Destination Golf Media Ltd
184 Charlesland Wood Greystones Co. Wicklow Ireland
destinationgolf@live.com www.destinationgolf.ie I PUBLISHER Dermot Synnott I EDITOR Karl Doyle I CONTRIBUTORS Andrew Marshall Paul Marshall I DIRECTOR Vincent Synnott I FINANCIAL CONTROLLER Darren Maguire I CREDIT CONTROLLER Mallory Courell I UK OPERATIONS Peter Barnes
I OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helen Duggan I INTERNATIONAL SALES Gianni Attanasio David Cooney Albert Ferrer I Lahoz
FRONT COVER Pirin Golf, Bulgaria
Destination Golf all set to reign in Spain...
W
elcome to another edition of Destination Golf Travel, where we hope – as always – to provide you with some exotic golfing destinations to feast your imagination on. First off, we would like to announce the opening of our new office in Spain, which is run by Albert Ferrer. For the last 2-years, Albert has assumed the role of International Commercial Manager at Destination Golf. This new position see’s Albert take on the role of International Editor for Spain, working on titles such as Turespaña’s Official Guide (Destination Golf Spain 2013). He also speaks Catalan, Spanish and English – and plays off a handicap of 6. You can contact Albert directly at albertferrer@destinationgolf.ie On to our featured destinations, then. Abu Dhabi, and the Middle East in general, were always viewed as a touch inaccessible for most, but that is certainly not the case anymore. Indeed, Abu Dhabi and Emirates neighbour Dubai are now very busy and important hubs for flights travelling the globe, and are easily accessible for most these days. We take a look at the Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club and the unique Yas Links, close to the Yas Marina Formula One circuit. Next we take a look at a perennial favourite for golf addicts, Portugal’s Algarve, featuring the sumptuous Monte Rei, the idyllic San Lorenzo, Quinta do Lago South and it’s newest addition, Laranjal. Regular contributor Andy Marshall reports back from the snow-capped peaks of Austria, always a ski and golf favourite. Crossing the Atlantic then, it’s some of the classic courses of Charleston in the USA that tickle our fancy. Our golf resort feature looks at Pirin Golf & Country Club in Bulgaria, before you feast your eyes on what lies in store at our two featured hotel resorts – the Spice Hotel in Turkey and Tamarina Golf & Boutique Hotel in Mauritius. Enjoy!
Karl Doyle
EDITOR editor@destinationgolf.ie Dermot Synnott
Editorial Director
Andrew Marshall
Golf Travel Writer
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Paul Marshall
Golf Travel Photographer
Contents and reference guide ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB Abu Dhabi, UAE www.adgolfclub.com Page 4-5
SAADIYAT BEACH Abu Dhabi, UAE www.sbgolfclub.ae Page 6-7
YAS LINKS Abu Dhabi, UAE www.yaslinks.com Page 8-9
MONTE REI Algarve, Portugal www.monte-rei.com Page 10-11
OCEANICO FALDO COURSE Algarve, Portugal www.oceanicogolf.com Page 12-13
QUINTA DO LAGO LARANJAL Algarve, Portugal www.quintadolago.com Page 14-15
QUINTA DA LAGO SOUTH Algarve, Portugal www.quintadolago.com Page 16-17
SAN LORENZO Algarve, Portugal www.donafilipahotel.com Page 18-19
CHARLESTON NATIONAL USA Page 26-27
KIAWAH ISLAND USA www.kiawahresort.com Page 28-29
WILD DUNES GOLF RESORT USA www.wilddunes.com Page 30-31
STONO FERRY LINKS USA www.stonoferrygolf.com Page 32-33
PARS & SPAS IN AUSTRIA
Page 21-25
PIRIN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Bulgaria www.pirin-golf.com Page 34-37
SPICE HOTEL Turkey www.spice.com.tr Page 38-41
TAMARINA GOLF HOTEL Maritius www.tamarinagolf.mu Page 42-45
www.charlestonnationalgolf.com
Features Andrew Marshall reports
Abu Dhabi Golf Club
Abu Dhabi • www.adgolfclub.com
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Saadiyat Beach Golf Club Abu Dhabi • www.sbgolfclub.ae
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Yas Links
www.yaslinks.com
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Monte Rei Golf Club
Algarve, Portugal • www.monte-rei.com
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Oceanico Faldo Course
Algarve, Portugal • www.oceanicogolf.com
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Laranjal
Algarve, Portugal • www.quintadolago.com
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Quinta do Lago South
Algarve, Portugal • www.quintadolago.com
