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ISSUE 5
NORTH & SOUTH
CAROLINA 30 PAGE DESTINATION GUIDE
worldwide golf holiday experts for 24 years www.chakatravel.com
OMAN
from £1,995 PP
MAURITIUS
from £2,295 PP
5* Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort
5* Constance Belle Mare Plage
3 rounds of golf on 3 courses Incl. flights & transfers, play the Al Mouj Golf Course!
Incl. flights & transfers, golf approximately £13 per round All inclusive supplement from £760 pp with golf buggy
7 nights Half Board
ABU DHABI
12 nights Full Board
from £1,595 PP
5* Crowne Plaza, Yas Island
SOUTH AFRICA
from £2,295 PP Fancourt & Capetown Classic Garden Route
7 nights with 4 rounds golf on 3 golf courses Incl. flights & transfers
10 nights Bed & Breakfast with 6 rounds of golf on 6 courses
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
THAILAND
5* Casa De Campo
Incl. flights, transfers & hire car
from £1,595 PP
7 nights All Inclusive including the Teeth Of The Dog Course Incl. flights, transfers & golf buggy
Bangkok & Hua Hin
from £2,395 PP
14 nights Bed & Breakfast with 5 rounds of golf Incl. flights, transfers & caddie included per round
INTRODUCING OUR NEW
MIDDLE EAST GOLF SPECIALIST We’re delighted to welcome Richard into the Chaka Travel team. Richard brings a wealth of experience of golf in the Middle East and we’re excited to expand our range of holidays within the region. “I spent the past four years heading up the inbound sports travel division at a leading destination management company based in Dubai. This provided me with some amazingly unique experiences and insight into the world of Middle East golf travel.”
book with the worldwide golf specialists www.chakatravel.com For more details please visit our website 2
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call our specialists
028 9023 2112
for more details please visit our website ISSUE 5
Welcome to the fifth issue of Exclusive Golf and Travel – your onestop guide to the best golfing destinations around the world and packed with ideas for your next golfing getaway, no matter what your budget. If you are after ideas for your golfing break in the UK, Europe or much further afield, then Exclusive Golf and Travel has everything you need to make your trip a memorable one. In this issue we include an extensive feature on North and South Carolina. Along with our friends at Chaka Travel we have produced a special supplment to focus on some of the very best golf destinations The Carolina’s has to offer and packages to make your dream golf trip a reality. We also have plenty of news and featres from the UK, Europe and around the world Why not sign up to receive our monthly email promotions with the latest golf holiday offers and features from us and our partners. Enjoy the read! SIGN UP TO RECEIVE LATEST PROMOTIONS AND OFFERS DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX ISSUE 5
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Scottish Golf C 20TH OCTOBER 2019
ST ANDREWS OLD COURSE
CARNOUSTIE
Take your place on this 5 night, 4 round event including Guaranteed Tee Times on Carnoustie Championship Course, Kingsbarns Golf Links, St Andrews Jubilee and St Andrews Old Course. Stay at the world renowned AA Five-Star Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa including golf transfers, lunches, evening meals and prizes.
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Classic 2019
E
DON’T MISS OUT
ONLY A FEW SPACES REMAINING
KINGSBARNS
CARNOUSTIE
ST ANDREWS JUBILEE
KINGSBARNS
ST ANDREWS JUBILEE
Let your golfing dreams become reality GHW Golf Tours have been creating memorable Scottish and Irish golf tours for over 14 years. Let one of our Golf Tour consultants assist you, leaving you to concentrate on the most important part - your game!
www.ghwgolftours.com ISSUE 5
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CONTENTS
9
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
FREE GOLF BAGS ON ABU DHABI FLIGHTS
CLICK ON PANELS TO GO DIRECT TO PAGES
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GREECE
MICHELIN STAR EXPERIENCE AT COSTA NAVARINO
GOLF ON THE SILVER COAST IS A REY OF LIGHT
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NORTH & SOUTH
CAROLINA
30 PAGE SPECIAL GUIDE STARTS ON PAGE 21
TRAVELDEALS 52 ISSUE 5
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View our golf destination guides online here . . . DESTINATION GUIDE
UAE ABU DHABI • DUBAI • AJMAN • RAS AL KHAIMAH
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PORTUGAL
FREE GOLF BAGS ON ABU DHABI FLIGHTS
E
tihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has announced it will be offering free golf bag luggage on its flights to Abu Dhabi with immediate effect. Thousands of golfers fly in to Abu Dhabi annually to enjoy the fairways and greens across the city’s pristine courses and this offering from Etihad aims to improve their overall golfing experience. Etihad Airways’ golf allowance includes an additional golf bag ISSUE 5
containing one set of clubs, one pair of golf shoes, and a golf umbrella or parasol, which may be carried free of charge on Etihad Airways flights. Hareb Al Muhairy, of Etihad Airways, commented: “The capital’s golf courses are some of the many highlights of a visit to the UAE and it is our pleasure to welcome and encourage golfers to the city. The launch of this free service will encourage golf lovers worldwide to enjoy the sport with greater ease in one of the most beautiful destinations in the world.” www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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THE BUCKET LIST
PUNTACANA Resort & Club
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | PAR 72 | 7,650 YARDS | Design: TOM FAZIO
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Designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 2010, Corales is an exclusive and dramatic 18-hole course with six Caribbean Oceanside holes. Designed along the natural cliffs, bays, ocean coves and the inland lakes and coralina quarries, Corales Golf Course rates among the World’s finest Golf Experiences. The exhilarating challenge culminates playing the Devil’s Elbow, Corales’s last three holes. The Devil’s Elbow features the striking eighteenth hole with a dramatic forced carry over the cliff lined Bay of Corales, an inspired capstone to a memorable and breathtaking golf experience.
