Opio Valbonne Golf Club Open Day recruitment
On October 21, 2024, golf d'Opio Valbonne Château la Bégude was mobilized for a first as part of a staff recruitment.
Thomas BENASSAYAG, General Manager of the site for a year*, and his team welcomed around a hundred candidates interested in the various golf professions such as golf and hotel reception, catering or gardening on the golf course.
This action was set up in partnership with Pascale PUIG, Local Director of Grasse of France Travail.
Everything came together to make this recruitment day a success: good weather, a dream location and a very warm welcome.
Summoned by the Mission Locale and France Travail, the candidates were grouped by interest and then guided by the staff to help them discover the tools of the profession that attract them.
A second part of the recruitment was proposed to allow candidates to change their career path and discover another professional horizon through immersive recruitment. (see video)
This day was positive for two candidates, one in catering and the other for golf reception.

All the actors of this day have made an appointment for a next edition

 Photos & video JPO report: LJA -Golf Méditerranée

Open Day Galery

Open day Video

Photo Thomas Benassayag: LJA - Golf Méditerranée

A 1st year to define the future:
Thomas Benassayag's first year at the helm of the Opio-Valbonne Golf Resort
A year ago, Thomas Benassayag joined the Opio-Valbonne Golf Resort as General Manager, with the mission of optimizing the Resort's experience and positioning it among the European leaders. A first year marked by a new dynamic that reflects the group's values: conviviality, well-being, and connection to nature.

Strategic orientation and team dynamism

By instilling a new vision, Thomas was able to share a common goal with the golf and hotel teams: to offer a consistent and high-end customer experience. "We have worked to strengthen the synergy between our teams, which translates into a smoother working atmosphere and exceptional customer service," explains Thomas.
A lifestyle vision of golf for a promising future
Thomas Benassayag continued to promote the new lifestyle vision of golf, the signature of Resonance Golf Collection, in order to meet the expectations of the modern golfer. “Golf is no longer just a sport, it is also an art of living. We want to offer our customers a place where they can relax, have fun, and reconnect with nature in an exceptional setting. Our ambition is to create a place to live that transcends the simple practice of golf,” says Thomas. Festivals, parties and attendance on the rise, among the highlights of this first year, the launch of new flagship events played a crucial role in increasing the Resort’s attendance.

Opio Valbonne Golf Resort

In the heart of the Côte d'Azur and its gentle way of life, located in the heart of a magnificent preserved 220-hectare estate, Opio-Valbonne Golf Resort, belonging to the Resonance Golf Collection group, offers a hotel, a golf course, a restaurant and a spa
Golf side
Opio Valbonne Golf has won over all golfers looking for authenticity and relaxation. The 18-hole course benefits from a unique setting located between the sea and the mountains and pleasantly undulating in the shade of century-old trees, where there is even a Gallo-Roman aqueduct!
Hotel side
Château de la Bégude has managed to combine the Provencal charm of a protected estate with the contemporary comfort of a 4-star hotel. Château de la Bégude, a true invitation to calm and relaxation, is made up of a country house and its 17th century sheepfold.
Cuisine
The Chef, Jeremy Moutsinga, offers a menu with Mediterranean flavors and fresh products. It is a simple but excellent cuisine, most appreciated by the clientele and especially those of the golf course
SPA
The SPA by THALGO is deployed in an elegant environment combining natural wood and maritime turquoise. The highlight is the sensory space: sauna, hammam, whirlpool, cold bath, experience shower, relaxation room, herbal tea room. The spa offers 3 treatment cabins, including a duo.

About Resonance Golf Collection: Resonance Golf Collection is a brand from a family group that offers a golfing experience focused on emotion, well-being, and conviviality through a collection of exceptional golf courses, serving a new vision of modern golf.

Thomas Benassayag, General Manager Opio Valbonne Golf Resort

Graduate of the Ecole hôtelière de Strasbourg and the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. Thomas has developed significant experience in operational management of luxury hotels in France and internationally as a catering director and hotel manager (France, China, United States for Sofitel and Mandarin Oriental).
Thomas strengthens his experience in consulting in strategy and international development, management, training, recruitment, sale and mergers and acquisitions in the luxury, hotel and gastronomy industry.
Then he was headhunted by the real estate sector to create a Hospitality department that meets the growing demand of high-end office buildings for "all-inclusive" solutions, with a single contact and a user experience comparable to that of luxury hotels.
A distinguished golf player and a great enthusiast since a young age, his various missions led him to manage two golf establishments: the Château de la Bégude and Al Maaden in Marrakech.

