The French Riviera is not ready to use up all of its charms and assets as long as it will have golf courses of the scale of Opio-Valbonne, it celebrated its 40 years anniversary in 2006 under the management of Viviane Malgorn. Only a few miles away from Cannes, Opio-Valbonne presents one of the last course in the forest with a thousand scents, source of inspiration of the different names given to each of the 18 holes: Arbre de Judée (Tree of Judah), Mùrier (Blackberry bush), Tulipier de Virginie (Virginia’s tulip tree)… But the bucolic aspect of the four and a half hour of the Opio-Valbonne golf course will not stop there. Get ready to conquer it and, if you draw the ball, you will start with a serious advantage.

Those two holes appear to be easy and harmless but can create a big surprise when counting your scorecard in the clubhouse! Hole #1, Par 4, 305 meters dogleg left. You will need to position the ball with a 3-wood or a long iron on the slightly slopped fairway that takes you away from the green, from the edge of the woodland on the left and the out-of-bound on the right. Beware of the large sand trap waiting to welcome your ball on the middle of the fairway! Going for the elevated is a blind shot and, depending where the ball lies, your approach shot may require between a wedge to a 7 iron! Hole #2 is a 128 meters par 3 with a green located down below and defended by two sand-traps. The par is within reach is you are careful to stay in bounds. If you hit your 8 or 9-iron to the left or behind the green, you may have to play another ball!

Booby-traps for greedy hitters

Even if it seems surprising, the 9th hole, a short 240 meters par 4 with dogleg left, is easier to play from the back-tees than the regular tees because you need to hit your ball either over or to the right of an imposing oak tree next to the tee and over a brook going across the fairway. Its green has the reputation of being fast, play your approach shot with a little backspin to make your ball hold on the green instead of rolling to the back of it.

Big hitters will finally bear out after the 10th hole

With your driver (under the scope of a hundred lunch customers from the restaurant!) you must visualise the 10th hole, a par 4,330 meters dogleg left and place your tee-shot in the middle of the fairway, on line with the oak tree. The left side has a slope that will take your ball toward the underbrush, the right side is going out of bounds. Your ball is now on the fairway close to or after the oak tree and then, you can hit your second shot with no great difficulty with a short iron or it will be a chip/putt. The 11th hole is a 172 meters par 3. Its name: “Icebox hole”. Comfortable hole during the summer heat wave! It is in the shade, it brings the coolness of the alder and willow trees and the brook. With a strong 4 or 5 iron you will go over the retaining wall of this double tiered green. The 12th hole, par 5, 440 meters dogleg left, is perfect for draw & accurate players. A well-placed drive opens up the green in reach with a second shot. The green is wide and with no immediate danger, taking a shot could be very rewarding. Otherwise, a 5 iron for your second shot and a wedge could give you an easy par or less!

The “Amen Corner” of Opio-Valbonne

Hole #13 (Hcp 4) and #14 (Hcp 2) are two par 4, dog leg left, could cause your handicap index to shake or even sink. On #13 (360 meters), staying in the middle of the fairway off the tee and for your second shot is mandatory. Your drive needs to avoid the out of bounds on the left and #12-fairway on the right, it would appear to be a nice location to go for the green but the row of willow and oak trees between your ball and the green makes a difficult second shot. As a joke, a par 4 means hitting two straight shots, two putts. On 13 and 14, it’s not a joke but a rule. Hole #14 increases the difficulties you may have met on #13. 402 meters long! Off the tee: out of bounds on the left, a ditch on the right with a downhill slope toward the hazard and a challenging oak tree in the middle of the fairway. The second shot, a long iron gives little tolerance to reach a green protected by an out of bounds on the left, trees and a brook on the right. Wisdom suggests placing your second shot to get a simple chip/putt.

Back to tranquillity

18 holes - Par 73 - slope: 130 - 5785 meters

Driving-range Golf-carts and pull-carts rentals

Restaurant and Hotel: Château de la Bégude

Golf/Hotel package: Weekend from 340 € - Week from 858 €

Route de Roquefort les Pins - 06650 Opio

Tel + 33 493 120 008 - opiovalbonne@opengolf.com

Points of interest:

After putting your clubs away, go visit the most popular glassblowers located close to the golf course.

Our suggestions are to visit:

• Jean Claude Novaro, 32 chemin des Hautes Vignasses, 06410 Biot, + 33 493 650 229
• La Verrerie de Biot, 5 chemin des Combes, 06410 Biot, + 33 493 650 300
• La Verrerie Raphael Farinelli, 24 r St Sébastien 06410 Biot, + 33 493 650 189

  You will also appreciate the fabulous scents by going to the Moulin de la Brague, 2 route de Châteauneuf, 06650 Opio, + 33 493 772 303 with their great olive oils and various regional products. Continuing with the world of scents, you should visit the famous Perfumery Fragonard 20, bd Fragonard 06130 Grasse, + 33 493 364 465

  For a wonderful dining experience, you must go to:

• Bastide St Antoine from renowned chef Jacques Chibois +33 493 709 494,
• Le Cadran Solaire in Valbonne +33 493 121 330,
• Le Coin de la Rue +33 493 124 112,
• Bleu Lavande in Mouans-Sartoux +33 493 122 801
• the Park in Mougins +33 492 280 745