1911, Albert I and the "Société des Bains de Mer": a common objective

Under the impulse of Albert I, then Prince Of Monaco, the ‘Société des Bains de Mer' was looking for an adequate land that it found on the slopes of Mount Agel between 800 and 900 m high, under the vigilant eyes of the current Air force Detection and Control Center in the Mediterranean, installed at the summit, highest point of the region culminating at 1,109 meters. At the time it was only poorly accessible underbrush and stony plateaus, where ewes and goats came to feed in an environment that Virgil would have appreciated to write his "Bucolics": "O Tityre, you the shepherd who rests under the trees...". It was already a good omen! November 16 1911, the torpedoes ascended the slopes of Mount Agel and the long awaited golf course was inaugurated with grand fanfare. It was a success from the start. And...a fairly long waiting list. It just received a small youth renovation that will enable it to approach its centenary with a renewed strength and to please the tastes of the XXI century golf players. We can therefore list what has remained unchanged and what has been rejuvenated. Fist of all, the road leading to the golf course is still with narrow overhangs over Mount Agel slopes and offers spectacular escapades to the Mediterranean coast and rest areas have been arranged for those who wish to admire the landscape.

Unique panorama

Players can enjoy the exceptional view from the course on Mount Agel. A journalist from "Belle Époque" once wrote "Its incomparable beauty could be the only reason one would want to come daily to the Monte Carlo golf course". He is still right; this is a unique panorama that one cannot be tired of. Observing it from the start from the overhang of hole #4 or from the marvelous par3 hole #5, the view overlooks Monaco at the feet of the cliff and embraces the whole Mediterranean coast from the Italian Riviera up to Nice and beyond, over the trophy of August of Turbie, With Mount Agel and its observatory in the background. It is a truly exceptional view as can be seen from the highest point on the course on the new green of hole #9 and from the tee of the new hole #10, a beautiful 171 m long par3. The quality of the air as well as the temperature difference have certainly not been altered especially during the heat periods where it rarely exceeds 25 °C, making the Mount Agel golf course a haven of coolness for people coming from the scorching hot roads of the waterfront.

A Very British Comfort

Unchanged, the overall aspect of the club to which the members were used to for many years. The elegant Club House with its reading room and smoking room which saw so many celebrities from all over the worldhave certainly been refreshed but are still true to their original elegance, as it is witnessed by the members used to the very British comfort. Only Albert II photograph replaced its predecessors'. All this with warm welcome and reasonable prices: 2Û for a cup of coffee, 5Û for a sandwich and 17.5Û for the daily special.

Fairways Still Narrow

Also unchanged, the overall course design by William Park and revised in 1970. The fairways are still narrow between their lines of hundreds of trees of all species, intermixed conifers and leafy trees which protect from the sun and the wind; the course undulates delicately on the plateaus of what is nevertheless a mountainous golf course. It is necessary to know its bumps and its holes very well to avoid the traps as, for example, hole #6 with its ascending espaliers, but above all the never ending par5 hole #11 which descends 525 m towards the bottom of the small valley that holes #12, 13 and 14 tumble down and finally hole #15 that Mont Agel overlooks like the statue of the Commander. The climbing back with holes #16 and 17 will end in front of the club-house with hole #18.

A New look

Lastly, the Course record (60), still to be beaten, established by the Welshman Ian Woosnam during the 1990 open. Given the new characteristics of the course, there is little chance that it would be beaten any time soon! Indeed, modifications done on holes # 9, 10, 17 and 18 will extend the course from 5,688 to 5,811 meters which remains par71. Hole #9 whish was a dog leg left is now a dog leg right. It is the highest view point of the course at 900 m high; Hole #10 is a creation: a 171 m long par3 on the space left over from modifications of hole # 9; holes # 17 and 18 are gathered into a 460 m long par5 and the numbering is de facto shifted from hole 10 up to hole 18. Apparently, everyone is satisfied with these improvements which were expertly executed under the supervision of the president Me Henry Rey and of its Committee. All that gives to the Monte Carlo Golf Club a plenitude of championship which will not fail to also please the golf customers who stay at the Principality for many other reasons, professional or entertainment. This a good omen of its good shape for its very next centenary!

What to see:

The Exotic Garden and the Cave of the Observatory, at the western entry of the city The Animalist Garden Terraces de Fontvieille Prehistoric Anthropology Museum, next to the Exotic Garden Naval Museum, Terrasse de Fontvieille Stamps and Currencies Museum, Terrasse de Fontvieille Apartments of the Prince Palace, Palace city square Napoleonean and Palace archives Museum, Palace city square Oceanography Museum and aquarium, St Martin avenue

SBM Société des Bains de Mer

Created by François Blanc, in 1883, under ordinance from Charles II, prince of Monaco, the SBM, actually managed by Bernard Lambert, has been the instigator of the development and prestige of Monaco. A listed company, it owns a big part of the luxury establishments in Monaco, among which, the latest one, the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort which celebrated its first birthday, the hôtels de Paris, Hermitage,Monte Carlo

Beach Hotel, Mirabeau, the Louis XV restaurants of Alain Ducasse, Vista Mar, Golf Monte-Carlo Country Club, the Casinos, the Sporting...). SBM has more than 2,500 employees.

Going out In Monaco

Casinos Zebra Square at the Grimaldi Forum Karement, 10 Princess Grace avenue Point Rouge, 11 rue du Portier Jimmi'z Monte Carlo Sporting Club Paradi'z, Princess Grace avenue

Restaurants

Le Louis XV *** (Alain Ducasse) Hôtel de Paris Grill of the Hôtel de Paris* Vistamar*, Hôtel Hermitage The Coupole, Hôtel MirabeauSaint Benoît, 10 avenue de la Costa Café de Paris, place du Casino Brasserie Columbus, Columbus Hôtel Il Triangolo, 1 avenue de la Madone Pulcinella, 17 rue du Portier Bifbar, quai Antoine 1^er

Crush

Lunch at the terrace of Café de Paris or at Bifbar (quai Antoine 1er at the Fontvieille seeport (reservation) Stroll in the Carré d'Or shops (around the Boulingrins) Jogging on the water front, on the beaches at the Larvotto crossroads Have a drink at the Zebra Square, in the Grimaldi Forum Diner at the Saas Café, Princess Grace avenue Eat spaghettis at rue du Portier Attend the Monte Carlo Opera (built by Charles Garnier) where the «divine» Sarah Bernhardt et Enrico Caruso performed End the night at Jimmi'z or Karement Attend the Printemps des Arts (Spring of Arts) Festival or the Rally of old cars (September)

Technical specifications

• 18 holes par72 (5 811 m)
• Architect: the Committee
• Hectares: 34
• Slope: 129
• Green fee: 100 € week, 120 € week-end and legal holiday
• Set of clubs and electric trolleys rental
• Practice: 12 stations including 4 covered; putting green; pitching green

Monte Carlo Golf Club,

Route du Montagel - 06320 La Turbie - France

Tel +33 492 415 070 - Fax +33 493 410 955

monte-carlo-golf-club@wanadoo.fr