Report: Chiara ROUCAYROL

Masters of Champions 2024 Saint Tropez - Sainte Maxime. Bernard BEGUIN, 4 times French Rally Champion, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in GTX, current LMP2, has just organized his 27th edition of the Masters of Champions.
Like a special of which he has the secret, he invited his World, Olympic and national champions to rally from October 18 to 20 the two emblematic cities of the Gulf of Saint Tropez: Saint-Tropez and Sainte Maxime. There of course it was not about time but golf and pétanque. For 3 days, Bernard BEGUIN invited you to come and approach the champions, your champions either in full swing, or shooting or pointing.

For golf, the splendid golf Bluegreen Sainte Maxime and Stéphane HASSLER, golf director, welcomed Bernard BEGUIN and his guests on October 18 around 1 p.m. and October 20 around 9 a.m., for the two rounds of the golf competition.

October 19: golf and pétanque. An approach competition on the Golf Up course in Grimaud in the late morning and in the afternoon, a pétanque competition on the Place des Lices in Saint Tropez.

You have met the following champions:

Jean-Michel AGUIRRE, Laura FLESSEL, Alain BOGHOSSIAN, Guy DRUT, Alexandre GONZALEZ, Bruno SABY, Annie FAMOSE, Jean-Louis ZANON, Eric ROY, Alain OREILLE, Christian LOPEZ, Léo LACROIX, Jean-Paul LOTH, Yves SAINT-MARTIN, Alain BONDUE, Georges MAUDUIT, Patrice TESSEIRE, Alain BLONDEL, Didier CAMBERABERO, Florence MASNADA, Gérard LARROUSSE, Nathalie BOUVIER, Philippe HOUVION, Gilles PANIZZI, Arthur GOMES, Philippe JEANNOL, Pierre TREMOUILLE, Claude PUEL, Pierre-Laurent ROBERT, Steven BARCLAIS and Gwendal PEIZERAT

Videos of the last three masters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg7LLnh2xN8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5uFadFg1SE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x6AaAQ1IFs

Video 2024

PODIUMS

Bernard BEGUIN, Stéphane HASSLER, Golf manager, Alain BOGHOSSIAN, Arthur GOMES, Pierre TREMOUILLE and Karim JERIBI, wine Bertaud Belieu. Masters of Champions 2024 Saint Tropez - Sainte Maxime

Romain JOFFROY, Yvan MIRAN and Denis Goran COLOVIC. 

Saskia VAN RIJKEVORSEL, Laurence REBOUL and Annie FAMOSE. 

GALERY

Speedgolf with the Pro Jeremie FELENC. We met up on this sunny October afternoon on the terrace of the Business Center at Royal Mougins Golf Resort with Jérémie FELENC, Pro at Golf d'Opio Valbonne, so he could talk to us and, above all, share his passion for Speedgolf.
This discipline is attracting new followers who are trying to combine speed of play and scoring.

Questions/Answers with Jeremie FELENC

Speedgolf, a derivative of traditional golf?

Golf Méditerranée: 1 hour (or less), 4 clubs, 18 holes (or more), like some team sports such as 3-a-side basketball and 7-a-side rugby, has golf found its derivative with Speedgolf?
Jérémie FELENC: You mentioned 3-a-side basketball, 7-a-side rugby, it's true that with the Paris Olympics, I loved 3-a-side basketball, I loved 7-a-side rugby, and I said to myself, Speed ​​Golf could be in there, because it's dynamic, it's golf, so it's a great discipline.
In Speed ​​Golf we find the endorphin that everyone who runs knows, but in golf, it's quite rare to be able to combine the two, endorphin and golf are quite nice.

