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| Golf in the Rhône-Alpes |
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| Thursday, 16 October 2008 | |
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Our golf pros Cédric and Fred make themselves at home at a top-notch course in sight of Mont Blanc This month’s focus is the 18-hole championship course at the Golf & Country Club de Maison Blanche, 30 minutes from Geneva at Echenevex. Set at the very base of the Jura mountain chain, with Mont Blanc in plain view, this golf course is a jewel to be discovered and it’s only 15 minutes from Geneva international airport. The Country Club de Maison Blanche was built in a spirit of safety and sociability. Members can think of it as a second home. The club provides a warm and well-organised clubhouse, a large restaurant, a bridge room, a members’ lounge, a piano-bar and, of course, locker rooms. It has a large swimming pool as well as tennis courts. Members and guests can also benefit from the services of the caddy master. Last but not least, the large parking area is monitored by a video surveillance camera. The course ranks at the top end of our rating chart, because in our view Maison Blanche is a truly exceptional course. It has a large membership and the weekly green fee for non-members is €100. Access to the 18- hole course is not allowed at weekends except if you are invited and even then it will cost you €80. To play the course you need to have a minimum index of 30.4.  The pro shop offers all the latest hard and soft goods. The entire staff is multi-lingual and service oriented. Inside, you will get your green fee and golf cart or trolley. The driving range is quite large and provides excellent playing conditions. Players can warm up in a calm and friendly atmosphere. You can hit off grass, mats or in the sheltered areas. The range is long enough to hit drives. Two well-manicured putting greens will help you improve your putting skills. The chipping zone will give you a chance to practice your short game and bunker play. The course has two different tracks. The first is the ‘Allondon’, a short nine-hole course, well-maintained and ideal for a quick warmup round in which you will mainly focus on short irons and short game. On the other side, the ‘Championship’ has everything a good golfer could wish for: easy on the eye and at the same time a strong challenge for your playing skills, it’s a par 72 of 6,142 metres.  Built at the foot of a mountain, the fairways will give you uneven lies most of the time. This could cause many ‘bad’ shots resulting in a dreaded situation for the amateur golfer. So, here’s a good tip for playing those shots. Just remember to align your shoulder plane with the ground under your feet and swing along the slope – it should help... The track is in perfect condition. Greens and fairways are consistent throughout the course. Many tree-lined holes will force you to keep your tee shots in the fairway and the greens are well protected too. There are quite a few water hazards, therefore distance control is a must. The speed of play is kept under control and the holes are closely positioned. The restaurant is open seven days a week, from 9am to 9.30pm. Choose from two menus, the first one a gourmet-oriented cuisine and the second offering more ‘rapid’ service – practical for the golfer in a rush. Prices vary considerably but average €25-35. The beautiful setting and the professionalism with which the country club is run make this club a ‘must’ in your French golf itinerary. EUROPEANGOLF-BIARRITZ RATING CHART 0: Bad 1: Average 2: Fair 3: Good 4: Great 5: Best Access 5 Parking 5 Club-house 4 Restaurant 4 Pro-Shop 4 Driving range 4 Course layout 5 Green quality 4 Location 5 Overall rating 4.4 |
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