Limère - North West France - France

Last time I was at Les Bordes I got the chance to visit Les Aisses so this time I opted to check out Cabell Robinson’s 30-year-old design at Golf d'Orléans – Limère. It was very busy on a Saturday morning (probably with people like me who were getting out before a Seniors competition started) but I still manged to get round in comfortably under 3.5 hours.

It’s a very flat landscape to the south of Orléans where the course is situated so it’s understandable that lakes were dug during construction to provide fill for contouring and mounding, with flash-faced bunkers abounding on very hole. It’s resort golf all the way here, though water only comes into play at a handful of holes, most notably on the closing 18th, which plays to a peninsula green.

Two holes, the par four 4th and par five 6th, play round opposite sides of a small lake on the front nine and they’re probably the best holes on the outward half. Disappointingly, neither of the par threes (at the 2nd or 7th) really captured the imagination on a first 9-hole circuit that ended back close to the clubhouse with an instantly forgettable right doglegged par four.

The lake in the northwest corner of the property is put to great use on the back nine at the left doglegged par five 13th then the right doglegged short par four 14th. Water protects the front right side of the green on the first of these holes and it must be carried off the tee on the second hole, though aim too far left and there are some huge bunkers set up to catch those who play it too safe as the fairway swings right towards an offset raised green.

I suppose it’s rather befitting the resort-style course at Limère that it concludes with an eye-catching short par four with a final aquatic element to it. Water threatens off the tee if you slice the ball too far to the right and there are three bunkers on the left to catch the overly cautious trying to steer clear of the lake. The approach to a peninsula green on the right side of another lake then has to avoid another three bunkers on the dry side of the home green, setting up a nerve-jangling finish for anybody who might be nursing home the last ball in their golf bag.

Jim McCann

We played here last year and enjoyed the course so we returned last week. We agree that there is a slightly rundown feel about Limere. We were disappointed by the course condition. Overall impressions are of a good course layout but poor maintenance, which had deteriorated this year compared to our previous visit.

Fairways had inconsistent lies. Rough was poorly kept. Many tee boxes were out of use and under repair, and the upkeep of those in use was poor. Some bunkers have new sand compared to last year. The greens were generally ok. We would have played elsewhere had we known about the course condition in advance.

have to agree with previous review in that clubhouse and hotel dont give the best first impression, but once you get going it is all very pleasant. Nice tree lined holes good bunkering and certainly a course that you would score better for playing a couple of times

The first glimpse of Limère is not really thrilling: messy parking space, not that great looking hotel and tiny club house (a renovation project already exists). But if you, like me, are here for the golf, you surely won’t be disappointed. With Les Bordes being now completely private, this course is definitely the premier golfing destination in that area of France. Measuring just under 6200 meters from the back tees, it is not the longest course. With the longest par 4 at 389 meters, length is never really an issue. Placing your ball on the other hand really is as all par 4 and 5 are doglegs, yes all of them!! Has anyone seen this anywhere else before? The fairways are all wide, but before deciding to take the big stick out, you’ll have to decide for yourself if it is strategically a good choice. And you’d better know your distances well! Greens were all sensational, difficult to read and quite undulating. Real carpets. One slight disappointment is how uninspiring the par 3s (7th and 16th especially) looked from the tees, but when you reach the greens you’ll realize they are by no means poor holes and provided that you are on the dance floor, a 2 putt is never given. Favorite holes were par 5 6th with water on the left side of the fairway, 11th, 13th (2 other par 5s) and 14th. The round was very enjoyable and I’d return any time. Cédric