Pierre Deschamps was born in 1856, the same year the first golf course was built in France, Pau Golf Club. Deschamps studied as a lawyer and then began a diplomatic career. He was appointed the envoy to Count de Gontaut Biron in Germany during the Congress of 1878. Several years later, he was posted to Athina, and he also spent time in St. Petersburg as first secretary to the French Ambassador to Russia. In 1897, Deschamps travelled to the United States where he discovered the game of golf. On his return he played in the Olympic golf tournament in 1900, and became known as the “father of French golf.” He helped build and design the Golf Club de Paris la Boulie in 1901-02, considered the finest club in France at the time. He organized the first French Amateur championship in 1904, and later authored a book, Le Golf with Arnaud Massy, the first great French professional player. Deschamps founded the Union des Golfs de France and was the first President, holding that position until his death. In 1911 he helped start the French Open tournament, and he was responsible for tranlating the Rules of Golf from English to French. The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) played golf with Deschamps at La Boulie whenever he could during his visits France. Deschamps died in 1923 from pulmonary congestion.
France