Le Golf National (L'Aigle)

Le Golf National was the brainchild of Hubert Chesneau, who worked tirelessly with the French Golf Federation in the mid-1980s to create a National Golf Centre just outside Paris. This was to consist of two 18-hole courses, practice facilities, a performance centre, hotel and the administrative headquarters of the FFG.

The plan was presented to the three local Mayors who were responsible for the land on which the proposed development would be constructed. To maintain a political balance, it was decided to build the hotel in Magny les Hameaux whilst Guyancourt would be the home of the FFG, with the Golf National Reception Centre sited between these two communes.

Robert von Hagge was drafted in help with the design on the main layout (l’Albatros), leaving Chesneau to plan the L’Aigle course on his own. The landscape is pretty flat next to the Aérodrome de Toussus-le-Noble so many truck-loads of spoil from other Parisian building projects were brought in daily to fashion suitable contours around the property.

Finally, the main 18-hole course was officially opened on 5tht October 1990, with the 18-hole l’Aigle and 9-hole Oiselet layouts following shortly after.

L’Agle extends to just over 6,300 metres from the back tees, playing to a par of 71, with holes routed in an out-and-back manner. There’s only one par five on the front nine, the right doglegging 521-metre 7th which features out of bounds to the left of the fairway. On the back nine, the par four 18th returns players to the clubhouse, with a just a solitary bunker protecting the front of the home green.