Jurmala Golf Club & Hotel: Jurmala Course

Jurmala Golf Club & Hotel sits on 75 hectares of land between Latvia’s capital, Riga, and the Baltic seaside resort of Jurmala. Its main 18-hole layout, the Jurmala Course, was designed by Nicklaus Design, and the club opened in late 2018 after almost five years of construction, which makes it one of the youngest golf courses in Northern Europe.

The Jurmala Course is a par 72 that follows the natural contours of the land, with water features, white-sand Nicklaus-style bunkers and golden fescue grasses lining the fairways, and the round finishes in front of the clubhouse. From the White tees it measures 6,384 metres with a course rating of 74.2 and slope of 129, while the Yellow, Blue and Red tees bring it down to 4,607 metres for a much more forgiving test.

Next to it is the 9-hole par-3 Academy Course, built among mature fruit trees from an old orchard. It is aimed at beginners and relaxed rounds, and is where new golfers play after completing the club’s Green Card course.

Practice facilities include a floodlit, covered driving range with 10 hitting bays, two TrackMan training studios and a grass hitting area, plus a short-game area with two greens where you can practise shots up to 70 metres. The clubhouse stands in the middle of the course and practice ground, with a reception and pro shop, locker rooms, a restaurant and a lobby bar. The on-site hotel has 15 standard rooms and 2 suites.

The club opened its doors in late 2018. Since then players have recorded dozens of holes-in-one on both courses, and the club keeps a public honour roll on its website; the 3rd, 9th, 12th and 14th on the Jurmala Course appear on it most often.