THE STORY OF LE TOUQUET

BETWEEN SEA & FOREST

THE BEGINNING OF GOLF AT LE TOUQUET

At four hours from London and three hours from Paris, the seaside resort of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage would become Europe’s most fashionable resort during the “Roaring Twenties” and 1930s – the playground of the rich, the famous and the aristocracy. But it was in 1903, when Pierre de Coubertin became Director of Sports Activities at the resort, that golf became a part of Le Touquet’s heritage. Pierre’s passion was to turn Le Touquet into a world centre of sports, and it wasn’t long before two British men bought land in the area to create a golf course. John Whitley and Allen Stoneham would spend the next 25 years investing in the development of Le Touquet and Le Touquet Golf Resort, eventually making the name synonymous with the finest Continental European golf.

LE TOUQUET GOLF RESORT & THE GOLDEN YEARS

AN INTERNATIONAL SENSATION

24 May 1904

Opening of the La Forêt (the Forest) Course designed by Horace Hutchinson and Nicholas Lane Jackson, two renowned architects. Inauguration by Lord Balfour, Prime Minister of England, under the presidency of the Duke of Argyll, King's son-in-law. Lord Balfour, a great amateur, tests the course and the seaside resort’s destiny becomes linked to that of golf: both will become immensely popular.

1910

The British gentry and the talented golfers like Harry Vardon or Arnaud Massy visit the club regularly. Creation of the 9-hole course in the heart of the La Forêt Course: the Le Manoir (The Manor) Course.

1914 - 1918

Organization of the French Professional Championship. John Douglas Edgar will win against Harry Vardon.

LE TOUQUET GOLF RESORT BETWEEN THE WARS

THE ESSENCE OF A LEGEND

1919

Creation of the "Lewis Gun School Cup" by the English officers, a challenge held each year until 1939. From 1919, the golf club is rehabilitated, and the international press publicizes the famous links of Le Touquet. We see photographs of Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, and of Prince Henry his brother, as well as Lady and Lord Dudley who built the Chalet du Bois. In 1919, the very select tournaments "Brigands Club " and "Bucks Club Tournament" take place in Le Touquet.

1921

Victory of Aubrey Boomer (GB)

1925

Poster contest by the tourist office, awarded to Courchinoux. This image becomes emblematic and 12,000 copies are printed

14 june 1928

Launch of the design of the 18-hole La Mer Course in the dunes by the famous architect Harry Shapland Colt (Royal Zoute, Muirfield, Sunningdale, Wentworth ...)

August 1930

Morison's long article in the Daily Mail on the La Mer Course nearing completion: "The new course includes the 18 most magnificent holes a scratch golfer can find. Each of them is a masterpiece."

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Easter 1931

Opening of the La Mer Course and the Club House facing tee No. 1. The Prince of Wales came nightly to secretly test the course for a few days before ... Le Touquet Golf Resort becomes one of the largest golf clubs in the world (45 holes) under single management.

1932

International French Women’s Championship.

1935

Sidney Brews wins the French Open (South Africa).

1939

Martin Pose wins the French Open (Argentina).

September 1939

The Second World War stopped the rise of golf. The record is clear: as of September 4, 1944, at the Liberation by the Canadians, 2000 bombs had been dumped by the allies on Le Touquet. The Club House was destroyed, the golf courses became scrub. The city of Le Touquet is partially destroyed.

LE TOUQUET GOLF RESORT AFTER THE WAR

THE RENAISSANCE OF MYTH

1946 - 1948

In 1946, 9 holes are again playable.

Two years later, the reopening the 18-hole La Forêt Course happens in record time. Jean Stoneham, widow of Allen, makes available to the golf course Le Manoir (The Manor), her own villa, to replace the club house.

1950 to 1958

The Manor became a hotel-restaurant in 1950. A year later, work on the La Mer course begins. In 1958, the 9-hole Le Manoir Course was reopened. The La Mer Course remains in abeyance, its reconstruction work proving to be costly and complex.

1959

The La Mer Course is reopened, but for practical reasons, its initial layout had to be modified. Henceforth, many international and prestigious tournaments were once again organized at Le Touquet Golf Resort.

1976-1977

Vincent Tshabalala wins the French Open. Sam Torrance sets the new record of the La Mer Course with 63. One year later, Severiano Ballesteros wins the 2nd edition of the French Open at Le Touquet.

January 1992

Le Touquet Golf Resort becomes French for the first time in its history, following the sale of Touquet Syndicate Ltd by Mr. Bell to Brent Walker group, when the resort becomes part of the Golf Open France group chaired by Nicolas Boissonnas.

1997

The La Mer Course is rebuilt by the architect Harold Baker, revisiting his precious original route. Two new holes are created on the La Forêt Course and the pitch and putt becomes a full function 9-hole course, named Le Manoir. A new club house is planned for the site of the one destroyed during the war.

2016

A new Club House is born in August, in place of the old one. Largely open to the courses and nature, it is located on the forest side, facing the Manoir Hotel. In contemporary style, it is designed by Pierre-Louis Carlier.

Today

The courses have been returned to their former glory. A bold, award-winning restoration has transformed the resort, sparking an unprecedented leap in rankings for La Mer, now in France’s top 10 and continental Europe’s top 40 courses. Many prestigious national and international competitions have once again taken place at the resort, which carries such immense history and passion for the sport.

LE TOUQUET GOLF RESORT

Introduction

EDUCATION

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