A difficult club to review. There were a lot of positives, not least the beautiful maintenance. There were, however, also a couple of distinct negatives. So let me run you through them.

The arrival was very good. You arrive in a forested residential area with a couple of nice previews of exciting holes to come. The clubhouse fits the landscape, lunch was alright and the staff very nice, even in French. The terrace overlooks the 14th and 18th holes, so the appetite for a round of golf was quickly awoken.

The practice facilities were not that special, but exactly what you needed to get the round started. And what a start to the round this course offers. The first four of holes are beautifully forested holes, with strategic bunkers to make you consider whether the risk is worth the shot. Length is rewarded and I walked away with four pars to be absolutely blown away by the next hole.

Hole 5 is a par 3, no more than 120m, but hitting down almost the same number. A small wedge and a minute of airtime sees your tee shot slam into the middle of the green, only to three put your way to a first unnecessary bogey. Luckily I could blame the fact that the greens were verticutted that morning. This would be a running theme throughout the round.

Hole 6 offers no respite after the gorgeous 5th. A difficult to approach green will punish bad tee shots. But it does reward you with a picturesque hole and the amazing feeling of parring the SI 1 hole. Truly too bad I couldn’t enjoy that with another bogey.

The next hole starts to show the true essence of the course, as it runs up, up, and even more up before you reach the green. Club up twice on approach and you’ll be rewarded. Fail to do so and see your iron shot be caught by the heavy upslope, and walk uphill after it contemplating your decisions. I won’t say which one I was…

Luckily holes 8 and 9 offer some flat surfaces to recover before the real struggle begins. Both are long, a par 3 and par 5 respectively. Both are lovely holes though, shaped by the surrounding trees. Do be careful of cars running down the teebox of nine though.

The second nine is very different to the first, as the second nine more resemble an Alp stage of the Tour the France than a golf course. Hole 10 runs down quite steep, whereas hole 11 runs down and up. Hole 12 has a completely(!) blind tee shot as it runs down, before running down even more towards an unreachable green. Not the most satisfying hole for a first time visitor.

The problem with going downhill, you have to go uphill. Although 265m sounds short at hole 13, your drive won’t get a meter of roll on this upslope. The put is very difficult. Not because of the nice view, or because of the nicely trimmed (though verti-cutted) green, but because you get quite winded from the constant up and down.

Hole 14 and 15 offer some respite, with a nice par 3 and par 4, but hole 16 hits down again. And down a long long way. Hitting a 260m drive because of that downslope is nice, but you’re already dreading the 17th. That par 5 runs up again. Two good strikes still leave you unable to see the pin way above you.

You arrive at the 18th feeling tired. And I even have a remote trolley to carry most of the weight. Still, the best golf is definitely not saved for last as you mostly want to enter that nice terrace again for your well deserved beer. Of course, the warm weather didn’t help. But I would recommend a buggy for anyone traveling the second nine, unless you regularly run marathons.

So, what to take away from this course? Every hole individually is very picturesque and offers their own challenge. The maintenance is perfect, although we were unlucky. But, taking the course as a whole, it feels cramped into the residential area. There are too many cars driving through, you have to cross too many roads and the holes go up and down too much.

I would recommend this course to anyone staying in the neighborhood, but consider a buggy.

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