Seignosse

The 18-hole course is routed in two clockwise loops of nine, each starting and finishing at the clubhouse, with water coming into play at holes 2, 3, 11, 14 and 17. The hardest hole on the course is played early in the round at the 404-yard par four 3rd which doglegs slightly right to a tricky, L-shaped green. The 401-yard 17th is the only par four without a bunker. It doglegs left off the tee to a long, narrow putting surface, which has water to the left and overhanging trees to the right.

The American architect Robert von Hagge was responsible for the design of Golf de Seignosse. He cut his French architectural teeth when he created Les Bordes in 1987, two years before he worked here. Robert was obviously the designer in demand in France at the end of the 1980s as he then went on create the four 9-hole courses at Courson in 1991 and the 18-hole Royal Mougins course, near Cannes, in 1993.

If your game is wayward expect a torrid time because many of the fairways are very narrow and wickedly doglegged. We have been told that Jose Maria Olazábal heads north from Spain to prepare for the Masters at Seignosse and, with two green jackets already in his Augusta locker, this glorious undulating course has clearly worked for Ollie.

The book 500 world’s greatest golf holes by author George Peper and the editors of GOLF magazine features the 401-yard par four 17th at Seignosse: “This is the only par four on the course without a bunker, and it doesn’t need one – the pond along the left side provides ample defence. Off the tee, the left side of the fairway is preferable, but placing a drive there is tougher due to the pond pinching the landing area. The long, narrow kidney-shaped green is expertly situated along the banks of a pond, with trees overhanging on the right. It is most receptive to a draw on the approach, but draws that unexpectedly turn hooks will find a watery grave.”