Great Golf Magazine Summer 2018

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Great Golf Europe's No.1 golf lifestyle magazine

No 2. 2018 ÂŁ4. FREE for members

www.greatgolfmedia.com

Top 20

Family Friendly Golf Resorts

Vancouver Island On the Canadian Golf Trail Robert Karlsson Swedish Success Chile A Latin Adventure Carnoustie Country The Home of Golf Book your next holiday www.greatgolfholiday.com

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LOOKING FOR A GOLF PROPERTY? GREAT GOLF PROPERTY, THE ONLY DEDICATED GOLF PROPERTY WEBSITE www.greatgolfproperty.com

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»Birdie«

»All Five«

Spend a wonderful time in our fabulous hotels including wellness facilities with thermal water and play 3 days on a different course.

Enjoy your stay only a chip away from the golf courses in our Bavarian style estates and play 5 days on a different course.

3 nights stay with breakfast in one of the firstclass hotels 3 green fees unlimited

5 nights stay with breakfast in one of our estates right next to the golf course 5 green fees unlimited

from € 510 per person sharing

from € 630 per person sharing

Golf unlimited: play two different golf courses a day, only pay for one.

View our website www.quellness-golf.com for more special offers and packages or contact our reservations department 00800 1299 1299 (free of charge), reservierung@quellness-golf.com

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THE BAVARIAN

WAY OF GOLF EUROPE’S No.1 GOLF RESORT

The Quellness & Golf Resort Bad Griesbach strikes by its unique combination of health, wellness, golf, business and sports which is unrivaled throughout the world.

Relax and indulge in our three first class hotels who offer exclusive thermal and wellness facilities or in our four estates and selection of restaurants. Experience an offer which includes ten golf courses in the picturesque Bavarian countryside as well as selected further attractive destinations for the entire family.

OUELLNESS GOLF RESORT BAD GRIESBACH

A. Hartl Resort GmbH & Co. Holding KG Kurallee 1 | D-94086 Bad Griesbach | Germany

QUELLNESS-GOLF.COM

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17.07.2018 18:56 Side 1

Great Golf Europe's No.1 golf lifestyle magazine

No 2. 2018

£4. FREE for members www.greatgolfmedia.com

Top 20

Great Golf Contents

Family Friendly Golf Resorts

Vancouver Island On the Canadian Golf Trail Robert Karlsson Swedish Success Chile A Latin Adventure Carnoustie Country The Home of Golf Book your next holiday www.greatgolfholiday.com

FEATURES

12 Italy – Under the Tuscan sun 20 Vietnam – Good morning Vietnam 28 New Orleans – Jailhouse blues 36 Robert Karlsson – Swedish success 42 Top 20 family friendly resort 48 Chile – An oasis in the desert 56 Scotland – Journey of discovery 64 Tenerife – The Hard Rock Hotel 72 Vancouver – Paradise found 80 Portugal – Here comes the sun SPA

88 Montana -Wellness in the wild wild west 6

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Great Golf

GOLF TRAVEL YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE... elcome to another edition of Great Golf Magazine, your goto-source for all things relevant in the world of Golf Travel & Lifestyle. We bring you in-depth features from as far flung location as Chile, Vancouver and New Orleans, and yet others closer to home. But as always, we aim to inspire you to shake off the shackles of comfort and familiarity and try somewhere new.

For all you golfers really looking for a new location, then Chile may well be it! We feature Casa Molle located in the second longest country in the world. Yes, Chile is a mere 350 Km wide, but more than 4,300 km long. Casa Molle Villa & Golf is located a few hours’ drive north of the capital Santiago, and for anyone looking for a holiday with a difference, this has got to be on your list. Peter Ellegard visits New Orleans to spend time in Angola Prison and plays its very own golf course, well, we always knew it was going to happen eventually!

Italy remains in our sights, and in this edition, we visit the truly spectacular Castelfalfi, located in the beating heart of Tuscany. For those looking to experience that true Tuscan charm while getting in some serious golf, look no further.

Closer to home Mark Alexander spends time in Carnoustie Country Scotland, home to some of the most spectacular courses to be found anywhere.

With our usual eclectic mix of locations and a good amount of golf real estate and spa, we think you will find something within these pages to wet your appetite for adventure.

W

Happy Golfing

30 Eridge Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8HR United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1892 544 872 www.greatgolfmagazine.co.uk

MANAGING DIRECTOR Mike Kaas-Stock mike@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk Chairman Colin Morrison EDITOR Nils Bjornes nils@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR Camilla Kaas-Stock camilla@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk ART DIRECTOR Ketil Plassgaard ketil@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk Advertising Manager David Singh Tel. 020 8979 9858 david.singh@greatgolfmedia.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Karim Ullah karim@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk Consultant Editor Peter Ellegard peter@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk LUXURY PRODUCTS Mike Kaas-Stock mike@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk Senior Sub Editor Louise Candy CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE Mark Alexander Vicky Richards Peter Ellegard Mark Johanson Dena RochĂŠ Michael Cunningham David Singh Camilla Kaas-Stock Mike Kaas-Stock Published by IPB Publishing Ltd Company No 6484115 Printed by The Magazine Printing Company www.magprint.co.uk For advertising enquiries please contact: david.singh@greatgolfmedia.com karim@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior written consent of Great Golf Magazine UK

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Palazzo Arzaga

Hotel Spa & Golf Resort Calvagese della Riviera (BS) Lago di Garda - Italy

A Renaissance mansion amidst the green hills of Lake Garda.

Nestled into a 144 hectares park where archways, wooden ceilings, original 15th century frescoes, marbles and stuccoes, the noble Chapel, the antique courtyard will amaze all guests.

The resort provides two signature golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus II and Gary Player.

The courses, the 18-hole PAR 72 Championship Jack Nicklaus II and the 9-hole Gary Player PAR 36, characterized by fairways and buckers which remind the famous Scottish “Links”, are geared to beginner and expert golfers.

84 elegant rooms / “Il Moretto” Restaurant / Bar / Club house / Golf Academy / Outdoor Swimming pool / Jogging track Meeting & event facilities / Golf Driving range / 2 Golf Courses / Wellness Centre SPA by Clarins / Heliport / Wi-Fi phone: +39 030.680600 - palazzoarzaga.it

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Europe's No.1 golf lifestyle magazine

Top 20

Family Friendly Golf Resorts

Top 20

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GREATEST Vancouver Island On the Canadian Golf Trail Robert Karlsson Swedish Success Chile A Latin Adventure Carnoustie Country The Home of Golf

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No 2. 2018

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Hotel Suite Villa María PERFECT FOR YOU

Endless holidays, 365 days a year. Tenerife is one of the most sought-after destinations, due to its climate and great beauty.

And Hotel Suite Villa María is your best choice. Perfect for couples and families, as well as golf lovers. Perfect for you!

With its privileged viewpoint facing the south of the island, located in the heart of Los Lagos – Costa Adeje golf course.

According to Tripadvisor, it is one of the best-rated hotels in Tenerife.

Inspired by traditional Canarian architecture, it exclusively consists of 78 private villas with different styles. The personalized services adapt to fulfil guests’ needs, including those of the little ones. Choose between a jacuzzi and/or a private outdoor pool.

Make a reservation and discover it for yourself! www.hotelsuitevillamaria.es See special offers on our website or simply contact us directly: Reservation’s Department: reservas@suitevillamaria.es Tel: 00 34 922 168 584

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CASTELFALFI / ITALY

Under Tuscan sun

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By Mike Stock, photos by the Resorts

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astelfalfi cannot be typecast as just another golf and spa resort, because that would be like saying local boy Michelangelo was a pretty good painter and not much else. If you want to play some amazing golf and be pampered, then this is the place to be. But a visit to Castelfalfi is an opportunity to experience so many other things, that it’s going to be hard to cover even half of what is available in the space allocated.

After a short flight I arrive in Pisa, pick up my rental car and head off for Castelfalfi. It’s just over a 30 minute drive, so I relax and let the Tuscan countryside pass before me in all its splendour.

I could have flown to Michelangelo’s home town of Florence, which is about the same distance, but ever since I was a boy, I have had an urge to see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. If I play my cards right, I should have time to visit and experience the city before my return flight.

is beginning to set, creating an orange glow over the stunning countryside. Foolishly, I drive towards the golf course rather than staying on the main road to the hotel.

The course appears before me with the dramatic view of the castle and surrounding village in the background. If I had just stayed on the main road, then I would have arrived at the main entrance directly. Instead, I end up traversing an unmade backroad up to the village (not, I hasten to add, the correct route to golf course!).

After my rather unusual off-piste route, I finally arrive and am swiftly checked in. As befitting a five-star hotel, my accommodation is exceptional and I enjoy views out over the rolling hills. I have just two days to try to squeeze in as much as I can, including a round of golf, spa, viewing the real estate and tasting the award-winning food and Castelfalfi wine. Yes, I can already hear the murmurs of sympathy.

MEDIEVAL VILLAGE. An authentic medieval Tuscan village, Castelfalfi is perched high on a hilltop and surrounded by its very own vineyards. When you come to Castelfalfi you enter an Italian experience for all your senses. There are two hotels to choose from here, the charming La Tabaccaia, which is housed in a restored tobacco factory, and the latest edition, the five-star Hotel ll Castelfalfi, only completed last year. I am booked in to the latter, but I plan to explore both.

In no time at all, I am weaving my way into the hills. The sun

TIME TO TEE. The next day, after a good night’s sleep and an exceptional breakfast, I head off to the golf course, by the correct route this time.

My visit coincides with Northern Europe suffering from the dreaded weather, dubbed the ‘Beast from the East’, which is depositing snow across the UK, while here in Italy there are exceptionally strong winds. Despite the unusually wet and windy weather here in Tuscany, the crew at Castelfalfi have worked tirelessly to keep the course in a playable condition. They can do

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nothing about the wind, but the way I play it could very well be an advantage.

There are a total of 27 beautiful holes, divided between the tricky 18-hole mountain course and the nine-hole lake course.

My mission is to see as much of both courses as I can in one morning, as my afternoon schedule is looking busy. I set myself to the task at hand and get to work.

FACING THE MOUNTAIN. The mountain course is hardest of the two, and the one everyone wants to play, so it’s where I decide to start. The first hole gently leads me in with a nice uphill par-four, with water hazards left and right. It will obviously pay to try to control my rather impressive slice. All goes to plan and I move on.

The second, sneakily, has water just before the green, like a wet sentinel waiting to pounce. Miraculously, I manage to hold it together and land safely. It’s all going quite well, so far. Too well, in fact…

I am on form until the par-five hole. This hole has a 90-degree dogleg left, with water bordering the fairway all the way to the green. My natural inclination to deposit my ball there is, unfortunately, up to scratch!

But I can forgive the course for taking a few balls, it is truly spectacular, and the surrounding countryside is just as good as all those movies that make you want to move here and grow grapes.

