North West France

France

Set out beside the Atlantic Ocean, the sandy-soiled fairways at Golf de Saint-Jean-de-Monts weave their way through a maritime forest before emerging into the open for what Martin Hawtree had described as “a true links finish”.

Extending to 5,896 metres from the back tees and with holes laid out as two returning nines, the course is an Yves Bureau design that first opened for play in 1988. Feature holes include the par four 1st, doglegging right around a lake to the green, and 186-metre 17th, which skirts the 6-hole pitch and putt course in the centre of the property.

 describes the course as follows in this edited extract:

“This course proved that with a low budget, good understanding of the game of golf and intelligent use of the terrain good courses are possible. Laid out along the sea, this is a homage to links golf even though the ten or so holes which wind their way through a forest of pines and oak trees are too tight to really swing freely.”