf’, American style, and while can test top pros, numerous teeing boxes mean it can be playable for club golfers. And there is an excellent plan of hole on each tee, which is essential to plotting your strategy between the sand and water.

Opened in 1996, it lies at the heart of an exclusive private residential community and the focal point for the whole resort is the 20-hectare man-made lake, which even has its own beach.

In immaculate condition, it begins with holes in open parkland that travel over undulating fairways before water dominates what is a dramatic closing stretch.

That conclusion improved this year because Fontana is an ambitious club and it opened three brand-new holes in 2019 to replace the original 2nd, 17th and 18th.

Fontana may lack a little nuance to be higher in our Continental European list, but it does not lack drama, conditioning or memorable holes.