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San Lorenzo
Algarve, Portugal • www.donafilipahotel.com
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Alpine Pars & Spas A
Words: Andrew Marshall
Photos: Paul Marshall
Golf and Ski
fter picking up our hire car from Munich airport and successfully negotiating the German autobahn’s frenetic traffic, we motored over the border into Austria – a land of world-class skiing, the birthplace of Mozart and quaint wooden chalets crouching in the foothills of soaring snow-capped peaks. For golfers looking for something different from the well-tramped fairways of Spain and Portugal, two of the country’s key golf areas, Zell am See in Salzburgerland and Kitzbühel in the Tyrol, both within a short drive of each other, have all the right ingredients: chic ski towns, top-class restaurants, friendly locals, spa and wellness treatments, a multitude of outdoor activities and invigorating stressfree golf. From quirky nine-holers to championship-class designs, the golf courses are mostly quiet, the green fees affordable and – because of the altitude – well struck shots can fly an extra 10 percent of distance through the crisp clean air. But the absolute essence of Alpine golf is the breathtaking scenery and the panoramic vistas that unfold as you play.
Our Austria ‘Pars and Spas' trip began with Golfclub Zell am See at Kaprun in the Salzach Valley, not only the largest golfing facility in the Austrian Alps, but with the snow-capped mountains of the National Park Hohe Tauern rising to 3,797 metres in the distance, it's one of the most picturesque in Europe, too. It was a sunny June morning and Karl Bauer, Events Manager and two times Club Champion was joining us to tackle 36 holes (the Kitzsteinhorn and Schmittenhöhe courses). “On a beautiful day like today, I like to have breakfast, take the cable car to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier to ski, come back down, take a swim in Lake Zeller, then finish off with a round of golf in the afternoon. For me, it’s a perfect day, ” Karl told us as we strolled the vivid green fairways lined with wildflowers. Designed by Donald Harradine, the two parkland-style courses are situated beside each other on the valley floor, and feature water on several holes, huge bunkers and distinctive old hay barns that dot the fairways. The Kitzsteinhorn course is worth playing just for the stunning view from the wooden bridge that leads across a lake from the 10th tee to the 11th green. We could have spent all day gazing at the reflected vista of the green and glacier-swathed mountain behind set off by a towering fountain.
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Snow-capped mountain reflection
FE
ns at the par 4th on the Kitzsteinhorn course, Zell am See
EL E AV R R U T AT
A new world of golf awaits you in western Austria, a region destined to become one of Europe’s most exciting golf destinations. Ski and golf, then indulge in a relaxing massage or bubbling spa a golfing trip for the mind, body and soul.
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The 475 metre Par 5 13th at Golf Club Schwarzsee
Lake Zeller attracts water activities of all kinds
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Lining up a putt at Golf Club Eichenheim始 1st
Cable c
ar ski lift, Kitzbühel
From previous page
Karl’s girlfriend joined us after mountain biking in the surrounding hills. Glowing from her exercise, she's a typical example of the local commitment to an active life in this part of the world. Whether its teeing off in the valleys, paragliding in the sky, snow-boarding the slopes or windsurfing on the lakes, it seems just about everyone we met was involved with some kind of outdoor activity. “This is a great area for outdoor sports and we host all kinds of events including the World Mountain Biking Championships and the ‘Aqua Alpine Cup’ which is a combination of skiing and water-skiing,” said Karl, as we turned our attention to the varied menu offering a wide range of dishes. Many were typically Austrian ones: such as ‘Wiener Schnitzel’,‘ Black pudding with mashed potato and onions’ and ‘Entrecote (local beef) with mustard sauce, tomato and garlic vegetables and potatoes’. “Of course, to finish you’ll have to try my apple strudel,” said head chef and ex-judo champion Ludwig Karl, who reckoned he was better in the kitchen than on the golf course.
