This course was built at the same time as its more famous neighbor Hubbelrath and perhaps it stayed a bit under the radar because of that. The terrain is certainly very similar and like Bernhard von Limburger routed the fairways across the huge rolls that permeate the Hubbelrath property, Fred Hawtree did the same a few miles down the road. It's a toss-up between those two as far as quirk and routing go. If anything, then Düsseldorfer is a bit more extreme in places. Presentation and maintenance are not up to Hubbelrath's standards, but that is asking a lot. Düsseldorfer is certainly a high quality affair and once they get bunker mats installed, there is no reason they couldn't catch up.
The adventure starts off with three moderate holes and then the rollercoaster is kickstarted - two holes sooner than at Hubbelrath. After a very slight let-off around the turn, things become positively crazy between #11 and #15 - including a drive over the access road, where neither the golfers nor the motorists can see each other! The last hole of this stretch is the signature hole: a breathtaking drop shot par 3 with a pond in front, that makes club selection unusually difficult. The 16th is another good design, but Düsseldorfer loses the match against Hubbelrath on the final two holes. The 17th is a par 3 that is ridiculously grown in to the point, where the green bunkers are obscured. And the 18th is the king of connector holes that adds insult (uphill struggle) to injury (death march par 4).
14000 trees were planted during construction on a site that doesn't need more than a handful. While the course doesn't feel completely tree-lined, it actually is and there are issues with playing angles in several spots. Thankfully it does not spoil the experience, because everything takes a back seat to the spectacular terrain. The course record is over 40 years old and stands at a mere 64 by none other than a young Bernhard Langer. Resistance to scoring seems to be in full swing here, but recreational golfers need not fear: it's a fun track and not overly long. While it's not a stroll in the park, the routing is very clever and accommodates walkers perfectly. That is, until green 17.