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MAURITIUS MALDIVES SEYCHELLES SOUTH AFRICA DUBAI THAILAND MALAYSIA BALI CYPRUS MOROCCO USA EUROPE
GOLF HOLIDAYS AROUND
THE WORLD
PROVIDING AN EXPERT SERVICE
FOR 23 YEARS At Chaka Travel we pride ourselves on providing a highly personalised service and having an intimate knowledge of some of the worlds’ most exciting destinations. 12
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Our team have travelled extensively and have first-hand knowledge of our destinations A dedicated travel expert will tailor your holiday to suit you Creating amazing experiences since 1995
Over 94% of our clients rate us as 5-star excellent with Trustpilot We only work with the best resorts and suppliers We are ATOL regulated and hold licence 9422
Our long-standing partnerships give us access to the best possible rates No credit card fees or currency surcharges No hidden charges
www.chakatravel.com Call our specialists: 028 9023 2112 ISSUE 5
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For those looking to drive somewhere different
Play & Stay in France from £105pp Enjoy a great value spring golf break playing on some of the finest crowd-free courses in Brittany or Normandy. Sailing from Portsmouth, Poole or Plymouth, you’ll arrive that much closer to the courses, meaning less time at the wheel and more time to enjoy the golf. Our Golf Desk will look after the travel, hotel and tee-time arrangements – all you have to do is pack you clubs in the car and enjoy your break! Travel until 31 March 2019.
Your break includes:
✓ Return sailings with your car including overnight cabin
✓ One night’s hotel stay with breakfast ✓ Two rounds of golf ✓ The freedom to mix and match hotels, courses and ferry routes to suit your plans
Call 0330 159 5418 email golfdesk@brittanyferries.com or visit brittanyferries.com/golf Prices shown are per person based on 4 travelling together in a standard sized car and sharing a cabin and twin rooms. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply - see website for details.
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GREECE
A MICHELIN STAR EXPERIENCE AT COSTA NAVARINO
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hen Costa Navarino’s new earth-sheltered clubhouse on the renowned Bay Course opens this summer, its eco credentials won’t be the only thing turning heads – for, located within the clubhouse, will be the Funky Gourmet Pop-Up restaurant. Costa Navarino’s exciting partnership with the Athenian Funky Gourmet restaurant will be the first occasion in which a twoMichelin star restaurant has operated in the country outside of the capital, Athens. The multi-award-winning chefs, Georgianna Hiliadaki and Nikos Roussos, will showcase a two-hour gastronomic journey, offering a degustation menu of avant-garde Messinian-Greek cuisine. The culinary experts behind the highly
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esteemed restaurant saw this partnership with Costa Navarino as an opportunity to study the Messinian food culture. Local ingredients and traditions will be brought to life, combining the highquality raw materials of the region with avant-garde cooking techniques and a unique presentation, to transform guests’ dinner into an unconventional culinary experience. The unique menu will come alive with colours, aromas and flavours, composing a delicious canvas that will appeal to all senses, and elevate Messinian gastronomy to new sensory heights. Reservations are now open, click below for more info. www.costanavarinorestaurants.com www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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PORTUGAL
SPRING GOLF ON THE SILVER COAST IS A REY OF LIGHT
O
ne of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences in European golf awaits players staying at Portugal’s five-star Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort this spring, with four-night, three-round breaks starting from just €416 per person. Situated an hour north of Lisbon on Portugal’s stunning Silver Coast, Praia D’El Rey is regarded among Europe’s premier golf resorts and features outstanding sports and leisure facilities – including two world-class 18-hole championship golf courses. Bookable on selected dates until May 10, the latest packages include golf on the spectacular West Cliffs Golf Links – opened in 2017 and one of the world’s standout new courses – and the resort’s other championship layout, which is also ranked among Europe’s top 50 courses.
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Transfers to the golf courses are also included together with daily bed-andbreakfast accommodation in a garden or golf-view room at Praia D’El Rey’s fivestar hotel and complimentary access to the resort’s luxury spa and health club, which includes a gym, Jacuzzi, Turkish bath and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. All prices are based on two people sharing a room. Complementing the golf are an extensive array of world-class sports and leisure facilities including a tennis academy, numerous watersports and five different restaurants, all serving fresh and authentic produce that Portugal is famous for. For more information on Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort and West Cliffs and to book, go to www.praia-delrey.com or www.westcliffs.com ISSUE 5
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LINKS GOLF AT ITS BEST England’s Atlantic Links, a collection of six ancient championship links courses in South West England, is set against the dramatic backdrop of the north Atlantic Coast. These legendary links have firmly established themselves as one of England’s premier golfing destinations.
CONTACT 01822 618181 EMAIL SALES@ATLANTICLINKSGOLFTOUR.COM 18
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Packages with 1 night B&B and 2 rounds of golf
Packages with 2 nights B&B and 3 rounds of golf
Stay at The Seagate Hotel
Stay at The Seagate Hotel
One round at Burnham & Berrow and Royal North Devon
One round at Royal North Devon, Saunton East & Saunton West
from £150.00pp
from £205.00pp
Stay at The Barnstaple Hotel
Stay at The Barnstaple Hotel
One round at both Saunton East & Saunton West
One round at Royal North Devon, Trevose and Burnham & Berrow
from £135.00pp
from £255.00pp
Stay at The Point at Polzeath
Stay at Trevose Apartments
One round at Trevose and St Enodoc
One round at St.Enodoc, Trevose and Burnham & Berrow
from £145.00pp
from £225.00pp
VIEW MORE PACKAGES AT
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DESTINATION
NORTH & SOUTH
CAROLINA
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NORTH SOUTH VS
WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE?
The stunning Streamson Golf Resort & Spa 22
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TRAVEL GUIDE FLORIDA
N
orth and South Carolina share a name, a border, even a golf hole (Farmstead Golf Links’s 767-yard, par-six 18th, where you tee off in the South and putt out in the North). Many people lump the two states into one geographic region. Sure, it’s easy to get the two states confused. Both have gorgeous coastlines, sweet tea, and citizens who say “y’all.” But the states are different in a number of ways: The North has more than double the population (9.8 million to 4.7), all the pro sports teams, and a major technology sector; the South has the most charming and historic city (Charleston), better college football, and alligators. But perhaps the biggest difference is their respective golf. The North’s best courses and clubs are largely centered in the Sandhills and mountains, while the South’s are found along the coast in the Lowcountry. With the Carolinas hosting majors such as the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island and the U.S. Open at Pinehurst—it’s time to ask: Which state has better golf? Start by posing that question to the man who’s built more top golf courses in both states than anyone—Tom Fazio. “I’m not sure one is better than the other,” he says diplomatically. “The environments are so special yet so different.”
