Rating 3.5/5
Review of Golf de Mérignies
Just 25 minutes south of Lille, this up-and-coming golf club is definitely one to watch, with significant investment and projects on-going between 2009 and 2015. This is either the, or one of, the biggest golf developments in France currently.
Initially agricultural land, it was in 1990 that Philippe Vanbremeersch decided to have a complete change in direction for his family’s future and decided to redevelop his 185 hectares of land into a golf resort. The idea is to create four loops of 9-holes in the shape of a four leaf clover, of which each different loop would provide a different challenge.
To fund this project, approximately 175 plots of land were sold for residential purposes, each harbouring its own dramatic architectural design. The second 9-holes to have been built, called the ‘Val de Marque’, is particularly characterised by these striking houses lining the fairways. Not quite Quinta do Lago, but interesting none-the-less.
Let’s be honest, some people find fairways lined with houses quite distracting and off-putting, but it certainly adds a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the experience and fortunately the design of the 9-holes is good enough to keep the golfer entertained. The Par 5 second hole and Par 3 7th are both fantastic holes with a high difficulty rating.
The first 9-holes to open, ‘La Valutte’, has more of an inland links feel. Rolling fairways, long rough and narrow greens typify these holes and provide a stark contrast to the second nine.
With two more 9-hole courses under-construction at the time of writing, it will be interesting to see how this golf course develops and whether indeed they decide to build a hotel here or not. With so much disposable land, the ball really is in their court to build something impressive and add yet another outstanding golf option in northern France.
Detail
- Designer: Michel Gayon
- 27 holes
- Par 72
- Length: 6,117 metres (6,690 yards)
- Slope 137
- Golf club website: https://www.merigniesgolf.com/
- Phone number: 03 20 79 58 82
- Public
- Address: 1245 Avenue du Golf, 59710 Mérignies
