Golf d'Étretat

The Golf d'Étretat is located in Seine-Maritime by region Normandy. It offers a course of rare and wild beauty which overhangs the Norman cliffs and the bay of Étretat.

History

The Golf d'Étretat has a long history. Indeed, if it opened its doors in 1908, the first draft works date from 1906. At the very beginning, there were only 11 holes. There was not only golf on the course: at Manneporte, there was a pigeon shooting range!
Also, the old clubhouse was located at the level of the current departure of hole number 11.

Back then, it was the place to show off; Étretat was then mainly frequented by a Parisian clientele who came in the footsteps of the Impressionists. It is also from hole number 11 that we can see the ruins of the fort of Fréfossé which overlooked the bay.

The whole course has evolved enormously since its creation but the last big modification dates back to 1990 when the terrain was widely extended. It was already in 18 holes at the time but today better distributed over 5 hectares more.

The sea, the cliffs and the scorecard!

The course is built on the cliffs of Étretat and the sea is visible from every hole. It is a seaside course where the wind plays a key role. The prevailing wind often comes from the west even if in spring, we can have a totally opposite wind. Here, it is called the nordet (north-easterly wind). It can be quite cool and powerful in the order of 25 to 30 knots (55 km / h). We usually say that in Étretat, we can have four seasons on the same day.

Arnaud Massy Architect of the Etretat golf course

Arnaud Massy is at the origin of the design of the golf course with the architect Julien Chantepie. Together they rode the first 11 holes. Massy, ​​winner of the British Open 1907, then went to play elsewhere. But he ended his career here, and some of the former members even had him as a pro in 1948 and 1950, just before he passed away.
The Golf d'Étretat receives good people: Jean Garaïalde came to play here, like Michel Platini or Yannick Noah ...

Hole number 10, the Étretat icon

It is the most famous hole of the course, the one that we see in all the photos. Its beauty comes from its elevated departures, which give a rather dizzying view. It has always been the handicap 1 hole of the Golf d'Étretat course (the most difficult hole of the course). You have to stay on the fairway at all costs. New players arriving at the Alabaster Coast often break their teeth on this hole. We have already seen a player do 33 here. He must have lost about fifteen balls at the start.

18 holes between sky and sea

The Étretat golf course is an 18-hole course - PAR 72 - 6 m long.
This golf course enjoys an exceptional location, overlooking the sea and the bay of Étretat. The various magazines classify it each year among the best French golf courses. It is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable "marine golf courses" in France.

If you come play golf in Normandy, you will discover while playing on the course of Étretat a demanding ground as soon as the wind blows, but whatever your score you will keep the memory of a magic moment.