Golf de Chantilly

Chantilly Vineuil — a major French Tom Simpson course where sand, pines and strategy dominate

The course is set within the Chantilly forest, on sandy soil near the Vineuil-Saint-Firmin estates. Pines, oaks, heather, and wide clearings give the site a continental heathland character.

Chantilly Golf Club opened in 1909 and quickly became a benchmark in French golf. After World War I, Tom Simpson was tasked with renovating the course. In 1929, he created seven new holes to finalize the layout of Vineuil. The club subsequently hosted several French Opens and international competitions.

Simpson utilized large, irregular bunkers, strategic diagonals, and greens whose entrances are often partially obscured. The apparent width of the fairways conceals very distinct preferential positions.

Vineuil alternates long open stretches with more constricted holes among the trees. The terrain is relatively flat, but the bunkers and green contours create a constant challenge.

Chantilly offers a historic club experience with two eighteen-hole courses, a practice range, and a strong sporting culture. The atmosphere remains traditional and focused on the game.

The Round selects it as one of the great monuments of French golf, where Tom Simpson's strategy remains perfectly legible nearly a century later.

Club inaugurated in 1909; renovated by Tom Simpson after World War I; seven new holes created in 1929; hosted several French Opens.

Open de France; grands championnats amateurs nationaux et internationaux