Playing golf the French way - how competitions work from the perspective of a British immigrant
Terry Atkinson
Four years ago I moved home from the UK to France. As a keen golfer and newly retired I was keen to live near a good golf club with a course that I would enjoy and be able to play as I grew older and a club where I could make friends. Fortunately, I found both with Granville Golf Club in Normandy. A classic links course originally designed by Harry Colt. I have made lots of friends and am now chair of the greens committee or, as we say in French, President de la Commission du Terrain.
Golf in France differs from golf in the UK in so many ways. Changing shoes in the car park and allowing freedom of attire in the clubhouse and open access for all are some of the obvious ones that any British golfer will see whilst on a golf break. The organisational basis of golf in France is something that only those who play competitive golf regularly will encounter and appreciate the value of. Club competitions in France are open so you can sign up on the notices in the clubhouse or phone in to enter - usually up to the day before play. This works partly because club memberships are not usually so big that all places are taken by members but is also facilitated by the national handicap system administered by the French Golf Federation (FFG) - check their website at http://www.ffgolf.org. The slope of each course is calculated to give its degree of difficulty. Thus, if you play on a difficult course, you receive slightly more shots than you handicap. My links course is rated moderately difficult under this system so that when I play later today I will have 9 shots although my handicap is actually 7.4 at present. Moreover, handicaps are all registered with the FFG by computer. Thus, as soon as the club sends in my results today, my handicap will be updated and available to any other club. If I go to play in a competition at a different club, they will ask me for the number of my "licence" and from that they can find my exact handicap over the internet.
Regional and national team events abound in France and provide a new dimension to golf that I had never experienced in the UK. For example, last weekend, there were two local team events. The Coupe de la Manche was held at Fontenay Golf Club which is located around 30 miles south of Cherbourg. In UK terms one might call this the County Cup. Teams consisted of one player from each category: men / ladies / juniors / seniors and sub-categories also such as men 1st division gross, men 2nd division net etc. Thus each team member is in competition with the others from their category and their position in that category determines the number of points they earn for their team. On the same weekend, a similar team event was taking place at the Golf des Ormes in Brittany which is located around 30 miles from St Malo. This was the Trophée Foussier qualifications for 2006. This competition is open to clubs in the west of France - Normandy, Brittany and Pays de Loire. The Trophée Foussier is for men aged 50+ and there are similar events for men's and ladies' teams. The qualification event was held to determine the five teams who would be promoted to take part in the main event in 2006. Each year, five teams are relegated and have to participate in the qualifiers with other hopeful clubs to get back in. There are 24 teams in the main event for the 50+ category with another 20 teams contesting the qualification event. In the main men's event, there are even more teams so that the event is split into 2 divisions plus the qualification event. The Foussier competition is played out over 2 days with singles on the first day and foursomes on the second day. For the men's and ladies' events, there are two legs of competitions. In Foussier events, you are allocated a series such as Player 1 (gross scores) or Player 4 (net scores) and your final score determines your position and points tally so the best gross score in the Player 1 group may get 24 points for his club and the worst gross score 1 point.
National team events also proliferate and all clubs can participate in one of the four divisions or the qualifications phase to get into division four. For divisions 2 to 4, there are regional events held whilst the first division is held at a single venue and determines the national champion club.
Competitive golf in France has refreshed my passion for the sport. I recently calculated that I had played in 15 handicap counting events away from my own club during the current season. In 20 years of golfing in the UK, I don't think I played in a single such event!
About the author: Terry Atkinson Formerly senior lecturer in education at the University of Bristol and author / editor of numerous academic works. Currently working as freelance consultant in education and information technology. Webmaster for http://www.europeangol fholidays.com
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