Golfers taking on the challenge of the acclaimed Sea Course at Estonian Golf & Country Club will soon have their skills further tested following enhancements to the penultimate hole at the Tallinn venue.
The 182-yard par-3 17th hole is nearing completion following an upgrade, which has seen the removal of a large water hazard in front of the green. The obstacle has been replaced with an area of managed scrubland, enhancing the visuals of the hole and matching similar areas running along the adjacent sixth and seventh holes.
The new scrubland will be predominantly sand-based, incorporating boulders and shrubs native to the landscape, with a striking water feature snaking its way through the middle.
The design was laid out by the course’s original architect, Lassi Pekka Tilander fromFinland, and the work was carried out by the on-site greenkeeping team.
Hanno Kross, Estonian Golf & Country Club CEO, said: “The hole is already open for play and looks stunning even though it is not completed yet. The area has been laid and the water feature is finished, and by the start of next season all the shrubs will be planted and the boulders in place.
“Here at Estonian Golf & Country Club we pride ourselves on offering visitors a first-class golfing experience and we are confident the new layout of the 17th hole will throw up its own new set of challenges as well as being even more visually appealing.”
The scrubland – as with the areas between the 482-yard par-5 6th and 408-yard par-4 7th holes – is not classed as a hazard and therefore players will be able to play their ball from the sand and even ground their club.
Estonian Golf & Country Club – just 20 minutes from the beautiful capital city of Tallinn, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – has been ranked as one of Europe’s top 100 golf courses and is part of the European Tour Courses network.
The challenging championship Sea Course – which staged the Omega Mission Hills World Cup European Qualifier earlier this year – winds its way through forest and opens up alongside the Gulf of Finland and Jägala River, offering serenity and stunning views across the coastline.
As well as the Sea Course the venue also boasts a 9-hole links-style course – the Stone Course – that incorporates a number of protected ancient heritage sites and walls dating back thousands of years.
Estonian Golf & Country Club www.egcc.ee