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When pressed, Fazio admits to loving the Lowcountry look with the moss-draped oaks, the changing colors of the marsh, and the spectacular wildlife. “It’s hard to beat during the ideal temperatures.” But where does he make his home? In the mountains of North Carolina. www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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PINEHURST Hanse's architectural touch is now in full force
P
INEHURST, North Carolina Pinehurst Resort dates back to 1895, but its leadership has never been reluctant to change with the times. The estimable contributions of course architect Gil Hanse are just the latest examples of that. Hanse's portfolio had already featured the Brazil course used for golf 's return to the Olympic Games as well as restorations of such notables as The Country Club in Boston, Merion in Philadelphia and Oakland Hills in Michigan when
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Pinehurst announced his hiring for a more expansive project in November of 2016. Not only was Hanse to create a short course on 10 acres of the property that had been part of two of its 18-holers, he was also entrusted with a complete redesign of one of the resort's most popular layouts. Now that job is done. The Cradle, its nine holes spread over only 789 yards, opened in April and has already played to more than 10,000 rounds. The latest version of Pinehurst No. 4 made its debut a week ago. It's hard to image ISSUE 5
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Hanse's No. 4 topping the popularity of The Cradle, but time will tell. Part of The Cradle's charm is its marketing approach. For $50 you can play all day, and that's a temptation. Playing this course, with its array of elevation changes and walkability, is addictive. Unless play happens to be too slow or the weather not to your liking, it's hard to stop playing. Pinehurst has been described as "The Cradle of American Golf ' and that's how the new short course got its name. The Nos. 3 and 5 courses lost their first ISSUE 5
holes in the Hanse design. There's also a strategically placed bar - it's portable and not in any way resembling a halfway house - that entices players not once but twice on their tour of The Cradle and background music also rocks the atmosphere at The Cradle. The scorecard lists holes measured from 56 to 127 yards but that's misleading. Yardages changes each day according to the whims of the maintenance staff, and up-to-date yardages are provided on the hole markers. More and more resorts are www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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I have great memories of visiting Pinehurst in the old days. For a kid from Latrobe to visit the golf capital of the world was a special treat. - ARNOLD PALMER
adding short courses to their amenities, and that's a good thing. They'll get more players involved with the game, and that fact is underscored once you get a look at The Cradle. The course was created in a busy time frame for the resort. Not only were the Nos. 3 and 5 courses and the Maniac (America's first driving range) being altered to make room for The Cradle, but the Thistle Dhu putting course was also moved to a more attractive location in front of the clubhouse and also expanded in a short time period. Hanse turned his attention to Pinehurst No. 4 in the fall of 2017. The legendary Donald Ross designed the original course in 1919 and some others in the sport's architectural elite had put their stamp on those 18 holes before Hanse got a crack at it. Robert Trent Jones did a re-design in 1973, Rees Jones in 1982 and Tom Fazio in 1999. Hanse's was a look back as much as it was a look ahead. Positive feedback from the re-design of Pinehurst No. 2 by the architectural team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2011 convinced Pinehurst leadership to give No. 4 a similar look. Hanse's version of No.4 meant the return of exposed sand and wire-grass. The strength of Fazio's design was its
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striking bunkering. Many of those bunkers disappeared as Hanse went to a more natural look. The greens are less severe now, too. Hanse's version may not be as pretty as its predecessor, in large part because the azaleas behind the par-3 fourth hole are gone. That hole was moved, though the rest of the rotation remained pretty much intact. The end result is that Pinehurst now has more of the more natural, rugged look that was so well-received in the CooreCrenshaw remake of the famed No. 2. That'll come into play most prominently in 2019 when Nos. 2 and 4 are used for the next playing of the U.S. Amateur. No. 4 can play as long a 7,227 yards from the tips, and it measures 5,260 from the front markers. Championship rating is 74.9 and the slope is 138. In setting the tone for the big events that are sure to be coming the new No. 4 has different policy directives than its predecessor. As is the case with No. 2, golf carts are allowed only on designated paths. And unlike No. 2 and all the other Pinehurst courses - push carts are being allowed on No. 4 on an experimental basis. Caddies are available to both courses.
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CLIVE AGRAN The most gifted golf writer either side of the Urals in his words
MYRTLE BEACH THE ALL-AMERICAN GOLF DESTINATION
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TRAVEL GUIDE NORTH & SOUTH CAROLINA
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aiting for the luggage at Myrtle Beach airport you realise this is no ordinary destination when the first half-a-dozen bags to clunk onto the carousel are all sets of golf clubs. At most airports golf gear comes off last and it’s significant that it’s treated with a great deal more respect here in the USA’s golf capital. In fact, the clue to golf ’s status in this part of the world came earlier when boarding the connecting flight from Charlotte, North Carolina. Not only were the passengers overwhelmingly male but there was also a fair bit of banter going on. “Marty, remember that nine-inch putt you missed on the 18th at Flying Prawn?” There was a lot of that sort of thing going on. And if the banter and bags aren’t enough to convince you that you’ve arrived in the most popular golf destination in America then take a look at what’s on the other side of the road directly opposite the terminal and right behind the taxi rank. Yes, you guessed it, a golf course.
