Golf

France may not have a great reputation as a golfing nation but its golf courses are some of the finest in Europe

The well maintained courses, combined with cheaper green fees and uncrowded fairways, are encouraging more and more British golfers to head across the Channel for a few rounds. Many courses do not require handicaps and, of course, there is the added bonus of friendly clubhouses serving excellent food

Golfing day trips are becoming increasingly popular as there are more than a dozen courses within an hour’s drive of Calais

Ferry and tunnel day trip prices may have gone up in the last couple of years, but as some green fees are as much as half those in the UK and some are for all day, it is sometimes cheaper for four to play in France than locally in the UK

Slope Index

Courses in France have all been given a slope index which indicates the difficulty of the course and which varies according to the tee used. This rating takes into account factors such as length, hazards, rough and prevailing wind. The higher the number, the more testing the course is.

A neutral slope index is 113 which requires no adjustment to your handicap. Anything above or below this figure will affect your playing handicap up or down. There are conversion tables in each clubhouse or ask in the proshop for assistance.