A visual shock

In Pont Royal, the shock is initially visual: sublime panoramic view of the Alpilles, admirably maintained greens, and fairways meandering between oaks, pines and Provence fragrances. Add a few judiciously placed water obstacles, some sand "beaches" strewn here and there, and sumptuous houses sleeping along the fairways. Severiano Ballesteros was able to extract the quintessence of this wild and peaceful nature on which only lavender and thyme grow. Classified among the most beautiful golf courses in Europe (European Golf course), Pont Royal is the only realization of the Spanish champion on the French soil. And not any soil since it is Provence sung so often by Mistral (the writer) and depicted by Cézanne. For a first attempt, it is a master stroke. In a few years, this course of international class which has accommodated for four years a stage of the Alps Tour, the Masters 13, became one of the Must-play golf courses in the South of France.

A golf challenge

Beginning on hole #1 in Pont Royal, a small par-4 requiring, right from the start, a precise iron stroke under penalty of sinking completely under a pine forest, one will experience, in turn, great satisfactions and immense frustrations. Because this undulating course, befitting the long striker as well as the small play golfer, the professional player as well as the gifted neophyte, does not let itself be easily tamed. It is the least one can say. When the wind interferes - it can be violent in the area - the odyssey can be transformed into a shipwreck if prudence is not adopted. The first five holes skirt the old royal route connecting Paris to the Mediterranean basin. Hole #2, a par-3 offering a frontal water obstacle and a line of plane trees out of bounds on the left, is more spectacular than difficult to play. Just align yourself between the bunker and the lake and let the club do the rest. Once the driver spoke on the two following holes, a difficult par-4 followed by a narrow and treacherous par-5, the choice of iron is paramount at the beginning of hole #5, another par-3 where water is at play. On this hole, it is better to take an additional club because the green is deep. Hole #6 inaugurates a new particularly delicate sequence to approach. If one gets distracted by the sublime panoramas which emerge such as a dream in the middle of the night, bogeys or even doubles are assured. Pont Royal signature hole (together with the par-3 hole #11), this par-4 hole #7 can be a dream or a nightmare. The (very) long strikers cut this doglleft to try the green in one stroke, the others, especially in the event of Mistral, are satisfied with following the steep layout leading to a double plateau green located downhill. If the player gets by without too much damage, hole #8 awaits him firmly. Designated the most difficult hole of the course, this par-4 in a slight dogleg right requires a high degree of accuracy on tee-off. Too much to the left and the ball goes in the swimming pool of one of the sumptuous properties which skirt the fairway, too much to the right and the second stroke will be blind. Better choose a wood 3 or 5 on tee-off and reserve a mid iron for the second stroke. Leading to the club-house inaugurated in 2002 hole #9, like the Valderrama hole #17, is remarkably well conceived because it offers different options. While average players are readily satisfied with three strokes, the long strikers - sin of pride! - are temped to reach the green of this 489 m par-5 with 2 strokes. But pay attention to the wind and to the water obstacle bordering the green!

Sight of Alpilles

On the return, after a relative respite on hole #10, comes hole #11, the other Pont Royal signature hole. This long 181 m par-3 hole, with the Alpilles in the background, is visually impressive and terrifying. The player must cross a deep ravine to reach a green bordering a cliff. To these difficulties is added the choice of the club, according to the wind and the flag position. It can vary from iron 7 to the driver! Done on foot, the connection between the tee area and the green can prove to be fatal for fragile bodies. But it leaves time to gather ones spirits and to enjoy the songs of the cicadas. The sequence holes #12-13-14 (par-4, par- 3 and par-5 respectively), which goes by the club-house again, is distinguished by the variety of the strokes to play. On hole #12, precision dominates, on hole #13, the choice of the club is paramount to cross the water obstacle without being too long and on hole #14, it is a question of being very well placed, to the right of the fairway, in the hope of attacking the green with two stokes.

