Spectators watch play during the OMEGA European Masters in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Image Credit: Crans-Montana Tourism & Congress
The OMEGA European Masters returns to Crans-Montana this September with another high-profile field and a setting that has helped make the tournament one of the DP World Tour’s most recognizable stops. The world’s top golfers may come for four days of competition, but the event also introduces viewers to a championship course they can return to play themselves.
The 2026 tournament runs Sept. 3 to 6 and will feature five of the current top 10 players on the DP World Tour. Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, defending champion Thriston Lawrence, Matt Wallace and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, back for his 36th appearance, will all tee it up in the Swiss alpine village.
As Switzerland’s only DP World Tour stop, the OMEGA European Masters draws attention from golf fans across Europe, the United States and other international markets.
That annual burst of television coverage appears to translate into travel. Mark Bell, sales manager at Golfbreaks, says September typically accounts for about a third of all golf trips to Switzerland booked through the company.
Crans-Montana tourism officials say the golf club regularly receives inquiries from people who first encountered Crans-sur-Sierre on television or during the OMEGA European Masters and later plan a trip around playing it.
“Beyond the sporting competition, it allows golf fans around the world to discover the combination of championship golf and Alpine scenery that makes Crans-Montana so distinctive,” says Grégoire Matthey, Head of Marketing & Events at Crans-Montana Tourism & Congress.
Why Crans-Montana Stands Out
Television captures the mountain backdrop, but not quite its scale. Crans-sur-Sierre stretches across a plateau high above the Rhône Valley, where fairways run beneath a jagged wall of Alpine summits. On a clear day, snow-covered peaks seem startlingly close even in the warmth of summer.
“From certain parts of the course, it almost feels like standing on an Alpine balcony,” Matthey said, “with the 4,000-meter peaks directly in front of you and seemingly within reach.”
The Severiano Ballesteros course has hosted the European Masters since 1948, giving recreational golfers the unusual opportunity to play many of the same holes they have watched tournament professionals navigate. But Crans-sur-Sierre is not isolated behind the gates of a sprawling golf resort.
Rue du Prado, the village’s main shopping street, lies just beyond the fairways, putting restaurant terraces, boutiques and hotels within an easy walk of the greens. During competition week, professional golfers, spectators and residents spill into the same streets and cafés.
“This creates a very particular atmosphere,” Matthey said. “The OMEGA European Masters is a world-class sporting event, yet it feels naturally rooted in everyday life in Crans-Montana. Elite sport, spectacular scenery and the life of the destination all exist within the same compact area.”
The galleries have included more than golf fans over the years. George Clooney was among the celebrity spectators who attended the 2022 European Masters.
Three Courses, One Alpine Base
The Ballesteros course is only the start of the local golf options. The nine-hole Jack Nicklaus course has repeatedly been recognized among Switzerland’s most beautiful nine-hole layouts, while the Noas course adds another local option.
Golfbreaks clients generally spend three nights in Crans-Montana, Bell said, most often traveling in groups of two or four. Switzerland draws fewer golf travelers than Scotland, Ireland, Spain or Portugal, but that can work in its favor for those who have already played Europe’s familiar names.
“We continue to receive inquiries from travelers looking beyond Europe’s traditional golf hotspots in search of quieter courses,” Bell said.
Even committed golfers have reasons to put the clubs away for an afternoon. Hiking, cycling, spas, shopping and restaurants are all close to the courses.
“One of the great strengths of golf in Crans-Montana is how easily it becomes part of a complete stay,” Matthey said. “Guests can play in the morning, have lunch on a terrace, explore the mountains, enjoy a spa, go shopping and dine in the centre of the destination.”
Planning the Trip
A rental car is optional rather than essential. The Swiss resort town is roughly two hours from Geneva by road. Travelers can also take the train to Sierre and continue up the mountainside by funicular. Once in the resort, much of the center can be explored on foot or by local transportation.
Crans Ambassador, a hotel partner of the OMEGA European Masters, brings the mountains indoors through floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining room, pool and guest rooms, many of which open onto balconies facing the peaks. Its complimentary shuttle service connects guests with the golf courses and other parts of the village.
The biggest difference between Crans-Montana and many famous tournament venues is that watching the pros does not have to be the end of the experience. Recreational golfers can book the same championship course, add a round on the Jack Nicklaus layout and still have time to explore the village and mountains beyond the fairways.
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