Domaine du Mont Garni Golf Club, partner of the Golfy Network in Belgium

Text by Alexandre Mazas

Not far from Mons, capital of the province of Hainaut, the Domaine du Mont Garni Golf Club is in itself a small condensed version of the Walloon Belgium so dear to the hearts of French frontiersmen. In a bucolic setting amidst fields and woods stands a vast, elegant Anglo-Norman-style building, recently refurbished, where conviviality is the watchword.

Between the appetizing smells of roborative cuisine and the intoxicating scents of draught Trappist beers, the atmosphere is simple, warm and bon vivant. “We make it a point of honour to promote the convivial, friendly and sporting aspects of golf, while ensuring that it is accessible to all,” explains Jodi De Frenne, the club's office manager. “Golf is growing rapidly in Belgium, and our priority is to ensure that every visit is above all an exciting and unforgettable experience.”
In the clubhouse lounges, restaurant and bar, the 450 or so members rub shoulders with visiting players, including those from the Golf de Mormal. Located some forty kilometers to the south, on the other side of the border, this club, which also belongs to the Golfy network, is in a way the French twin of Domaine du Mont Garni Golf Club. “We have more or less the same mentality, and we do a lot of things together, because we believe that the more we are, the stronger we are”, adds Jodi De Frenne, before adding that a joint membership fee for both clubs was even introduced at the very beginning of the year, to reinforce the symbiosis.

But the atmosphere, warm as it is, is not the only good reason to push open the doors of Domaine du Mont Garni Golf Club. The course alone is worth the detour. While its distance of 6331 meters makes it one of the longest in Belgium, its open, straightforward character makes it suitable for all levels. “The course is designed to be accessible and enjoyable, with no blind holes or hidden traps, offering a fluid and enjoyable experience for all players. What's more, we're one of the first clubs in Belgium to offer unique flexibility: during each competition, each player can choose his or her teeing ground. So if a player, even a Single, isn't on his best day, hasn't slept well or partied the night before, he can choose to start from the reds, with a number of shots adjusted accordingly, to guarantee the most enjoyable game possible,” explains the manager with a sense of humor.

So everyone can make the most of the peace and quiet of this vast 120-hectare estate, through which wind the three six-hole loops designed by Irish architect Tom McAuley. With some holes lined with trees, some flanked by ponds and others completely open to the plain, the layout is pleasantly varied. And if, however, your game wasn't up to scratch that day, there's always time to polish it up afterwards on the spacious driving range, the excellent grass practice areas and the compact 6-hole course. And, unique in the region, even on the state-of-the-art simulator just installed in the clubhouse!

Domaine du Mont Garni Golf Club
Rue du Mont Garni, 3
7331 Baudour
www.golfmontgarni.be
secretariat@golfmontgarni.be
+32 65 52 94 10

Domaine du Mont Garni Golf Club, partner of the Golfy Network in Belgium

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