Barry Plummer: A love letter to Evian
Nelly Korda of USA plays a shot during the pro-am prior to the start of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 26, 2023 in Evian-les-Bains, . (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images).
A picturesque paradise of vibrant green. Lake Geneva provides the tranquil backdrop, framing the course’s elegance and beauty. These are just a couple of my futile attempts to capture the majesty of the Evian Golf Club in words. The penultimate women’s major championship of the season rolls into the East of France this week, for the Evian Championship, and I cannot wait for my annual fix of this iconic track.
In recent years it appears that the Evian Championship may not be the most popular major on the Women’s professional calendar, with a select few of the top names choosing to skip the event altogether. Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson are among some of the high profile names who have spoken of frustrations regarding the course and pace of play in the past, with the latter being the only player in the world top-20 to miss this week’s event.
I personally cannot understand why anyone would pass up the opportunity to play at this golfing utopia. Whatever the reason, I believe it is important that we protect the sanctity of the only women’s major championship on European soil. So, please indulge me for a moment, as I profess my love for Evian (not the bottled water), and explain why this should be on everyone’s golfing bucket list.
The event is steeped in history, with the inaugural Evian Masters taking place in 1994 as a Ladies European Tour major championship. Lots of changes have occurred along the course of its 28 editions, including a rebrand in 2013 and LPGA major championship status, but the ever present of the Evian Resort Golf Club has provided stability and a sense of grandeur.
“The par-3 second is my favourite hole on the course, with a severe downhill elevation change and a tee box position that provides a scene of pure poetry as you gaze out over the landscape before you.”
Set in 148 acres of woodland, Evian is a strategist’s paradise. The elevation changes provided by the natural contouring of Alpine summits and Lake Geneva demand a certain degree of skill and patience. A clear premium on hitting greens-in-regulation clearly correlates with previous winners here, with the title reserved for the world’s elite players in recent years.
In 2022, champion Brooke Henderson went low over the first two rounds, with a pair of 64s, and held on to secure a second major championship by one stroke from Sophia Schubert. Previous winners here include many other multiple major winners, including Minjee Lee, Jin-Young Ko, Anna Nordqvist and In-Gee Chun. In fact, of the last seven winners of this event, six now have more than one major win.
That statistic further amplifies the necessity for technical perfection and a mastery of one’s emotions. On a European front, recent LPGA winner Linn Grant looks to have a great chance of a first major title this week, following her 8th place finish here last year. English pair Georgia Hall and Charley Hull have also posted top-10 finishes at this course in the past couple of years, and should have a great chance again this week after arriving in solid form.
The drama kicks in from the start at Evian, with three quaint par-3 holes on the front nine. Don’t be fooled by their beauty however, as peril lurks beneath the facade and high numbers await those who do not afford the respect it demands. The par-3 second is my favourite hole on the course, with a severe downhill elevation change and a tee box position that provides a scene of pure poetry as you gaze out over the landscape before you. Players appear to be hitting straight into Lake Geneva from their lofty position, so taking enough club to find the back pin position will surely be a daunting task. The course is a constant reel of picture-perfect, postcard-worthy positions, but the back-nine is where the business happens for players.
The two-tiered green of the 18th hole is fiercely guarded by the water hazard to the right and the stream that separates it from the fairway. The bank to the left will provide the best vantage point for spectators, as they settle in to watch history in the making. With some of the best young golfers on the planet teeing it up this week, including rising star Rose Zhang and recent major winner Ruoning Yin, it is hard to imagine a Sunday that doesn’t include the fairytale storyline that this course deserves.
Baz is a content creator and writer, who specialises in all things golf. He is best known for his weekly coverage of all major professional tours while also sharing his musings on golf travel. He writes ‘The Friday Cut’, every Friday.
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