St Emilion Tour with Photos

[Tim Gallant]

On a recent family holiday to France, I managed to squeeze in a game at Saint Emilion. It’s quite surprising how low under the radar this course flies considering it was built by one of the best architects of this generation, and that it bucks the current trend of ‘bigger’ and ‘bolder’.

What I found was a course that sits in perfect harmony with the landscape. While copious bunkers and visual bling seem to be the style du jour, St Emilion relies on angled greens, fantastic internal green contours, and natural features such as streams and rolling terrain to provide compelling golf.

The fairways were hairier than I’m sure the course would like, and the bunker sand can aptly be described as rustic, but it doesn’t take away in the slightest from a course that more should study as a great example of how one doesn’t need 150 bunkers and framed backdrops to create a interest.

Holes of note:

Number 2 - a short-ish par 4, the green is angled to the right, where there is a stream that runs the entire length of the fairway before cutting in front of a raised green.



Number 5 - This down and then up par-5 resonated because of how small the putting surface is. Recently, I have grown to love greens on par-5s that are tightly nestled to trouble on one side with bail out fairway on the other when conventional wisdom would put that green in the middle of the open space and add hazards on both sides. Think 8 at Augusta, 12 at Pinehurst 10 and 5 at St Emilion as examples of the former.

Number 8 - a cool table-top green on a drive and pitch par-4 (could be drivable for some I suppose).



Number 9 - What a great green!



Number 10 - I adored the drive on this hole. It calls for a fade, but one must be careful not to overcook it into the stream on the right. The green has a roll at the back that reminded me of the back of 3 at Old Barnwell (albeit, less pronounced). I love when the green continues past the apex on the back of the green (for no apparent reason, other than it’s cool as anything!)



Number 11 - What a great green. The up and over tee shot is slightly repetitive from 6 and 7, but one can excuse that when you see the fall-away green!



Number 14 - A nice uphill par-3, which rounds out a really strong collection of one-shot holes. The green again is the star.




Number 15 - Probably my favourite new par-5 that I have played this year. Tom used a boundary fence to protect the outside of the dog-leg, and benched a bunker on the left. One must be very careful on picking the line, lest they run through the fairway and past the fence! The green is INCREDIBLE with steeplechase type mounding all around the front portions of the green; obscuring a view of the pin from one side of the fairway, depending on pin placement



I’m not sure I can think of a more understated new build that looked at the surrounding area and built a course that has a wonderful sense of place without many of the unnecessary frills that are leading the maximalist charge.

I’d encourage anyone in the area to make a visit. It might not be a 10, but there’s arguably more to study here than many other new builds.

Side note: It’s worth seeing Golf du Medoc, which is a 1989 Bill Coore design. He got a lot out of a fairly flat site. It actually reminded me of some Pete Dye designs. There’s a lot of great strategic decisions to be made, but often, Coore used visual deception to trick players into hitting into undesirable positions.

[Thomas Dai]

The no frills, semi-rustic, natural simplicity of design and maintenance looks wonderful.
Atb

[Sean_A]

Thanks Tim, St Emilion is an attractive place to visit, but I have never seen the course. The 11th green looks special. Do you have more photos of the hole?

Ciao

[Tim Gallant]

Thanks Tim, St Emilion is an attractive place to visit, but I have never seen the course. The 11th green looks special. Do you have more photos of the hole?

Ciao

Only one from another hole, which I've attached below. The tree you see is to the left of the green when you approach, so you're hitting your drive up and over the hill you can just make out in the distance. I've also included one from 13, which has a neat green complex.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Love the pics. Thanks!

My wife and I were there in June of 2022.
Stayed in a house just steps from the first tee.


We just loved the place. The turf may be a bit different for most as they use next to zero chemicals or irrigation as there are world-class vineyards surrounding the property. Greens are slow, but true. If they were "US fast", they'd be hard to play.


The place was also SO quiet. You hear cow bells and church bells.
We met several members on the terrace in front of the small bar.


The place is magical.

[Tim Gallant]

Love the pics. Thanks!

My wife and I were there in June of 2022.
Stayed in a house just steps from the first tee.


We just loved the place. The turf may be a bit different for most as they use next to zero chemicals or irrigation as there are world-class vineyards surrounding the property. Greens are slow, but true. If they were "US fast", they'd be hard to play.


The place was also SO quiet. You hear cow bells and church bells.
We met several members on the terrace in front of the small bar.


The place is magical.

Great description Ian! And yes, it's funny to think that the surrounding vineyards are some of the most famous in the world!

[BCrosby]

St Emilion is a wonderful course. A GCAer's delight. Well-designed, thoughtful, low key and in a beautiful region of France.


It is not only located amidst some of the most expensive vineyards in the world, its near neighbor is the home of Michel de Montaigne. Philosopher/golfers should visit his 'castle' and the adjoining tower where he wrote his 'Essays'.


Bob