Spa For The Course
Austria more or less invented the spa town, and indulgence by the rich and famous made these resorts some of the most famous in Europe. In an attempt to cure his deafness, Beethoven was a regular visitor to Baden bei Wien, while Princess Sophie proclaimed that the waters of Bad Ischl were a boost to her fertility. The popularity of the treatments has led to the rise of over one hundred Wellness Hotel complexes scattered throughout the country. A comfortable and convenient base for golfers in Zell am See, near the shores of picturesque Lake Zeller is the five-star Hotel Salzburger Hof, which like many other wellness hotels, offers special golf and spa packages that include reduced green fees and a variety of therapeutic treatments. “We have plenty of golfers staying at Hotel Salzburger Hof and it’s great for couples,” said owner Gisela Holleis. “The wives are very happy because they can stay at the best address in town and take all the treatments, while the men go off golfing for the day. Everyone wins,” said Gisela enthusiastically. Men are certainly welcome to take the treatments as well, and ladies certainly welcome to play golf, too!
Golfing Centre
About an hour's drive over a mountain pass to the north-west of Zell am See, is the medieval town of Kitzbühel - a cosmopolitan ski resort in winter and another excellent base for Alpine golfers in the months of May to midOctober. In fact, Kitzbühel markets itself as the ‘Golfing Centre of the Alps’ offering four courses, while another nineteen all lie within an easy drive.
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Two cold beers at a cafe in Zell am See town
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Golf Club Eichenheim始s index one hole (par 4 11th)
Old hay
From previous page
A few kilometres out of town is Golf Club Schwarzsee , a wonderfully scenic course whose 19th hole is a lovely sunny terrace with magnificent views of the Astberg, Rauherkopf and Wilder Kaiser Peaks. Here we ordered a couple of frosty beers that went down as smoothly as a top-class skier. If you hear a local player talking about the 20th hole, what insiders are referring to is the nearby Schwarzsee Lake, a wonderful spot for relaxing, swimming and sunbathing before or after a round. For some casual golfing action closer to town, we headed for the quirky nine-holer attached to the Golf Hotel Rasmushof. The course has the distinction of being Austria’s only rated par-3 course; such is the degree of difficulty. Situated above Kitzbühel town, not only does it offer stunning views (especially from the 7th, 8th and 9th tees), but also it is positioned at the bottom of the world famous 'Hahnenkamm' downhill racing trail. It takes an ace skier just under two minutes to negotiate the 2.5kms of glittering ice cliff at close on 140kmh in the annual 'Hahnenkamm' Downhill Race that is the skiing equivalent of the British Open. Within close proximity of Golfplatz Eichenheim, is the Sports & Wellness hotel Bichilof that makes an excellent golf base for the Kitzbühel region. Designed by golf architect Kyle D. Phillips, championship-class Golfplatz Eichenheim is highly rated in the top courses in Austria and is a must play. After playing our approach shots through a cut in the rocks, at the par-5 first, Paul and I looked at each other and knew it was going to be something special - the emerald green is on the same level as a snow-capped mountain range in the distance creating one of the most photogenic vistas in Austrian golf. Other golfing options in the region include the spacious 27-hole Wilder Kaiser course with its craggy backdrop, Mittersill Golf Club with its signature par-3 island green right in front of the sunny clubhouse terrace and the 9-hole Schloss Kaps course that boasts more single-figure handicap members than anywhere else in the country. Packing away our clubs on our last day, we were already discussing a repeat journey - with images of the stunning scenery and well-struck drives soaring towards a backdrop of pine-tree clad mountain slopes. One famous Austrian who spent some time in spa-golf country sums it up the best - Arnold Schwarzenegger’s entry in the Golf Hotel Rasmushof’s Guest Book simply says: “I’ll be back.”
A guest receives the treatment ʻAyurvedaʼ (an ancient Indian theory on a long, healthy life)
y barns are a feature of Zell am Seeʼs courses
Where to play...
WHISTLER • Zell am See: www.golf-zellamsee.at • Golf Eichenheim: www.eichenheim.at • Golf Club Schwarzsee: www.golf-schwarzsee.at • Rasmushof Golf Club: www.rasmushof.at Special deals: The Golf Alpin Chip Card gives you the opportunity to choose among 31 Golf Alpin partner clubs in the SalzburgerLand and in Tirol. www.golf-alpin.at
Where to stay...
