Les Bordes, Old Course – Robert von Hagge's Masterpiece in France

Located on a 690-hectare hunting ground near the Loire River and castles such as Chambord, Les Bordes Golf Club is one of the most prestigious private golf clubs in the world. Originally founded by Baron Marcel Bich, access to the course for guest players is strictly by invitation only or when accompanied by a member.

The traditional centerpiece is the Old Course, a parkland course designed by Robert von Hagge that stretches up to 6,443 meters as a Par-72 course. The course is renowned for its immaculate condition and its lightning-fast, gently undulating greens, which demand the utmost precision from golfers.

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Front Nine: Narrow fairways, peninsula greens, and the lake on the 7th hole

The opening hole immediately underscores the course’s challenging character: This par-4, up to 401 meters long, winds through a narrow fairway to a green surrounded by a massive Bunker.

The course continues to demand a high level of tactical skill throughout the first nine holes. On hole 2, a Par-5 up to 477 meters long—a tight dogleg to the left—requires clean shots from a tree-lined fairway. While Hole 4 brings water into play for the first time with a peninsula green, the seventh hole—a Par-5 up to 507 meters long—winds in a wide semicircle around a lake. The water theme continues directly on hole 8, a Par-3 that is a maximum of 143 meters long and runs almost entirely over water.

Back Nine: The Island Green Spectacle on the 14th and the Tournament Finale

The back nine begins with a par-5 hole up to 468 meters long, whose significantly elevated green often causes fast putts to roll into the Bunkers in front of it. On hole 11, a 90-degree dogleg runs along the lakeshore, requiring a precise Draw.

As the most difficult and longest hole of the round—measuring up to 510 meters—the par-5 on the 14th demands complete concentration, as both the tee shot and the approach to the island green must be played over water. The finale on the 18th hole also offers a true tournament challenge: on this par-4 hole, which is over 400 meters long, a lake separates the Fairway from the green about 70 meters before the green, forcing the player to make a bold lay-up or risk-and-reward decision.

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Exclusive golf at the very highest level

The Old Course at Les Bordes thus stands out as one of the most fascinating and challenging parkland courses in the world. Those who have the rare opportunity to play this course will experience exclusive golf at the highest level, where precise distance control and thoughtful course management are the keys to success.