"Es Beu la Vie" (life is beautiful)

Here is hole #15, without question the most difficult hole of Pont Royal, especially at this time of the course when the bodies are tired and the swings less assured. Here, it is necessary to show self-control. Tee-off is essential on this splendid par-4 cut in a forest of Aleps pines. If you embark to the right, you can say good-bye to par. to reach the green, located on a small hill, the second stroke being blind is particularly delicate to negotiate. If this hole did not leave your nerves exposed (be very satisfied with a bogey), you can unroll to hole #17, while praying that the sloping green will keep your ball close to the hole. The trek ends in a par-5 which buried many hopes of historical charts (the record of the course, 66, still belongs to Ballesteros). The good player is tempted to cut the dogleg and he would be undoubtedly mistaken. Better to place a drive on top of the plateau and use a second iron stroke to leave room for a small approach. The par being gained, let the warrior rest at the terrace of "Es Beu la vie", the restaurant of the club-house, where you will sip a big "thing, whatyoucallit, shtick" by recounting your strokes. And then this powerful emotion of having overcome this Homeric course will emerge, with the still stronger feeling to want to continue the odyssey

A paradise in Provence

Ex-nihilo creation, the Pont Royal course (50 ha) is inserted in a 180 hectares estate which made the joy of the developers. Indeed, on this imposing site coiled between the first buttresses of the Alpilles and Luberon, an authentic Provençal village was built, with its small city squares, its fountains, its churches. Rocked by the mistral and the cicada songs, this small paradise of Provence is managed by Pierre & Vacances (Tel. +33 04 90 57 54 54). This residential and hotel complex is composed of 650 apartments and a 3 stars hotel with 56 rooms (as well as typical Provence residences for lease), seminar and dining rooms. The 3500 inhabitants can practice all kinds of activities: golf of course, tennis, horseback riding, and water plays in 900 m2 of swimming pools. In the club-house are located a pro-shop and a restaurant open to all, "Es beu La vie", whose terrace offers a beautiful panorama. One also finds on the estate a pizzeria and a "café des Arts". The gourmets will privilege the Moulin de Vernègues (Tel. +33 04 90 59 12 00), located near hole #2, a 36 rooms 4 stars hotel/restaurant. Louis the XIVth stopped there when he traveled to the south of France by the royal route.

Around the golf

Ideally located between Avignon and Marseille, Pont Royal offers many escapades. You can visit the city of the Popes and its famous bridge "Pont Saint-Bénezet", Aix-en-Provence and its "Cours Mirabeau", Arles and its Arenas, Marseille and its "Vieux-Port" (old harbor). These four cities of Provence with their rich history deserve a stop and a stroll. If you prefer the great outdoors, go visit the Alpilles or the Sainte- Victoire Mountain, spend some time in the many villages of Luberon (Gordes, Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Ménerbes, Roussillon), vacation spots for many cinema and TV stars, the perched villages of Fuveau, Saint- Savournin or Mimet. You can go further and cross the Rhône River to admire the "Pont du Gard" and the many neighboring villages (Uzès in particular). Nîmes and its historical center also deserve a visit. If you like blue water and the marine horizons, Cassis and its "calanques" (creeks) are at less than one hour by car, just as the beaches of Camargue or of the Var coast (La Ciotat, Bandol, Sanary).

Transportation

By plane: Marseille airport, scheduled flights from Paris and main French cities.

By car: A7 highway, Senas exit, and then 9km on the RN7 towards Aix-en- Provence.

Technical specifications

18 holes par-72 (6303 m)

Architect: Severiano Ballesteros

50 hectares

Slope: White 151 (sss 75.1); Yellows 149 (sss 73); Blues 143 (sss 75.4); Reds 143 (sss 73.5)

Green fee: 59 euros; 75 euros (high season from March 15 to November 11)

For the residents of the departments 13-84-83-04-05: 47 euros low season; 60 euros high season

Practice: 30 stations including 12 covered; putting green; pitching green

Individual and collective training, training courses.

A training center (6 holes + various workshops) will be available in 2009.

Tel: +33 490.574.079

info@golf-pontroyal.com - http://www.golf-pontroyal.com/