Tullamore Dew ® Irish Whiskey 40% Alc./Vol. ©2011 William Grant & Sons, Inc
c. New York, NY. GLASSES UP TO DRINKING RESPONSIBLY.
Contents and reference guide MINTHIS HILLS RESORT Cyprus www.minthishills.com Page 4-5
SECRET VALLEY GOLF CLUB Cyprus www.secretvalley.com Page 6-7
ELEA RESORT Cyprus www.eleaestate.com Page 8-9
APHRODITE HILLS RESORT Cyprus www.aphroditehills.com Page 10-11
CALEDONIA GOLF CLUB Japan www.jetgolgf.co.jp Page 12-13
LAKEWOOD GOLF CLUB Japan www.lake-wood.co.jp Page 14-15
TSUTSUJIGAOKA CC Japan www.jetgolgf.co.jp Page 16-17
AOSHIMA GOLF CLUB Japan www.jetgolgf.co.jp Page 18-19
CLUB CAMPESTRE SAN JOSE Mexico Page 20-21
COZUMEL GOLF Mexico www.cozumelcountryclub.com.mx Page 22-23
RIVIERA MAYA Mexico www.rivieramaya-golfclub.com Page 24-25
VISTA VALLARTA Mexico www.vistavallartagolf.com Page 26-27
SEA TO SKY GOLF IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA Andrew Marshall reports Page 28-33
TAMARIND BEACH CLUB GRENADINES www.canouan.com/tamarind Page 36-39
HOTEL ESTELA BARCELONA Spain www.hotelestela.com Page 40-43
ARABELLA GOLF COURSE SOUTH AFRICA www.africanpridehotels.com Page 44-47
www.clubcampestresanjose.com
Features
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Destination Golf TRAVEL
Destination Golf Media Ltd
184 Charlesland Wood Greystones Co. Wicklow Ireland
destinationgolf@live.com www.destinationgolf.ie ■ PUBLISHER Dermot Synnott ■ EDITOR Karl Doyle ■ CONTRIBUTORS Andrew Marshall Paul Marshall ■ DIRECTOR Vincent Synnott ■ FINANCIAL CONTROLLER Darren Maguire ■ CREDIT CONTROLLER Mallory Courell ■ UK OPERATIONS Peter Barnes ■ OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helen Duggan ■ INTERNATIONAL SALES Gianni Attanasio David Cooney Albert Ferrer I Lahoz
FRONT COVER Nicklaus North Course, Whistler, Canada (Photo: Paul Marshall)
Feast your eyes on a world of golf with Destination Golf Travel...
W
elcome to your latest edition of Destination Golf Travel where, once again, we hope to provide you with plenty of information and images from some of the fantastic must-play courses that are scattered around the globe.
Our first port of call in this issue is the sun-kissed island of Cyprus, which seems to bask in warm Mediterranean sunshine all year round. A bit further afield then, to the delights of some of the finest courses in the land of the rising sun, Japan, before we show you some of the gorgeous layouts that you can play in Mexico. In a special feature Andy Marshall reports on the golfing, skiing and occasionally wildlife-avoiding delights to be sampled in the British Columbia region of Canada. Our resort feature sees us focus on the exotic playground of Tamarind Beach Club in the Grenadines, and we also feature a highly recommended stop-off for golfers playing the Barcelona/Catalonia region – the art-inspired Hotel Estela overlooking the Marina in the wonderfully different town of Sitges. Our golf club feature is focused on the much talked about Arabella Golf Course in South Africa. Happy reading!
Karl Doyle
EDITOR editor@destinationgolf.ie Dermot Synnott
Editorial Director
Andrew Marshall
Golf Travel Writer
Paul Marshall
Golf Travel Photographer
Follow Us!
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Minthis Hills Resort
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Elea Resort
Cyprus • www.eleaestate.com
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Aphrodite Hills Resort Cyprus • www.aphroditehills.com
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Caledonia Golf Club Japan • www.jetgolgf.co.jp
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Lakewood Golf Club
Japan • www.lake-wood.co.jp
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sutsujigaoka Country Club Japan • www.jetgolf.co.jp
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Aoshima Golf Club Japan • www.jetgolf.co.jp
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Club Campestre S
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Cozumel Golf
Mexico • www.cozumelcountryclub.com.mx
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Riviera Maya
Mexico • www.rivieramaya-golfclub.com
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Vista Vallarta
Mexico • www.vistavallartagolf.com
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Sea to Sky Golf I
Words: Andrew Marshall
Photos: Paul Marshall
t was a sunny mid-September morning in British Columbia. At precisely 8:30am the Whistler Mountaineer chugged gently out of North Vancouver railyard, on its daily run to the alpine resort of Whistler, three-hours and 120-kilometres away, along a track with more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie novel.