SUPERSIZED SUPERSTORES There are more than 100 of them and they are everywhere; on the corner of the street, behind the big hotel, next to the drugstore. You can’t swing a seven-iron without clipping at least one. And there are all manner of related activities. There’s a shop the size of an aircraft hangar selling nothing but golf shoes. And the PGA Tour Superstore covers roughly the same area as the front nine of the Old Course at St Andrews. It’s massive. No fewer than three aisles are totally devoted ISSUE 5
to the widest range of tee pegs you could possibly imagine. For example, there are ‘Senior’ tees where the cup is much larger presumably to make it easier for a trembling hand to rest a ball on. Yanks not only think of everything but have the determination, energy and money to follow through on their daft ideas. From daft to what we call crazy and the extraordinary number of miniature putting layouts are scattered about. These aren’t the gentle sort you might find in Bognor or Skegness where a windmill presents the greatest obstacle. No, they are far more sophisticated. Mayday Miniature Golf, for example, begins with a mock airplane ride that ends in disaster and leaves players stranded on a tropical island. Then there’s Jungle Lagoon, Treasure Island, Molten Mountain (complete with exploding volcanoes), Dragon’s Lair, Hawaiian Rumble and Captain Hook’s Adventure. And then there are buggies. Freed from the confines of the golf course, they zip around downtown like demented beetles. Apparently, they can be driven everywhere except on freeways.
THE GREAT WHITE SHARK SERVES STEAKS A booming holiday resort, Myrtle Beach has all the associated attractions and facilities including a rich range of restaurants and bars. Even here you can opt for a golf connection and dine in Greg Norman’s steakhouse or drink in Banditos, a bar in which local boy Dustin Johnson has a share. If you like seafood, www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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TRAVEL GUIDE NORTH & SOUTH CAROLINA you’re spoilt for choice and, if you can’t get enough shrimp and swordfish, the allyou-can-eat buffets are the way to go. As you might not unreasonably expect, there is a beach in Myrtle Beach. In fact, it’s a lovely sandy one that stretches the whole length of the coast and probably explains why the area is nicknamed the Grand Strand. There’s also the famous Intracoastal Waterway, a sort of aquatic motorway that passes through Myrtle Beach on its way from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico. Expensive looking boats cruise south along it in the winter and return back north in the summer.
BRUTAL ICE STORM Following the same migratory pattern but preferring to fly rather than sail are humans known as ‘snowbirds’. They are mostly elderly folk who escape south from Canada and the north-east of the USA annually after Thanksgiving (November) and return north around Easter.
Typically, they will own a condominium (‘condo’) on or near the beach into which they hibernate. However, they don’t always escape the bad weather entirely. The 2013/14 winter, for example, was particularly harsh and Myrtle Beach suffered a brutal ice-storm which damaged thousands of trees and caused a great deal of havoc. That, of course, was extremely unusual as ordinarily snow falls about once a decade and soon disappears. The day temperature in January and February is usually about 55 degrees Fahrenheit and year-round golf is rarely interrupted. Golf began in Myrtle Beach back in 1927 with the opening of what was then the Ocean Forest Country Club. Now re-named Pine Lakes and known as the ‘Granddaddy’, it underwent an extensive multi-million dollar renovation in 2006 and is a delightfully open and enjoyable course that weaves gently around woods and lakes. It’s not hilly and walking is an appealing option, which is not always the case in the cart-obsessed USA.
Pine Lakes Country Club
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Dunes Golf and Beach Club
SIPPING BOURBON AND PUFFING FAT CIGARS
had taken less of a toll of the course than they had of me.
Just as impressive at the course is the majestic clubhouse, which has also benefited from a major makeover. A classic example of graceful southern architecture, it’s huge. Wander around it and admire the imposing ballroom where you can easily imagine regular visitors such as Messrs Rockefella and Vanderbilt sipping bourbon and puffing on fat cigars.
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr, it has been tweaked a few times, most recently last year when it was lengthened to 7450 yards, at least partly because it’s the regular venue of the PGA Professional National Championship. Regarded by many as the best course in the area, it’s a real treat and thoroughly deserves its high ranking.
It took another 21 years after the first before a second course arrived. 1948 was an auspicious year not only because the Dunes Golf and Beach Club opened but also because your correspondent was born. When I commented on this coincidence, my playing partner was unkind enough to observe that the years
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The most famous stretch is ‘Alligator Alley’ from 11 to 13. The 13th is the signature hole, a glorious par five which skirts Lake Singleton. A plaque on the tee commemorates some hapless hacker’s 22 without, it stresses, ever entering the www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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TRAVEL GUIDE NORTH & SOUTH CAROLINA
lake. While the lake is certainly a hazard, possibly of even greater concern is the presence of a number of alligators both in and out of the water. These beasts are not uncommon in Myrtle Beach and the sensible advice is to sacrifice your ball, irrespective of how new it is, rather than venture too close. Although assured they don’t eat when the temperature is below 70 Fahrenheit, it wasn’t a theory I was especially eager to test. The only slight disappointment is that, apart from a couple of peeks on 10 and 18, you can’t see much of the sea. But you can from the clubhouse, which overlooks a beautiful beach and contains a lovely sepia photo of Max Faulkner and Harry Weetman playing the course after the Ryder Cup at Pinehurst. To give you some idea of how long ago that was, America won!
GOLF’S PERFECT STORM While the golf expansion that transformed Myrtle Beach got gently underway in the late 1960s, it didn’t escalate into a full-blooded boom until the 1980s when courses began popping up all over the place. The benign climate, sandy terrain and existing tourism infrastructure, created the perfect storm. The standard formula was to create a course, build a number of attractive properties around it, add an imposing entrance with neat flowerbeds and then stand back and await a rapid influx of dollars. From a three-months-a-year destination, Myrtle Beach morphed into a year-round proposition with golf right at the heart of it all. Also significantly broadened was its 32
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appeal to a wider range of socio-economic groups from those on a tight budget to the extremely well-heeled.
MONDAY AFTER THE MASTERS While the former might opt to rent a condo, the latter may prefer to stay in one of the several first-class resorts. Barefoot boasts no fewer than four fabulous courses. You can probably guess the architects from the name each bears – Love, Norman, Dye and Fazio. I only played a full 18 around the Love and, well… er, loved it. The only perplexing thing about it was whether ruins, which feature on the front nine, were genuine on not. Research revealed them to be the “recreated ruins of an old plantation home”, which is perhaps no more than one club’s length away from authentic. The (Pete) Dye course is the regular venue for a Pro-Celebrity-Am charity tournament called “Monday after the Masters” which, if you guessed who designed the course, you can probably have an intelligent stab at when it’s played. It’s a six-person Texas scramble that takes almost as long to play as the Masters itself. Featuring a fistful of top pros and a number of NFL stars, it raises an awful lot of money for a very worthwhile cause.
A RICH ASSORTMENT OF WILDLIFE As well as at Barefoot, Tom Fazio has designed another quality course in the area – TPC Myrtle Beach. It weaves its way through towering pines and ISSUE 5
Barefoot Resort & Golf
is an absolute cracker. Set in tranquil surroundings, all you can hear is melodious birdsong, the occasional hammering of Woody Woodpecker and the unmistakable sound of flapping butterfly wings. Bald Eagles spiral silently overhead as you line-up a tricky putt on the super-slick greens. Picturesque lakes add to the enormous visual appeal while numerous broad swamps demand a decent carry off several of the tees. Manicured to perfection, TPC Myrtle Beach has hosted the Senior Tour Championship and rightly belongs right up there with the very best.
WHY WE LIKE IT Sadly, there aren’t very many towns where you can walk down the high street with a bag of clubs slung over your shoulder and not feel extremely self-conscious. ISSUE 5
Refreshingly, it’s the non-golfers who are the minority in Myrtle Beach. The seafood is so sensationally good that you should stuff down as many lobsters, prawns and crabs down your throat as you can reasonably manage without being violently ill. And those unfamiliar with grits should try a few at breakfast simply so they can tick them off their list.
Clive ‘Silky Swing’ Agran rather immodestly describes himself as ‘the most gifted golf writer either side of the Urals’. His sports writing career began in 1989 when he joined Eurosport. His immensely popular ‘Single Figures or Bust’ series in Golf Monthly both reduced his handicap and raised his profile.
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TRAVEL GUIDE NORTH CAROLINA
CAROLINA
NOTHING COULD BE FINER BY CLIVE AGRAN
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ou know that you’re in a golf-loving town when the principal watering hole is called Mulligans. And it was in Mulligans, after a memorable round on Pinehurst’s magical No 8 course, that one of my playing partners uttered a phrase that the eponymous Irishman himself would have been proud of.
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Looking at me with a seriousness that belied the half-dozen Michelobs he’d just consumed, Douglas said: “The number one course, of course, is the No 2 course.” It was a highlight in a week of wonderful highlights. But I’m jumping ahead. Let’s go back a few days and innumerable Michelobs to Wilmington, a quaint river-front ISSUE 5
Porters Neck Plantation and Country Club town rich in colonial charm on North Carolina’s Atlantic coast. Halfway down America’s eastern seaboard, the Cape Fear Coast, as its known, attracts northerners escaping the worst of the winter cold and southerners avoiding the extreme summer heat. The Intracoastal Waterway, a sort of nautical M1, runs parallel to the coast, flows through Wilmington and serves as a conduit for this twice-yearly migration. Although a peaceable person by nature, I would highly recommend a visit to the battleship North Carolina, which lies anchored on the Cape Fear River. Extremely active in the Pacific ISSUE 5
in World War Two, she has been beautifully restored and a stroll above and below decks gives the visitor a fascinating insight into what life on board must have been like – noisy, cramped and frightening. Her 16 inch guns could fire a projectile weighing 2700 pounds over 21 miles, which put into perspective my inability to carry 80 yards of water with a pitching wedge at the nearby Porters Neck Plantation and Country Club that same day. Designed by Tom Fazio, it is easy to see why it has been voted North Carolina’s top coastal course and selected as a venue for the US qualifying www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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school. Its generous fairways encourage you to open the shoulders, but there are plenty of hazards to catch the wayward shot. As I was later to learn to my cost, waste bunkers are quite a common feature in North Carolina. The plethora of plants growing in them lets you know what they are, and - here’s the good news - allow you to ground your club. Hardly a huge bonus when your ball’s nestling in six feet of pampas grass, but a modest concession nonetheless. Another common characteristic amongst courses in North Carolina that I would come to appreciate is the absence of any serious rough. A sensible ploy designed, I suspect, to speed up play by eliminating time consuming searches in the long stuff. Instead, the courses’ integrity is protected by numerous bunkers, ponds, lakes and treacherously fast greens However well or badly you play, be sure to dine out after at one of the many great fish restaurants in the area. If you fancy feeding afloat, there’s an elegant riverboat called Henrietta III that takes you on a three-hour dinner trip up and down the river. Not quite so long is the one-hour drive south down Highway 17 to Sunset Beach. We’re now getting dangerously close to the border with South Carolina - Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Kiawah Island and all that. Neighbours, just like siblings, can develop an intense 36
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rivalry which, if allowed to grow unchecked, can expand into something quite unpleasant. On the other hand, South Carolina’s undoubted success in attracting tourists to its fashionable courses is encouraging North Carolina to intensify its own efforts to sell itself more effectively as an outstanding golfing destination. The facilities and quality of the courses at Ocean Ridge Plantation certainly bear comparison with anything, anywhere. Like so many similar developments right across
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Ocean Ridge Plantation
America, a whole community has been built around golf. Beautiful homes, magnificent facilities and strict security combine to create a superb country club environment. Fortunately, only a very few are so exclusive that they don’t welcome visitors. At Ocean Ridge, the welcome was so effusive it was almost overwhelming. The gentleman whose job it is to greet guests as they step out of their cars shook my hand three times as he repeatedly urged me to enjoy my day. Indeed, in such a glorious setting it
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would have been hard not to. There’s a feline theme to the three courses here – Lion’s Paw, Panther’s Run and Tiger’s Eye. The last named is, as it were, the cat’s whiskers – a simply stunning creation of Tim Cate’s that induces an audible “wow” from those who first catch sight of its pine-lined fairways radiating uphill likes spokes in a wheel from the clubhouse hub. The views are equally spectacular from almost anywhere on the course itself, especially the loftier locations. Water contributes enormously to the www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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Seatrail Golf Resort visual variety. There are ponds, lakes, waterfalls, fountains, marshes and a creek to both please the eye and test the nerve. These features also contribute to the abundant wildlife, which includes alligators. You know that you’re struggling to find fault with a course when the only criticism you can come up with is that’s it’s quite difficult to push the peg in on some of the tees. That problem was blamed on a remarkably dry spell of weather. Although quite a while ago, another discordant note was struck by the legal representatives of a moderately successful pro who objected to the name “Tiger’s Eye”. Allegedly, they backed off when it was pointed out that the name had been registered long before their man burst 38
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onto the scene. After another delicious fish dinner there followed another day, another plantation and another three courses. Also on Sunset Beach, and not very far from Ocean Ridge, is Seatrail. Opened in 1990, the Rees Jones course is the newest and, once again, there’s no shortage of water features. The fifth looks alarmingly like the 17th at Sawgrass; no modern course, it seems, is complete nowadays without a bowel-loosening, nowhere-to-bale-out par three over water to an island green. It has to be said, however, that they are fun, keep frogmen busy, cut down on fairway maintenance and boost ball sales. One novel feature of the course is the uncut areas on what one might ISSUE 5
otherwise describe as fairway. The fact that I didn’t notice this particular characteristic until the 6th hole says a great deal about my tee shots that day. As luck would have it, the first one that almost precisely split the fairway landed on a patch of grass that hadn’t been mown. Ironically, that’s precisely what I did do… moan. Looking at some of the more extravagant examples of this art as the round progressed, I wondered if the greenkeeper had previously worked in a poodle parlour. But no, it was Mr Jones who was expressing himself. At the 11th, he could legitimately be accused of lewdness as it didn’t require much in the way of imagination to recognise the female form in the two matching mounds just short of the green. Anyway, they were enough of an erotic distraction to induce three putts from me. Leaving the coast the following day, I took the age-old advice to “go west middle-aged man” and drove inland past trailer parks, fields of maize and innumerable baptist churches. After a couple of hours, we stopped for a country lunch buffet at Joe’s Barbecue Kitchen in Whiteville and feasted on such ethnic delights as catfish stew, candied yams and fried okra.
