Golf architect Gil Hanse and his design partner, Jim Wagner, had their latest original layout open July 1 in France as their New Course added a second full 18 to the Les Bordes Golf Club about 80 miles South of Paris.
The New Course and the golf club is in the Loire Valley near the upscale Les Bordes Estate but operates independently with membership available by invitation. The golf club already was home to the Robert von Hagge-designed Old Course, which opened in 1987. Hanse also opened a par-3 course, named Wild Piglet, at the club last year.
The Old Course plays through a forest, but Hanse and Wagner built their New Course on sandy, rolling and more exposed terrain. That should provide firmer turf to promote the ground game through heather, broom and century old pine, chestnut, birch and oak trees. The layout features more than 250,000 heather bushes and promotes an environmentally low-impact approach that should reduce chemical usage.
Check out these fresh photos from the New Course and its surrounds: