Albatros Course
The Albatros is Le Golf National's centerpiece, and is the annual host to the French Open. Ranked 4th in France and 9th in continental Europe, Albatros was designed by Hubert Chesneau with Robert Von Hagge’s consultancy and has hints of Florida, a splash of Ireland and a lot of France. The stadium course has been built in accordance with the most modern construction principles and joined the list of courses to have staged a Ryder Cup in 2018.
This is the toughest golf course around Paris, where the enormous, undulating putting surfaces are sculpted around great swathes of water and sand. The distinctly rugged feel of Albatros reminds you that this is a proper golf course, not a walk-in-the-park resort track, and is there to test even the best.
The Albatros Course at Le Golf National is ranked as one of the best courses in France
Course Information
| Par |
71 |
| Designed by |
Hubert Chesneau |
| Opened for play |
1990 |
Tees
| Black |
7,271 yards |
SSS 76.9 |
| White |
6,829 yards |
SSS 73.8 |
| Yellow |
6,402 yards |
SSS 71.6 |
| Blue |
5,737 yards |
SSS 75.1 |
| Red |
5,509 yards |
SSS 74.2 |
2016 100th Open de France
Thongchai Jaidee claimed his 8th European Tour victory with a -11 total in the 100th edition of The French Open. Despite a stellar field including Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood, Jaidee was able to take the title courtesy of a brace of 68's over the weekend. His closing bogey on 18 was enough for a 4 shot victory over Francesco Molinari who finished strongly with birdies on 17 and 18 in a final round, best of the day, 66. The 17th hole again proved tricky, yielding just 5 birdies all week as the par-4 took top spot as Le Golf National's hardest hole.
2015 Alstom Open de France
A -13 total for Bernd Wiesberger was good enough to claim The French Open by 3 shots from Surrey's James Morrison. A closing round of 65 (-6) saw Wiesberger become the first Austrian to win on The European Tour and also claim the 500,000 euros first prize. The closing stretch of holes in 15, 16, 17 and 18 proved pivotal during the week with the par-4 18th hole ranking as most difficult over the 4 days, whilst 15 and 16 were tied as 2nd most difficult with the 484 yard par-4 17th yielding just 6 birdies all week to rank as the 6th most tricky.
2014 Alstom Open de France
Graeme McDowell produced a superb final round to overturn an
eight shot deficit and successfully defend his French Open crown. The Northern
Irishman carded a closing 67, the joint-lowest round on a wet and windy day, to
win by a single stroke. American Kevin Stadler had a two-footer for par to
force a play-off, but missed, leaving him tied for second with Thailand’s
Thongchai Jaidee at four-under par.
What the pros say:
“It’s going to be very dramatic and therefore a great course
for The Ryder Cup. Especially the last few holes where everything will be
decided. The 13th, with the water, then a par five which you can reach in two,
then the last few holes are really breathtaking. On 15 and 16 you have water,
17 being a long par four and 18 water again so a lot of things can happen on
the closing holes. It’s going to be quite thrilling.” – Jose Maria Olazabal
“I think Le Golf National is going to be a fantastic Ryder Cup venue for many
reasons. Firstly, I can think of worse places in the world to stay in than
Versailles, the Trianon Palace and the great hospitality and great food that we
enjoy here. But on the golf course, the last four or five holes, in the
natural amphitheatre that this golf course creates, I can only imagine how good
the buzz will be coming down 15 and 16. They are about as good and dramatic a
risk-reward par three and four you'll get. Then the 17th is a great par four
and for matches that do come down the last, there's not going to be a better
par four on The European Tour than the last at Le Golf National. I can really
picture 40, 50, 60,000 people up on those slopes around that little cauldron of
the last four holes, and I think the atmosphere will be amazing.” – Graeme McDowell
Aigle Course
The resort's second course is Aigle, which is certainly a more forgiving proposition than the neighbouring French Open venue. The Aigle is shorter, at 6,489 yards, and is more sympathetically set up to welcome the average player. In the same manner as the Albatros, the course is rough around the edges, and has a degree of links in its make up, but does not have the demanding hazards that make Le Golf National's main attraction so challenging.
Course Information
| Par |
71 |
| Designed by |
Hubert Chesneau |
| Opened for play |
1991 |
Tees
| White |
6,380 yards |
SSS 70.9 |
| Yellow |
6,127 yards |
SSS 69.8 |
| Blue |
5,482 yards |
SSS 72.3 |
| Red |
5,226 yards |
SSS 71.0 |
