Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche (Rouge) - North East France - France

Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche is located amidst the gently rolling countryside of La Tuilerie about 15 miles to the west of Paris. This is one of France’s most exclusive golf clubs that was put firmly on the map as long term venue for the Trophée Lancôme, which was played on a composite layout of the two courses at Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche, the Red and the Blue. The championship layout utilises the 1st hole of the Blue and, thereafter, the remaining holes of the Red.

Fred W. Hawtree laid out both courses in undulating, lightly wooded countryside and they opened for play in 1959. The formidable pairing of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer lifted the Canada Cup here in 1963. Host to the French Open on two occasions, Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche has a long French championship heritage and the Lancôme Trophy was once one of the richest events on the European PGA Tour.

The Rouge course requires accuracy from the tee in order to score well, but there is really nothing complicated about this classic Hawtree design. You’ll need every club in the bag and most shots in your repertoire to crack this supremely challenging course. Look out for the horseshoe shaped lake that separates the 9th and 18th greens, which we know has become a watery grave for many a golf ball.

The book 500 world’s greatest golf holes by author George Peper and the editors of GOLF magazine features the 439-yard par four 6th on the Red course at Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche: “European Tour officials reverse the two nines when the Trophée Lancôme is played here, making this hole part of a difficult stretch. The key is to drive the ball into the right half of the fairway, avoiding both the bunker at the left corner and the bushy trees that extend all the way down to the green (it’s possible to be on the left edge of the fairway and not see the pin). The greensite is a compendium of deep bunkers, pine trees and deep rough, testing the short games of the world’s best players.”

The Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche clubhouse, a former 18th century manor house, is the most impressive 19th hole in France and perhaps in the whole of Europe… il est magnifique.