On the straight and Narrow in France – well almost

Well it seems some time ago now that I (Simon) was pounding the fairways, more accurately the trees of the golf courses around Biarritz, Seignosse, Hossegor, and Molliets.

The week I was there at the end of April went very well. The start at the airport set the scene, being keen to play and arriving amidst cloudy skies, I asked at the car rental office in poor French(!) what the weather was going to be like tomorrow, I was told the car had a full tank of petrol! So much for a good education!

It seems that the area there had suffered from extensive rain during the Winter and only the week before the weather had been bad with much rain. I had taken shorts and not waterproofs. We booked in to the charming Hotel Helianthes, in Hossegor. The golf was excellent and the courses as good as hoped for. Seignosse was rated as one of the best in Europe, and designed by Von Hagge, so it was pleasing to play better than handicap and win the game, Hossegor, I enjoyed, it was more traditional having been foundered about 1927 by Tom Simpson(?). After winding through the trees I lost the money that day by 1 point on the 18^th hole. The third course was Molliets a Robert Trent Jones course and was excellent, played it 3 times there to handicap.

Now it all came down to the final day at Seignosse, I was 2-1 up in our “friendly” competition, for 3 golf balls. We arrived at the tee and a friendly but French voice called out “Monsieur Williams”, we had been put out to play with 2 locals from Lyon, Gerrard and Pasqual, it was decided the Gallois would take on the “Frenchies”. Well, we had a right good battle and it all depended on the 18^th a monster 550 yard par 5, my drive split the fairway majestically, a piercing 3 iron for position followed, the next shot was a low cutting 5 iron out of the trees! A links style bump and run followed to the back of the green and I was left with a tricky 20 footer down a fast green. The atmosphere was hushed, I needed a 6 net 5 to beat the Frenchies, I paced the green and settled behind the putt, off it went, silence, then the pumped fist, the ball just shaved the edge and an easy tap in was conceded. The Welsh had won!

The area of Hossegor was charming and we were equidistant from the beach and the town centre, with a couple of hundred yards was a large tidal lake. The properties in the area were fantastic and it seemed that a high percentage were holiday homes, but whilst there were many different shapes and sizes the overall style was Basque and very impressive.

I would recommend anyone want to play quality golf at reasonable rates to visit France to visit some of the best courses I’ve ever played. Granted the French enjoy the game and have a “slightly different approach”.

What else going on? Soap Box!

Thankfully the foot and mouth seems to be abating and having driven past the pyres at Welshpool, the stench in the air was unforgettable, I can only sympathise with those that have had to cull animals they have spent years breeding and developing.

I do wonder though about two things, firstly how there was the report of a vial of virus stolen from Porten Down(?) that could have caused it all, and yet nothing else has made the papers that I‘ve seen, and secondly, isn’t it amazing how as soon as the election “fighting” the foot and mouth is relegated to the middle pages if any coverage at all. Funny how after the cases around Settle that only two weeks in to the election trail is the Minister Nick Brown going to the area.