Interview with Benjamin d'Arcangues
- laurencejob
- May 7
- 4 min read
DIRECTOR OF ARCANGUES GOLF COURSE
Benjamin, although many people are familiar with this wonderful en-titre, could you introduce us to the Golf d'Arcangues?
The Golf d'Arcangues was designed as a jewel case around the village and the château. Today, we can say that it has fulfilled its objective: it protects the village from rampant property speculation and has given it a unique and sustainable green lung. He is as much a part of the village's appeal as Luis Mariano... ;-)
‘Jaureguiborda’ is the name of the farm that has been transformed into the Club House.
In Basque, it means ‘the farm of the castle’. When our parents and I decided to build the Arcangues Golf Club in the 90s, we immediately wanted to make this 1585 building the focal point of the Club because of its location, its authenticity and its exceptional views.
There's a very special atmosphere here, how do you explain that?
We've always wanted to instil the spirit of a friendly family club, striving for quality and authenticity, open to all, far from the image of a closed, private club. At Arcangues, we welcome everyone, golfers, non-golfers, the young, the not-so-young, sportspeople from other disciplines, people from the village after Sunday mass, the parish priest, artists and so on.
That may seem obvious today, but it wasn't at the beginning because golf has always had an elitist image..
This golf course is above all a family adventure
In the old days, my grandfather used to welcome all the children from the village to the Château at Christmas, around a huge Christmas tree and with a big snack. It's important for us to maintain this tradition of hospitality.
The club house was designed to be a warm and welcoming family home, which is what it is today.
Everything is done to create this warm atmosphere in the large dining room or on the sunny terrace: the fire in the fireplace, the tables under the plane trees, the TV lounge, the old photos and the terrace with its parasols are all elements that are our trademark.
The professional players who regularly come here to train are not mistaken. They particularly appreciate Arcangues for the quality of its course and small-game centre, of course, but also for the warm welcome they receive.
Above all, this golf course is a family adventure. The members of the family have been involved since its creation, in my father's generation. Today, they still hold various positions within the company, guaranteeing the golf course's ‘family spirit’ and conviviality.
It's important to be there, every day, at the clubhouse or on the course, to work, to play golf or to put wood in the fireplace, and the next generation is already taking over.
How are you rooted in the region?
We're fortunate to have competent teams around us, in the field, in reception and in the restaurant.
They've been with us for years, but what's most important is that we share the same values and manage to pass them on to our friends, members and visitors.
From the Green on the 16th, with the cemetery nearby where we sometimes lose our way, all the elders we have loved are watching us, so we have to be respectful of the place and thank them for what they have left us.
You talk about respect, how do you want to integrate golf into this wonderful natural environment?
The Arcangues golf course covers 67 hectares, which is a huge area.
A large part of this property is made up of woods, lakes and natural roughs, making it a natural refuge for biodiversity. What's more, the ‘worked’ areas (tees, greens, mown fairways) account for barely half of the course, far from the caricatured image that some people have of it.
We are, of course, working to respect and encourage the flora and fauna that are so present on the golf course, and we have signed up to the programme set up by the French Golf Federation with a view to obtaining the ‘Golf and Biodiversity Label’, which confirms this commitment.
As far as water management is concerned, the Arcangues Golf Club has been a forerunner in terms of saving water, since the course has been self-sufficient in water since its creation. We have incorporated hillside reservoirs on the edges of the slopes to collect all the run-off water from the course and the buildings around the Club House. These reservoirs act as retention basins during heavy rainfall and help to regulate the overflow of the streams, which then flow into the nearby sea.
Thanks to these natural reserves, the golf course is self-sufficient in terms of watering and uses neither public water nor groundwater drilling.
In addition, a less well-known aspect is our support for a local market gardening initiative.
We are lucky enough to have two nephews in the family who started organic market gardening a few years ago. The Arcangues Golf Club supports their initiative by providing them with a plot of land classified as an agricultural zone and by offering their organic vegetables in the Golf Club restaurant.
And finally, how did you decide to host the ARKEA OMNIUM?
When Didier Picot came to us with the idea of organising the Open du Pays Basque in Arcangues, we were immediately drawn to the values of former champions who enjoy competing in an event that is a benchmark in the sporting world.
This doubles competition adds a touch of conviviality and elegance that suits us perfectly.
The level of the event can be judged by the fact that the first two editions were won by former winners on the European Tour:
2022: The Spanish pair of Miguel Angel Martin/Santiago Luna
2023: the French pairing of JF Remesy (two-time winner of the French Open) and Jean Pierre Sallat
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