Rating 4/5
Review of Golf du Prieuré
This majestic woodland course is an unknown entity throughout many golfing circles but is a supreme example of a French private club, very Woburn-esque. Although I use the word “private”, during the week and with the right connections the club is extremely welcoming.
The club has two courses, the ‘L’Ouest’ (West) and L’Est (East), both meandering through an ancient woodland. Although there is no real front-runner amongst the two, the members consider the East course to being the most demanding with many more elevation changes and some excellent standout holes.
Although the course starts off with a relatively easy Par-4, the 2nd is much trickier; a pretty straight Par-4 with a well-protected green just over water. Put your drive anywhere down the right-hand side of the fairway though and you’ll also have to carry a huge willow tree.
It’s in the back nine where there are many of the more dramatic holes including the wide rolling fairways of the Par-5 tenth with a cheeky blind approach shot. The sublime 11th hole is a downhill Par-4 and with a decent drive, a good opportunity to score well.
The back nine is a succession of beautiful holes and is all topped off with the crafty 18th hole, a virtually blind Par-3 from an elevated tee box…definitely a hole on which to take an extra club as leave it short and you’re either in the long stuff or a bunker.
The majority of the club’s members are Parisians who flock there to enjoy the onsite facilities including the fully fitted gym, 33 metre pool, tennis courts as well as the popular restaurant. All of this is set around the stately Clubhouse, an ancient 12th century farmhouse with a large hospitable terrace area.
I really recommend this club being a fantastic example of a traditional French golf club and regardless of which of the two courses you play, you’re in for a real treat.
Detail
- Designer: Fred Hawtree
- 36 holes
- Par 72
- Length: 5,937 metres (6,493 yards)
- Slope 148
- Golf club website: http://www.golfduprieure.com/
- Phone number: 01 34 76 65 65
- Private
- Address: Domaine de Montcient, 78440 Sailly, France
