I ventured out to play Le Golf National south of Paris, HQ of French golf and home of L'Open de France. The course is the product of a partnership between Chesneau and Von Hagge.
Peering over the fence, this photograph may well show the terrain as it existed before the golf course...it's so flat that an aerodrome still exists down the road.
Given such terrain, it appears that lakes were dug and a manufactured dunescape created. This results in the opening and closing holes playing round the lakes
and the middle holes playing through the dunes, a hotpotch of styles, half penal lakeland golf and the other in the style of a seaside links.
Hopefully, one manages to warm up on the range as the opening holes require carries over water - this approach to the 1st
And just a light carry of 190 yards to the flag on the par 3 2nd:
Out to the middle holes:
The 3rd green with desert-island-tree bunker:
Use of huge "waste area sand hazards" running through the rough (not to my taste):
At the 6th hole, one almost feels as though one is on a links:
The picturesque long par 3 8th:
With raised green and sentinel bunker in front:
Another links pop-up green at the 9th:
On the back nine, this bunker guards the short line into the par 5:
Another par 4 is more parkland with this approach across the pond:
And so to the famous finish. 15 is a par 4 with second shot across the lake. An odd hole which requires a lay-up of the tee.
16 is another penal water carry par 3:
To 18, a par 5, where the crowds gather during the Open. This hole plays short, with a birdie quite possible with an aggressive drive and a short iron second to the island green.
Topped off with an uninspiring backdrop of hotel and clubhouse buildings.
However, disaster beckons anything but a sound shot and it makes for a great matchplay hole to finish.
