[Tony_Muldoon]

Golf de Biarritz “Le Phare” to give the course its proper name (and no book I’ve ever seen has) was originally laid out by Willie Dunn in 1888.  It is believed to be the second oldest course in France and is right on the edge of the holiday town.  It’s one of the friendliest clubs I’ve ever visited and has a bunch of fun holes.

Biarritz is an old holiday resort on the atlantic border with Spain that has a certain reputation.

It’s relatively flat and has reasonably large greens, most of which due to their age have some very subtle borrows.  Some have a lot of internal movement and some don’t.  I’ve observed this before on old flat greens, about the same no of putts over 15’ seem to drop as 2-3’ putts miss.  

I was there in July and during the third week the course is closed for the Biarritz cup, which I’m told is a top amateur event in France with a long history.  It certainly attracted some TV and sponsorship interest. Due to the fact we went on holiday with a new camera I can’t account for the fact that I have no photos from the oldest part of the course and most of these holes would originally been on the ladies course (though subsequently remodelled).  The other lost holes were dealt with on a recent thread. http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=21926  

This is the 15th fairway and shows a typical scene, the tight course has holes demarked by rows of pines.



The 2nd a longish par 3, 176m where the safe play is out to the right and this is the competition pin placement.


3rd


The course then crosses the road and returns to the 10th. The picture doesn’t show the depth of the crater in front of green.


This is a lovely par 4 the 11th


11 th green – steeply raked on two levels



Par 3 12th green is well above tee Looking back down the 12th green


14th another short but deadly par 3 with again a big crater in front of it.  I was told before I went that these were bomb craters from the war. First the club members had heard of that!

14th final day competition pin.  In the week before this I played with a Swiss guy who putted past a similar pin position, an awfully long way past.



16th a par 5 with a swale in front of the green


17th par 3 green looks flat but it falls to the right – awkward character.




The course is not long only 5900 yards.
This was the final scoreboard for the men – holiday conditions were perfect not a breath of wind however.


And the women


The locals were ecstatic both winners were Basque’s!

All in all a really lovely course which perhaps isn’t challenging enough for some. There are 5 courses with a ‘reputation’ around Biarritz and I would certainly recommend playing here in the pm on your way back to town after a round on one of the others.  I’ll add a few more pictures tomorrow.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Bringing this back to the top so some of the outside of US  based contingent might see it.

Middle of page two in 9 hours!

[Ed Tilley]

Tony,

How does this compare to some of the other courses in the area. I stayed at Moliets last year on a family holiday. I didn't play Moliets but had a good look at some of the holes. I played at Seignosse which I really enjoyed.

I was thinking of going back on a golf trip to Seignosse. Which 3 courses in the area would you recommend I played? I had thought Seignosse and two from Moliets, Hossegor and Chiberta. I hadn't even considerd Biarritz.

Ed

[Tony_Muldoon]

Ed I have a few pictures from Chiberta and Hossegor which I'll post tonight.

Only played Chiberta which was great, a notch up from Biarritz. I looked in the Peugeot Guide last nigth and you have picked out the top 4 in their rating.  But there's about 4 others I'll list but haven't seen.

'Le Phare' is great fun but not a destination course in itself. With a little searching on the web I know there is a ticket which allows you to play the best 5 for the price of 4.


Biarritz is a great base for all kinds of holidays - I love it there - and not as expensive as you might imagine.

[Chris Kane]

Thanks for the photos Tony.  I'd be interested in Mike Clayton's comments on this course, as I believe its where he won the Timex Open in 1984

[Tony_Muldoon]

Wow great link, thanks Chris.

It appears they only played it twice there, the first year it was won by Manuel Ballesteros.  

Mike beat a field including Torrance, Darcy and Langer, with local hero (he's a Basque) Olazabal 22 shots back at plus 6.

Interestingly the best amateurs in the competition produced similar scores to the pro's , 22 years earlier.

Yes hopefully Mike see's this. (If you do, don't be thrown by the numbers of the holes. These are the everyday ones, for the Cup they played the course in a different order. All these holes are on the Clubhouse side of the road).

[Ed Tilley]

A few pictures of Seignosse - an excellent course cut through the Pine forest with lots of elevation changes. It's about 20 miles north of Biarritz and was designed by Robert Von Hagge.

17th hole - the 'signature' hole (I hate that term). 400+ yards, water all the way down the left. 3rd hole in the background, another excellent hole. Drive over water (although water not really in play) dog leg to the right to a green well above the fairway.



18th hole. Long par 5 uphill, not really in reach for mortals. Severe slopes on the green.


Aerial shot. Can see the 17th hole cutting in to the lake and the long 18th back to the clubhouse.



An excellent course and a lovely part of the world. Very good area for family holidays - the beaches are excellent and the weather is very good.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Chiberta is only a couple of miles outside of Biarritz. It’s a much more commercial operation, being run by a hotel, but I found the actual golfers just as friendly. Unfortunately the new camera had a habit of switching to video when I put it back in the bag so I have only a few pictures from this course.

It was laid out by Tom Simpson, 1927, and the marketing puff said it was designed to be the best course in the world.  Well it’s still a lovely course that plays half in dunes and half in the pine forest just behind. You cross the road twice so it mixes quite nicely. Of the four courses I’ve played in France it’s definitely the only one where they try and get it firm and fast.  The ground is ideal for golf and I both loved it and found it challenging.  Would very much like to play it again.

This is the view from the 1st tee.  Lovely rolling ground


The second shot depend on how far over the valley you’ve hit.  Note the houses right behind the green.


You then cross the road hit a blind shot up hill (updune?) and


This is the second green. Behind is a long par 5 (the 13th?) where the wind is in play but you can’t see the beach in normal play.  Right in the centre of the picture is the ‘phare’ or lighthouse that gives the other course its name.


This is the last shot form the 3rd hole and gives a view of what the land was like before the houses took over (they are much more in play later in the round).

[Tony_Muldoon]

The Peugeot Guide highlights the following courses within an hour from the centre of Biarritz.  The ratings are what they give each out of 20. From south to North.

San Sebastian (in Spain)      14
Chantaco            14
Arcangues            15
Makila               15
Biarritz            14
Chiberta            16
Hossegor            16
Seignosse             17
Moliets            17


Ed the two you have played are modern the three I’ve seen are not.

Finally while on a day trip with the family the wife declared she needed a Café Noir. So taking a chance that the club would be welcoming I followed the signs and in the centre of Hossegor we dropped in.  It’s an old fashioned place but they were very relaxed, the family had their drinks and I go t a look at a few greens.  Again I liked the look of the course. The pictures don’t do justice to the fall offs around these two greens. The land twists through pine forest.  The Guide says it’s by T Morrison from 1930.

9th green



18th green side



18th green rear.

[Mike_Clayton]

Tony,

The 1984 Timex Open is the ultimate proof Steve Williams is a great caddy.
It was the first week he ever worked for me and on the way to the 1st tee he simply said to me 'I don't care what happens this week but you are going to concentrate on every shot for the first time in your life!'


I hadn't realized Olazabal had played that week but he must have only been 16 or 17 at the time.
It was a good little course - not difficult at all but there were a lots of interesting short shots and that little par three up the hill on the back nine was a scary hole.It cost Faldo the tournament the year before when he hooked a 9 iron into the left bush and made five.

A few of us went to play Chiberta that week and my memory of it was that it was a terrific course.We all wondered why we were not playing there!

[Tony_Muldoon]

Faldo ... hooked a 9 iron into the left bush and made five.

At last I can say I've hit a ball just like Faldo.

Thanks Mike

Bearing in mind it's a short course were you using Driver and PW a lot back then?

[Mike_Clayton]

Tony,

There were a lot of driver wedge holes then - Steve was all over me for how bad I was with a wedge!
I did hole a bunch of putts and shot 61 on Saturday.
That par 3 17th was a really strong hole from memory -I hit a 4 iron on the last day.

I think they played the French Open there in the early seventies.
From memory Mr Lu beat David Graham.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

It's posts like these that make me wish I was a Kennedy. (as far as wealth)

Chiberta looks stunning. At least for me. I can't think of a better way to honor Tom Simpson then a visit here and Morfontaine. Mike & Tony, I'm totally envious.

Someday, someday......

[Jim_Kennedy]

It's posts like these that make me wish I was a Kennedy.-Tommy Naccarato

If you'd like, I could adopt you.  

[Tommy_Naccarato]

But you would have to move out here in the warmth, just to be next to your kid! (new kid, because I ain't moving out there in that freeking cold!)

