The main course at Granville is one of the few authentic links courses in France, only La Mer at Le Touquet comes close. The land it’s set out on reminds one of Saunton, a broad expanse of dunes with the course running through the the rolling terrain. 

The two 9’s are contrasting in character, going out very much a classic links, then after 10 it heads inland and takes on a more parkland character while the finishing stretch comes back onto the links. 

I was fortunate with timing, the previous weekend the course had hosted a mid Amateur comp so it was pristine, unfortunately they had also left the pins in some tough spots.

For a links course the fairways were surprisingly tight, not much second cut and then you find knee deep rough. However it’s kept fairly thin and wispy so you normally have a fighting chance of finding your ball, unless very lucky it’s normally a short iron shot to advance the ball as much as you can. With the courses modest length a long iron is often the best choice from the tee for position especially on the shorter par 4’s where using driver brings more trouble into range. To score well is all about the approach shot, greens are large and surrounded by drops offs, hollows and bunkers, with the firm conditions the ground game comes into play. 

The par 3’s were the most fun, especially with the breeze, 2 a mid length short hole with only half the flag visible, requires carrying over a ridge and hidden false front. 10 was like trying to land the ball onto the roof of a VW Beatle, the night before the proprietor of the restaurant I dined at is a member and advised it’s best to be short, advice I followed. On 16 the green is elevated, anything short is spat back with venom and will leave you with a 30 yard pitch back up hill. My wedge was pulled a little, landed on the green but jumped left, painful double followed but still left me with a smile on my face. 

I can’t conclude a review without mentioning the greens, utterly superb, pacy with perfect roll, didn’t see my ball bobble ever. They were also incredibly tough, 2 putting any of them was a result, I’d love to come back and have another crack. 

Definitely worth the effort to get there, the only downside were the pedestrian holes on the back 9, I wondered if they could use the some of the 9 hole course to replace the parkland holes and some of the unused dune land, probably impossible with the regulations but nice to dream!