It’s at the ninth that I become truly unstuck. This is a gorgeous par-three, from an elevated position to the green below. On a normal day I don’t think that it would cause as much of a problem, but the wind is really gusting from left to right, so my shot is going across its path.

My first ball gets halfway before it suddenly decides that it would rather go sharp right and decides to place itself into the thick scrub. After about three attempts, all resulting in the same 16

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abject failure, I decide that this hole is not going to give itself up to me and walk down to see if I can recover any of my wayward balls. Having all deposited themselves well and truly in that uncompromising scrub, I decide that I am rather too attached to my skin to attempt to rescue them.

THE LAKE. Time is short, so I decide to move onto the lake course, although the word lake worries me slightly. This course has a plethora of par fours and fives, with only one par three. A less challenging, but by no means easy, course, the lake does come into play on several of the holes. Luckily for me, the fairways are reasonably wide and I’ve learned that it’s actually more sensible to play safe with a strong wind. I thus complete my round without losing any more balls.

How would I rate my performance today? Well, during his life, Michelangelo was often referred to as Il Divino, which means the divine one. I cannot say that my performance falls quite into that category.

EXPLORING THE LAND. In the afternoon I meet up with Elisa,

who shows me around some of the resort’s real estate, which is available for sale and rent. We also skirt around the nature reserve that borders the course, trying to spot some of the wild boar that apparently live there.

One of my lifelong dreams has been to own a traditional Tuscan farmhouse, and there are some beautiful dwellings here. With old rustic farmhouses aplenty, Castelfalfi has renovated some very special properties. There are also new developments, all truly magnificent, along with restored village houses and apartments, but an authentic Tuscan farmhouse is my dream. We visit I Bianchi, one such property that is available, having been recently been renovated and brought into the 21st century.

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These properties are quite literally made from the surrounding land. They are built from solid, locally sourced stone that just blends into the surrounding countryside. On entering the home, I find myself in a vaulted living room and adjacent kitchen. The ceiling is quite spectacular and it’s hard to believe that such a grand space was originally used to house the livestock. As well as a living room and kitchen, there is also a bathroom and large bedroom.

The stairs leading up to the first floor open out onto a large open space, complete with sofas, the perfect area for relaxing. Further on, there are four large bedrooms, all with their own bathrooms.

The outside space has a pool with relaxing/sunbathing area, an outbuilding and good-sized garden. The property is tastefully decorated and furnished with colours that match the rustic charm of the property and surroundings. It’s all quite lovely.

On our return to the hotel we drive by the nature reserve and, as if on cue, a wild boar comes up close to the fence, giving us a perfect view.

We complete our afternoon tour with a visit to the sister hotel La Tabaccaia. I have to say, it really has a lot of charm, giving guests a choice between the luxury of the main hotel or the ambience of La Tabaccaia, a really hard choice if I am honest.

That night I am spoilt to a meal at the hotel’s top restaurant, La Via Del Sale, which has the honour of having executive chef Francesco Ferretti at the helm. The food is exceptional and it also gives me a chance to taste some of the Castelfalfi wines, all of which are a perfect complement to my meal. I hasten to add that wild boar was not on the menu.

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PISA. It’s my final day and I plan fulfil my childhood dream of visiting the Tower of Pisa before my flight home. I say goodbye to Castelfalfi and set off on the short drive back to the city.

After dropping the car off at the airport, I jump on the Pisa Mover, a train shuttle service that goes directly from the airport to the train station in the city centre. It’s only a couple of kilometres and takes no time at all. It’s then a 15-minute walk through the city to the tower, but the sun is shining and it gives me a chance to experience my surroundings.

I head north, crossing the river that runs through the centre and on through picturesque backstreets and grand squares until, suddenly, the tower appears before me. And, yes, it is leaning in a rather disconcerting but fascinating way. It’s a beautiful structure and well worth the walk. Unfortunately, my time is limited, but at least I have seen the famous tower and can tick another ambition off my list.

With such a short travel time from the UK, Tuscany really lends itself to both the weekend visitor and for people who want to stay longer. You get to test your golf mettle, but can also go exploring with two of the most romantic cities nearby, as well as countless other quaint villages. So there really is no reason to not visit Castelfalfi.

GGM Good to Know TOSCANA RESORT CASTELFALFI Castelfalfi, 50050 Montaione, Firenze, Italy Phone +39 0571 890169 www.castelfalfi.com To book your stay go to the Castelfalfi Website or visit www.GreatGolfHoliday.com

The Ultimate Stay and Play Venue Stoke Park is a luxury 5 AA Red Star Hotel, Spa and Country Club set within 300 acres of beautiful parkland and offers world-class sporting and leisure facilities.

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Situated 35 minutes from London and only 7 miles from Heathrow Airport makes Stoke Park an ideal location and perfect setting for stopovers and luxury breaks.

For more information or to book, please contact our Reservations Team on 01753 717172 or email reservations@stokepark.com Stoke Park, Park Road, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire SL2 4PG www.stokepark.com

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VIETNAM

Good Morning

VIETNAM

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ly into Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, and you soon begin to realise how the pace of travel here has moved on – now domestic flights are the way to get around the country. For a country of only 125,622 square miles, it is amazing to think that it has 46 airports.

Vietnam relies heavily on its agriculture. Its main exports include rice, coffee, rubber, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas, poultry, fish and seafood. However, exports are not Vietnam’s only boost to the economy; golf is blossoming here.

Unlike its Chinese neighbours, the government has realised the

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importance of golf vacationers to the tourism industry. Therefore with the government’s full support, Vietnam’s golf resorts have expanded very quickly and the country already boasts of over 33 excellent courses, with another 60 in the pipeline.

BEST GOLF DESTINATION. As a consequence of this rapid

expansion, Vietnam was named Best Golf Destination for Asia and Australasia 2015 by IAGTO members, and several courses here have won numerous awards. It’s not surprising then that the leading golf designers are making a beeline to this forward-thinking country.

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For our trip we decided first to fly up to Danang in the centre of the country (just a one hour flight from Ho Chi Minh) and then back again, with a side trip to Ho Tram, two hours southeast of the city.

There are now direct one-hour flights from Thailand to Danang, which is quicker than flying to Phuket, so readers could combine some superb golf in both countries if they so wished.

GOLF COAST. Danang is part of the region known as the Golf Coast and it offers what many say are some of the finest golfing

experiences in Asia.

Around 20 minutes south of the city, beside the sea, are two firstclass golf courses next to each other: the Danang Golf Club course, designed by Greg Norman, and Montgomerie Links, designed by Monty himself. Both these courses are seaside links-style tracks.

Monty opened here first and his course is suited to the many sand dunes found along this part of the coast. At 7,090 yards, this par-72 golf course is considered to be one of the best in Vietnam.

Its neighbour, the Danang Golf Club, opened in 2010 and its dunes course has also won many design awards. The fairways here 23

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are generous; there are no out of bounds and only a small number of water hazards.

An added bonus, if you stay at the Ocean Villas Resort, is that there is a private tunnel under the road linking the villas to Danang Golf Club, and you can order a golf cart to pick you up.

You can also get some preferential rates.

The Laguna Lang Co golf course, designed by another golfing legend, Sir Nick Faldo, is a 75-minute trip north of Ho Chi Minh.

It is worthwhile making the journey as these 18 holes are in superb condition, along another wonderful part of the coastline. Along 24

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with the Banyan Tree and Angsana hotels on site, this course is a must on your Vietnam bucketlist.

Just opened in April is the new Luke Donald-designed course called Ba Na Hills Golf Club, managed with style by IMG. Elevations make this hilly course a great challenge, with bright white sand in their bunkers and excellent floodlights over the 18 holes allowing for later tee times into the cool night.

Danang is a fairly big city but I recommend most of the better hotels that spread along the fabulous sandy beach, running south of Danang towards the famous World Heritage site of Hoi An.

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Here you will find the big chains like the Hyatt Regency, Pullman and Crown Plaza, while the trendy Novotel is located in the city overlooking the river.

WORLD HERITAGE VILLAGE. Apart from the golf, it is definitely

worth making the 20-minute trip to the fascinating historic village of Hoi An. You can enjoy an afternoon wandering through the ancient streets filled with restaurants, spas, market stalls and, of course, clothes and souvenirs shops. Definitely a ‘back in time’ experience and it’s even more stunning at night when thousands

of brightly painted paper lanterns light up the village.

We then flew back to Ho Chi Minh for some more culture and relaxation. Very much a city awakening from the horrors of the Vietnam War, and for the curious there are several palaces and museums with sad memories of this difficult time for the region.

GOLF DOWN SOUTH. As far as golf is concerned, there are a

handful of courses around Ho Chi Minh worth playing. The newest and most convenient to the city is Tan Son Nhat Golf Course (also under floodlights) beside the airport. This 36-hole 25

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POOL AND BAR AT HOTEL DES ARTS SAIGON

public golf course runs next to the city’s Tan Son Nhat International airport and is only 4kms from the centre of the city.

Course architects Nelson and Haworth have created an interesting design on what was 156 hectares of relatively flat land.

With large bunkers, several water hazards, significant earth mounding plus undulating greens on nearly every hole, all four nine holes offer a good challenge for all levels.

By using paspalum on the tees, fairways, rough and on the greens, this modern city set-up ensures good playing conditions 365 days a year.

Opened in 1995, The Vietnam Golf and Country Club has 36 championship holes and is about 30kms from the city centre. It is a leader in terms of quality and service. There is also Long Thanh Golf Club (another 36-holes course), which is 35kms from the city, and Twin Doves Golf Club, a 27-hole course, which is an hour's drive away.

A WORLD BEATER. While we were visiting Vietnam, the World

Golf Awards, held in Portugal, announced that The Bluffs at Ho Tram had won its ‘Best New Golf Course in the World’ award.

We decided, therefore, that we had to make the 75-minute drive south of Ho Chi Minh to experience another Greg Norman masterpiece beside the sea.

This course has also just hosted the Asian Tour – the first Vietnam Open, with Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke and Geoff Ogilvy participating (it was eventually won by Spain’s Sergio Garcia). All the pros were raving about the Bluffs and agreed it is 26

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likely to become one of the top courses in the region.

Greg has created some superb wow factors holes here; utilising the rugged coastline to the limit. The 18 holes were in immaculate condition and we could see why they deserved their award. Wind could be a bonus or a challenge depending on your tee time, but the cooling breezes mean you can play here all year round.

As a bonus, the Grand Hotel, part of the same operation and next to the course, offers five-star luxury on a breathtaking beach, with a massive casino and nightclub thrown in for good measure.

Overall, other Asian countries will have to sit up and take note on how to compete. For the quality of some very clever course layouts, fair pricing and good service, Vietnam is well worth the trip for golfers and non-playing partners alike.

