7 LUGS gathered on the forecourt of St Pancras International at 7am on the Ides of March 2024. We were prepared to catch the 8.01 train to Paris Gare du Nord where we were due to face a PUGS team for a two day fixture at the St Germain club 20 miles to the west of Paris. We were to meet the rest of our team who had travelled by car for the first LUGS trip abroad, and there was a fair sense of anticipation for what lay ahead.
Saint Germain was designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1922. The club has a strong affiliation with Rye, where several of the PUGS team are members, and against whom they have an annual match, but only one of us had a previous opportunity to play the course.
The match was played as 6 foursomes on Friday afternoon followed by 12 singles matches on Saturday. On Friday evening, we met at the Brasserie du Theatre restaurant in St Germain, a short walk from the Ibis Hotel where the LUGS were staying. On Saturday, after the match we dined in the St Germain club with our hosts, where a TV screen was set to watch the rugby from Lyons.
Apart from the results (both rugby and golf), we had a brilliant time. Most of all, our hosts were charming, and determined to have fun from beginning to end. They provided fabulous wines for us to enjoy before and during dinner on Friday evening. Our team provided a healthy mix of youth and experience and the evening musical accompaniments from Leopoldo and Jp were especially memorable.
The course is a classic Colt design. It was in excellent condition, but there had been a lot of rain and with the large greens, we sometimes struggled to get the ball up to the hole. LUGS did not play badly, and happily the PUGS did not mention the drubbing at all in the evening.
We are all set for a return at Royal St George’s on Friday 7th February 2025.
Friday foursomes
Jeremy Smith/ Henry Scott lost to Laurent Ortiz/Laurent Gautier
Jamie Hudson/John Paddy lost to Laurent Barbara/JR Hegoburu
Leo Faganelli/Giacomo Calvi lost to Giles Laurent/JR Lutt
Jonathon Lavelle/ Michael Edwards halved with Lennart Brag/ Stéphane Marletti
Hugh Smith/Tom Fahy beat Martin Lemery/ Romarin Billong
Stewart Tucker/Peter Dyson lost to Nicolas Aubert/Kiki Cahen
Saturday singles
Tucker lost to Barbera
Edwards lost to Lutt
Berryman lost to Ortiz
Smith J lost to Kahen
Faganelli lost to Gautier
Scott lost to Aubert
Fahy beat Lemery
Calvi lost to Laurent
Paddy lost to Billong
Hudson beat Marletti
Smith H lost to Hegoburu
Some of the LUGS team gained their playing card with dubious credentials, but our interlopers all contributed to the occasion, none more so than Prof Tom Fahy who brought home points on both days of the match. Tom qualified in medicine from the University of Galway, but he holds a chair in Forensic Psychiatry at the University of London based at the Maudsley Hospital. He wrote this poem to celebrate our visit –
In St. Germain’s lush green embrace, London and Paris meet face to face.
On fairways where legends stride, A golfing battle, far and wide.
Peter and Kiki, captains bold, With intellect and skill untold,
Lead their teams with grace and might, In a contest of skill, a noble fight.
London’s golfers, on Eurostar’s flight,
To Paris arrived in warmth and light.
Lunch, a feast for both mind and taste, Before the afternoon’s golfing race.
Foursomes played, each shot precise,
Parisians edge, a narrow slice.
But hope still lingers in London’s air, For singles matches, they prepare.
Dinner comes, with wine divine, French cellars open, a generous sign.
The match resumes at break of day, London hopes for a brighter display.
Alas, the singles bring defeat, Save for Tom and Jonathon’s feat.
Their alma mater’s pride they show, In the face of Parisian blow.
Despite the loss, spirits soar high, As rugby’s drama fills the sky.
Irish triumph, French prevail, In tales that echo through clubhouse tale.
National anthems, sung with pride, As golfers stand side by side.
A weekend’s journey, rich and grand, Ends with thanks from London’s hand.
Merci beaucoup, for moments shared, In St. Germain’s greens, where friendships flared.
Though victory may not be our own, In camaraderie, seeds are sown.
London University Golfing Society 