GM: Does the discipline require special exercises?
JF: The specific exercises are linked to the fact that we play with fewer clubs, 3 or 4 clubs instead of the traditional 14 clubs. As a result, we have to calibrate our amplitudes, vary our rhythms and anticipate our choice of trajectories. Very good exercises for normal golf by the way. Learning to putt with a wood or the edge of a club allows you to gain feeling around and on the greens.

Difficulties encountered

GM: What are the difficulties encountered during Speedgolf?
JF: The difficulties consist in knowing and playing the right distance when you don't necessarily have the right club. Hence the importance of adaptation and trajectory creation. Marks on the ground indicate the 50/100 and 150 m from the Green, some play with their GPS watches to give them the distances. Another difficulty, and not the least: managing your cardio! Don't start too fast, keep some in reserve for the sometimes difficult passages in the middle of the course where you are a bit physically hard.

GM: How does overtaking a slower competitor work?
JF: Overtaking is ultimately quite simple to manage. The person being overtaken must let the player who is catching up pass without hindering them. Above all, you have to manage safety. However, this happens rarely. The starts are made according to each player's playing time. The fastest start first. Generally, we have a start every 5 or 6 minutes. Plenty of time to give the player starting in front a head start, knowing that a hole takes about 2 to 3 minutes of play.

GM: Since you are all playing alone, who marks the card to avoid any possible dispute?
JF: The players in competition start alone, it is normal to ask the question about scoring. In competition, they are marked by scorers who follow them in a cart. It is often volunteer golfers who discover the discipline and get caught up in the game! Moreover, the atmosphere during a game between player and scorer is often quickly euphoric and full of encouragement.

The rules of Speedgolf

GM: Are the rules more flexible or more rigorous than traditional golf?
JF: The rules are the same as in normal golf. Moreover, normal golf in the speedgolf community is called "slow golf" (JF smiles). However, there are 2 exceptions and not the least:
1/ Out of bounds and considered as a water hazard, so drop where you cross the hazard.
2/ For a lost ball, you drop where you think you have lost your ball.
Otherwise, players must also raise their pitch, replace divots and rake bunkers.

GM: The place of Speedgolf in France and internationally?
JF: Speedgolf has been around for about twenty years, especially in the United States and New Zealand. In France, speedgolf appeared around 2018. The Speedgolf France association organizes the French championships every year, as well as speed golf initiations in golf courses where fans are interested. By the way, the French Speedgolf Championship is the speedgolf tournament with the largest attendance of players in the world (apart from the world championships).

GM: How is the player ranking organized?
JF: No ranking for now! But with the world championships in November 2024 in Japan, we'll see...

Your best memories and your advice

GM: Your best memories?
JF: I often tell this anecdote of my victory at the 2019 French championships at the Chamonix golf course where I played a round in +4 in 55 min. I quickly realized that I would have probably made the same score with my whole bag, my 14 clubs, my binoculars and the 4 hours that a standard game takes! (JF smiles). In short, new speedgolfers quickly realize that their score will not be very far from their everyday score! It allows you to put the importance of the routine into perspective / no need to spend 5 minutes on it .... An effective routine can be quick!

GM: Your advice for beginners?
JF: My advice for beginners is to opt for a jog at the end of the day in your golf club with 2 clubs in hand. Those who like running will discover a golf course full of freedom and lightness. It can also be done with 2 or 3 players. Then to discover the atmosphere, you have to come to the next French championships at the Roissy golf course! All levels are accepted!

GM: Rob HOGAN, the Speedgolf caveman, who we see in his social media videos, angry in the middle of the peat bogs! A word on this "phenomenon"?
JF: Rob Hogan is an extravagant person! On social media he is an excited guy who has his own style for getting educational messages across! But otherwise, in tournaments he is calm, composed, very gentlemanly, nothing to do with it! Well... it's true that during tournaments he sleeps in his tent in the middle of the golf course forest... that's his caveman side.

Your projects?

GM: Your short, medium and long term projects?
JF: The speedgolf projects are linked to the speedgolf association that I am part of:
1/ Have speedgolf representatives in all regions of France to organize, subsequently, regional championships and that the French speedgolf championships represent the final of these qualifications.
2/And why not? With the other world speedgolf associations, give a boost to one day see speedgolf at the Olympic Games! In any case, it would be exciting to see. As dynamic as 3x3 basketball or rugby 7s. You never know!