GGM Good to Know Rates vary from approximately GBP48 up to GBP148 for weekends at peak periods. If you bear in mind that these rates often include cart and caddie fees as well, then they are realistically priced. There are also great ‘stay-and-play’ packages and avoiding the busier weekends will help if you are on a budget.

As most courses are relatively new, the facilities are tip-top and upkeep of the greens and fairways mean you are offered a true championship experience.

For non-players, there are masses of distractions around the country and the restaurants are superb, offering great value as well.

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NEW ORLEANS

Jailhouse BLUES

Playing golf in New Orleans and upstate Louisiana has its crunch moments and there’s one course that really does take prisoners, as Peter Ellegard reports‌ Photos: Peter Ellegard, New Orleans CVB, others tbc

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t’s one of those times when I don’t want a get-out-of-jail-free card; I need one to get me into jail – except this is no Monopoly game. I’m in upstate Louisiana after a few days in New Orleans and as the maximum-security Louisiana State Penitentiary is just 30 miles away, I decide to pay a visit.

Why? Because it’s a jail with a difference. Behind the imposing fences of Angola Prison, as it is known, lies the only public golf course in the US that’s located within a prison. America’s largest maximum-security prison, covering a former plantation as big as Manhattan, Angola has plenty of open space, not to mention lots of free labour on tap. So they built a regulation-length nine-hole golf course, constructed by volunteer inmates and guards. Opened in 2004, it was the work of avid golfer and prison dentist Dr John Ory, who drafted the design after reading the book, How to Build a Golf Course, by veteran architect Rees Jones.

Prison View Golf Course takes its name from the lofty first tee that gives grandstand views over the prison and was built for the prison staff. Inmates maintain it but cannot play. Open to the

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public, it’s a steal at just $10 a round (plus $5 for a buggy, if you want a quick getaway…), but you have to apply for permission 48 hours in advance, as extensive background checks are needed.

Despite applying weeks ahead, my request to play Prison View is turned down. The newly installed warden is not as keen on publicity as his predecessor, the brainchild of the course, and I’m told they can’t spare a guard to escort me while I play. I’m gutted, as I had hoped to add it to the list of bizarre courses I have played.

Even just teeing up next to tee box markers made from fused handcuffs would have sufficed.

STRAIGHT TO JAIL. I may be down, but I’m not out. While in

nearby St Francisville I have one thought: go straight to jail and do not pass go… On arrival, I notice a small museum building alongside the main gate so I park and go inside. As luck would have it, some other visitors are about to have a guided tour of a now disused block inside the prison, due to open as an extension of the museum, and I’m invited to join them.

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I can only imagine the dread prisoners must feel being taken into Angola Prison as our guide unlocks a gate in the first of two towering fences, topped by rolls of evil-looking razor wire. He then locks it behind us so that we are penned between them before repeating the same process with the inner fence, all under the gaze of security cameras and watchtowers. For many, this would be their last taste of freedom. Almost 75 per cent of the 5,000-plus inmates are ‘lifers’ while more than 80 are on Death Row. Few leave alive.

Once inside, the museum volunteer gives us a fascinating insight into Angola, its place in movie history and music heritage. Multiple Oscar-nominated film Dead Man Walking was set and partly filmed here, while Charles and Aaron Neville, of New Orleans’ famous family band the Neville Brothers, both served time here among others. We also see its more macabre side through chilling exhibits, including an electric chair. Most poignant of all is the corridor of Death Row cells, used until Death Row was moved to another block in 2007. Condemned prisoners would spend 23

hours a day locked in their cells, without heat in winter or airconditioning in the brutally hot summers. Never have I been more relieved to get out of a building.

The prison has another unusual claim to fame. Twice a year, in April and October, it holds rodeos that are open to the public and in which inmates ride bulls and bucking broncos. The rodeos also give prisoners a chance to sell their art and craft works to the public.

CHARMING TOWN. St Francisville is a world away from Angola

Prison’s stark horrors. Half an hour north of Louisiana capital Baton Rouge, this genteel little town has a feel of yesteryear with its historic district full of quaint buildings, charming B&Bs and rustic shops that include Grandmother’s Buttons, specialising in selling vintage buttons as jewellery.

I stay just outside town at The Lodge at the Bluffs on Thompson Creek, playing its picturesque Arnold Palmer-designed course 14 years after a previous visit there. The Bluffs is laid out 31

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over high cliffs and wooded hinterland skirting the meandering Thompson Creek. Rated one of the best public courses in Louisiana, it offers golfers challenges and elevation changes galore in the beautiful West Feliciana Parish. Indeed, it was once home to artist and naturalist John James Audubon in the 1820s – holes 11 to 13 are in an area where Audubon studied and illustrated local birds. He painted more than 30 illustrations in his celebrated Birds of America book in the parish.

Before leaving St Francisville, I stop off for a hearty Cajun dinner at The Myrtles Plantation, one of America’s most haunted houses. It’s also a B&B, if your nerves can take a night there after hearing all the ghost stories.

PLANTATION ALLEY. Heading back to New Orleans, I turn off

the I-10 interstate at Baton Rouge for a leisurely drive along the Great River Road, alongside the mighty Mississippi. This 100mile stretch is known as Plantation Alley because of all the 32

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magnificent old pillared mansions that stand at the end of an avenue of giant oak trees, dripping in Spanish moss. Nottoway Plantation, dating back to the 1850s, is the South’s largest antebellum mansion and is now a luxury boutique resort.

I stayed there on a previous visit and as I surveyed Old Man River from my rotunda rocking chair, I could imagine the lives of luxury and privilege enjoyed by the sugar cane barons and their families. By contrast, a tour of Laura Plantation highlights the lives of the slaves who toiled there. The slave cabins were where traditional West African stories, that later became the Brer Rabbit tales, were told from the 1840s.

New Orleans has always been one of my favourite American cities. I have been several times, although not since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. It has not just recovered from that devastation; the Big Easy seems more vibrant and full of energy than ever. Its heart and soul is the French Quarter, the city’s oldest neighbourhood that spans 13 blocks between main thoroughfare

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Canal Street and Esplanade Avenue and for up to nine blocks from the Mississippi. I stay a few steps from the quarter at the chic boutique International House Hotel – once the first world trade centre, now it’s elegance personified with its high-ceilinged Beaux Arts lobby and its opulent rooms.

STRIP CLUBS AND JAZZ. Bourbon Street is the vivacious hub of

the French Quarter. Lined by bars and shady strip clubs, it is packed with tourists and street entertainers at night. Watch out for missiles; strings of coloured beads, as thrown from floats during Mardi Gras, hurtle down on the unsuspecting from firstfloor bar balconies – painful if you get a direct hit.

Escape the melee for a traditional Creole dinner at fine-dining restaurant Arnaud’s (the turtle soup is a must-try), just a few paces from Bourbon Street, or at its more casual and family-friendly sister establishment, Remoulade, on Bourbon. Then take in traditional jazz at legendary venues Maison Bourbon or

Preservation Hall. After all, New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz.

For a more authentic nightlife experience than Bourbon’s excesses, stroll along Frenchmen Street to take in its live music clubs, bars, cafes and restaurants. It also has an outdoor arts market that stays open until 1am most nights. Local foods to try in the city include crawfish etouffee, sausage gumbo and po’ boy sandwiches. Not forgetting coffee and beignets at New Orleans institution Café du Monde.

VOODOO HERITAGE. By day, visit New Orleans’ eerie ‘cities of the

dead’ cemeteries, with their tombs built above ground because of the high water table; take a swamp and bayou tour; discover the city’s mystical voodoo heritage; explore the French Quarter’s architecture and history on a walking tour that includes Jackson Square, the St Louis Cathedral and nearby French Market; and take a streetcar ride past the graceful homes of its Garden District or along the Mississippi riverfront.

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You can also play golf in the heart of New Orleans. The new Bayou Oaks championship 18-hole course opens this spring in sprawling City Park, replacing two courses destroyed by Katrina and joining the North Course, which survived the flooding.

I choose to play the Audubon Park Golf Course. Just 25 minutes from downtown, it’s a short par 62-layout but it is a real beauty, set among majestic oak trees in the city’s pretty Audubon Park, across the street from the zoo. True to its name, the course has been awarded Silver Signature Sanctuary status by Audubon International in recognition of its sustainable management.

The course was once the site of the 1898 World’s Fair. The main building covered what are now holes four to nine. Four lakes add spice to the layout, although when I play it’s the water coming from the heavens that’s the issue. Partnering a couple of locals (without waterproofs as it’s the middle of June and steamy), I ignore the distant lightning as the rain steadily gets heavier. But when it starts coming down like stair rods and mini lakes appear in fairways, it’s time to quit.

A STREETCAR TO GOLF. After lunch with my new best friends they suggest taking a streetcar back downtown and give me a lift to the nearest stop. Waiting in the middle of a street with my golf clubs feels surreal, as does sitting in the front of the streetcar in sopping wet golf clothes, while still clinging to my clubs. Yet no one bats an eyelid. Indeed, my fellow passengers are more interested in my English accent. And when a group of revellers en route to a party board wearing blue wigs and colourful costumes, the whole streetcar becomes one big, happy family.

Before heading to the airport there’s time for a round at TPC Louisiana, part of the Audubon Golf Trail and a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary programme. Host to the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic event, it’s a challenging Pete Dye stunner.

Laid out over 250 acres of Mississippi delta wetlands, it serves up plenty of crunch moments, with many shots over or alongside water to test your mettle.

One particular crunch moment stands out. As one of my playing partners lines up a putt on the par-3 ninth green, he is interrupted by a loud and very close cracking sound, followed by several more. Spinning round, I spot the culprit – a huge alligator that has hauled itself onto the bank between our green and the 34

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adjacent 18th green is chomping a turtle. Thank god I hadn’t tried retrieving my wayward first tee shot from the lake or I might have been lunch instead!

Playing the signature par-5 18th, I keep my distance from the water. I edge the hole all down the right and maintain a wary eye out for the gator as we reach the green. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t GGM take any prisoners…

GOOD TO KNOW GETTING THERE/GETTING AROUND Fly directly from London Heathrow to New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong Airport on the new non-stop British Airways (www.ba.com) service, starting March 27. Rental cars from all the major hire car companies are available at the airport. Use streetcars to get around New Orleans.

WHERE TO PLAY Prison View Golf Course, Louisiana State Penitentiary www.prisonviewgolf.com The Bluffs on Thompson Creek, St Francisville www.thebluffs.com Audubon Park Golf Course, New Orleans http://audubonnatureinstitute.org/golf TPC Louisiana, New Orleans https://tpc.com/louisiana WHERE TO STAY The Lodge at The Bluffs, St Francisville www.bluffslodging.com International House Hotel, New Orleans www.ihhotel.com Nottoway Plantation & Resort www.nottoway.com WHAT TO DO Angola Prison Museum www.angolamuseum.org Angola Rodeo, Louisiana State Penitentiary www.angolarodeo.com New Orleans French Quarter www.frenchquarter.com Audubon Zoo http://audubonnatureinstitute.org New Orleans plantations http://neworleansplantationcountry.com/plantations TOURIST INFORMATION City of New Orleans www.neworleansonline.com Louisiana Office of Tourism www.louisianatravel.com St Franciscville www.stfrancisville.net

THE LUXURY OF ASIAN TRADITION, INFINIT Y POOLS AND TROPICAL GARDENS WWW.ASIAGARDENS.ES TELEPHONE: (+34) 96 681 84 00 asiagardens@asiagardens.es

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THE INTERVIEW

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ROBERT KARLSSON

SWEDISH SUCCESS

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“Japan, is a land of contradictions. You can smoke indoors and in hotel rooms, but not on the golf course!”

obert Karlsson hails from Sweden, where his father was a greenskeeper at the local golf club, thus exposing Karlsson junior to golf from an early age.

Turning professional in 1989, Karlsson qualified for membership of the European Tour in 1990. One of the highlights of his career so far came in 2008 when he won the European Order of Merit, he has also finished in the top 20 seven times throughout his career. In addition, Karlsson has won another 11 events on tour. We meet up with the Swedish legend.

R

So Robert, you travel the world, stuck on a plane for hours on end, what do you do to relax and keep yourself sane?

“I listen to books – any that I think that I can learn from. I like 38

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books that are going to help me evolve as a person and also as a player.”

When you arrive at a place, are you a stay-in-the-hotel person or do you go out to experience the location and enjoy the culture?

“I try to experience something from whatever location I find myself in. I don’t want to finish touring one day and realise that I have not seen anything from all the places that I have been lucky enough to visit. With trips to cities like Paris and Madrid, for example, I try to absorb a bit of the culture, but even over 30 years of touring, you find that you still have few chances.”

What’s the most memorable place that you have been to?

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“Japan, without a doubt. It is a land of such contradictions. You can smoke indoors and in hotel rooms, but not on the golf course!

Everything that you think is correct in the Western world has got to be questioned in Japan. When I am there I am always thinking, what is right and what is wrong, or why do they do this or that?

But you have to accept the way that things are there; it’s an amazing country.”

Which is your favourite golf course?

“Augusta, for sure, it’s the atmosphere of the place. When you drive up Magnolia Lane, just everything you see around you is first-class. As for the golf course, it is constantly testing everything that you think and do. And I mean everything; from strategy to

the quality of your shots to your short game… absolutely everything. There is not one shot that is easy, and even if it does seem easy, there are going to be repercussions if you are not thinking ahead, where the pin is and so forth. Hitting the fairway is not the problem, it’s positioning yourself so that your next shot will be OK, so that you are not standing there thinking, maybe I should have thought about that last shot a little more as the next has suddenly become very complicated.”

What is it about the 12th hole at Augusta?

“It’s tricky. You have a small green, there’s the water, the bunkers and then the rhododendron bushes behind, so lots could go wrong if you are not careful. It’s also tricky with the wind, and 39

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THE INTERVIEW

obviously a hole like that will have a special atmosphere as everyone knows all this.”

When you see Augusta on TV it seems so flat, but apparently that is not the case?

“No, when you stand on the fairway at the 18th, for example, it’s so much uphill you just cannot imagine.”

What is your schedule nowadays? You have kids, how does that affect your golf?

“It’s a little easier these days as the kids are 16 and 14, but I try to get time off around the school holidays. I play mainly in Europe so living in the US does mean more travelling. I’m playing about 24 tournaments a year, which is roughly what I have always done.”

It’s said that you are the most analytical golfer. Do you agree?

“Well, I do like to understand why something is happening or not happening, but I also think that there are players who are more analytical than me. I guess Thomas Bjorn has heard this as he has put me on statistics for the Ryder Cup.” What’s your favourite tournament? Is it the Ryder Cup? “You know, we golfers are individuals. There is only one time that we come together and play for someone else instead of ourselves, so it’s definitely a very different experience, with different pressures and a different type of nervousness. When I played my first Ryder Cup in 2008, the day before the start, Colin Montgomerie and Darren Clarke took me to one side and told me that what I was going to experience would by completely different to other 40

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competitions. They told me I’d be more nervous than ever before.

I didn’t understand what they were talking about as I thought it was just another competition. But when I stood there on the first tee, I understood exactly what they meant. It’s just so different.

But it’s a great experience, it’s more liberating in some ways, but then you also feel the pressure of playing as a team, probably more what a footballer would feel.

The biggest difference is the fact that the spectators are either totally for you or totally against you, there is no in-between. A large proportion of the spectators want you to screw up. You may have noticed that it has become way more hostile over the last couple of events, hopefully this will change.”

I see that you have your Maui Jim sunglasses; do you wear them for just golf or also for everyday use?

“Definitely both, and I have three or four pairs with different lenses. In 2009, I was out for four months with a serious eye condition so it’s very important to look after my eyes. My Maui Jim’s are very important for me, my golf and my eyes in general.”

GGM Good to Know

RYDER CUP UPDATE European Ryder Cup Captain, Thomas Bjørn, has named Sweden’s Robert Karlsson as his first vice captain for the 2018 contest against the United States at Le Golf National in France.

Robert Karlsson, www.robertkarlsson.com Maui Jim, www.mauijim.com

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INTRODUCING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ACTIVE GOLF WEAR

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GREAT GOLF TOP 20

TOP 20 FAMILY FRIENDLY GOLF RESORTS Here is the latest instalment of our Great Golf Top 20 Categories. In each edition of the Magazine we will introduce a list of 20 Golf Resorts that are considered candidates for that particular field. As the year progresses we will be asking our readers to vote for the winner of each category as well as an overall winner. The final edition of 2018 is the “100 Greatest Golf Resorts� in which the winners of each category, as well as an overall winner, will be announced.

To vote go to www.greatgolfmagazine.co.uk To book a holiday at these and many other resorts, go to www.greatgolfholiday.com

100 GREATEST

Golf Resorts

2018 Great Golf MAGAZINE

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VERDURA GOLF & SPA RESORT – SICILY, ITALY

EVIAN RESORT – FRANCE

THRACIAN CLIFFS BEACH & GOLF RESORT – BULGARIA

TRUMP DOONBEG – IRELAND

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GREAT GOLF TOP 20

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PGA CATALUNYA RESORT – SPAIN

QUELLNESS GOLF RESORT - GERMANY

BANYAN TREE PHUKET – THAILAND

SHANGRI-LA’S RASA RIA RESORT &SPA, KOTA KINABALU – MALAYSIA

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MISSION HILLS – CHINA

LA MANGA – SPAIN

THE ANDAMAN RESORT, LANGKAWI – MALAYSIA

WESTIN RESORT COSTA NAVARINO

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GREAT GOLF TOP 20

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MAZAGAN BEACH & GOLF RESORT – MOROCCO

APHRODITE HILLS – CYPRUS

CHATEAU D’ AUGERVILLE – FRANCE

TURNBERRY – SCOTLAND

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BOVEY CASTLE – ENGLAND

BEACHCOMBER ROYAL PALM MARRAKECH – MOROCCO

THE RITZ-CARLTON, ABAMA – TENERIFE, SPAIN

GLENEAGLES – SCOTLAND

To c h o o s e y o u r F A M I L Y F R I E N D L Y G O L F R E S O R T S , g o t o w w w . g r e a t g o l f m a g a z i n e . c o . u k 47

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CHILE

An oasis in the desert CHILE IS NOT A COUNTRY many people would associate with golf, nor is its Atacama Desert a place where one would expect to find attractive greens. Yet, on the southern edge of the world’s driest non-polar desert, in the vineyard-lined Elqui Valley, lies a new golf resort that’s an oasis of modern comforts in the otherwise wild environs.

By Mark Johanson, Freelance Journalist www.markjohanson.com photos by the resorts

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asa Molle Villa & Golf opened its gates this past September on a scenic patch of land 30 minutes east of the coastal metropolis of La Serena – the most historic of Chile’s northerly cities – and just 40 minutes by flight from the capital of Santiago.

The villa is spread around an attractive courtyard replete with an infinity pool, hot tub and spa. There is also a bocce ball court for lazy afternoons, horse stables for gaucho-inspired adventures and trails for early morning treks up into the arid hills above.

Of course, most come to this all-inclusive property for exclusive access to the 9-hole, 18-tee golf course, which spills out across the valley floor along the edge of the rambling Elqui River.

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“You can find resorts with golf courses all over the world, but there will rarely be less than 300 rooms and all of them will share the course,” owner Karim Daire tells me as we play a round on my first day at Casa Molle. “Here, we have just 12 rooms for up to 30 guests who are the only people allowed on the greens.”

A flock of green burrowing parrots flies over the course’s tranquil lagoon and its glass-encased clubhouse as we round out hole 9 and switch directions for hole 10. Aside from the squawking birds, we are the only living creatures on the course.

That’s the beauty of Casa Molle; there is no scheduling and no waiting here. You can golf however you want, whenever you want.

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PAR THREE COURSE. Daire admits that when he tells people it’s a Par 3 course they don’t have too many expectations. “They assume that it will be very small and very easy,” he says, “but when they play here they find that it’s actually quite challenging.”

Not only are there holes of up to 190 yards, but there are also constant winds. In the early morning they blow out from the Andes Mountains towards the sea, but in the prime golfing hours of the afternoon they howl inland from the Pacific Ocean.

Because you play the course in all directions, you must be prepared to deal with backwinds, front winds and any number of crosswinds. Hole 12 proves particularly challenging for me: it’s 187 yards with menacing front winds.

The winds may blow strong, but the conditions here really could not be more ideal. The Elqui Valley has more than 300 days of sunshine annually. Rain is virtually non-existent. Daytime highs in the summer hover around 27-degrees Celsius, while daytime lows in the winter bottom out at about 17-degrees. You’d struggle to find a bad day to golf.

Over a late lunch by the glistening infinity pool, Daire tells me that this golf course has been a 20-year-long passion project. He had to truck-in loads of soil from southern Chile just to convert the rocky riverbed into what are now fields of grass. Once the blades of green appeared, he planted trees, built a lagoon and carved out bunkers. Only then did his dream start to look like a reality.

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A TOUCH OF CLASS. Casa Molle is the Elqui Valley’s first luxury resort and a true sybarite’s oasis with landscaped cactus gardens, submerged fire pits and plush outdoor loungers. Intricate Andean textiles lie atop its desert-chic furnishings, while the rooms boast ceramics that draw inspiration from the indigenous Molle people, who settled in this valley around 200 BC. The result is a place that brings a touch of class to a long overlooked region of Chile, which is right at the cusp of finally realizing its tourism potential.

In July 2019, this isolated valley will bask in the global spotlight as one of the only places in the world to witness a rare total solar eclipse. The location of the eclipse could not be more ideal,

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passing as it will over a corner of earth that’s already rightfully famous for its stellar stargazing.

The International Dark-Skies Association named the Elqui Valley the world’s first International Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2015, and its gently rolling hills are now home to a collection of large telescopes and observatories. Some are just for the scientists, but many are open to everyday astro-tourists.

Casa Molle can arrange stargazing tours at its own outdoor amphitheatre, however I’m content to gaze at the inky black sky from the comfort of a secluded hot tub with a glass of bubbly in hand.

MARTIAN LIKE LANDSCAPE. The Elqui Valley is, itself, as

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otherworldly as the stars above, so the following morning I decide to set off into its Martian-like landscapes to explore the myriad attractions. First up is a sunrise paddle on the nearby Puclaro Reservoir, an emerald green lagoon formed in 2000 by the damming of the Elqui River.

Mario Gonzalez of Windsurfing Chile sets me up with a standup paddleboard and a wetsuit and we’re off for a two-hour expedition across the lagoon. The sun-bleached hills above fold into the haze of the desert sky, while below the surface lies a forest of flooded cacti and the remains of three abandoned villages.

A half-hour further into the Andes, near the adobe village of Pisco Elqui, Daire and I stop for some drinks at Cavas del Valle.

As we pull into the tasting room (a 200-year-old casona) he tells me that Cavas del Valle is one of a growing number of wineries making high-quality vino in the Elqui Valley, Chile’s northernmost wine region.

The Elqui Valley has, for centuries, been synonymous with the production of pisco, the local brandy made from muscat, torontel or pedro jimenez grapes. The pisco sour – a frothy blend of pisco, lime juice, icing sugar and ice – is a Chilean staple (and Casa Molle makes an exceptional version of it with tart quince juice!).

GROUNDBREAKING VINERY. Vineyards may paint the desert

green in the Elqui Valley, but the vast majority of grapes here go 53

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into the production of pisco. Cavas del Valle is part of a new breed of grape-growers focusing instead on wine. On a tour of the family-owned vineyard I discover that its limited production Gran Reserve Syrah is a silky standout that spends 12 months in French oak and is 100% organic.

Deeper into the valley we stop at Viñedos de Alcohuaz, a groundbreaking winery producing rare-in-Chile grapes like Garnacha and Petite Sirah at between 1800- and 2200-meters in altitude.

That makes these some of the highest-grown grapes in the world.

The grapes in Viñedos de Alcohuaz’s signature GRUS blend of Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Malbec are stomped by foot in the traditional method and aged in non-traditional concrete eggs.

The result is a wine that’s truly out of this world.

With such a great selection to choose from, Casa Molle only serves wines that are made in the Elqui or nearby Limarí Valleys.

Each is thoughtfully paired with the three-course meals prepared by chef Pierre Badinella for lunch and dinner.

Over a dinner of seafood risotto back at the resort that evening, Daire tells me how the experience of staying at Casa Molle is meant to be more like chartering a yacht than staying at a traditional hotel. “It’s highly personalized right down to what comes out of the kitchen each night,” he explains.

DELICIOUS FOOD. During my two-night stay, the meals from chef Badinella run the gamut from seared tuna over micro greens to steak and heirloom potatoes in a creamy blue cheese sauce. He

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also sends waiters looking for me between meals (by the pool, on the golf course) with aperitivos such as walnut biscuits, mini beef empanadas or smoked salmon canapés. Badinella knows exactly what I like because I completed a survey before I arrived.

Nearly every fruit or vegetable that reaches my mouth can be traced right back to the gardens and orchards that surround the 17-hectare property. Indeed, from the golf course, I spot rows upon rows of trees that, depending on the season, might be bursting with figs, walnuts or cherimoya (a local custard apple).

To cap off my visit at Casa Molle I book a bio-energetic message with Mireya Gil, the artist-in-residence who doubles as a message therapist. She uses an Amazonian oil to energize my body, which has gone soft with all the food and wine.

As I slink back out into the desert sun thereafter, I realize that golfing here has become almost secondary to everything else. The chance to putt in such a wild and beguiling part of the world may have been the initial draw, but if my trip has taught me anything, it’s that the Elqui Valley is the real shining star.

GGM Good to Know CASAMOLLE VILLA & GOLF www.casamollevilla.cl/ info@casamolle.cl Address: Fundo la Barrica s/n, El Molle, Vicuña, Región de Coquimbo, Chile Phone: +56 2 2382 3561

Leggplan 2. 2018 100 sider.qxp_Layout 1 18.07.2018 19:08 Side 7

Free Golf Summer Special

Play while you stay at the Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity. Excel your swing in the Salobre Golf Courses and take advantage of our unlimited free golf RÎ?HU GXULQJ WKH PRQWKV RI -XO\ DQG $XJXVW For more information please visit salobregolfresort.com or FDOO *Minimum stay of 6 nights.

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Journey of Discovery Photo: Mark Alexander

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he advantage of taking turns is that everyone gets a chance to shine; everyone gets their moment in the sun. There’s a fairness to that idea which provides opportunity and parity. It is a model of inclusion that all too rarely is deployed in our busy world.

In golfing terms, The Open rota provides an orderly schedule that shifts the circus of the world’s oldest Major - and the attention of the world’s media - around a series of coastal locations that might otherwise remain detached. Carnoustie is one such venue that periodically appears on our radars, seeping into collective consciousness with a seductive mix of nostalgia and pure sporting joy.

And with good reason. For many, Carnoustie is the ultimate links experience and the sternest test on The Open rota. Given its clever layout, inviting tee shots and challenging greens, it’s easy to see why. But the allure of east coast golf goes far deeper than

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topography. Carnoustie has delivered astonishing final-day conclusions that have fused drama and triumph in front of our disbelieving eyes.

It’s the venue that saw Paul Lawrie birdie the last two holes in 1999, to win a championship that will be forever remembered for Van de Velde’s collapse. It’s where Padraig Harrington endured an engrossing play-off with Sergio Garcia, to complete an Irish double after Rory McIlroy had already claimed the Silver Medal as leading amateur in 2007. This is where Henry Cotton, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Tom Watson made their names by triumphing with the rest of the field biting at their heels.

Carnoustie is drama played out over a majestic links course.

And yet, despite hosting the most cherished Major on seven occasions, Carnoustie, and the surrounding area, deserves much more shine time than it gets.

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CLOSE CALL. There are golf courses aplenty in this part of the

world, with Carnoustie’s remarkable history providing a tasty aperitif for the centuries of golf that await. At Montrose, for example, the Medal Course, soon to be renamed The 1562 Course, is a traditional links with all the appointments of a grand old master. Tall fescue grasses, dunescapes and cliff-top holes with panoramic views stir the soul.

If nostalgia really is your thing, this fabled layout delivers in spades. After all, this is a course moulded by legends - Willie Park Jr, Old Tom Morris and Harry Colt all had their hand in its formation. This is the fifth oldest golf course in the world, formed over 450 years ago, and you can sense the history from the first tee onwards.

While that timescale might be challenging to process, bear in mind that there are also inland options around Carnoustie, such

as Edzell Golf Club, which is surrounded by remarkable views from its tree-lined fairways of the stunning highland scenery. The course was laid out in 1895 and modified 39 years later, following recommendations from James Braid. The routing was subsequently upgraded in 2015 by Martin Ebert of Mackenzie & Ebert - the design team behind recent changes at Trump Turnberry and Royal Portrush.

Then there is Downfield, Forfar and Blairgowrie golf clubs which offer up some of the best inland holes in Scotland, and all this within an hour’s drive of the first tee at Carnoustie. The mind boggles!

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Although the spotlight currently over Scotland’s east coast is shining a light on the extraordinary golf courses that surround Carnoustie, the real insight is the surprising 59

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wealth of places to eat, drink and be merry.

Take the Glenesk Hotel bar in Edzell, which proudly boasts one of the most impressive Guinness World Records anywhere.

This traditional highland hotel holds within its lounge bar at least one example from each of the working whisky distilleries in Scotland, amounting to over 1,000 varieties from which to choose. The Glenesk houses the most varieties of malt whisky anywhere, and that makes it daunting, beautiful and potentially ruinous all at the same time.

Of course, whisky isn’t for everyone - that’s where the Gin Bothy comes in. This fantastic concept was born out of an excess of berry juice left over from Kim Cameron’s award-winning jammaking. Using the excess fruit, she developed a range of gins that extends from rose, raspberry and blueberry to chilli, rhubarb and 60

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amaretto, all ready to taste. Opportunistic and adventurous, there is no shortage of choice in this part of the world.

And then there is the new Links House which overlooks the first tee at Carnoustie. Opened ahead of this year’s summer season, it features the impressive Rookery bar and restaurant, which serves the best of land and sea for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Seaspray mussels and grilled east coast lobster sit alongside local chargrilled Angus sirloin, on the mouth-watering menu. The food is complemented by seven state-of-the-art golf simulators downstairs, making the new Links House a fine addition to the golfing experience at Carnoustie.

LUXURY RETREAT. Away from the golf course, there are some fine places to stay. Murryshall House Hotel & Golf Courses near

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Perth, the Links Hotel in Montrose and, of course, the Carnoustie Golf Hotel & Spa, which will provide the famous backdrop to the conclusion of this year’s Open Championship, all offer a range of accommodation options. But if you’re looking for something special - lodgings that will be as memorable as the golf and the whisky - then look no further than Turin Castle.

Sleeping up to 20 guests in 10 luxurious bedrooms, which have been fitted with Clive Christian furniture, including three fourposter suites, the castle is a considered mix of modern and traditional, with Scottish elegance at its heart. This is an exclusive hideaway that attracts a particular clientele that tend to opt for the tailored intimacy of a private chef and a sommelier, rather than the convenience of a public lounge bar. For instance, one group enquired about an on-site golf practice facility in the

manicured grounds and a five-hole mini course was duly created.

From California, the 25-strong group will be back in the autumn.

It seems every whim can be accommodated at Turin Castle.

You would think one ultra-private retreat would be enough, but Angus is home to another fantasy haven that tailored to deliver at the highest level. Originally built in 1678, Kinnettles Castle is set in 44 acres of stunning gardens. It has all the spec associated with an alluring Scottish hideaway, but with the added bonus of associating itself with a leading local chef. History, charm and indulgence available on tap!

OLD & NEW. The joy of The Open rota is that our golfing focus shifts every 12 months to a new destination, which we rediscover as if it had just been unveiled to the world. The course layout is

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dissected, previous winners and losers recounted and the golfing hinterland surrounding the host venue becomes a hunting ground for pioneering golfers eager to unearth a rare gem.

That said, the greatest joy of all comes from discovering something entirely new; when your preconceptions about a location represent only part of a much greater whole. There are many examples to choose from around Carnoustie. For instance, I could have easily selected the V&A Museum, which will open its doors on 15 September 2018. Designed by award-winning Japanese architects Kengo Kuma & Associates, the £80 million project forms part of an ambitious 30-year plan to transform Dundee’s historic waterfront.

Such is the diversity on offer, I could have also picked Broughty Golf Club and Hayley Wilkes’ award winning pies, that she sells through a window from the clubhouse. Freshly baked with locally sourced ingredients, the smell wafting across the Monifieth Links is at worst distracting; at best irresistible.

But the ultimate find is much closer to home. Two miles south of the iconic closing hole at Carnoustie is Panmure Golf Club.

Something of an enigma, this traditional golf club is one of 26 that originally contributed funds to create the Amateur Championship trophy. This is where Ben Hogan practiced for the 1953 Open and won. His influence is still felt today with the sixth hole featuring a cleverly-placed pot bunker, following a recommendation from the great man himself. After two weeks of practice at Panmure to familiarise himself with links golf, this was Hogan’s favourite hole and was subsequently named after the American.

Panmure’s past is intertwined with the roots of golf itself, and yet it can be overlooked by visitors to Scotland’s east coast.

However, bypassing Panmure would be a terrible oversight. The course is full of quirky holes reminiscent of those found at North Berwick and Carnoustie. The opening three and the closing stretch extend out in front of the clubhouse. Beyond that a mix of heathland, links and exciting terrain provide the basis for an enthralling round featuring testing doglegs and undulating greens.

There is an expectation when you plant your tee, the next shot is going to be fun. And like all great courses, when you leave the 18th, there is a niggling feeling that another 18 holes could well be on the cards.

Carnoustie is rich with a surprising bounty of stunning courses, rich history and delicious local produce. Add in tempting gin and whisky bars, an exclusive country retreat or two and a first tee experience like no other at Carnoustie, and you have the key ingredients for a golfing trip to relish.

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Good to Know CARNOUSTIE GOLF LINKS Address: 20 Links Parade, Carnoustie, Angus, DD7 7JF Website: www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk Email: golf@carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk MONTROSE GOLF LINKS Address: Traill Drive, Montrose, Angus, DD10 8SW Website: www.montroselinks.com Email: secretary@montroselinks.com EDZELL GOLF CLUB Address: High Street, Edzell, DD9 7TF Website: www.edzellgolfclub.com Email: secretary@edzellgolfclub.com PANMURE GOLF CLUB Address: Barry, by Carnoustie, Angus, DD7 7RT Website: www.panmuregolfclub.co.uk Email: professional@panmuregolfclub.co.uk WHERE TO STAY MURRYSHALL HOUSE HOTEL & GOLF COURSES Address: Scone, Perth, PH2 7PH Website: www.murrayshall.co.uk LINKS HOTEL Address: Mid Links, Montrose, DD10 8RL Website: www.linkshotel.com CARNOUSTIE GOLF HOTEL & SPA Address: The Links, Carnoustie, Angus, DD7 7JE Website: www.bespokehotels.com/carnoustiegolfhotel TURIN CASTLE Address: by Forfar, Angus, DD8 2UF Website: play@turincastlescotland.com KINETTLES CASTLE Address: Kinnettles Castle, Fofar, Angus,DD8 1TR Website: info@kinnettlescastle.com WHERE TO TASTE THE GLENESK HOTEL Address: High Street, Edzell, DD9 7TF Website: www.gleneskhotel.com THE GIN BOTHY Address: Garlow Bank, Smiddy, Brechin Road, Kirriemuir, DD8 4LH Website: www.ginbothy.co.uk WeeCook award-winning pies at BROUGHTY GOLF CLUB Address: Broughty Golf Club, 6 Princes St, Monifieth, Dundee, DD5 4AW Website: www.broughtygolfclub.co.uk FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.carnoustiecountry.com

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ROCK ON THE HARD ROCK HOTEL. Text by Vicky Richards, photos by resort

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s two ‘young’ 50-somethings, we looked forward to our stay at The Hard Rock Hotel with an equal measure of anticipation and apprehension. With promises of getting ‘ready to feel like a rock star’ on the hotel’s website, I did wonder what we had let ourselves in for.

Our concerns quickly vanished – we spent a very relaxing, fun week at The Hard Rock Hotel. For true aficionado music fans, there are numerous displays of memorabilia located around the

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hotel, from Elton John’s feather cloak, to Beyonce’s famous bikini, to a collection of photos of the Beatles on the island preinternational fame.

MUSIC IS IN THE AIR. Guitar lessons, DJ music mixing and dance classes are all available. Within the hotel grounds, bands and soloists entertain guests all day. It may be an electric guitarist playing Purple Rain on the terrace at breakfast, or a saxophone player, lulling you to sleep on ‘a lazy Sunday afternoon’ by the

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pool, but the standard of all these live artists was excellent. And it made a welcome change from the usual hotel play list. No boring lift music here. Each evening, there is entertainment in the lobby, or if you are lucky, you may catch one of the live concerts on the open air stage where up to 5,000 concert goers can experience world-class acts.

This beachfront resort comprises of 624 rooms, including 259 suites spread across the Oasis and Nirvana Towers. There are three large swimming pools, while the well-manicured garden and

terrace areas step down to beach level and provide the opportunity to take a dip in the ocean. Access to the beach is also available by lift, which proved to be very useful at the end of an exhausting day of sunbathing!

FUN AND FUNKY. The bedrooms are spacious, contemporary and

well designed with all the usual essentials such as Nespresso machines, multi-channel, large-screen TV’s, rain showers and large comfy beds with Egyptian cotton sheets. You can choose 67

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from Silver, Gold and Platinum suites right up to Rock Royalty status, where you can experience a private check-in, lounge areas, panoramic views, a free ironing service and even Jacuzzi preparation! Staying at here you can naturally expect to find the sound system within your room to be exceptional and The Rock Hotel does not disappoint, with its ‘sound of your stay’ special programme.

With three pools to choose from, guests can opt for a relaxing adults-only area, a family pool or a very large activity swimming

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pool, down by the water’s edge, with aqua gym classes, paddle boarding, water polo and other fun activities to take part in during the day. The choice is yours.

If you have children that need entertaining then The Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club looked great fun, with the Roxtars providing their little charges with games, workshops and, of course, a weekly Rock Talent Show. Teen Spirit, for ten year olds and above, offered Rock DJ activities including music-mixing classes, Xbox on large screens, billiards, giant chess and much more.

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FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD. The resort boasts six restaurants, which

offer variety of foods – from steaks, to tapas and Japanese teriyaki.

There’s also a self-service eatery, a Sports Grill Bar and the Beach Club down by the ocean. The 16th Roof Top bar is a must to visit in the evening. With its chic décor, amazing lanterns and spectacular views of the sunset over the Atlantic, this is the place to be as the sun goes down. Again, there’s great live music, plus rollerblading waiters and themed evenings such as Gin meets Burger. This is a fun place for the obligatory sun-downer cocktail and pre-dinner tapas.

If you fancy visiting the nearby towns of La Caleta and Costa Adeje, there are a plethora of restaurants to suit all tastes, and the concierge in the hotel is happy to recommend and make all the necessary arrangements.

OUT AND ABOUT. Located in Playa Paraiso, in the south of the

island, the next bay round from the hotel is Costa Adeje. A word of warning – you cannot walk easily from Playa Paraiso to Costa Adeje, as I had supposed when looking at the map. Badly prepared

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for such a walk (in wedge sandals and suede loafers!), we finally made it to Adeje, two hours later. We were somewhat shaken by our experience, which included scaling a rock face, negotiating perilous cliff edge paths and stumbling across a nudist beach.

Never again. Unless you have the suitable footwear and like an adventure, take a 10-minute taxi, or one of the numerous buses that stop outside the hotel.

Not only are there many clubs, restaurants and bars at Costa Adeje, as well as long stretch of golden beach, but there is also golf. Golf Costa Adeje is former banana plantation; it is a very fair but challenging course favouring the straight, long hitters. It has wonderful views over the coast and the island of La Gomera.

There are excellent practice facilities with two-tier practice bays, a pitching area, putting greens and an excellent pro shop. We found the club to be very welcoming to visitors and enjoyed relaxing in the terrace with a chilled glass of wine after a good round of golf. The course seemed to be very popular, so advance booking is essential.

Other courses nearby include the classy Abama Golf, described as a ‘design masterpiece’ – with pretty creeks, lakes and dramatic tee elevations. Golf Las Americas, again is very popular with the visitors and is apparently great to play, except on a windy day. Of course, that can be quite often as Tenerife is a very small island resting in the Atlantic Ocean!

If you don’t just want to hang out at the hotel or play some local golf, then attractions near the hotel include a visit to Teide 70

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Mountain, which is the third largest volcano in the world and worth a visit. For the walkers, the popular Masca Walk involves a 4.5km hike though the stunning Masca Gorge. It’s a good way to experience some of Tenerife’s dramatic interior landscape. If you are looking for a fun, exhilarating day out and you enjoy water parks, there is Aqua Land and Siam Park.

TIME TO CHILL. Back at the hotel, all the activity of the day can be soothed away with pampering and the many treatments available at the Rock Spa, including a soak in its natural salt water lagoon pool, which is well worth a visit. For the more active, a Rock Om Yoga programme provides guests with a Hard Rock ‘spin’ on yoga classes. The Sound Body Wellness programme will provide you a holistic approach to rejuvenate your body and put a spring in your step. The Body Rock gym also offers fitness classes including Zumba and has a state of the art gym. And it’s all to a great soundtrack, of course.

We found our stay at The Hard Rock Hotel a very relaxing, enjoyable and lively experience and look forward to rocking our way back next year to chase way those winter blues!

GGM Good to Know HARD ROCK HOTEL TENERIFE +34 971 92 76 91 BOOKINGS: info@hrhtenerife.com www.hardrockhoteltenerife.com

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Paradise found Photos, Vasncouver Tourism

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have golfed, kayaked, skied, hiked and photographed every corner of the world, but it is the place I have called home for more than two decades that still has the ability to take my breath away. British Columbia, Canada’s most westerly province, offers extremes of geography from snow-capped mountain ranges to desert oases, from beaches and storm-tossed waves to old growth forests with towering redwood trees.

In the far southwest corner of the province, a 90-minute ferry ride from the mainland, sits Vancouver Island, the largest island on the west coast of North America. Similar in size to Great Britain, but with a population of fewer than 900,000, Vancouver Island is Travel and Leisure Magazine’s number one island getaway in North America. And I can see why.

– from the southern-most tip to the central coastal town of Campbell River. Dubbed the Vancouver Island Golf Trail, in the manner of the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, it features courses designed by renowned golf architects, distinct topography and extra-curricular activities such as world-class salmon fishing and grizzly bear and whale watching. For the foodie, there is fresh seafood, award-winning wineries and thriving regional craft beer and spirits industries.

Little wonder the trail was selected by readers of Golf Magazine as one of the best golf deals in North America. We travel to the island though Haro Strait on a BC Ferry, breathing in the fresh salt air and scanning the ocean for signs of the Orca whales and dolphins that navigate the coast.

THE TRAIL TRIP. The island, which is 100km wide and 460km long, boasts a 250km stretch which is dotted with 13 golf courses

PLANNING THE TRAIL. The Golf Trail is divided into four distinct regions – Victoria, Cowichan Valley, Parksville/Qualicum Beach

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and Courtenay/Campbell River. My plan is to golf at least one course from each region during my seven-day holiday. Planning my itinerary and reviewing special packages was easy thanks to the golfvancouverisland.ca website. My golf schedule includes Bear Mountain Resort and Olympic View in Victoria, then north to Cowichan Golf Club, on to Fairwinds in Parksville. I aim to finish up on the most northerly course, Quadra Island Golf Club.

The starting point for my golf holiday is Victoria, the provincial capital, and voted by readers of Condé Nast Traveller Magazine as the ‘second best small city in the world’. Located at the southern tip of the island, Victoria lies further south than many parts of the United States and enjoys beautiful temperate weather through most of the year.

beautiful parks, 19th-century stately mansions and the grand architecture of the provincial legislature buildings. No wonder Victoria is known as the Garden City. In the afternoon, I head to the Prince of Whales Whale Watching dock for my expedition.

We sail at exhilarating speed, over salt waters in search of sea lions, seals and whales. I am not disappointed; it was a truly exciting experience.

I stay overnight at the majestic Empress Hotel, recognized as one of the top 25 iconic hotels in the world and honoured by Travel and Leisure Magazine as Canada’s finest hotel. The fourdiamond property, overlooking the inner harbour, is a stately gem known for its afternoon high tea, served in the sophisticated lobby lounge, and a tradition since 1908.

ENJOYING VICTORIA. Part way through my first day in Victoria,

I am already wishing I had planned a longer stay. A double-decker bus tour takes me along the waters of Juan de Fuca Strait, past

BEAR MOUNTAIN. The following morning my first day of golf is at Bear Mountain Resort. There are two 18-hole layouts, the 75

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Mountain and the Valley, designed by the father-and-son son team of Jack and Steve Nicklaus. The courses complement one another, as the Mountain features elevation changes, rock outcrops and panoramic vistas and the Valley course is home to forest, water and plentiful bunkering.

I play the Mountain course where the par-3s are truly memorable. The 152-yard 10th hole is an island green and the 165-yard 14th hole is perhaps the most scenic I’ve ever played.

Situated at the highest point of the course, the tee box and green are extensions of the rock wall with no opportunity for a bail out as the cavernous descent is your fairway. The vista is of the snowcapped volcanic Mount Baker 100km to the south. I’m told the Valley course, at 6,800 yards in length and playing to a par-71, can be difficult. There are no houses adjacent to the course, so I commit to playing it on my next visit.

The resort is one of the finest on the island. It caters to tennis and cycling aficionados and to connoisseurs of the good life. Bear Mountain has one of Canada’s largest wine cellars and features more than 2,000 labels, according to Vincy Dsouza, the food and beverage director. Following my round, I dine in the beautifully appointed master’s lounge, enjoying a gourmet burger and a Blue Buck, wonderful locally crafted amber ale. The craft beer industry is burgeoning in Victoria and I highly recommend a tour of the microbreweries.

OLYMPIC VIEW. My afternoon destination is Olympic View, a short 15-minute drive away. It has been several years since I’ve played here and the course is as beautiful as I remember it.

Fairways in palettes of green, flowering plants and numerous varieties of trees create a tranquil environment on a course that

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was rated ‘best to play’ by Golf Digest. The striking vistas of the Olympic Mountains in Washington State and the constant companions of deer and eagles make the course special to experience.

I enjoy my attempts of hitting numerous elevated greens and become adept at aiming for the top of the flagstick. At 535 yards and an uphill par, the finishing hole from the back tees is difficult at the best of times – but it is where Tiger Woods, on his only visit to British Columbia as a member of the Stanford University team, chipped in for an eagle, winning the individual honours.

COASTAL HIGHWAY. Back on the road, I travel the scenic Coastal Highway 19A towards Duncan and Vancouver Island’s celebrated wine country, Cowichan Valley. Pinot Gris, Marechal Foch and Pinot Noir have become popular varietals. Sheltered from the storms of the Pacific Ocean, the valley has the ideal environs for growing robust grapes, and the area is now home to nine wineries.

Trisha Larsen, director of Golf Vancouver Island, recommends taking some time to visit the picturesque and quaint village of Cowichan Bay. “Here,” Larsen says, “Is where you will most likely find fresh crab waiting on the dock from local fisherman.”

My destination is the Cowichan Golf Club, host of numerous national and provincial championships. This is my first time playing the course, and while I know it has a reputation as a challenging 6,189 yards, I feel confident I can handle it. This is a thinking person’s golf course, with open and tight tree-lined fairways, doglegs and fast greens. Perhaps my problem is that I’m not thinking enough. The par-4 10th is a perfect example of my play. Using my driver, I proceed to hit my ball into the trees. Note to self: should have used a 3-wood. Thinking I can get out of the

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forest, my ball ricochets off a branch into a bunker. I am finally on the green in five. I proceed to three putt. Had time permitted, I would have accepted the kind invitation for a gameimprovement lesson from my playing partner but I have a winetasting tour to attend.

BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS. Day three and my destination is

Fairwinds Golf Club, a creation of Canada’s noted course designer Les Furber. A par 71, it’s not a long course at 6,200 yards, however Furber is masterful in his ability to integrate hazards into the beautiful surrounding landscape and his signature multi-tiered greens. I rarely take out my driver on this oceanside course. With 11 holes where water comes into play and 70 strategically placed bunkers, general manager Brett Standerwick counsels me to plan every shot and execute carefully.

Leaving Fairwinds, I pull off of Highway 1 to follow the shoreline road known as the Oceanside Route. It winds along the eastern coast of the island and the cold waters of the Georgia Strait. This 123km stretch of highway takes me past the source of the world-famous Fanny Bay oysters and on to my final destination, Campbell River.

Renowned for its salmon fishing, Campbell River is also home to three entertaining and unique golf courses. Arriving at Painter’s Lodge, I check-in, then conveniently stroll to the dock with my clubs in hand to board a water taxi to the quaint Quadra Island. The mountains of British Columbia’s Coastal Range strike a commanding profile to the east, and harbour seals break to the surface to check us out during my short trip across Discovery Passage. Upon arrival, a complimentary shuttle whisks us to the scenic nine-hole golf course. The course is memorable for the beautiful views as well as the friendly and relaxed atmosphere. A Vancouver Island Juan de Fuca Cerveza is a wonderful way to finish my round.

I still had time for one more game so I head to Storey Creek Golf Club, 14km south of Campbell River. My Quadra Island 78

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playing partners had chided me that it would be a shame not to experience this course. Voted by Canada’s national golf magazine [what’s the name of the magazine??] as British Columbia’s number one public golf course and number five in Canada for best value it truly was award winning. Challenging yet fair, I was continually distracted by the abundance of beauty and wildlife. Publicised as ‘a course in nature’, there were sightings of bear and deer, as hawks and eagles soared above. Les Furber Design was a memorable way to complete my golf holiday.

Vancouver Island golf courses mirror the diversity and beauty of the landscape. From stunning ocean views to grasslands and majestic forests, each course beckons with its own personality and style. Those who have the good fortune to visit will be rewarded with memories to last a lifetime. I know I will be back.

GGM Good to Know CONTACT ST SPORTS TO BOOK YOUR CANADA TRIP ST Sports has a dedicated team of golf travel experts who can arrange some of the best value, as well as unique, golf holidays around the world.

From destinations all over Europe to the USA, South Africa, Middle East and South East Asia, you can be sure to find your perfect golfing holiday.

Please call our dedicated hotline or complete a Request A Quote page to be one step nearer your perfect golfing getaway. www.stsports.com 0208 705 0150 sales@stsports.com AS WELL AS GOLF Prince of Whales Whale Watching www.princeofwhales.com Victoria Brewery Tours /Vancouver Island Brewing www.vibrewing.com Victoria Distillers Tour –Sidney copper pot distilled Empress 1908 Original Gin, infused with butterfly pea blossom www.victoriadistillers.com World Class Salmon Fishing www.adamsfishingcharters.com Painters and April Point Lodge www.painterslodge.com

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ALGARVE / PORTUGAL

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Here comes the sun Text Mike Stock, photos by the resorts

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f you’re thinking of going on a golfing trip to the Algarve this year, then there are a few things that you should consider. Firstly, and most importantly, is where are the best courses, followed by should you take your own clubs or simply rent some when you are out there?

The Algarve is renowned for it’s wide offering of good quality golf resorts and it is impossible to just narrow them down to one. But here are a few courses that we happen to think are rather special…

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STUNNING CLIFF-TOP VIEWS. Pine Cliffs Residence is located, as the name implies, above cliffs with views out over the Atlantic Ocean. Pine tree woods and the beautiful orange sandstone cliffs border this resort, which is just 30 minutes’ drive from Faro 82

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International Airport. Pine Cliffs is a truly magical location. It has 217 rooms offering a selection of choices for all budgets, all with views either to the ocean or the resort grounds. In addition to the golf, there are a plethora of activities and facilities on site, including cookery courses at the Mimo Cookery School, water sports, a lovely spa, plus academies for tennis and football.

The golf course is set in an elevated position above the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Original and unique, it works its way through a pinewood setting, with tree-lined fairways running parallel along the Atlantic Ocean. Architect Martin Hawtree’s main concern was to maintain the natural surroundings so that the course fits perfectly into its environment.

The signature sixth hole is the Devil’s Parlour. It’s a par-3 and

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straddles a ravine. This challenging hole demands a 197-metre carrying shot over the cliffs to a deep but narrow green. It’s a stunning place to play a round, if you can handle the heights!

GOLF ACADEMY. If you want to polish your game, then book

yourself in for some expert coaching. Superbly equipped with the latest technology in teaching systems, the Golf Academy is manned by a team of internationally qualified PGA professionals. They offer a tuition service second to none for all parts of the game. Plus there is a dedicated short game practice area, specifically designed to aid both the beginner and the experienced golfer.

AL FRESCO DINING. Pine Cliffs Hotel has cuisine to suit every

palate. Piri Piri is one of the finest steak houses in the Algarve, while O Pescador provides a relaxed, refined setting, serving up speciality seafood that is caught daily. Whether its international cuisine, found at the buffet-inspired Jardim Colonial, poolside salads at Corda CafĂŠ or refreshing drinks served at the Beach Club, guests can enjoy varied al fresco dining in true Algarve style.

