Le Blainvillier (Royal)

Designed by architect Graham Cooke, the two 18-hole layouts at Le Blainvillier are set out within a former military base on the outskirts of Blainville and they were both unveiled to the golfing world on 18th May 1991. The fairways on both courses are routed through mature woodland, with the 36-hole facility laid out just to the north of a large motor vehicle test track.

The Heritage and Royal courses were both upgraded in a multi-million dollar renovation just a decade after they were first opened, in time for the club’s hosting of the Canadian Ladies Amateur Championship on the Heritage course in 2003. The male equivalent of this competition was also held on the same layout six years later.

The Royal course is a little shorter than its sibling (measuring 6,678 yards against the Heritage’s 7,035 yards) and it plays to a par of 71, thanks mainly to a configuration that has five par threes listed on the scorecard, with three of these short holes appearing on the back nine at the 10th, 15th and 17th.

The signature hole is regarded as the 573-yard 12th, the longest of the four par fives, where “trouble lies left and right all the way” according to Head Professional Gary Lagden.