they have bequeathed to the area. Legendary golf course architect Donald Ross is the most famous Scot around these parts. His first creation was the magnificent Pinehurst No 2, one of the world’s top ten courses. It has played host to the USPGA Championship (1936), the Ryder Cup (1951) and the US Open (1999 and 2005). Who could ever forget that “one moment in time” when Payne Stewart holed that amazing putt on 18 to edge out Phil Mickelson and take the title? Behind the green stands a brass statue of Stewart with his arm outstretched and his fist clenched in triumph to commemorate both him and that extraordinary moment. Great golf courses that have borne witness to great events exude a magic that is almost tangible. Staring at the 18th and soaking up the ambience on a balmy evening after two glasses of wine
Another hour or so driving and we finally rose up off the coastal plain and into the “heartland” of North Carolina, eventually reaching the famed Sandhills region. The rolling, pine-covered hills must have looked a bit like home to the Scots who settled here as long ago as the 17th century. Aberdeen, St Andrews and Turnberry are amongst the familiar place names ISSUE 5
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was about as close to a religious experience as an atheist like me is ever likely to get.
stop whispering and start taking divots, and that’s when the fun begins.
But it’s not just the famed No 2 course that is spectacular; the whole Pinehurst resort reeks of class. From the framed sepia prints in the clubhouse to the elegant plus twos and long socks worn by the bellboys in the nearby Carolinas Hotel everything is done with taste and style. And so Pinehurst’s claim to be the Home of American Golf is not an empty boast but a genuine statement of its desire to be the guardian of America’s golfing tradition.
You simply can’t swing if you’re in awe. Having said that, this is not an easy course. But what makes it really tough are the superslippery greens. Although not as domed as those on No 2, the target area on each is very small.
Arguably the second best course at Pinehurst is the Tom Fazio designed No 8. It’s unique in that it’s the only one of the eight that has been christened. Opened in 1995 on Pinehurst’s 100th anniversary, it’s called The Centennial. Its other great claim to fame is that it’s the only one that I played.
The resort at Pinehurst is just part of a wider area that is almost entirely devoted to golf. Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen make up Moore County, which has 43 golf courses or 720 holes. In fact it has fewer than 100 residents for every hole.
Perhaps one of the hardest things to overcome when you’re playing a Pinehurst course is an almost paralysing sense of humility. The place is so immaculate and you’re golf manifestly isn’t. For a hole or two you feel unworthy to tread the lush turf or putt on the glorious greens. Then, when you come around to recognising that it is, after all, only grass, you
What you sometimes think is a decent approach when you hit it, starts rolling inexorably away from the hole to leave you with either a massive putt or, worse still, a frightening chip. The really good news is that there’s no out of bounds.
Nearby Pine Needles hosted the US Women’s Open Championship and is just across the road from where I managed to squeeze in nine holes on my last day – Mid Pines. Another glorious Donald Ross creation, it provided a fitting end to a marvellous trip around North Carolina’s finest. Hospitable southerners constantly implored: “Y’all come back now.” I certainly will, thank you. www.exclusivegolfandtravel.co.uk
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THE PLAYLIST
NORTH & SOUTH
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PINEHURST RESORT Nine courses will challenge your skill and test your imagination
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A three-time U.S. Open Site. A three-time winner of Travel + Leisure Golf Magazine’s Best Golf Resort in America award. The home of the famed No. 2 golf course.
history – with stories like the Payne Stewart putt that won the 1999 U.S. Open. But locked with its archives are thousands of moments that define each generation for the past 100 years.
Around the world, Pinehurst is where the American golf story is rooted, and where it continues to flourish. Most know of its modern
It is America’s first golf resort, but also a worldclass tennis, spa, meetings, special events and family destination.
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LEOPARD’S CHASE Leopard’s Chase is destined to take its rightful place among the truly elite courses in the region. One of the many distinguishing characteristics of this Tim Cate creation is the masterful use of the natural and man-made water features that appear throughout the entire layout. This Tim Cate masterpiece is truly a vision to behold.
