It is said that one stormy day, a sole ran aground in a puddle on the 7 green… and that it was still wriggling. The north wind in Wimereux is a bit like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, a tennis net or a golf hole. You remove them and something is missing. If the club house had an orchestra, it would probably play Vivaldi, as the four seasons can follow one another in a single day. Even in an hour ... “It is the oldest course on the Opal Coast, underlines its director, Nicolas Bouzin. You have to know how to play with all the natural elements of this golf so different from the others. "

Designed in 1901, this 18-hole course proudly camped on the heights of Pointe aux Oies, north of Boulogne sur Mer, benefits from an exceptional setting which greatly contributes to its popularity. A scent of Scotland hangs over the place and the decor could almost have inspired Hergé to narrate the adventures of "Tintin and the mysterious island". Belgian (and British) players are also numerous to challenge the beast every year. On the other side of the English Channel, you can see the cliffs of Dover on a clear day.

But the Wimereux golf course is not only a geography, it is also a long history. During World War I, the area became a rear base for Allied troops and the clubhouse served as a mess for English officers. Alexander Fleming - who discovered penicillin a few years later - spent his days trying to cure gangrene in the wounded and doing dissections for his research. At nightfall, he trains on the putting green, lit by the headlights of his car. This earned him the blame of the military authorities, who fear German bombings.

During World War II, Hitler's army invaded the land, facing the English coast. The führer would have even inspected the base in person in December 1940. At the Liberation, the club house was razed by the bombardments and it was not until 1959 that the course was completely rebuilt. Bunkers take the place of old craters dug by the shells, like those which protect hole 5. "All the bunkers are now regularly remade Scottish, deep, with layers of grass", specifies Nicolas Bouzin. The signature hole n ° 12, which starts on… a former German blockhouse erected opposite Dover, adds a special flavor to what can quickly become an obstacle course if Aeolus turns out to be in a temperamental mood. "We are also going to install departures next winter on the blockhouses of the 15th and 17th", provides the director, who also plans to double the area of ​​the covered practice (with 18 mats, against 9 currently). The last hole, a short par 5 which at first seems rather easy if it weren't for this little stream placed mischievously upstream of the green, will bring you one last thrill.

Wimereux is ultimately a journey back in time to the origins of golf, not far from there, on the other side of the Channel. The kind of journey that remains etched in your memory.

Frank Crudo

To know more : https://www.golf-wimereux.com/

Where to stay?

At the reception and in the kitchen, the Delpierre family welcomes you with good humor at Atlantic hotel, located on the Wimereux dike. The establishment has two restaurants that showcase seafood, special mention à la Liégoise, awarded one star in the Michelin guide. A very beautiful table that opens onto the sea, a contemporary and refined decoration where seafood is sublimated by Chef Benjamin Delpierre. Caviar, herring, potato salad - asparagus cromesquis with egg yolk, black tea mayonnaise - turbot, cheddar gnocchi, kohlrabi and sariette or even scallops, duxelle and pickled mushrooms, quail egg poached, liquorice juice. Iodized flavors guaranteed.

The hotel has 18 comfortable rooms decorated in a contemporary style, all of which have a view of the Côte d'Opale coastline. After a busy golfing day, you can relax in the spa or enjoy, among other things, a hot stone massage.

To know more : http://www.atlantic-delpierre.com/