St Leon-Rot (Rot)

Overview: The Rot Course at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot is a championship parkland layout built into the natural floodplain around the club. Hannes Schreiner preserved biotopes, water edges and existing landscape features, giving the course a more organic character than the newer St. Leon course. The fairways can appear generous from the tee, but the wetland setting and strategically placed hazards make the approach angles decisive. Mature vegetation and the water network create a strong sense of place throughout the round.

History: Golf Club St. Leon-Rot officially opened in 1997, and Dietmar Hopp hit the first ball on the Rot 18-hole championship course on 26 April that year. The club quickly became a major tournament venue, hosting the Deutsche Bank–SAP Open and later the Solheim Cup in 2015. Bunker work and other course improvements were carried out as the club prepared for international competition while the original floodplain concept remained intact.

Did You Know? The course’s signature island green is paired with the island fairway on the St. Leon course. The Rot green is especially memorable because it sits within the floodplain landscape that Schreiner used as a defining architectural resource.