L'Ancresse Golf Links, L'Ancresse Rd,
Vale, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY3 5BY
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+44 (0)1481 246 523Fax
+44 (0)1481 243 960Website
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Phil Sykes (PGA, Club Professional)The Course:
18 holes. Seaside links. Front-nine: relatively flat terrain - easy to walk. Back-nine: gently undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Coastal duneland, directly alongside L'Ancresse and Chouet Bays.
Designer:
Scottish course architect Philip Mackenzie Ross made several significant design changes to the original layout.
49.505244
-2.535588
By air, or by ferry from St Malo (Fr) or Portsmouth, Weymouth and Poole (Eng).
Royal Guernsey
Royal Guernsey Golf Club (and the L'Ancresse Golf Club) play on a classic seaside links golf course, known locally as the L'Ancresse Golf Links. With the front-nine playing alongside Chouet Bay, and the back-nine bordering L'Ancresse Bay, sea views and wonderful coastal scenery are a given.
The out-and-back layout criss-crosses the expansive gently-undulating terrain of L'Ancresse Common. Dotted with defensive "loophole" towers (built in the 1770s), as well as Bronze Age burial sites, and WW2 pillboxes, the layout is characterised by fast and firm fairways (very firm in summer months). Although the fairways might look generously wide from the tees, the wind may well bring a "narrowing" influence to bear.
This excellently maintained layout becomes more undulating as the round progresses, although any slopes are never too onerous to climb. Good-width fairways and light rough beyond, should inspire confidence from the tee, but stray too far offline, and gorse bushes and the like await. The layout's flatter front-nine gives way to a more undulating and interesting back-nine, played alongside L'Ancresse Bay.
As found on most classic links courses, neatly revetted bunkers guard several greens. Many others rely on the ground's natural contours and slick run-offs to test your short game skills around the greens.
Pick of the holes: the par-4 15th encapsulates the fun and scenery of playing the L'Ancresse Links. From a scenic elevated tee (also the case at 13, 16, and 18), you'll need to stay left of Loophole Tower No.6 to hit the opulently rolling fairway. Then left again of Tower No.7 as you play towards the lightly bunker defended green. The downhill closing par-3 18th, with bay views to left and right, may have you hitting anything from 9-iron to driver, depending on what the wind is up to!
Visitors welcome on weekdays, and after 3pm on weekends.
Must book in advance. Proof of handicap required.
Players generally walk this course.
Good
L’Ancresse links in Guernsey is home to two prestigious and long standing golf clubs, namely Royal Guernsey GC (est. 1890) and L’Ancresse Golf Club (est. 1895).
Royal Guernsey is one of two golf clubs in the Channel Islands honoured by exercise of the Sovereign's royal prerogative. The Royal titles were conferred on Royal Jersey (1879) and Royal Guernsey (1891) by Queen Victoria.
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