PINE NEEDLES LODGE For nearly a century, golfers have reveled in the serene ambiance of Pine Needles and Mid Pines Resorts. Two 18-hole Donald Ross designed resort golf courses have earned us our place among the country’s best golf resorts and one to which our guests and USGA Championships return to time and again. Located just one mile from Southern Pines’ historic downtown and four miles from the Village of Pinehurst. Being 60 miles southwest of Raleigh just 75 miles east of Charlotte, NC. Experience a tradition like no other at Pine Needles Lodge and Mid Pines Inn. ISSUE 5
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TOBACCO ROAD GOLF CLUB Described as “Pine Valley on steroids” and “golf’s rock and roll thrill ride”, Tobacco Road Golf Club is certainly unique.
Consistently rated amongst the nation’s best, Tobacco Road is the one course that leaves you and your golfing friends begging for more.
Carving his way through an old sand quarry, Mike Strantz created one of the most celebrated and talked about courses in the world.
The scene is so breath-taking you will want to bring along your camera to forever capture the greatness of “The Road”.
MID PINES INN & GOLF CLUB
A rarity among Donald Ross masterpieces, Mid Pines Golf Course remains exactly as the world renowned architect built it in 1921 and impeccably restored by Kyle Franz in 2013. private club and resort.
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QUAIL HOLLOW COUNTRY CLUB Quail Hollow Club hosts the PGA TOUR in Charlotte, North Carolina each year during the first week in May. The Wells Fargo Championship is one of the largest, most prestigious sporting events in the Charlotte region. The course was originally designed by famed golf course architect George Cobb in 1961 to capture the beauty as well
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as challenging terrain of the Piedmont region. In the intervening years, the course has undergone a series of improvements, including modifications to several holes by Arnold Palmer in 1986, a redesign by Tom Fazio in 1997 and modifications by Tom Fazio to several holes in the summer of 2016.
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THE PLAYLIST: SOUTH CAROLINA
THE OCEAN COURSE AT KIAWAH ISLAND Probably no other golf course in the world outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland is affected as much by the wind. From one round to the next, a player can experience up to an 8-club difference on holes depending upon the direction and strength of the wind. Built in 1991 by Pete Dye, there are no prevailing winds on the course. Dye took this into account when designing the course. In fact, he designed two courses into one - one for an easterly wind and one for a westerly wind. 48
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Sea Pines Harbour Town Resort Among the dozens of premium Hilton Head South Carolina golf courses to be found, one destination stands above the rest - The Sea Pines Resort. The iconic Harbour Town Golf Links is the main event, the single "must-play" venue in the region.
On an island where golf is king, this legendary Hilton Head golf course location is true royalty. Like their famed sibling, they are also full of gnarled, centuries-old hardwoods, lagoons, and salt water marshes.
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club Built upon the site of a working southern rice plantation, Caledonia has been recognized for its design and incredible beauty. From the entrance lined with centuries old live oaks to its antebellum-styled clubhouse, Caledonia is a world-class experience. ISSUE 5
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May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff Designed to challenge golfers of all skill levels, the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Course meanders through the May River Forest and features wide, inviting fairways with strategic bunkers and natural waste areas.
Dunes Golf and Beach Club The Dunes Club is the premier Private Country Club and Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, SC. A member-owned Club with 750 members, it is located ocean-front along the pristine shores of the Grand Strand. The Club is filled with rich history and fond memories and after more than 65 years, continues to provide its Members and guests with exceptional service and a family friendly atmosphere.
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TPC Myrtle Beach The only Grand Strand golf course to be awarded five stars on Golf Digest's "Places To Play" list, Tom Fazio's masterpiece is beloved by locals, visitors and professionals alike.
Holes wind through tall pines, over wetlands and around serene ponds to Champion Bermuda greens. Multifingered bunkers call to mind Fazio's work at Augusta National Golf Club.
It hosted the Senior Tour Championship in recent years and is maintained in Tourquality condition year-round for guests.
All these elements place TPC Myrtle Beach in the upper echelon of golf courses in the South.
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TRAVELDEALS In association with Chaka Travel – Providing an expert service for 23 years
THE SEA PINES RESORT SOUTH CAROLINA USA GOLF HOLIDAY Embark upon a Hilton Head Island resort vacation unlike any other. Situated within the 5,000-acre Sea Pines community, The Sea Pines Resort has enthralled generations of travellers and guests for more than 50 years.
4 ROUNDS OF GOLF AT: HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS, SEA PINES’ OCEAN COURSE, SEA PINES’ HERON POINT AND HILTON HEAD NATIONAL Enjoy the luxury that define the original Hilton Head Island resort – home of the annual PGA TOUR golf tournament, RBC Heritage. Explore the infinite opportunities for adventure, indulgence, and relaxation that exist here … from unparalleled golf and awardwinning tennis to world-class luxury accommodations and gourmet restaurants. Book your Hilton Head vacation rentals at The Sea Pines Resort, and discover one of America’s most enchanting vacation retreats.
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PACKAGE INCLUDES: FLIGHTS FROM LHR 7 NIGHTS STANDARD ROOM FOUR ROUNDS OF GOLF, INCLUDING SHARED CART RENTAL CAR VIEW PACKAGE AND ITINERARY
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GOLF PACKAGES NORTH & SOUTH CAROLINA
PINEHURST - 7 NIGHTS 4 ROUNDS
B&B, flights with Delta Airlines, 4 rounds of golf and rental car
This majestic century-old hotel makes you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time to an era when elegance defined grand hotels and resorts. Dubbed the “Queen of the South,” The Carolina has 230 Four-Diamond guest rooms including suites.
