This is a high end course with a very clever design. It gathers much of its eye candy around the entrance road and the parking lot, so golfers entering the grounds will immediately be intrigued to play here. The actual hole designs are fairly conventional, but the way they are draped over the land - and especially around the clubhouse - makes the design look like more than it actually is. And that is not necessarily a bad thing.

The site is pretty small, so only a course of modest proportions could be built and that is definitely a good thing. We already have more than enough "championship length" layouts over which hardly any champion ever plays, while the actual golfers are bored to death by featureless length. At Schladming, length is not the primary defense, the greens are. They are subtly undulated and very challenging to negotiate. So most golfers will save a few shots in the long game and lose a few in the short game and shoot their usual score at the end of the day. Conditioning is impeccable, the scenery is Alpine (save for a few ugly power lines) and everyone has a chance to compete - so among Bernhard Langer courses this is an unusual gem.

Since Schladming is a popular tourist destination, much of the play here is probably by holidaymakers and replay value will determine whether they'll come back for a second stint or rather sample one of the other courses in the area. Chances are they will be back, because there is ample fun to be had and nothing here will rub anyone the wrong way.