The globally renowned Les Bordes estate in France, which is widely accredited as one of the world’s best golf courses, has been bought from its Japanese owners by a prominent group of international businessmen.
The group, led by Tony Jimenez, has purchased the prestigious venue for an undisclosed sum from Kosaido International and promised to further enhance the already exceptional facilities at the resort.
The course, which was designed by acclaimed architect Robert von Hagge, is already consistently rated as the best course in Europe alongside Ryder Cup venue Valderrama and considered by many to be among the top five in the world.
Now the new owners, Les Bordes Holdings, have announced that they intend to charge von Hagge with the task of upgrading the course further and continuing its meticulous maintenance schedules to maintain its world rankings.
They also plan to completely upgrade one of the other two 18-hole courses on the estate to rival the prestigious first Les Bordes course.
The estate has the unique appeal of being located both in the majestic Loire Valley and in France’s Golden Triangle, an area previously reserved for the Kings of France for the hunting of wild boar and stag, which nowadays is used for hunting by France’s social elite.
In order to successfully manage the ambitious upgrade schedule, Les Bordes has brought in sought after development manager Mark Vickery, whose previous record includes managing developments at Royal Westmoreland, Sandy Lane, Disney and Goodwood.
Mr Jimenez said: “The purchase heralds a new dawn for the estate. Les Bordes Holdings is delighted to have acquired this exceptional golf facility and is committed to investing and expanding the estate’s facilities to the standard that this exclusive property deserves. We intend to build upon Les Bordes’ undisputed reputation as one of the very best golf resort destinations in the world.
“As a matter of course in all of our developments we seek the involvement of only the best professionals. We have entrusted the management of this prestigious project to the hands of Mark Vickery. Mark’s international pedigree and track record in multi-faceted projects of this kind is well proven having successfully managed major golf developments for Royal Westmoreland, Sandy Lane, Disney and Goodwood.
“We have been extremely fortunate in securing the purchase of this special and unique estate. Les Bordes is truly a hidden gem and represents the pinnacle of the golfing experience. A chance such as this very rarely presents itself. We are delighted and very excited about this opportunity.”
Les Bordes was designed by von Hagge for Baron Marcel Bich, founder of the Bic pen empire, and his Japanese trading partner, Mr Yoshiaki Sakurai. The course opened in 1986.
For more information, see the estate’s website www.lesbordes.com