We caught up with the club’s General Manager, Philippe Pilato, to find out what’s happening ahead of the reopening on September 1st, 2026.
In this video, Philippe explains the following points which he expands on below:
- The holes affected by the aptly-named Metro Line 18
- The project’s biggest challenges
- The opportunities for improvement the works engendered
Tell us about the work being carried out at Le Golf National:
“After hosting the golf event at the Olympic Games and the French Open in 2024, we closed the Albatros course for a major renovation. This was due to a new construction project by the Greater Paris Metro to build a new line – Line 18. Like 18 holes, easy to remember!
“It will connect Paris Orly Airport to Versailles, and we’ll have a station just 300 metres from reception, which will be a great opportunity for welcoming guests and hosting big events in the future.
“The construction of this new Metro line meant we had to redesign hole 4, as it runs very close to Line 18. As a result, we also moved hole 5, and took the opportunity to make changes to hole 6 too, which we felt was actually the weakest on the course. It was short with no hazards – so we added bunkers and made it a drivable par 4 for big events, with the green oriented wider rather than longer. In fact, we added 17 bunkers across those three holes.
“Although the major works were on holes 4, 5 and 6, we took the opportunity to tweak holes 1, 2 and 9, as well as holes 13 through 18. On holes 1, 2, 15 and 18, we replaced the timber walls around the greens, which also gave us the opportunity to redesign those four greens.
“As sustainability is a key focus for us at Le Golf National, we decided to also make the change to bentgrass across the entire course. With summers getting hotter and droughts becoming more frequent, this type of grass will allow us to use less water, especially when restrictions are in place.
“So, we embraced this project as an opportunity to proactively modernise the course, enhance our sustainability, and elevate the playing experience for both our customers and professional players.”
How did you balance redesigning the course for the average golfer, whilst keeping it tough enough for professionals?
“Balancing the requirements of a championship course suited to both professionals and the average golfer is a delicate exercise. If it’s too challenging or not challenging enough can leave customers dissatisfied and not wanting to return.
“Le Golf National is a narrow golf course, which can prove challenging for the average golfer. With this in mind, we’ve introduced autonomous mowers to better control the length of the rough and make conditions more manageable for guests. Then, when we set up for professional tournaments, we can simply adjust the course accordingly.
“We’ve also built new tee boxes on certain holes to make the round more enjoyable for shorter-hitting players. This makes the course more accessible for the average golfer.
“From 24-27 September 2026 the French Open will return to Le Golf National, so the redesigned course will face its first major test almost immediately after reopening. There’s obviously some pressure in that, but with the strength of our team’s experience – hosting the Olympics, Ryder Cup and previous French Opens – they’ve dealt with that kind of pressure before and will thrive on it.”
Were there any major challenges you faced during the renovation?
“With a project of this size, you are talking about multiple entities, each responsible for their own remits, all working on a single site at any given time. In essence, there was one company that handled the golf course works on holes 4, 5 and 6, while the greenkeeping staff focused on the rest, and, of course, the Line 18 construction team was on site too.
“So, good communication and staying well connected with everyone is key. We achieved this through a dedicated project manager for Le Golf National and the French Federation side, whose job was to connect all these different parties.”
Photo credit: French Golf Federation
What does this renovation mean for the future of Le Golf National?
“The renovation has given us the opportunity to push hard on sustainability and innovation across the resort. As well as changing our turf to bentgrass, we’re installing solar canopies in the car park, combined with electric vehicle charging stations. After hosting the 2026 Open de France, we’ll start building a new maintenance facility which will be powered by solar panels that will produce energy for the building and charge our equipment.
“We also took the opportunity to build a new 9-hole academy course, as the original one was demolished as part of the Line 18 construction. With the new Metro, Le Golf National will be less than 30 minutes from the centre of Paris, and we want to use that and the new academy to attract new players to the game.
“In addition, the new owners of the onsite Novotel Hotel capitalised on the ongoing works to completely renovate its 131 rooms, lobby and restaurants, while we are looking to build a new clubhouse too. So, the whole site is in fact being upgraded. It’s a complete transformation!
“The Albatros and academy courses, as well as the resort will be the best they have ever been, and we can’t wait to welcome golfers back in September.”
Le Golf National has used the disruption as an opportunity to reinvent the resort, future-proofing the Albatros course both in terms of playability and sustainability. For resorts facing similar challenges, this may prove to be the blueprint. With doors reopening on September 1st and the Open de France to follow, the golf world won’t have to wait long to see the results – and, according to Philippe Pilato, this will be the best version of the Albatros yet.