I would like to thank Golf Opio Valbonne and the Résonance Golf Collection Group who encouraged me to participate in its Speedgolf world championships in Japan.
Golf Méditerranée thanks the Management of Royal Mougins Golf Resort who allowed us to conduct the interview on the terrace of its Business Center and the Speedgolf demonstration part on its course
See you soon for the rest of the adventure

The new restaurant Victoire

Grande Bastide Golf Course Restaurant Victoire. This Thursday, October 3, 2024, Laurent BOISSONNAS,President of Resonance Golf Collection, inaugurated in the presence of many guests and local elected officials, the restaurant "Victoire" of the Grande Bastide Golf Course in the town of Châteauneuf de Grasse in the Alpes-Maritimes.
He was accompanied by Alexis DAVET, Project Manager of Resonance and Director of the Grande Bastide Golf Course.

From left to right: Emmanuel Delmotte, Mayor of Châteauneuf, Cécile Mul (CEO of the Mul group), Thierry Occeli, Mayor of Opio, Alexis Davet, Laurent Boissonnas, Jérôme Viaud, Mayor of Grasse and Sébastien Roussellet, CEO of the Résonance Golf Collection

A short game area

The “old” hole number 16 has given way to a short game area while keeping the green in natural grass.

La Grande Bastide? A bulwark against the development of urban planning

In his inaugural speech, the General Manager of Resonance Golf did not limit himself to the "Victoire" restaurant, but to the ecological and economic impact of his golf course, the educational and societal role of this sport as well as the discovery and protection of local biodiversity.
He asks the question: "What would have become of these 50 hectares if they had not been a golf course?" To repeat: "It is a bulwark against the development of urban planning and a refuge for biodiversity!"

Smart water management

The climate is also at the center of the speech, especially with the recent periods of drought and water shortages making golf courses the bad students of its management. He specifies that new grasses are now sown, more resistant and less water-consuming.
Nearly €5 million have been invested in the last three years, a significant part of which for the renovation of the irrigation network.
This work generates intelligent water management that allows the system to be supplied sprinkler by sprinkler according to needs, reducing the irrigated surface area to 12 hectares out of 42.
In the long term, like other golf courses in the area, recycled water will replace water drawn from the ground.

Its proximity to the city of Grasse, City of Perfumes, commits the golf course to 3 hectares that will be dedicated to perfume plants from next year.

He would like to thank all the people who made the project possible and a reality, and in particular his right-hand man, Alexis DAVET, for his commitment to presenting the site as it is proposed today.

Like any good time, the event ended with a magnificent buffet...

Rédaction: LJA - Golf Méditerranée

The 2024 Royal Mougins Club Championship took place this Saturday with some 80 participants who had decided to compete only in the Gross ranking.

For the Gentlemen under 50, it was important not to get too lost because the result in stroke play was likely to be high, for the Ladies and Seniors, everyone returned their card in stableford.

Théo MERCERON, sports manager as well as the Proshop, and Titleist were very generous for the prize-giving: Three latest generation Drivers as well as three bags, or nearly €2,800 in prizes that would reward the first two in each series!

Note that the day ended with plates of cheese, cold meats, stuffed sardines and champagne.
Théo Merceon told us that he was starting to think about the 2025 edition with the hope of bringing together the hundred players.
Golf Méditerranée can only congratulate and encourage this initiative, which we have no doubt will be followed in large numbers.

Editorial: LJA - Golf Méditerranée

Gentlemen under 50 serie - Royal Mougins Club Championship 2024

Gentlemen Senior serie - Royal Mougins Club Championship 2024

Ladies serie - Royal Mougins Club Championship 2024

Draw

As sometimes happens, winners do not stay at the prize-giving ceremony, either due to lack of time or due to obligations they cannot escape.
Théo Merceron had initially thought of keeping the prize to give it back later, but the popular "vindicate" chanted several times: "draw", "draw"! Faced with the numbers and an amusing situation, the prize of the second in the senior ranking (Titleist suitcase) was given to the draw and won, to her great delight, by Caroline SAVARY (on the right in the photo), who, let us point out, finished third in her series.