In a wonderful Lakeland setting and sheltered by the Vercors and Chartreuse mountains, Golf de Grenoble Charmeil creates its own micro-climate, enabling golf to be played all year round in ideal conditions. Hence the choice of Charmeil for the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School, French Amateur Championship (Coupe Ganay) and the French Seniors Championship.
It was an ideal backdrop for renowned architect Jeremy Pern who has created a challenging test of golf, yet in perfect harmony with its natural environment. Being flat, Charmeil is an ideal walkers course and the rolling fairways will lead you around sparkling lakes and lagoons, through forests of oak and pine until the 18th hole’s green which sits invitingly in front of the club-house.
The 6715 yard Par 73 course is rated in the top 50 golf in France and provides a tough yet fair test of golf for players of all levels. The well-groomed fairways are rich and varied. Some are wide and tree-lined, others narrow, skirting Lake Charmeil and the odd dog-leg for good measure.
After the first four holes you will become acquainted with a rather pretty lake, which is circumnavigated via the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th and 14th holes – the drive at the 5th will potentially give you the most trouble. Water is your biggest obstacle to recording a good score; the light rough and light bunkering should not create too many problems. The back-nine provides three par-3’s and three par-5’s; like the front it is a combination of lightly tree-lined holes and others in more open terrain.
The course is well maintained, and a favourite stop-over for golfers travelling further south. Even for low handicappers it is no push-over, especially if there is a bit of wind
