Golf runs in the family heritage of the Mourgue d’Algue family. Look out for their new five star golf course designed by Tom Doak near St Emilion, Bordeaux, France planned to open next year.
Golf runs in the family heritage of the Mourgue d’Algue family. With thirty national titles and forty selections in the national team, Gaëtan, the father has dedicated his life to the development of golf in France.
For the past forty years, his vision has focused in three major golf business activities: the organisation of professional tournaments including the 'Trophée Lancôme', the creation of golf courses and of the first European guide 'Europe’s Top 1000 golf courses-Peugeot Golf Guide', and the first worldwide guide 'The Rolex World’s Top 1000 golf courses.'
His wife, Cécilia has probably one of the most eloquent records in French amateur golf with forty-five national titles and two silver medals at the World team championship. After winning the NCAA in 1995, their daughter Kristel turned professional on the European Tour. As for their son, André a scratch player and a national champion in his own right, he joined his father in golf course construction after graduating in engineering and political science.
Always in search of exceptional sites for golf course construction, ten years ago Gaëtan and André discovered this magnificent 252-acre piece of property located in a valley fringed by centenary oak trees and framed by vineyards. Located just 6 miles from the village of Saint Emilion, a UNESCO listed World Heritage of Humanity site - they fell in love with it immediately.
The site was perfect for a golf course not far from the Tower where Montaigne wrote his essays in the XVIth century. They developed the concept and sold the project to a Canadian company called Intrawest. A few years later, they got the opportunity to buy back the whole project and to build one of the best courses in Europe.
Having played quite a few of his courses and especially 'Pacific Dunes' in Bandon Dunes, Oregon, the family decided to hire the Maestro of architecture, Tom Doak. His artistic talent is renowned all over the world and so is his love for nature and his ongoing desire to preserve it.
The ultimate goal was to build a natural golf course that respects the site, be fun to play for all levels of golfers while remaining a challenge for the best - two essential components of a good golf course.
The Mourgue d’Algue are also developing eleven houses especially for visiting golfers. Well integrated to the beautiful region of St Emilion, they are located by the clubhouse with views on the course, the vineyard and a XIIth century roman church. The houses will be completed for the opening of the course next summer.
This new experience will combine the “art de vivre à la française” with the British golf experience.
