Golf D’Hardelot

Golf D'Hardelot, Les Dunes

Designed by Paul Rollin, Les Dunes is the newer of the two and it's a brilliant contrast to its neighbour. The routing makes the most of the Côte d'Opale setting, taking you across dune lines, past lakes and through pockets of woodland that frame the holes without feeling claustrophobic.

At 6,258 yards it's not about brute force. The best scores come from picking sensible lines off the tee and leaving the right angles in, because the greens have subtle slopes and are well protected by bunkers that sit exactly where you'd like to land a 'safe' approach. When the breeze gets up, it can turn into a proper thinking person's round.

If you've just played Les Pins, you'll notice the difference straight away. There's more sky, more exposure and more temptation to chase pins, but it's often smarter to aim for the fat side of the green and trust the putter. The wind off the coast can shift club selection by two or three clubs on the exposed holes, so checking the flag before you commit is never a bad idea.

It's also a great course for mixed-ability groups, because everyone can get round it, but the low handicappers still have plenty to chew on when it comes to trajectory control and distance judgement. The green complexes reward good lag putting, and if you miss in the wrong spot you'll be chipping back uphill or dealing with a tricky downhill bunker shot.

In short, Les Dunes gives you that links-style feel without trying to be something it's not, and it rounds out the Hardelot experience nicely. If you're playing both courses over a weekend, it's the perfect complement to the tighter, tree-lined demands of Les Pins.

Les Dunes is Hardelot's second course designed by Paul Rollin and Jean-Claude Cornillot. Les Dunes typifies the Côte d'Opale landscape, set amid the delightful dunes, lakes and mature woodland.

The 5,834 yard layout is distinctly different in character to its illustrious neighbour, but this diversity makes Hardelot all the more attractive. Watch out for the subtly sloping putting surfaces, closely guarded by strategically positioned bunkers.

"Les Dunes is a fantastic looking course; short, tight, in great condition and just really intricate with tree-lined fairways and great greens. If you don’t hit fairways you can become unstuck very quickly. I really enjoyed it." - Mark Crossfield, PGA Pro

Les Dunes Course at Hardelot is ranked as one of the best courses in Le Touquet.