Pont Royal
After a breathtaking week in Scotland and the unique opportunity to play in the ProAm at the Scottish Seniors Open at Craigielaw Golf Club, I went directly to the south of France to the beautiful Pont Royal Golf Club for another ProAm of the Hopps Open de Provence of the Challenge Tour.
Pont Royal Golf Club, a pearl on the Côte d’Azur, is about 40 minutes from Marseille International Airport. Pont Royal has the most fantastic views and is a varied and exciting golf course. Trees in the middle of the fairway, small and insanely undulating greens, extreme doglegs and unique par 3s, it’s got it all. Almost every hole shows the unmistakable and cheeky characteristics of Seve Ballesteros’ design. You can well imagine Seve twisting the ball around trees or between bunkers on narrow fairways. Furthermore, the golf course is in excellent condition. Just wonderful to play.
I was lucky to play a round at Pont Royal during the ProAm of the Hopps Open de Provence and I was totally overwhelmed. I partnered James Wiltshire, an English Youtube long drive star. We were lucky, our pro, Pedro Figueiredo (Insta: @pfiggy) is not only a great golfer but also a super friendly guy. Moreover, he is an absolutely gigantic ball striker and together with the astonishing tee shots of James Wiltshire, we rocked the joint.
Once you have played a round here, you will want to play it again and again. The way the holes are designed offers many ways to play, a variety of shots and a different experience each time you play. Together with the stunning views, it’s a shame to not keep playing it!
The 14th at Pont Royal was one of my favourite holes. You can really ‘light up’ your driver here. With the second you have to be either very long or very precise. You can take the bunker out of the game with length or play around it with precision. The green is well defended again with a tree to the left and bunkers to the right. All in all, Pont Royal is a jewel and should be part of your bucket list of golf courses in France.
Here are some hard facts: GREEN FEES LOW SEASON 2018 – 65 € / HIGH SEASON 2018 – 85 €
And not to be forgotten, the clubhouse is really impressive and beautifully furnished.