Golf in the Basel area

Jun 1

The biggest difference between golf as we know it “back home” and in Switzerland, is that you actually need a “licence” to play here; known as a Platzreife or Platzerlaubnis with an associated handicap. This applies in many European countries and holiday resorts. See more below.

We are blessed with some excellent golf courses in the Basel region but playing golf here can be an expensive hobby. Many clubs have a joining fee (Aufnahmegebühr) which varies from zero to tens of thousands depending on the club. In addition, you will pay an annual subscription which allows you unlimited playing rights for the year. An option is to pay as you go, green fees, and this can be a good solution if you play infrequently. But for the regular golfer, being a club member brings many advantages such as priority on booking time slots, camaraderie etc.

A popular option is provided by Migros (golfparks.ch). They operate six courses throughout Switzerland, the closest to Basel is at Moossee, 90km from Basel. They offer a variety of playing options including yearly subscription and green fees, although there is currently a waiting list for annual cards. Then you could buy a Season card for CHF 380 and pay green fees on a pay as you go basis.

The handicap system

A golf handicap is a mechanism which theoretically allows any golfer to play any other golfer on a “level playing field”. This would not be possible in most other sports. It means that the weaker golfer has more shots allowed per hole than his/her better rival. In 2021, the newly launched World Handicap System (WHS) arrived in Switzerland as well as the rest of Europe. Beginner golfers start with a handicap of 54 which means they have an allowance of three extra shots per hole (3x18 holes) over a scratch golfer (handicap 0). This was considered a crazy state of affairs in Ireland where starting handicaps would have been set at about 24, but Ireland also now complies with WHS.

Your handicap is adjusted up or down depending on how you do in recognized tournaments as well as games in which you declare your intention to submit the result (EDS-Extra Day Score) ahead of time and are scored by an independent scorer.

In Switzerland you need to have your golf handicap registered and managed, most clubs will ask for your handicap card and some clubs only allow you to play if you have a handicap of 36 or below.

For golfers who need to have their handicap assessed and managed, you will need to join a golf club or the Swiss Association of Independent Golfers (ASGI) and have your handicap assessed by one of their professionals.

There are several possibilities to do this. Either by joining the ASGI or Migros or a local club. We have highlighted the most reasonable options here.

ASGI – Association of Swiss Golfers
Migros Golf
Some of the local Swiss golf clubs e.g., Rheinfelden, Laufental etc.
Bad Bellingen (DE)

Platzreife

This is a “certification” required to gain an initial handicap and to be allowed to play. It can be done privately with a recognized professional, or in a group in planned sessions. For example, Golf Parks offer intensive one week courses, all equipment provided, for CHF 1,300. Another option would be to go solo with a professional at a rate of about CHF 110 per hour, or about €90. Depending on your progress, this could be a good option coming in at less than CHF 1,000. A further option is to do an intensive course at a golf resort as part of a holiday e.g., Algarve, Spain, Morocco or Turkey.

Swiss Association of Independent Golfers (ASGI)

The Swiss Association of Independent Golfers (ASGI) was founded in 1998 under the patronage of the Swiss Golf Federation (formerly ASG) to bring together golfers who are not members of a club. The ASGI is responsible for organising and promoting public golf and for supporting the clubs. The ASGI maintains privileged relations with the various players in golf and is present at all major events.

The ASGI distributes the official national card: the "Swiss Golf Card", which includes in particular:

Handicap management
Access to all golf clubs (in Switzerland and abroad)
Participation in regional and national tournaments

At the end of 2020, Swiss Golf has 100 clubs and 2 public golf organisations (ASGI & Migros) and a total of 95'000 members, of which more than 17'500 belong to ASGI, representing more than 18.5%.

Gear

Golf shopping in Switzerland is not cheap. After they cover those heavy rent and staffing overheads, costs are already going up! There are a couple of nationwide chains with good outlets in Basel; Golfcenter in Allschwil and Golfers’ Paradise in Muttenz. Each club will have a small selection in their pro shops but can be quite expensive.

I personally try to buy as much gear when back home and many golf shops will also ship to Switzerland.