Women & Golf headed to Le Touquet Golf Resort in France, which had all the ingredients for a fantastic few days and produced some very happy winners!
Women & Golf headed to Le Touquet Golf Resort in France, which had all the ingredients for a fantastic few days and produced some very happy winners!
Following a short 35-minute Eurotunnel crossing from Folkestone, followed by a straightforward drive to the Le Touquet Golf Resort, ladies were all set for their two night/three round golf break.
After checking into the boutique-style and most welcoming Le Manoir Hotel and then meeting and greeting fellow players, it was time for lunch in the fabulous and ultra modern clubhouse at Le Touquet Golf Resort, which is conveniently located, just walking distance from the hotel. Feeling totally relaxed, no doubt boosted by the complimentary wine, the ladies headed out for a practice round on La Foret, one of Le Touquet’s three golf courses.
Fourball betterball was the format for the two competition days and on day one at Le Touquet’s La Mer course, that recently entered the Top 20 for the first time in Golf World magazine’s Top 100 Golf Courses of Continental Europe 2019, it was the pairing of 16 handicappers Jackie Edwards and Anne Marie Gilbert who rose to the challenge on this links layout. The pair from Buckinghamshire won with 43 points and rewarded with a TaylorMade putter and an adidas top and bottom, plus a pair of adidas golf shoes. The runners-up from Northampton, Alison Thornill, playing off 21 and Janie Wood off 28, won a TaylorMade golf bag and an adidas top and bottom. The nearest-the-pin prize of a dozen TaylorMade golf balls and an adidas clothing item was won by Tessa Catchpole and the same prize for the longest drive for players with a handicap of 20 and under was won by Di Taylor.
It was a new day and a different course on day two but with the same generous prizes up for grabs. This time in the beautiful setting at Hardelot Golf Club, playing over the undulating Dunes Course that has also gained a stellar reputation. The clubhouse’s elevated terrace gifts spectators with an exciting view of the 18th green as players’ nerves are tested with an approach shot over a lake.
It was clear by the scores that ladies tamed this course with several pairs posting in excess of 40 points. Top of the class with a magnificent score of 47 points and playing together for the first time, was 18 handicapper Lynn Turner from Essex and 27 handicapper Jan Fawdry from Suffolk. With a total of 45 points, the runners-up were decided on countback, and it was a better back nine holes from Anne-Marie Gilbert and Patricia Fish that awarded the prizes to another Suffolk pair, Tessa Catchpole and Ollie Hatcher, playing off 18 and 32 respectively.
Chantal Pradier was playing in the first group out and whilst she hit a good tee shot on the designated nearest-the-pin hole she was genuinely surprised when her name was called out as the prize winner, believing that someone behind would be closer. Patricia Seath was equally delighted to win the longest drive prize for players with a handicap of 21 and over.
Of course, it was not all about the golf and ladies had plenty of time to enjoy all that Le Touquet has to offer. Some took the opportunity to use one of the hotel’s bicycles to cycle into Le Touquet’s town centre, whilst those feeling less energetic made the 10-minute car journey to experience the quaint high street that is full of shops, bars and restaurants. Blessed with good weather, relaxing with a drink or an ice cream overlooking the beach was another popular option in this lovely seaside town.
This trip included great food; a buffet breakfast, two-course lunches and three-courses dinners with wine flowing lunchtime and evening. Combined with the opportunity to play first-class golf courses, take home some fantastic prizes thanks to TaylorMade and adidas, and make new friends, it was a WIN-WIN all round.
A report and further images will appear in the next issue of Women & Golf magazine, on sale 6 December.
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