Home of France’s No.1 links, Le Touquet Golf Resort, and sister venue, Golf d’Hardelot, are among the four venues on France’s northern coast celebrating 25 years of Continental Europe’s largest Pro-Am tournament, The International Opal Coast Pro-Am, 24-27 April 2019.
The tournament, which has hosted 10,000 players since its inception in 1994, has been contested at Le Touquet Golf Resort and Golf d’Hardelot for the length of its history.
While Le Touquet’s La Mer (The Sea) has been on the rota every year, the event has been hosted by both of Golf d’Hardelot’s courses, Les Pins (The Pines) and Les Dunes (The Dunes), with the latter receiving a leg of the Pro-Am for the second time this year.
Christophe Cantegrel, Founder of Golf First, organisers the event, said: “The upgrades and restoration work at both Le Touquet Golf Resort and Golf d’Hardelot over recent years have been very effective, and have only made the tournament more exciting and challenging.
“La Mer at Le Touquet Golf Resort is the longest and most demanding course in the event. A true championship layout. Restoring the four lost holes and bringing the layout back so closely to Harry Colt and Charles Alison’s original design has been an incredible achievement.
“The work carried out at Golf d’Hardelot has also been well-received by the Pro-Am players. Les Pins’ architectural mastery now shines through, while Les Dunes’ recent modifications have made it probably the most pleasurable to play – like a mini Augusta.”
The format of The International Opal Coast Pro-Am, which is also France’s oldest Pro-Am tournament, has remained unchanged throughout its 25 years, taking place across four days, on four golf courses, and hosting around 400 players each year.
Professionals and amateurs travel from France, the UK, Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands to compete for a prize purse of 73,000 €, working their way down the Opal Coast as they play courses at Le Touquet Golf Resort, Golf d’Hardelot, Belle Dune Golf Course and Wimereux Golf Club.
Christophe Cantegrel added: “The event is just such a pleasure to organise, and I think that pleasure is passed on to the golfers and spectators. The players get together every night to socialise, and there is such a genial and friendly atmosphere around the whole tournament, I believe this is what makes it so unique and popular.”
Le Touquet Golf Resort and Golf d’Hardelot are easily reached from the UK, Belgium and The Netherlands, as well as the rest of France, by road and rail; both located less than an hour’s drive south of the Eurotunnel terminus on the A16 autoroute.
For more information about Le Touquet Golf Resort, visit www.letouquetgolfresort.com/en/ and for Golf d’Hardelot, visit www.hardelotgolfclub.com/en
To register to play in The International Opal Coast Pro-Am, or for more information visit www.proamcotedopale.com
ENDS
Picture caption 1: The signature 16th of La Mer (The Sea) course at Le Touquet Golf Resort, a host venue of The 2019 International Opal Coast Pro-Am
Picture caption 2: Picturesque closing hole of Les Dunes course at Golf d’Hardelot, a host venue of The 2019 International Opal Coast Pro-Am
About Le Touquet Golf Resort
Le Touquet Golf Resort is home of France’s #1 links course, La Mer. The classic 1931 Harry Colt design and lost holes have now been exquisitely restored. La Mer ranks at no. 31 in Golf World magazine’s Top 100 Golf Courses of Continental Europe ranking and 35th in Top100GolfCourses.com’s Continental European listing. Europe’s most fashionable resort of the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and 1930s, Le Touquet remains an iconic destination blending elegant style and architecture with wide, open sandy beaches, surrounded by pine forest. Today, with the contemporary comforts and hospitality of a new architect designed clubhouse and the transformation of Le Manoir Hôtel into a boutique style establishment, Le Touquet Golf Resort and its three courses is ushering in a new golden age of European golf travel.
About Golf d’Hardelot
Golf d’Hardelot is 10 minutes from the centre of Neufchâtel-Hardelot on the north east coast of Pas-de-Calais, France’s northernmost department. It boasts two superb 18 hole courses, Les Pins and Les Dunes. Meandering through dunes and forest, these two sand-based layouts offer great fun for all levels of player.
Les Pins was designed by Tom Simpson and opened in 1931. It features at no. 24 in Golf World magazine’s Top 100 Golf Courses of Continental Europe ranking and 23rd in Top100GolfCourses.com’s Continental European listing.
Les Dunes was opened in 1991. Designed by the late Paul Rolin and Jean Claude Cornillot, it has also undergone significant restoration work to offer a contrasting golfing challenge, while catering for the increasing demand from international golf visitors.
About Open Golf Club
Open Golf Club is a leading international golf management group, based in France. Founded in 1987, it now provides services to 50 golf clubs in six countries in Europe, including France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Italy.