Simpson's gem close to Paris.
A gorgeous parcel of land, moving perfectly for good golf; with rocky outcrops adding to the beauty.
From an architectural point of view, Morfontaine is top drawer:
1) Highly strategic all kinds of options. Shots are often very different from opposite sides of the fairway.
2) Brilliant set of greens. Plenty of rippling contour with shoulders shrugging, slightly missed, shots away.
3) Stunning, artistic, bunkering (photos don't really pick them out well). A mixture of pits and sinewy, snaky bunkers.
The course looks pristine and I suspect virtually unchanged since Simpson's time. So the current work on the 12th by Kyle Phillips came as a bit of shock. A new green extending the short par 5. The new site is more spectacular but a longer walk is the down side. I wonder what the reasoning was (did Simpson intend the change), the new green only gains about 50yards.
NAF and I didn't have time to see the additional 9. The one green site by the car park is every bit as interesting as those on the full 18.
2nd. Bunkers snaking all over the place.
3rd from the landing zone. One of the best and toughest holes. The green is up on that knob in the left corner.
4th. Scale of the bunkers doesn't really show.
5th green (7th in background)
Back up the 6th.
7th tee. Try and shape it.
From the corner.
Closer
Side one, just see the hidden bunker.
Maybe the best hole, the 8th.
Exciting approach. See how the pin is hidden. You can bank your shot in from the right.
Looking back, you can see the terrain better.
Sleeper 9th. Try and stay left, kick off the bank on the left with a fade.
Approach from left.
Central/right.
Fall off.
Huge false front at 10th.
11th
11th green contours.
11th fall off.
Looking back up the 12th (a few of the holes have islands of heather). But the real surprise was...
The new green site being built.
The 13th. That tree has always been there.
Neat green!
Bunkerless 14th. Sharp swing in the green from the left.
Posing NAF on his rocky throne.
Very tough 16th. With oppositely canting fairways for the tee shot and approach (separated by the heather island). Hit a draw then a fade.
Some sense of the cant in the green.
17th in a little dell.
Contours.
Slightly awkward 18th (turning right with right to left cant). Still another cool green:
