Without an Olympics to hype its exposure to international audiences, Sion and the Valais Valley are turning to its golf courses.
Eight courses, four 18-hole layouts and four nine-hole courses, are scattered through the valley and at higher elevations. The flagship is the Severiano Ballesteros Course in Crans-Montana, home of the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club and the European Masters Tournament each September.
While the area is known for its winter sports, golf provides a viable summer alternative.
Guy Praplan, a consultant to Sion’s Olympic bids for 2002 and 2006, believes its golf courses could have a more lasting influence on promoting the area than the Olympics.
“The Olympics bring a lot of visitors,” Praplan said. “There’s a lot of exposure and media interest until the end of the Games. But after two or three years, you disappear.”
Besides the championship course in Crans-Montana, 18-hole courses are in Verbier at the west end of the valley and Sion and Leuk in the middle. The 9-hole courses are the Jack Nicklaus Course in Crans-Montana; Sierre, conveniently close to Sion and Crans-Montana; Randa near Zermatt and the Matterhorn; Obergestein on the banks of the Rhone River; and Riederalp on the high valley between Obergestein and Brig.
There’s enough variety to keep a golfing group busy for a week.
