La Maison Caignac
Golf |
Golfing around Caignac There are eight courses within an hours' drive from La Maison Caignac and I'm glad to pass on some recommendations of those that chums and I have hacked around. If you have come without your clubs it is not usually a problem and most pro shops will kit you out with a pencil case and a half set. Best call them the day before to book a tee time and check that the local Rotarians aren't having their monthly medal. The dress code is very much sans cérémonie with shorts being the order of the day; the main rule is to make sure that you have your own personal water carrier as most courses are on the long side, are up and down and played in temperatures of over 30. May through September that is. Our favourite is the Golf Club de Toulouse (golf.toulouse@wanadoo.fr) and 05 61 73 45 48) and is 'our ' side of Toulouse - turn left off the 113 at Castenet and head for Vielle Toulouse. Journey time 35 minutes. The early holes give you a lovely perspective down the hill to Toulouse and the 14th/15th marvellous views south to the Pyrenees. The admin office occasionally sniffs when you don't produce a handicap certificate but we never let her get in the way. If our kids rely on the internet for fake ID we do the same to inflate our competence….Nice bar and restaurant but mid afternoon it's sandwiches only. Thirty five minutes the other way - south east down the A61 there's Golf de Carcassonne in the grounds of the Domaine d'Auriac hotel (golf-de-carcassonne.com) and 06 13 20 85 43). Take the first exit for Carcassonne and follow the ring road anti-clockwise and the Centre Hospitalier signs. The golf is signed on your right just before the hotel after about 3Kms. It has a daunting first hole: tee off in front of the restaurant, try not to dribble it into a river 10m in front of you and make sure it carries for 180m to get to the plateau on top of the 100 foot hill. Otherwise it could roll back into the ravine. In which case, call it a provisional. Coming home there are a couple of very nice (9th and 18th) short 7 irons down the aforementioned hill. Oh, mind the river again…. Heading south (go to Foix and turn west for 12kms on the St Girons road) you have Golf d'Ariege (golf-club-de-lariege@wanadoo.fr) and 05 61 64 56 78) there's another 18 holer this time with a separate 6 hole 100/130m section for warm ups/attack whilst you wait your tee-time/leave the kids on. It's a lovely up and down course (actually they all are) in the shadows of the Pyrenees; the scenery is simply stunning. There's quite a bit of exposed rock so factor in the ricochets. It'll take you an hour to get there. Rather than mark your card with every course here are some back-ups. Golf Estolosa (estolosa.fr or 05 62 18 84 00) - 9 holes, 10kms north west of Toulouse on the 126 to Castres - take exit 17 from the périférique extérieur, and Golf de Palmola (05 61 84 20 50 or golfdepalmola.fr) again north east of Toulouse off the A68 to Albi near Gémil. There should be a handbook in the kitchen with all the region's courses… Enjoy your golf……. |
Recently renovated and refurbished High standard accommodation Sleeps up to 13 Private heated swimming pool Private tennis court Barbeque and Outside dining Lovely gardens Pool Table, Pin Table, Pub Darts, Table Football Garden Chess Cricket Net Boules Court |