Golf d'Hardelot (Les Pins), Hardelot, France  -  Tom Simpson with recent restoration by Frank Pont and Patrice Boissonnas

Much of the restoration work at Hardelot had been completed a few years ago, but there were still some things that weren't quite right or could be improved upon.  Architects Frank Pont and Patrice Boissonnas decided to bring in Hochstein Design to help with those improvements in the Fall/Winter of 2015/2016.  Bunker edits, green expansions and edits, and bunker edge texturing were the key parts of the work.  It was a real treat to work in a beautiful country on a sandy site designed by the great Tom Simpson. Working in sand is a particular specialty of Hochstein Design and our attention to natural detail and texture.

This faux bunker blowout edge in the foreground was fabricated entirely by Hochstein Design while reworking the short right area of the picturesque par 3 17th.

This faux bunker blowout edge in the foreground was fabricated entirely by Hochstein Design while reworking the short right area of the picturesque par 3 17th.

A combination of excavator and shovel work was used to make these once smooth revetted edges appear more like the original edge style used by Tom Simpson.

A combination of excavator and shovel work was used to make these once smooth revetted edges appear more like the original edge style used by Tom Simpson.

The 14th green was reworked entirely except for the upper back left shelf. The back right was extended right and lowered so that the slope would help feed that way. The middle transition area was broader and made to have pinnable area without appear…

The 14th green was reworked entirely except for the upper back left shelf. The back right was extended right and lowered so that the slope would help feed that way. The middle transition area was broader and made to have pinnable area without appearing to sharp or artificial. The front was extended outward and widened slightly, and the right bunker was cut in half and changed to a short grass fall-off--a suggestion pushed by Scottish General Manager Ken Strachan and evidence that we welcome different design ideas and input.

Back view of the edited 14th green.

Back view of the edited 14th green.

This is a softening and corner expansion of the front right corner of the short par 3 5th green at Les Pins. The bunker edge was simply collapsed using excavation underneath, meaning there was no need to rebuilt that edge in the soft blown-in beach …

This is a softening and corner expansion of the front right corner of the short par 3 5th green at Les Pins. The bunker edge was simply collapsed using excavation underneath, meaning there was no need to rebuilt that edge in the soft blown-in beach sand.

The back bunker on the 5th was reduced and the green expanded and edited to have two different high and low back pin placement. All shaping and handwork completed by Hochstein Design.

The back bunker on the 5th was reduced and the green expanded and edited to have two different high and low back pin placement. All shaping and handwork completed by Hochstein Design.