Paris Olympics Golf Venue, Le Golf National: History, Significance, and Other Facts Explored

Bonjour, Paris! The 2024 Paris Olympics are set to take off on July 16th; however, golf lovers will have to wait until August 1st to witness their favorite players compete for the grandest honor. The glorious event is taking place at Le National Golf in Guyancourt, France. 

Having hosted a prestigious event like the 2018 Ryder Cup, the course is indeed a special one. With a rich history and great infrastructure, the course has been the talk of the town since its inception. You must be wondering: What is so unique about the course for it to be hosting the golf tournament of the 2024 Paris Olympics? Well, there’s quite a lot!

What is the history behind Le National Golf?

Owned by the French Golf Federation, the construction of Le National Golf started in July 1987. The architect of the epic course, Hubert Chesneau, described its construction as ‘to start with a blank canvas’. The land was flat and barren when it was approved for construction; however, the architect wanted it that way. “Contrary to most of the courses being built at the time on natural undulating ground, I preferred to create a landscape that would be ideal for “natural grandstands,” said Chesneau in 2011.

Three years of construction and hard work were needed to turn the 139-hectare land into a three-course golf complex. These three courses included two 18-hole courses: the legendary Albatros 72 at 7,331 yards and the Aigle par 71 at 6,224 yards. And the 7-hole course, the Oiselet par 32, was made for beginners. In October 1990, Greg Norman, Ray Floyd, Jeff Sluman, and Mac Farry were the first players to ever play on the Albatros. The Golf National became a permanent home to the French Open in 1991 and has seen many winners each year ever since. 

The Golf National proved itself to be one of the best golf courses at the 2018 Ryder Cup. With players like Justin Rose, John Rahm, and Rory McIlroy, it was one hell of a tournament. Francesco Molinari turned out to be the best player that year and secured first place with 373.12 points in the Sunday single.

The golf course has a lot of other interesting facts as well that you should definitely know. 

Four things you should know about the Golf National

1. Inaugurated on October 5th, 1990, the Le Golf National is said to be one of the toughest venues out there on the European Tour. According to the PGA Tour website, the average winning score in the past few years at the last 10 French Opens has been just 9.6 under par. The veterans themselves have said quite a few things about the course. The 2016 Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke, said, “The course itself is such a wonderful test,” addressing the complex greens and water hazards. “It’s fair. If you get too aggressive, there’s a lot of water in play,” he continued. 
2. The grand course can host many spectators, which makes every event held there a complete blast. “That finish, coming down 15, 16, 17, 18; the amount of people, the noise, the cheers, the crowd in that area is going to be an incredible site,” said Jim Furyk. And the site was incredible, indeed. According to the Ryder Cup website, a total of 270,000 people attended the tournament in 2018.
3. Le Golf National has one of the most grueling closing stretches. Water hazards are the main challenge at the three final holes, except hole 17. This par-4 is the second-longest on the course, and the difficulty of this hole is unmatched. The short par-3 16th hole plays from an elevated tee, increasing the wind’s impact on tee shots, and it is fronted by water. The 18th green is a water-lined par-4 of 471 yards, and tests players from the start itself.
4. The Le Golf National has recently started providing private caddie services to amateur players. These caddies are appointed to offer their expert advice and enhance the player’s game. Is the service free of cost? No. The price for a solo caddie or a caddie per player is $172.11. If this seems too expensive for you, you can opt for another option, which is to share your caddie. One caddie per two players is $129.09, and for one caddie per four- players, the price is $107.57.

Known for its rich history, the course will continue to show why it is considered one of the best golf courses. With all these difficulties and challenges, the golf tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics is certainly going to be eventful. Which player do you think will win the gold? Do let us know in the comment section below!