Albi Lasbordes

In the mid 1980s, English course architect Jeremy Pern established his own business in Toulouse then he and colleague Jean Garaïalde embarked on a quest to turn out as many top tracks as possible, resulting in the likes of Charmeil in Grenoble and La Wantzenau in Strasbourg.

Golf d’Albi Lasbordes was one of a dozen designs that Pern introduced to the French golfing public during a prolific nine-year period from 1986 to 1994 and the course has matured in the couple of decades since then into one of the very best in the country.

The eighteen holes here are laid out in a pretty location beside the Tarn River – holes 7 and 13 run along its banks – though water only plays a part in proceedings beside small ponds on a quartet of holes; at 4 and 16 plus the opening and closing holes.

Almost every one of the non par three holes are doglegged to a greater or lesser extent (hole 2 kinks left at almost right angles to the teebox) so an ability to shape shots – right to left on the front nine and left to right on the back nine – will be a big advantage when playing here.