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SOUTH CAROLINA GOLF EXPERIENCE:
CHARLESTON - MYRTLE BEACH - KIAWAH ISLAND 10 NIGHTS GOLF INCLUSIVE Flights & transfers 3 Nights Charleston 4 Nights Myrtle Beach 3 Nights Kiawah Island Car Hire Bed & Breakfast 5 rounds of golf including buggy & guaranteed tee times at the following courses: • Wild Dunes Golf Course • Grande Dunes Resort Course • Myrtle Beach National Kings • North, Osprey Point GC • The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island VIEW PACKAGE DETAILS
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GOLF PACKAGES UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
7 NIGHTS FROM
£1,850pp VIEW INFO
WALDORF ASTORIA, RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE WITH 5 ROUNDS OF GOLF Stay at this luxurious 5 star hotel which is surrounded by desert, sea & features its own golf course... perfect for a golf holiday in Ras Al Khaimah Package Includes: Flights with Etihad from London (other airports and airlines available on request)
Airport transfers 7 nights at The Waldorf Astoria with daily breakfast 5 rounds of golf Golf transfers
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GOLF PACKAGES UNITED ARAB EMIRATES YAS HOTEL, ABU DHABI WITH GOLF 7 NIGHTS FROM £1,795pp Stay at the iconic Yas Hotel in, the host of the F1 Grand Prix Abu Dhabi. Flights from London with Etihad Private return transfers 7 nights B&B at the Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi 4 rounds of golf including transfers
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RIXOS SAADIYAT ISLAND – ABU DHABI 7 NIGHTS FROM £1,995pp Flights from the UK 7 Nights – All Inclusive Private return airport transfers 4 Green fees with golf cart & range balls You will play at: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (x2) Abu Dhabi Golf Club & Yas Links VIEW INFO
FAIRMONT – THE PALM GOLF HOLIDAY DUBAI 7 NIGHTS FROM £1,825pp Half board, flights, transfers & 4 rounds of golf CAPE TOWN-WINELANDS-
FANCOURT Staying in a Deluxe Fairmont Room you can enjoy a complimentay half board upgrade at this fantastic 5* hotel
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MADINAT JUMEIRAH MINA A’ SALAM GOLF HOLIDAY DUBAI
Flights with Emirates, private transfers, half board basis, 4 rounds of golf Mina A’ Salam, the gateway to the luxurious Jumeirah Madinat complex.
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GOLF PACKAGES FLORIDA
FLORIDA - THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 GOLF TOUR The Players Championship is recognized by PGA-TOUR members as their championship tournament. Be in attendance at this amazing event at TPC Sawgrass plus enjoy 4 rounds of Championship Golf on this 7-night golf tour.
Golf Tour includes: Flights from the U.K. 7 nights at TRYP Sebastian Hotel St Augustine. Daily breakfast at the hotel 4 rounds of championship golf. Slammer & Squire GC
Tickets for The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Friday & Sunday.
The Club at South Hampton
Other excursions. You will play a round of golf at: Slammer & Squire GC St. Johns Golf & Country Club The Club at South Hampton The King & The Bear GC St. Johns Golf & Country Club
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The King & The Bear GC
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GOLF PACKAGES FLORIDA
TURNBERRY ISLE, MIAMI
7 NIGHTS FROM £1,695pp B&B, flights & 5 rounds of golf Turnberry Isle is a 300-acre tropical playground in Aventura, Florida – a short drive from Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Play the two 18-hole championship courses Turnberry Isle has to offer with this 7 night golf holiday. VIEW PACKAGE DETAILS
MARCO ISLAND, TURNBERRY ISLE & SAWGRASS
12 NIGHTS B&B, flights, car hire & 8 rounds Multi-Centre golfing holiday of Florida, featuring 3 nights at Marriott Sawgrass, 2 nights at Turnberry Isle Miami & 7 nights at Marriott Marco Island. VIEW PACKAGE DETAILS
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GOLF PACKAGES FLORIDA
EAST AND WEST COAST GOLF HOLIDAY
14 NIGHTS FROM £2,995pp Room only, flights, car hire and 9 rounds of golf USA multi centre golf holiday • 3 nights Turnberry Isle Miami • 7 nights Marriott Marco Island • 2 nights Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Springs • 2 nights La Quinta Resort, California VIEW PACKAGE DETAILS
MARRIOTT RESORT MARCO ISLAND
7 NIGHTS GOLF INCLUSIVE Flying from London Heathrow with Virgin – other departures and airlines
• 7 nights at Marriott Marco Island with daily breakfast • 4 dinners (excluding drinks) • 4 rounds of golf incl. green fee and club cart • Use of range balls and practice facility VIEW PACKAGE DETAILS
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TOURNAMENTS & ESCORTED HOLIDAYS WITH
JAQUES GOUS I
f you enjoy travelling as part of a group then look no further than our escorted golf tours or our fun and sociable golf tournaments.
Many of our amateur golf tournaments include tuition and are ideal for single golfers, couples and groups of friends. Nongolfers are also welcome and we will make sure they have an equally good time! Here are a number of good reasons to go on one of our tours or join one of our tournaments.
Jacques Gous Chaka Travel’s PGA Professional
South African born Jacques moved to the UK in 2000 and since then has worked as a PGA Professional in England. Since his path crossed with Chaka Travel in 2013 he has not looked back, in his own words “The guys at Chaka Travel has made my dream come true. They made it possible for me to take groups of golfers to some of the most beautiful locations and whilst playing golf with them and improving their golf through professional tuition”. Obviously South Africa was his first country to visit with a group and since then he has added more countries with groups joining him to Turkey, Mauritius and Spain 60
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Meet like-minded people and make lifelong friends Escorted golf holidays are suitable for everyone from solo travellers to couples, and because you’re joining a group of like-minded people with similar interests you’re very likely to make new friends and acquaintances. Benefit from having your own tour guide and improve your game Our guides are extremely knowledgeable about the areas where you’ll be staying, and will also be on hand to offer expert tuition and advice on improving your game during your stay. This means you’ll get a highly enjoyable social and cultural experience combined,
really providing the best of everything in a holiday whether you’re a golfer or not. Play stunning courses and visit exotic locations Our escorted group holidays take place in some of the most beautiful and intoxicating destinations in the world, so this could be the ideal opportunity to play some courses on your bucket list. Total flexibility Many people incorrectly assume that joining an escorted golf holiday means that their days and night are planned out in advance and that it takes more of a ‘school trip’ feel than a relaxing and luxurious holiday. This really couldn’t be further from the truth. ISSUE 5
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At Chaka Travel we pride ourselves on our open and friendly way of doing business, and we find that this attracts clients who share our values to create a group of people who want to travel, enjoy good food and wine and play on some of the best golf courses around the world. Sound like your kind of people? We thought so. Why not call us today to find out more on 028 9023 2112 ISSUE 5
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