Royal Mougins Golf Club

Royal Mougins opened in 1993. Robert von Hagge, the American architect behind a long list of courses in Europe and further afield, designed it as a championship course. His approach rewards strategy over power: elevated tees look out over rolling fairways, the water hazards ask for precise placement and the tiered greens reward a well-judged approach.

From the back tees the 18 holes run to about 6,000 m (more than 6,500 yards). That puts Royal Mougins among the more demanding layouts on the Riviera. It suits golfers with an established handicap and rewards accuracy and course management. Blue, white and red tees make it playable for mid-handicappers and improving players too.

The club has a hotel and spa on site and sits about 5 minutes from Mougins village.

Royal Mougins carries von Hagge’s signature: bold use of elevation, bunkers placed with intent and water in play. The holes follow the natural lie of the land and open onto the surrounding hills. Some sit on raised plateaus. Others run along valley floors where you have to carry water. You adjust your strategy from one hole to the next.

Among the signature holes: two back-to-back par 5s at the 3rd and 4th, both with water in play, short par 3s such as the 125 m 10th and the 127 m 17th, and a closing par 5 of 515 m. The back nine works its way home to the clubhouse with a mix of long holes and precision holes. Water comes into play on six holes, bunkers guard the approach corridors, and course management matters.

Inland, the course runs a little cooler than the coastal ones in summer.