Chesneau ou Von Hagge... les deux!

Le Golf National to host 2018 Ryder Cup


Houston, Texas—Golf enthusiasts in France are in high spirits
following the recent announcement that the coveted 2018 Ryder Cup will
take place at Le Golf National Albatross Course. Perhaps the most
profoundly contested event in 21st century golf, the Ryder Cup venue was
the subject of serious contention among European rivals including
Spain, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands.

Le Golf National, headquarters of the French Golf Federation
(Federation Francaise de golf – FFG), was the best-known course of the
five under consideration, and has been the setting for all but two
French Opens in the past two decades.

That the spectacular stadium-style course, designed by Hubert Chesneau, von Hagge Design Associates (now known as von Hagge, Smelek and Baril), and Pierre Thevenin,
earned the winning bid was not the least bit surprising as the
Albatross Course is considered one of the best in the world. This is
true not only for golfers but for spectators, as it can accommodate
crowds of 70,000 or more with its finishing holes which are particularly
suited for the drama of match-play in front of deep galleries.

Correspondingly, there was strong backing by the French government.
President Nicolas Sarkozy made it a priority to support French sports
this decade, including the European Championship soccer in 2016 and
Winter Olympics in 2018. “This success showcases all the French
expertise in organizing the biggest international competitions,” said
Charles Beigbeder, leader of the Annecy, France Winter Olympics bid. “It
enhances France's capacity to host big events and contributes to the
influence of French athletes and sport in general.”

Additionally, Rick Baril of the von Hagge team describes it this way:
“We designed it with the vision that one day it could, indeed, host the
Ryder Cup! We developed the course in a very dramatic fashion, where
the final four hole “gauntlet” – 15, 16, 17 and 18
– can all feel the drama. This all materialized from a flat featureless
field, to chaos, then to the final magnificent course that was 100
percent pure fabrication and collaboration.”

“When it opened in October 1990, European Golf magazine
described Le Golf National as “one of the most surprising golf courses
of the 21st century, saying that the unique nature comes from its
topography. “The course achieves an impressive feat, that of skillfully
combining the best of golf architecture to create a golf course that
combines a traditional feel with a modern sophistication in design.”

Hubert Chesneau (director of development for FFG) deserves special
credit for first imagining this ambitious project, then coordinating the
design and construction, and finally mentoring it for all these years.

It was due to the importance and visibility of this undertaking that the FFG commissioned von Hagge
Design Associates (vHS&B) to assist in the planning and design of
the tournament course. Of course,” Baril said, “since we provided the
routing of the golf course and were intimately involved in the detailed
design of the golf course and its dramatic stadium setting, we could not
be more ecstatic about the announcement. I know Mr. von Hagge would
have been thrilled. He always said, “the true reward will be the
recognition we receive,” and now, hosting the Ryder Cup truly renders
that reward!

“Looking back through the design documents and communications
between the von Hagge team and Hubert Chesneau and Pierre Thevenin
brought back a lot of good memories. Hopefully, the honor of hosting the
Ryder Cup will showcase Le Golf National as an extraordinary
achievement, and highlight the design collaboration between Chesneau,
vHS&B and Thevenin. We are proud this course has been judged worthy
of hosting this prominent event, against significant competition.”

Le Golf National is located in the flatland region of Guyancourt,
surrounding Chateau of Versailles, the historic home of Louis XIV. Its
amazing 18-hole course
was crafted with rippling fairways dotted by countless bunkers, water
hazards, fescue roughs, and tree obstacles. Stretching nearly 7,000
yards, the Albatross championship course designed in the late 1980s is
an excellent test of a golfer's versatility. “We knew it was destined
to become home to the French Open as well as a center for both national
and international championships,” Baril said.

According to many, it's the toughest test of golf in the Paris
region, providing a unique experience of links-target golf, and
challenging even the most experienced golfers with their correct choice
of clubs and shot-making capabilities. BonjourlaFrance.com
describes Albatross as “a real gem of a French golf course where good
course management is the key to a successful round. Combining the
traditional feel of a links with the modern features of target golf, it
is now the host of the French Open and offers a truly memorable 18 holes.”
They continue, “The greens are the biggest challenge as they have been
expertly shaped around water features and sprinkled with bunkers. This
track requires you to use every club in your bag.”

With more than 400,000 members of the French golf federation agreeing
to financially support Le Golf National's bid for the Ryder Cup, and
the commitment to build 100 new six-and-nine-hole urban courses, the
French federation developed a strategic plan that ultimately prevailed.
European Ryder Cup director, Richard Hills, praised the French bid,
saying it stands out for a number of reasons.

“Le Golf National is a truly outstanding golf course,
providing excellent spectator viewing and the promise of spectacular
climaxes to the matches. Transportation, logistical and infrastructure
plans are also of the highest quality, and there is no doubt that the
2018 Cup will be memorable and dramatic, and will be enjoyed by
thousands of golf fans.”

Ryder Cup committee president, Pascal Grizot, enthusiastically agrees
that this is a major achievement for France. “The decision is a real
honor for our country, the French Golf Federation and all the public and
private partners who have supported the bid. Above all, it is a huge
accolade for all French golfers who have contributed to this project.