GOLFING IN THE FRENCH RIVIERA
by Karen Guthry
 When to go?
With it’s warm Mediterranean climate, the French Riviera offers golf enthusiasts the luxury of being able to play all year round but spring and autumn are the most ideal. July and August are quite hot and August is when the French and much of the rest of Europe take their summer vacations.
The destination of wealthy tourists from around the world, especially affluent visitors from northern Europe, the French Riviera’s tourist board was quick to identify golf tourism as a growth industry. Since the early 90s, money has been invested to develop first-rate golfing facilities as well as a marketing strategy to entice a slice of the world’s estimated 55 million golfers.
Thanks to the support of France Golf International, the tourist board of the Côte d’Azur has successfully promoted the Maritime Alps as a holiday destination for golf enthusiasts.
And the tourist board’s efforts have been rewarded with the Riviera’s golf clubs filled to the brim with members from Germany, Scandinavia, Belgium, Italy, Britain and Switzerland.
Of the various golf tournaments on the Riviera, the French Riviera Martinez Golf Cup is the most prominent event. Organized by Promogolf, it takes place in September on the St Donat, St Endréol and Cannes Mandelieu golf courses. The latter was established in 1991 with the assistance of Robert Trent Jones. It borders the Esterel massif and offers some splendid coastal views. Since 1998 Francis Camerini and his son have managed it.
Designed by Texan Robert Von Hagge, the Royal Mougins Golf Club is located in the city of Mougins, only 15 minutes away from Cannes and is ranked among the Top 100 Courses of the World and as one of the best 5 courses in all of France. It is also one of the most exclusive, with a membership reading like a Who’s Who of Europe, but the club accepts a small number of non-members each weekday. Royal Mougins is an 18-hole, par 71, regulation course measuring just over 6,000 meters, with eight lakes connected by a series of streams, waterfalls and small rivers.
American master Robert Trent Jones design a new 18-hole course in 1991, The Riviera Golf Club, which has been added to the “Old Course”, created in 1891 by the grand Duc Michel, nephew of the Tsar. Located less than 5 km west of Cannes, the course is mostly level with some hills and lakes, is 5,736 meters and par 72.
Country Golf de Saint-Donat – 6,031 meters, par 71, 18-holes, and the course is more technical than physical and is open to non-members. It was opened in 1993 on the road between Grasse and Mougins, is open to golfers of all levels, and has undulating fairways, hundred-year-old oak trees, pines and a challenging short game.
GOLF COURSES IN THE AREA:
GOLF OF BIOT, La Bastide du Roy
Tel. 04 93 65 08 48 - Fax 04 93 65 05 63
GOLF OF CANNES MANDELIEU, Route du Golf
Tel. 04 93 49 55 39 - Fax 04 93 49 92 90
GOLF OF CANNES MOUGINS, 175 route d'Antibes
Tel. 04 93 75 79 13 - Fax 04 93 75 27 60
GOLF OF GRANDE BASTIDE, Chemin des Picholines
Tel. 04 93 77 70 08 - Fax 04 93 77 72 36
GRASSE COUNTRY CLUB, 1 route des Trois Ponts
Tel. 04 93 60 55 44 - Fax 04 93 60 55 19
GOLF OF OPIO-VALBONNE, Château de la Begude
Tel. 04 93 12 00 08 - Fax 04 93 12 26 00
RIVIERA GOLF CLUB, Avenue des Amazones - Mandelieu
Tel. 04 92 97 67 67 - Fax 04 92 97 66 57
ROYAL MOUGINS GOLF CLUB, 1470 avenue de Pibonson
Tel. 04 92 92 49 69 - Fax 04 92 92 49 70
GOLF COUNTRY CLUB OF ST DONAT, 270 route de Cannes
Tel. 04 93 09 76 60 - Fax 04 93 09 76 63
VICTORIA GOLF CLUB, Domaine du Val Martin - Valbonne
Tel. 04 93 12 23 26 - Fax 04 93 12 35 50
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