Le Golf National - L'Albatros

About the club

The Le Golf National complex, owned and operated by the French Golf Federation, includes l'Albatros along with the more recent l'Aigle and l'Oiselet courses. Native architect Hubert Chesneau combined forces with American Robert von Hagge to shape l'Albatros out of fairly level ground, in part by importing enormous dunes to obscure the neighboring factories and the rather homely hotel that serves the complex. The course has aged beautifully, and the result is the closest thing to stadium golf anywhere in Europe, since the layout is perfect for observing the play. L'Albatros regularly hosts the French Open, and it is the obvious site for the Ryder Cup if that venue should take place in France; this is definitely a course for good players. Standouts among the holes are the 15th, 16th and 18th, which are set in a partially enclosed area in front of the hotel and framed by water hazards.