NEW MADEIRA GOLF CLASSIC SET TO BLOSSOM

Golf in Madeira has never looked rosier with the launch of the new ‘Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic’ this autumn and golfers can enjoy outstanding value on accommodation when they take part in the inaugural event – with threenight breaks starting from only €172.5 per person.

Palheiro Golf – rated among Europe’s top golf resorts – is serving up a treat for competitors on and off the course at the new event, which will take place from October 1-5 and is being held in aid of the Make A Wish children’s charity.

As well as having with the opportunity to enjoy some world-class golf, guests will have the chance to experience a slice of Madeira’s famous culture and history – including the islands’ globally acclaimed annual ‘Festa da Flor’. Palheiro’s golf course is situated within the magnificent Palheiro Nature Estate, which is more than 200 years old, and players can choose from an array of five-star hotel and self-catering accommodation.

Bed-and-breakfast breaks in the luxury Casa Velha do Palheiro hotel start from €100 per person per night and include entry to the famous Palheiro Gardens, complimentary use of the spa and the chance to enjoy the luxury hotel’s numerous sports facilities including tennis, table tennis, billiards, croquet, badminton and the gym. Self-catering accommodation in one of Palheiro Village’s choice of wellequipped apartments and villas is bookable from just €57.50 per person per night, with guests also able to enjoy a 10 per cent discount at the Casa Velha do Palheiro hotel and Palheiro Golf clubhouse restaurants, Palheiro Gardens (entry only) and Palheiro Spa (entrance and gym only).

All packages include entry into the 18-hole individual Stableford competition on Palheiro Golf’s acclaimed championship course, a pre-tournament sunset welcome party and a prize-giving ceremony with cocktail at the Palheiro Gardens. A trip to the island’s capital of Funchal to the Madeira Flower Festival follows the day after the tournament with free golf also included in the event package, while on Monday October 4 there will be a special visit to the famous Blandy’s Madeira Wine Lodge in Funchal including wine tasting.

Palheiro Golf is one of three outstanding golf venues in the archipelago of Madeira. Designed by Cabell B. Robinson, the venue’s par-72, 6,656-yard (6,086m) course is nearly 1,640ft above sea level and enjoys dramatic views of Madeira’s mountainous skyline and the ocean, as well as – nestling below, just 10 minutes away – the island’s capital, Funchal.

Taking place this year from October 1-24, the Madeira Flower Festival offers visitors the unforgettable chance to experience a kaleidoscope of colour and the magic that runs through the municipalities of the Madeira archipelago with an array of unique exhibits made totally from flowers. Palheiro Golf and the other two-18 hole courses in Madeira and her islands, Clube de Golfe Santo da Serra and Porto Santo Golf, have enjoyed a steady increase in overseas bookings in the last 12 months with growing numbers of European golfers eager to experience the many benefits of playing first-class golf in a safe and secure environment. Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – the island destination, named as the world and Europe’s leading island destination at the 2020 World Travel Awards, enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect year-round location for a golf break. The best way to enjoy the archipelago’s golf is with a Madeira Golf Passport which, providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience, is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.

• For more information about the ‘Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic’ and to book, please visit: www.palheironatureestate.com/ palheiro-golf/more/palheirogardens-golf-classic.html