With our golf clubs stored safely on board we settled down in the first-class Glacier Dome car – all white linens, waiter service and unobstructed views – and toasted the trip with glasses of Okanagan bubbly while tucking into hearty cheese omelettes with Canadian back bacon. It was a tasty beginning to a week-long British Columbia golf journey by ‘trains, ferries and automobiles’, teeing it up on some of the best tracks around Whistler, Vancouver Island and Vancouver. Since May 2006 The Whistle Mountaineer has carried tens of thousands of passengers through the scenic canyons, pine forests, and past snow-capped mountains to Whistler, past Horseshoe Bay and climbing up alongside the serpentine Sea-toSky Highway.
Ski & Golf
Whistler is consistently ranked the Number One ski, snowboarding and mountain biking resort in North America, but in recent years Whistler has also gained a reputation for activities on the green stuff as much as the white, with four championship courses providing classic mountain golf. There’s Arnold Palmer’s first-ever Canadian design at the Whistler Golf Club, which was the area’s first course built in 1983, the Golden Bear’s Nicklaus North Golf Course, Robert Trent Jones Jr’s mountainside Chateau Whistler Golf Club, and 30 minutes drive north at Pemberton lies Bob Cupp’s Big Sky Golf & Country Club played at the foot of the soaring granite outcrop of Mount Currie. Alas, we only had time for two of the quartet - Nicklaus North and Chateau Whistler. Distinctly different from the other Whistler golf properties, Chateau Whistler is carved from the side of Blackcomb Mountain with dramatic elevation changes of
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The Vancouver skyline
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The Whistler Mountaineer
Bald eagles, some of the local wildlife
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The 9th hole at Furry Creek
Nicklau
s North Course, Whistler
From previous page over 400 feet. Most people playing here opt to take a power cart, but we were used to walking. “Are you sure you are up for it guys?” said the starter with a look on his face as though we planned to walk blindfolded across a minefield. Making things easier were the snazzy state-of-the-art pull trolleys that wouldn’t look out of place in the gardening section of a DIY store – sporting huge mountain bike wheels and a handy metal basket for odds and ends. Chateau Whistler is a heartpumping golf workout not to be missed, marching along pristine fairways that climb and plummet, through massive granite outcroppings, glacier-fed creeks and majestic centuries-old Douglas firs.
The Bear Essentials
Surrounded by mountains on the shores of Whistler's Green Lake, the par-71 Nicklaus North – which is the only design to bear Jack’s name – is eminently playable from five sets of tees, and on the nine par fours and four par fives, the water features, distinctive Nicklaus bunkering and landing areas are set up to invite players of all abilities to use drivers. Yet, for all the potential drama the long holes offer, it’s the five par 3’s that will linger long in the memory, especially the 226-yard 17th played to a peninsula green. Everything at the Nicklaus North Golf Course seems to revolve around bears – the black variety that inhabits the region, as much as the Golden variety. “There’s definitely a few black bears in some of the wooded and marshy areas on the course, but they are usually harmless,” we were informed. “In fact, one has been spotted out near the snack shack today.” When we reached the tee block at the par-3 10th surrounded by trees there was not a soul around and the snack shack was closed. Not a good sign. Bear reminders such as bear-shaped tee markers; bear-proof litterbins and a ‘Bear Essentials’ sign (a guide to the habits of black bears) didn’t help the tenseness of the situation. After two days in Whistler we drove our hire car down picturesque Route 99 also known as the Sea to Sky Highway, towards Vancouver and a tee time at Furry Creek Golf & Country Club - “British Columbia’s Most Scenic Golf Course” – and where some of the scenes from Happy Gilmore were filmed. One glance from the first tee, with its striking 165-foot plunge towards the tranquil waters of Howe Sound and we quickly realised that we had arrived at a course like no other. There are precious few courses that can generate a genuine sense of awe for several holes at a stretch. Exceedingly rare is a layout that can sustain the feeling for an entire round. Furry Creek is such a place. Afterwards we continued to Horseshoe Bay for the 95-minute ferry crossing to the port of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Nearby Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia with a fascinating history preserved in the city’s many museums and heritage buildings. Located 20 minutes away, was our home for two nights, the Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa - a master-planned community built around Vancouver Island’s first Jack and Steve Nicklaus co-designed golf course, the Mountain Course and the newer friendlier version of the original, the Valley Course.