• Hotel Salzburgerhof /Zell am See: www.salzburgerhof.at • Schwarzer Adler Wellness-Spa Hotel / Kitzbühel: www.adlerkitz.at • Bichlhof Sport & Wellness Hotel / Kitzbühel: www.bichlhof.at • Rasmushof Golf & Ski Hotel: www.rasmushof.at USEFUL CONTACTS & WEBSITES Austrian Tourist Office: www.austria.info
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Charleston National GC
USA • www.charlestonnationalgolf.com 26 Destination Golf TRAVEL
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Kiawah Island
USA • www.kiawahresort.com
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Wild Dunes Golf Resort
USA • www.wilddunes.com
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Stono Ferry Links
USA • www.stonoferrygolf.com
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Piri
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Bulgaria • www.pirin-golf.com
UB CL E LF T U R G O FE A
n Golf & Country Club
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Pirin Gol
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f & Country Club
Golf on the Slopes
The Pirin Golf & Country Club is an international resort for all seasons, which combines golf, spa and ski. Huddled in the beautiful Razlog valley, in the foothills of the majestic Pirin Mountain in SouthWest Bulgaria, the 5-star resort offers the unique opportunity to ski in the wellrenowned ski resort of Bansko in winter and to enjoy the noble game of golf in summer. Pirin Golf & Country Club features two golf courses .The pride of the club is the outstanding 18-hole, Par 72 championship course designed by the winning 2006 Ryder Cup Captain, Ian Woosnam. The second course is the Pirin Pine Course – an exhilarating challenge for golfers, named after the surrounding area, featuring 5 fully constructed holes, designed by a young German company. Piriin Golf & Country Club is an integral part of a 5-star Hotel and Apart Hotel, which offers vacation properties and luxurious accommodation for sale and rent.
For more information see www.pirin-golf.com Volume 1 • Issue 6
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Spice Hotel & Spa
Antalya, Turkey • www.spice.com.tr
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Spice Hotel & Spa
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Add a bit of Spice to things S
pice Hotel & Spa is a mystical world where you will be reunited with the fascinating beauty of the Mediterranean coastline.
Spice Hotel & Spa has been accepting guests since the summer of 2007 after being constructed on a 91 hectare area. The main building consists of four sub-buildings, including four floors. Moreover, there are garden annex buildings with 42 family rooms and pool rooms, with 40 standard rooms and 22 executive villas in the garden next to the main building. In total, the Spice Hotel & Spa possess 546 rooms that are available for quality guestaccommodation. Visitors can enjoy the magnificent scent of pinetrees, the soft and sweet-smelling texture of lukewarm Mediterranean breeze, the refreshing sound of waves skimming over the fine sandy coast and the sun shining like a true source of merriment in the sky. All in all, it’s so idyllic and picturesque, you almost feel as though you were a character in some picture-perfect fairytale! If it’s a treat you want – and let’s face it, we all deserve one of those every now and again – then this resort should most definitely be on your shortlist to visit. For more information see
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Tama 42 Destination Golf TRAVEL
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arina Golf & Boutique Hotel Mauritius • www.tamarinagolf.mu Volume 1 • Issue 6
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Tamarina Golf & B
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Get some Maur’ in Mauritius
C
arved into the rugged south-west savannah land of the Mauritius coast, between mountain and sea, the Tamarina Golf & Boutique Hotel is the perfect place for an exceptional golf experience, situated near Tamarin village, (25km south of Port Louis and 45km by car from the airport).
Tamarina Golf comprises a 6,886 metre 18-hole par 72 challenging Championship golf course designed by Rodney Wright, a Golf Academy, tennis courts and a clubhouse with a Pro Shop, a bar and a restaurant – Le DixNeuf.
outique Hotel
Due to the climate and the nature of the terrain, golfers are encouraged to use golf carts throughout the course. Over 6km of concrete golf cart paths have been designed for the comfort of the golfer and a Halfway Snack House is found between the 9th and 10th holes for refreshments. Nestled between the waters of Indian Ocean and the mighty Rempart Mountain, Tamarina Boutique Hotel – with its 50 rooms – is the only 4-Star Boutique Hotel on a golf resort in Mauritius. Relax, play golf, enjoy the wellness centre and the beach. Discover the endemic flora and fauna, meet the lions... and the dolphins! A unique place and a lifetime experience that will live long in the memory. For more information see
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