2024 Olympics - Le Golf National - Albatros

[Matt MacIver]

The course was opened in 1990 and was co-designed by Hubert Chesapeake and Robert von Hagge.  What are folks thoughts on it?  I’m seeing several greens with side pockets and tucked pins that if you were in the wrong part of the green you’d likely need to pitch it to get it close — which I don’t mind but understand the problems, especially on a public course. Is this a half-shot penalty concept?


Is it a DS 10, 0 or somewhere in-between?  Lots of (too much?) water?  I’m also seeing some foreboding bottle-hole- type shots which look cool on tv. 


Look forward to hearing some thoughts. 

[Adrian_Stiff]

The Pro's love it. Some here would scoff at it.

[Adam Lawrence]

The course was opened in 1990 and was co-designed by Hubert Chesapeake

Chesneau. He was apparently connected to the French Golf Federation; there is a lot of discussion about what he did and what the von Hagge team did.

L'Albatros is a course designed purely for pro play. I wouldn't dream of trying to play there, I'd lose at least twenty balls and have no fun at all. But as a venue for the big guys, it works rather well, and is unarguably dramatic. It was a brilliant Ryder Cup venue.

[Matt_Cohn]

Anyone know why there are three bridges all right next to each other on the right side of the 18th screen? I’ve never seen something quite like it.

[Kalen Braley]

With the water, bulkheads, tough angles, and overall difficulty in general, I wonder if this was the Euro response to TPC Sawgrass?

[Mike_Clayton]

The course was opened in 1990 and was co-designed by Hubert Chesapeake

Chesneau. He was apparently connected to the French Golf Federation; there is a lot of discussion about what he did and what the von Hagge team did.

L'Albatros is a course designed purely for pro play. I wouldn't dream of trying to play there, I'd lose at least twenty balls and have no fun at all. But as a venue for the big guys, it works rather well, and is unarguably dramatic. It was a brilliant Ryder Cup venue.

The three French Opens prior to moving the The National were at Chantilly. it was terrific venue for the tour  - space, great range, excellent golf course. And it was classic French golf - Simpson, classy clubhouse and the town itself with the chateau and the racecourse was beautiful.
It was sad to leave there for so many reasons. It may, as Adam says, been designed for pro play but that doesn't mean we enjoyed it.
The finish with all the water was, no doubt, conceived to create drama at the end but it looks like the finish to the tour events in Florida.

[Pete_Pittock]

Anyone know why there are three bridges all right next to each other on the right side of the 18th screen? I’ve never seen something quite like it.

It's a five-ring circus over there.   When the shot showing the three bridges pans out there are three flagpools. The middle bridge is gold, the flanking bridges are for silver and bronze.

[MKrohn]

Had a good mate who lived in Paris for a decade and was a member at Saint Nom not far from Le Golf National so I've played it a few times.


Whilst as @Mike_Clayton says, it's not classic French golf like Chantilly, Morfontaine, Saint Cloud or Saint Nom, I enjoyed it. Wasn't like I went in with massive expectations and probably out of tournament/Ryder Cup mode the rough isn't as penal. Both my mate and I are (or in my case) were mid singles and can't recall any great difficulty navigating around.


I'm enjoying the Olympic golf, albeit I have forgotten a couple of the holes, perhaps indicating that some aren't too memorable.


* if you can handle the Parisian traffic, it's one of the best golf trips I've done

[Ronald Montesano]

I enjoyed covering it for eight days, from afar, for GolfWRX. I don't believe that golf could have asked for a better venue, to showcase the talents of the qualifiers. I wish that Joost Luiten had been able to play.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I hated it. Water is such a lazy way to make golf hard. It might be exciting for tournament golf but I did not enjoy the golf. I did enjoy watching Lydia Ko win.

[Pete_Pittock]

I liked the green shaping.  No archery target bullseye.  Different green sectors affected the daily line of charm. Wasn't bothered by all the water as it didn't seem much different than TPC-Sawgrass, a tournament venue I always  watch (and played).