One of the most popular French golf destinations…

Well over 10,000 British golfers travel to this region every year and enjoy the variety of top class golf courses on offer. These courses include a past French Open venue, a current European Challenge Tour venue, a past Ladies French Open venue and a current European Qualifying School venue amongst others. With also some great towns providing ample restaurant options, bars and pubs as well as some entertaining nightlife, you can understand why this destination is a best-seller.

Although a number of readers will recognise the name, the region is called Pas-de-Calais and is located right in the heart of Northern France, conveniently close to the U.K. Travelling to the region is simple with a choice of either the quick and efficient Eurotunnel, or the more leisurely and comfortable P&O ferries. So easy it is to access, many golfing groups will take just the one day off work and manage 2 or 3 nights out there with at least 3 rounds of golf.

Despite the excellent choice of town centres, a substantial choice of hotels and splendid countryside, let’s not kid ourselves – it is the golf we’re interested in. Across the region there are 9 main golf clubs, of which three have more than one 18 hole course onsite and a number of them also have 9 hole courses.

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Working our way down the west coast south from Calais, the first course you would come across would be the rugged links of Wimereux. The clubhouse has been recently redeveloped and considerable investment has gone into the course over the last few years. This is the perfect starter to your French golfing tour.

Next down the coast is the mythical Golf d’Hardelot, with two 18 hole courses just minutes-drive from one-another and a must visit. ‘Les Pins’ course, also known as the Old Course, is renowned for carpet fairways, pine forests and pristine greens. In September 2011, it hadthe privilege of hosting the 2012 European Qualifying School for the first time. ‘Les Dunes’ course has been completely revamped and redesigned over last couple of years making it a more demanding and challenging layout - it certainly doesn’t deserve the tag of ‘second course’.

Next up is the iconic Golf du Touquet, arguably the most well-known golf club in France. Here you will also find two 18 hole courses, the signature course being ‘La Mer’, a demanding and feral beast which winds through the sand dunes on the coast. A host of the French Open on six occasions, the last winner being the legendary Seve Ballesteros, it thoroughly deserves its status as one of France’s finest courses. ‘La Foret’ is the second course, a much friendlier woodland layout treating the intrepid golfers with far better manners.

Continuing your journey south along the coast, you will discover the Golf de Belle Dune. This is one of the ‘hidden gems’ of the region, both extremely good value for money but also an outstanding course. The layout changes between parkland, woodland and links, with a stretch of holes from 9 to 13 being particularly eye-catching.

Further south are two more golf clubs, Nampont Saint-Martin with its two 18 hole courses and Golf d’Abbeville. Nampont Saint-Martin has an idyllic setting, with the main course ‘Les Cygnes’ starting and ending next to a historic chateau. Golf d’Abbeville, albeit a little further south, is a testing course with a number of undulations and a great course to play when travelling further south or into Normandy or Paris.

Jumping straight back up to Calais, but this time taking the motorway south east, are located three more top class golf courses. Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club, so named as it is located on the Aa river, is a current European Challenge Tour venue. Significant investment has meant this course is consistently in great condition, although your golf will need to be firing on all cylinders. The challenge is not necessarily the tricky layout, but as much the physicality of the course, a customer favourite.

Golf d’Arras is an hour from Calais and a past venue to the Ladies French Open. The club has a brand new clubhouse with a sports bar providing a wide choice of different beers and a gastronomic restaurant. The course itself is formed of two distinct halves, the first weaving amongst numerous water features and the second nine climbing into the hills and sweeping through the woodland. This is a great group venue.

Last but by no means least, the Golf de Dunkerque is unique in every way and perfectly located for golfing trips travelling into France or Belgium. Initially just an 18 hole course, it was recently extended with a further 9 holes influenced by the designs of a famous military architect Vauban. The new look features military like vernacular fortifications and the emblematic ‘fleur de lys’ green on the 3^rdhole par 5. The course is often windswept and is by no means an easy proposition.

The Pas-de-Calais has it all and deserves its status as one of the best regions to visit for British golfers. There are new golf destinations appearing every year across the world, but with classics like these literally on your doorstep, why go elsewhere?

For more information about a golf break to the region contact Golfbreaks.com, visit www.golfbreaks.com or call 0800 279 7988