Sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste… Over the legendary Cannes-Mougins links, not one single sense is left aside. Each perceives its share of stimulations for the golfer’s utmost satisfaction.


Seeing as far as the eye can reach
Beginning with the eyes. Wide open to be suffused by the full splendor of the panorama. In the distance, the brightly colored hills and the chiaroscuro thickets stand in sharp contrast against the azure sky. Here and there, prospects open up with no warning. Elegance of the fairways, beauty of the landscape, depth of vision… The lay-out reveals itself in its full immensity. Here, the sight revels in the absolute blue of the lakes and the green shades of color in the foliage… Contemplation is paramount. In short, conditions balancing between tactical challenge and aesthetic escape into timelessness. In one word: ideal. Let’s play.


Keeping in touch with your aim
Walking, positioning one’s footholds… The sense of touch goes above all through the soles of the feet. And undoubtedly, during the European Opens of the 80s and 90s, famous toes trod the Cannes-Mougins greens: Greg Norman, Severiano Ballesteros, David Frost, Ian Woosnam…

For the amateur, the touch (of the ball) draws its excitement from grip control. An essential accuracy to face the subtlety of hole number 2, the insolence of the 5, the mischievousness of the 9, the immoderacy of the 14, the resistance of the 17… This multiform course (the holes changing places twice a week) is indeed accessible to all levels: the fairways are wide while offering enough difficulties for who wants to drive powerfully and take risks.


Smelling the harmony
An attractive course joined to a festival of odors… In this realm of golf, smelling means being inebriated with the myriad perfumes exuded by the great floral diversity. Century-old sequoias, green oak trees, Alep pines, pyramid cypress, Italian poplars, not forgetting the precious elm trees, ashes, acacias… In the heart of the Valmasque classified forest, over 110 essences of trees, from the most typical to the most exotic, line the course. Drawing from this luxurious vegetation, a light breeze carries its wonderful exhalations. So many natural fragrances which come and tickle the nostrils, bringing relaxation and serenity to the player. For unquestionably, those sweet and enchanting odors are conducive to concentration. Cannes-Mougins owes this alchemy to Guy Talpe. Aided by a team of 12, this famous green-keeper looks after his course with unsparing attention. The result being blameless upkeep.


Listening to nature
To complete the magic, the hearing registers the discreet melody of the wind and the peaceful rustle of the leaves. The ear catches the delicate singing of birds on the wing: the sedentary herons, buzzards and magpies, and the migratory, ducks, cranes, cormorants of the 17 lake. All seem to call for a birdie. Just as well to satisfy them. All along the course, the ripple of the pretty river gives rhythm and swing to the game… Sound marks necessary to play blind and circumvent the traps. Hush. The mind goes blank, making room for inner silence and better hearing. Reaching the 18, a couple of squirrels romps amid the branches when suddenly, a miaow. No wild beast to be seen. Just the half-tame puss, resident of hole number 9 (fed by the members for the last sixteen years) who comes out of her way to hail the end of the course.


Tasting comfort recovered
Once the 18 pearls threaded, the necklace closes again. Now for comfort recovered. The taste, already in appetite with the whirling exhalations, receives full satisfaction in the golf restaurant. This former oil-press, a real jewel of stones, enshrined in its setting of greenery, breathes authenticity. All the while enjoying the dishes carte, the player may relate there how he bravely negotiated the course and its impediments cleverly interspersed on the score card. In brief, share the day’s emotions. It is time for the body to relax and free the mind. To feel well. Here and now.


To be sure, a Pilgrim’s Progress of a course, revealing new perceptions, where everything is designed for one purpose: a treat for the senses.

HEAD PRO’S OPINION

Roger Damiano: “one of the European players’ favorite courses in France”

Water obstacles, game starts, greens’ inclines… Cannes-Mougins’ head pro submits his technical advice for first-class cards.

What is your judgment on this lengthwise lay-out? The very good players appreciate the frankness of the course. Indeed, no trap or obstacle takes good shots unawares. The ponds and brooks are perfectly in line and only sanction wrong trajectories.


PAR 3, 4, 5… What are your recommendations? For most of the 4 and 5 PARS, the start is determining. Some 3 PARS are of such distance that they necessitate long iron shots towards well-protected greens that are however open from the starts.