Olympic Golf
A short drive from Bear Mountain is Olympic View Golf Club, another excellent Vancouver Island course. Here, it’s all about tranquillity, seclusion and nature, with the magnificence of the Olympic Mountains, soaring bald eagles, grazing
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The signature par-3 17th at Nicklaus North Course, Whistler
Local wildlife at Chateau Whistler Golf Club
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Inside the Whistler Mountaineer
Bear Mo
ountain, Vancouver Island
From previous page deer and two waterfalls. “Olympic View Golf Club was the first course in British Columbia that Tiger Woods played in 1994 in a US amateur event, and of course he won it,” said Jason Lowe, president of Golf Vancouver Island. We also learnt from Jason that if you make par or less on the 107-yard par-3 16th, you’re better than Tiger Woods, who bogeyed the hole two days in a row even though it’s rated the course’s easiest hole. It was clear that Jason was excited about Vancouver Island’s emergence as a hotspot for British Columbia golf. “ There are around 50 courses here and the Vancouver Island Golf Trail showcases 12 of the best, that start in Victoria and go up to the Campbell River, with a few hours driving between them,” he told us, adding, “Along with Olympic View and Bear Mountain’s two courses, my picks would also include Arbutus Ridge, Storey Creek and Fairwinds Golf Club.” If you still have enough time and energy for teeing it up, other courses in the Vancouver area include: Northview Golf & Country Club featuring two Arnold Palmer championship courses (Canal and Ridge), Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club near the airport, a Lee Trevino public course at Swan-e-set Bay Resort & Country Club, and be greeted by the stylish caddies dressed like Payne Stewart at Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club. It had been a long way to come for six rounds in eight days, but as we packed away our clubs for our plane trip back to Europe, we were already discussing another British Columbia golf trip - with images of the stunning scenery, local wildlife and well-struck drives soaring towards a backdrop of forested mountain slopes etched firmly in our minds.
OFF-COURSE ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS
WHISTLER • Head For The Hills - Ski or snowboard in Winter, hike and mountainbike in Summer • The Bear Essentials - Take a guide to visit active bear dens • Take A Chopper - Join a helicopter or airplane tour for some breathtaking aeriel sightseeing or a glacier visit • Food For thought - Enjoy gourmet dining at the dozens of restaurants sprinkled throughout Whistler village • Cast a Line - Take a guided fishing trip to one of five major lakes and several rivers throughout the valley VANCOUVER ISLAND • Whale Of A Time – Book a whale-watching tour to spot magnificent orca and Pacific grey whales. • Wine and Dine – Do a gourmet tour of the Cowichan region rich in vineyards and farms selling fresh local produce • Kayak The Gulf Islands – Rent a kayak or join a tour and paddle your way into secluded bays with crystal-clear waters. USEFUL CONTACTS & WEBSITES www.BritishColumbia.travel www.canada.travel Golf www.golfbc.com (British Columbia) www.golfvancouverisland.ca (Vancouver Island ) www.golfwhistler.com (Whistler)
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adines • www.canouan.com/tamarind
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Tamarind Beach Club
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Tamar
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rind Beach Club
For the Tam’ of your life
T
amarind Beach is a lively hotel situated on the tropical Grenadine Island in the heart of the Caribbean.
An idyllic venue, the hotel is situated on a stunning, long, white sandy beach with its own jetty for boat excursions and water sports. 40 beachfront vacation hideaways include eight suites, which are set in tropical gardens right on the water’s edge, with spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea. Rooms are of Brazilian walnut wooden panelling, with balconies overlooking the Caribbean Sea. For dining options, there are two restaurants and two bars. A delightful open terrace surrounded by tropical gardens right beside the sea offers an array of international cuisine, including Italian pastas, fresh local fish and delicious pizzas from the wood-burning oven.
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Hotel Estela
Sitges, Barcelona • www.hotelestela.com
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Hotel Estela
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A true Spanish work of art H
otel Estela is a fantastic Mediterranean-style hotel located in the lively seaside resort of Sitges, just south of Barcelona City.
Hotel Estela is adjacent to a popular beach – with several more within a short walking distance – a port and an array of mouth-watering restaurants and bars.
The Marina on which the hotel sits is a mini resort in itself, featuring plenty of places to rest yourself over a thirst-quenching drink while seeing the boats come and go, or dine in style while watching the world go by. However, for Mediterranean-style dishes and a relaxed ambience, there’s nowhere much better than the Irish restaurant in the hotel itself. Hotel Estela is highly regarded for its close association with art – something that is immediately evident from its lobby, which is surrounded by fascinating sculptures, waterfalls and paintings. A lot of the work was undertaken by Josep Maria Subirachs, a highly regarded artist famed for his work on the façade of the worldfamous Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
If you’re lucky enough to stay in one of the unique ‘artist’ rooms or suites, aside from the stunning sea views, you’ll be immersed in a world of individually decorated walls, roofs and sheets. It truly is a unique and fascinating hotel – in a unique and fascinating town – and everywhere you look there is a feast for your eyes. Perfectly situated, visually mesmerising and offering great value, it is highly recommended. For more information see
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Arabella Golf Course
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Paradise in South Africa
B
uilt by the highly acclaimed South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich in 1999, Arabella Golf Course offers one of the finest golf experiences in South Africa, which is an ideal place for a golf holiday.
The 18-hole par-72 championship layout will take you on a journey through breathtaking scenery, surrounded by the magnificent Kogelberg mountain range and Bot River Lagoon.
la Golf Course
The pristine kikuyu fairways, challenging bunkers and water hazards offer the perfect setting for any golfer, and your skill will be tested on the immaculate dominant-bent greens – all of which receive frequent high praise from golf professionals and amateurs alike. Facilities at Arabella are extensive, including a top-of-the-range academy which is managed by resident Pro Alison Sheard, a nine-time SA Open Champion and Ladies British Open Champion. For more information see
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