Wait a second! I just realized you would also have free reign to beat the shit out of me! Forget it!

[Ed Tilley]

Thanks for these pictures Tony. I think my mind is made up that our annual Tilley family / friends golf trip will visit Basque country in the near future.

I didn't actually play Moliets but I saw several of the holes. It was much more of a 'resort' course than Seignosse - wide fairways, big greens. Seignosse was a members' course and much, much tighter. You need to be very accurate to score well here (that's me buggered!) - not just a driver, wedge course. The photos also don't show the true extent of the elevation changes - lots of elevated tees and greens. All in all, I'd say Seignosse was a much better course. Moliets is also 25 minutes further north, i.e. away from Biarritz. Seignosse, Chiberta, and Hossegor would be my preference.

Any recommendations for places to stay? The golf hotels at Chiberta and Seignosse are probably the best value. How close is Chiberta to the centre of Biarritz? Cheers,

Ed

[Tony_Muldoon]

Ed Chiberta is almost a suburb of Biarritz, max 2 miles to all the action.  

I'm biased I just love Biarritz the town, lots to do and great surfing too!  It's no more expensive than any other French holiday resort. i.e. avoid the Hermes shop in the middle of town.   (NB do they sell the Hogan brand of shoes in the States, never seen them in the UK?).  Plus airport is 12 minutes away.

 I would recommend being based right in town and walking around in the evening, particularly if you have any non golfers in the party.  Eat in the Casino (two Michelin knives and forks - that’s the next one down to a one star). Fed the wife, self and daughter two courses each and a bottle of wine on Valentine's night £80. You’re literally adjacent to the beach with the lighthouse illuminating the breakers. I summer you sit outside in the shade of the building with the sound of the waves right there mmmmmmmmmmm.  Or find the old port where they bar b que sardines straight from the boats. £8 for 3 helpings

This reminds me. I asked the French lady in the pictures from Chiberta above what other courses she would recommend. She said I had to visit Arcangues “because they serve a fantastic lunch on a terrace with one of the best views in the world”.

At half term this year we stayed in a small hotel called Gardenia – it was ok but not a definite recommend.  Best thing is to win the Euro lottery and stay in Empress Eugenie’s old pad on the beach which is now a very plush hotel.

You now have an official GCA mission bring your camera and keep it going all the way round. (you can even knock on a few doors and see if you can picture the illusive Chasm hole.)

PS isn’t Molliets an RTJ?

Enjoy

[Ed Tilley]

Tony,

Moliets is indeed a RTJ course. Big greens, wide fairways. A bit like Chiberta it has a few holes in the dunes with the majority in the pine forest.

Thanks for the tips re Biarritz. We're going to NW England this year (Silloth, Formby, Windermere). Next year, I have SW England pencilled in (3 from St.Enodoc, Perranporth, Saunton, B&B, RND). 2008 will be Biarritz, assuming I can persuade the others.

Ed

[Keith Durrant]

Tony,

I believe Hossegor is a John Morrison design? The Colt Association has it listed as Colt & Co. They also list Chantaco.

What were the green fees at Chiberta? Is there a deal if you stay at the hotel?

Keith

[Tony_Muldoon]

Keith,
I imagine there is a deal if you stay at the hotel but I don't know. I tried to Google it but it just comes up through any number of agencies and I couldn't find one for the hotel itself. I was hoping to find more pictures. Look for Hotel Chiberta et du Golf.  Incidentally NAF posted some on here before Christmas last but I don't have the link.

Last summer Biarritz was about 54 euros (with a deal if you paid for 5 rounds upfront) and Chiberta about 60.  Both are on the ticket I mentioned.

I've just looked at Cornish and Whitten and they have Biarritz as Willie Dunn, Jr., Tom Dunn (R.) HS Colt.

PS did you ever get to Marrakech?

[Keith Durrant]

Thanks Tony, no, i decided to go hiking in the Swiss Alps instead!

The trick is, a vacation destination has to be warm enough to be able to leave the wife by the pool or on the beach while I go golfing. Marrakech in Jan/Feb doesnt quite cut it.

Biarritz in June might, though

It is nice to see an area, with historic golf, which still offers visitors a game that does not cost more than the evening meal for the family.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I think my wife and I would like an autumn or spring break to Biarritz with a little golf and a bit of watching Rugby there.....

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