6 good reasons to play at the Golf National

The emblematic course of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, next to Paris, is hosting the Ryder Cup in September 2018. That in itself is an excellent reason to step onto its fairways—but it's far from the only one.

1. It's a Ryder Cup course

It is the third most popular sport event in the world, after the World Cup for soccer and the Olympics. In this impressive tradition, the Golf National will join the exclusive club of European courses that have hosted the Ryder Cup. In short, you can play on a 18-hole course that is a remarkable part of golf history.

The Ryder Cup website (External link)

2. It is an enormous challenge

It is one of the most difficult courses in Europe. Last June, the French player Mickaël Lorenzo-Veraeven even said that no amateur would be able to score under 100 on this Par 72. Why not try to make a liar out of him?

The Golf National website (External link)

3. It is where the French Open is held

Since 1991, the Golf National has hosted a stage of the European Tour (except in 1999 and 2001). Prestigious winners stepped onto the Albatros Greens—the name of one of the two 18—hole courses-such as Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie, José Maria Olazabal, and Martin Kaymer. It's yet another good reason to test your mettle (and your putter) here.

The Open de France website (External link)

4. You will play on a course like a pool table

The Spanish greenkeeper Alejandro Reyes and his team made the Alabtros one of the most beautiful courses on the European continent. He's created a verdant sea, perfectly manicured from the fairways to the green. In a nutshell, playing at the Golf National is an insider golf experience.

5. It has something for all players

The Golf National is home to another perfectly maintained course: l'Aigle (the Eagle). It's a perfect fit for intermediate players, especially those who don't want to lose a dozen balls or continually score double bogeys on the Albatros. Click below to see what else the Eagle course has to offer.

The Aigle at the Golf National (External link)

6. Versailles is just next door

If Paris nearby, the Versailles Palace is the course's next-door-neighbor. Stroll through the famous gardens of Louis XIV and admire its fountains under the waft of baroque music. Just don't take your sand wedge, even if you're aching to tee off from Versailles' perfectly kept grass.

The Versailles Palace website (External link)

Head off to the Golf National, in the western side of Paris