Regarding the green, precisely, is previous spotting necessary? The slopes of the green deserve to be known. All the same, they can be read easily.


Is this championship course accessible to all handicaps? Most average players enjoy facing this carefully modified old course. Low handicaps should apply a targeting game all along the fairways and green approaches.


Is there any hole to be watched more particularly? The 17 should be negotiated cautiously. Except for the long drive which permits to reach the green in 2 shots with an open iron, most male and female players must be prudent in playing their second shot in front of the water obstacle and hope for the PAR with a good approach. Numerous are the cards spoiled over that hole for attempting a very long and difficult second shot. Ballesteros won the Cannes-Mougins in play-off against Woosnam on this famous 17 hole simply realizing the PAR.


MANAGEMENT PLANS

François Tamet: “the Opens back in 2008!”

In his post since autumn 2005, the new club manager takes stock on the main past, present and future plans for the Cannes-Mougins golf club.


What are in your opinion the club’s distinctive features? It is one of the oldest on the French Riviera but it is unquestionably the most prestigious of all thanks to its history, its ancient stone building, its European Opens… Another particularity: the club is a private shareholders’ structure, a Ltd company with only 500 members.


What are the main achievements of the last few years? In 2005, we completed two important operations: draining the course and setting up a computer designed watering system. Such work guarantees a great golfing quality at all times of the year and whatever the weather conditions.


A computer operated course? How does it work? The computer is connected to a dedicated weather station which controls each sprinkler in total independence. The waterman is informed in real time and irrigates each area in the optimal way. Owing to this system, we have one of the best managed watering operations in France.


Really? Yes. We are very intent on respecting the environment. A survey has been made by the syndicate of the Brague basin. It showed a positive impact of the course on water quality. A second survey conducted by the General Council is on the way. It will offer an even more precise picture.


Besides respecting the environment, what are your plans for the future? From 1980 to 2001, Cannes-Mougins hosted one of the major tournaments in the professional European tour. We are currently at work on the technical optimization of the course and in search of an important sponsor for a new start of European Opens in 2008!

CLUB’S STORY

A legendary club fraught with history


Flashback to the early XXth century. Just after World War 1, the few Riviera links were saturated. Particularly the Mandelieu one which already boasted over 1,000 members in 1925. To cope with this golfing overpopulation, a group of Frenchmen and Britons found a piece of land at the foot of Mougins. Besides ideal curves to implant a course, the valley enshrines real treasures: a 1837 oil-mill, a majestic pigeon-house and a lovely aqueduct.


Dazzled by the setting and its jewels, the group created there in 1923 a club reserved to selected members. Among them: Aga Khan, the king of Sweden, prince Pierre of Monaco, Edouard de Rothschild… Work started soon after and as early as 1924, the course designed by the English architects Colt and Simpson came to light. From then on, the club became the very exclusive venue of the International Haute Société until the impact of World War 2. Ruined at the Liberation, it was bought up for one symbolic franc by the emperor of casinos François André who restored it to its former prestige.


In the early 70s, the more recent Riviera clubs cast their shadows. Rejuvenation became necessary. The “Golf Country Club of Cannes-Mougins, Ltd” was born. In 1977, the multinational 500 shareholders entrusted the architects Peter Allis and Dave Thomas with remodeling the course. The result is still visible today. From short and obsolete, the lay-out turned into an international championship course stretching along 6,903 yards for a 72 PAR…

Fiche pratique
• How to get there?
By road: A8, exit at Cannes / Grasse / Mougins - Airport: Cannes Mandelieu or Nice.
• Specifics
18 holes • 72 PAR • 6,903 yards / Amateur course record : 68 / Pro course record: T. Johnstone 62 / 4 training stations: 1 approach green, 2 putting greens, 1 training bunker / Conveniences: club-house, proshop and panoramic restaurant.
• Address
Golf Country Club de Cannes-Mougins 175, avenue du golf 06250 Mougins
Tel. : 04 93 75 79 13 / Fax 04 93 75 27 60 / golf-cannes-mougins@wanadoo.fr / www.golf-cannes-mougins.com