UNLIMITED GOLF Of course, there are other golf resorts to

consider when planning your visit to the Algarve and one of them is Pestana Gramacho. Great golf and varied accommodation options are promised when you visit here. There are two stunning 18-hole golf courses, Gramacho and Vale da Pinta, although Pestana has a further three courses in the Algarve, and all only a 83

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short drive from Gramacho. The best part of staying at Pestana is the unlimited golf offer. The concept allows guests to play as much as they want at all five of the Pestana golf courses, at no extra cost.

STAY FOR LONGER. With a selection of villas and apartments available for rent right next to the course, there is a place here to fit everyone’s requirements. For those looking for something a bit more permanent, then there are two new real estate developments presently underway. The Gramacho Residences, which is located near the eighth hole, has a selection of 34 luxury studio, one and two-bed apartments, all finished to a high standard and surrounded by the golf course on one side and countryside on the other.

The second, and much larger development, is located at the

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Pestana Silves Golf Resort, only a ten-minute drive away and near the historical town of the same name. Silves comprises a selection of apartments and a separate hotel, as well as a larger project of villas. The Algarve is a popular location for second-home buyers and what could be better than your very own place on one of the best courses in the area.

EASTERN PROMISE. Another gem worth a visit is Monte Rei Golf

& Country Club, situated in the picturesque foothills of the eastern Algarve, between the mountains and the ocean. With outstanding golfing facilities, accommodation, a mouth-watering collection of restaurants and a very personalised service, it’s a resort that caters to all tastes and offers an unforgettable holiday experience.

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With a selection of properties ranging from apartments to fourbed detached villas, there is something to fit all tastes and budgets.

It’s simply a case of choosing your accommodation and when you would like to stay. Packages are available from three nights and up and include rounds of golf with a buggy, as well as time on the practice range.

CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the Monte

Rei championship golf course is a par-72, with water coming into play on 11 of the 18 holes. It has eight par-4s, five par-3s and five par-5s in a scenic, challenging and distinctive layout.

After a good round of golf, it may be time to try the superb gourmet food on offer along with a delicious selection of

Portuguese wines. Under the guidance of Chef Albano Lourenço, one of the first Portuguese chefs to be awarded a Michelin star, and with four different restaurants and two bars, Monte Rei guests are assured a variety of culinary discoveries to suit every occasion.

WHAT ABOUT THE CLUBS? So that’s a few great resorts to chose

from, but what about the other important consideration, raised at the beginning of this article? Do you bring your own clubs or hire when you’re out here? That is the question.

Golfers tend to be of mixed opinion on this. Some insist that if they do not take their trusty set of clubs, they simply cannot play.

But for many who have already tried renting while on holiday, it’s a bit of a no-brainer. Carting an oversized bag around is just not

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what a holiday is all about. Firstly, you have to ensure that the taxi to the airport has enough room along with the numerous suitcases your family or friends have, then you have the rigmarole of checking them in to oversized luggage. When you land, you will wait nervously by the carousel, hoping that what comes out does not resemble metal origami, only to go through the whole taxi business again. And what if your precious cargo is lost en route?

It’s enough to make you take up tennis!

This is a rather stressful way to begin your vacation; surely it’s better to have one less thing to worry about…

BLUE SKIES. One company offering this service is Blue Sky Golf Rental, established in 2010 by avid golfer Andy Pope. Having experienced the hassle of transporting his golf clubs, Andy came to the conclusion that there had to be a better way. Here was an opportunity to provide golf equipment to golfers when they arrived, delivering the clubs directly to their accommodation.

Blue Sky Golf Rental have made a career out of understanding and addressing the inconvenience of travelling with golf equipment.

The hassle of extra baggage and car hire charges, as well as increased insurance premiums to cover damaged or lost equipment, do not make for a peaceful holiday. It really is stressful enough just getting to your holiday location, without dragging a large, heavy bag of your precious clubs around. Blue Sky Rental simplifies the process, you just decide which clubs you want and then book online, via the live availability website or the Blue-Sky app.

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The company delivers seven days a week and provides the latest golfing equipment from the world’s leading suppliers, including Callaway, Mizuno, Ping, TaylorMade, Titleist and Wilson.

And this service isn’t just available in Portugal; Blue Sky Golf Rental also covers Spain and the islands of Mallorca, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

So, wherever you decide your next golf trip should be, be sure to consider the Algarve – there’s a very good reason why it’s so well known for its golf courses, because they really are stunning. GGM

Good to Know BLUE SKY GOLF RENTAL www.blueskygolf-rental/testimonials

PINE CLIFFS www.pinecliffshotel.com www.pinecliffsresidence.com www.pinecliffsoceansuites.com PESTANA www.pestanagolf.com MONTE REI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB www.monte-rei.com

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WELLNESS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MONTANA

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GIDDY UP! WELLNESS IN THE WILD WILD WEST

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t’s Montana, so of course there are cowboys, but it’s also the only Forbes Five Star Guest Lodge in the world, a charter member of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, and a Relais & Chateaux property, so while this is cowboy country, its cowboy luxe.

Despite the ultra-luxurious all-inclusive accommodations, the Ranch at Rock Creek still manages to look and feel the way you expect the American West would-expansive, rugged, real, and with a sense of solitude that comes with having over 2,500 hectares of pristine mountain and valley land to relax and play on.

While the Ranch draws most of its visitors during summer, I went in winter, when it turns into a snowy playground for outdoor and wellness enthusiasts. What I traded in degrees on the thermometer, I got back in having fewer guests around to intrude on my Montana Zen, and some special activities that can only be had in winter like the Indulgent Frontiersman.

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SURVIVAL SKILLS. Inspired by Montanan Hugh Glass, the

protagonist in The Revenant, only less gory and scary, the Indulgent Frontiersman program is designed to teach survival

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skills while doing outdoor activities like snowmobiling and horseback riding. During my snowmobile excursion through pristine National Forest land covered with evergreen trees dripping with pure white snow, I got a chance to channel my inner 19th century Frontierswoman.

My guide taught me how to navigate before Google Maps existed, and in a worst case scenario how to survive an overnight in the harsh Montana climate by creating shelter, finding food and using some supplies that I was smart enough to bring, because a good Frontiersperson anticipates a problem before it happens.

Thankfully, the only somewhat scary thing I encountered was the fear I felt when I took a hill too fast and sent the snowmobile airborne!

I soothe my nerves with a glass of wine by the roaring fire and chat up my fellow guests who are enjoying an après activity beverage before heading into the dining room to sample Chef Josh Drage’s tasting menu. Served in the Granite Lodge, the menu is a four to eight course exploration of Northwest favorites like Steelhead trout and Willow Spring Lamb Porterhouse, each course paired with wine. This is as far from a cowboy chuckwagon as you can get!

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BOWLING. After dinner our group heads to the Silver Dollar Saloon to compete on the bowling alley. Growing up in the American Midwest where bowling is a sport, I easily win this one, but then am totally put to shame on the Karaoke stage by a rousing rendition my friend does of “Fight for Your Right to Party,” by the Beastie Boys.

Overly stuffed and overserved with Rombauer Chardonnay and champagne all evening, I waddle back to my abode, the Sarah Jane Cottage, a four-bedroom luxury log cabin home that comfortably sleeps eight, and includes a gorgeous copper tub in one of the rooms. In addition to private log homes guests can elect a room in the main lodge, or glamp in luxury-tented accommodations, my favorite is Sweet Grass, featuring two bedrooms, each with a claw foot tub and gas stove fireplace.

The next morning I drag myself out of bed before sunrise for yoga in the Buckle Barn. The early morning start time was easily forgotten as our small group set our mats within a circle of candles to perform moon salutations followed by sun salutations as we watched sunrise light up the fresh snow. It was the best yoga experience I’ve ever had and I was

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glad I had opted for it instead of snowga (yoga in the snow!)

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. It put me in the perfect frame of mind

to try one of the Ranch’s newest experiences, a photography program that was created by National Geographic specifically for the Ranch. The Montana vistas draped in snow, the animals, and the various activities make it nearly impossible to take a bad shot, but with the tips and tricks of Pulitzer Prize winning National Geographic photographer Jay Dickman, who created the program, and the use of the Olympus OM-D cameras the Ranch supplies, I start having dreams of not only my words, but my images getting published one day.

There are so many winter activities at the Ranch, it’s hard to decide which to pursue. I love that whatever you pick, the Ranch will outfit you. This means you don’t have to lug winter boats, riding gear, skiing gear or anything bulky with you. They even have cowboy boots and hats! Hee haw!

LOTS OF ACTIVITIES. For most people, horseback riding on the range is the top selection. Horse and trail selection is suited to

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each individual’s experience and preference. The Ranch has 75 horses to ride in true Western style. Arena and roping lessons are also offered.

I’m not a rider, so I peruse the exhaustive list of downhill skiing, snowcat tours, fat tire biking, sledding, skating, sleigh riding and finally settle on snowshoeing combined with shooting. A new version of the biathlon? The Ranch offers clays, traps and skeet, and a rifle and pistol area. We end up shooting pistols, which I have never been good at and today was no different.

I found myself wishing I were at the rifle range, especially when I heard they had the gun I used to own. But this isn’t about the result, it’s about the experience, and the setting can’t be beat. After my Wild West shooting experience, I strap on the snowshoes to walk to the Nordic bonfire, complete with a local distillery serving spiked cider and hot chocolate. What a perfect way to warm up.

for a foot soak while sipping on champagne or cocktails. Not a bad après snowshoe activity.

While last night’s dinner was fancy, tonight’s is pure fun. The entire ranch participates in the wood-fired grill and barn dance.

The buffet features elevated Montana comfort food like organic beef meatloaf, cast-iron chicken and a brownie sundae. Local band sho down kicks off the party, playing country classics from Garth Brooks to modern tunes by Luke Bryant and Zac Brown Band.

Despite being a bad dancer, when the entire barn participates in the line dance, I clumsily join in. Group choreographed moves are clearly above my talent, but thankfully, I can keep up (sort of ) with the cute cowboy who asks me to dance. As I’m twirled and dipped around the dance floor, I think Willie and Waylon were so wrong…Mama’s you want your babies to grow up to be cowboys!

GGM

MASSAGE FOR TWO. After a strenuous day on the range, revive

GOOD TO KNOW • The Ranch at Rock Creek is an all-inclusive property. All meals, premium alcoholic beverages, activities, outfitting, airport transfers and gratuities are included (spa services are extra). www.theranchatrockcreek.com • Fly Delta, United, or Alaska Air to Missoula

with some spa time. In winter, choose the Twin Pines Massage and Foot Soak for two. The service starts as you and your sweetie warm up in the cedar sauna with an oil blend created specifically for you. Afterwards you’ll enjoy private massages before reuniting

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From Southall Travel

Heritage Awali w

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Deluxe Garden view based on 2 people sharing

From m £1459 Half Board 7 Nights Dailyy Golf on Heritage Golf Course.

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From £1315 Half Board d 7 Nights Daily Golf on Ille Aux Cerfs Golf Course. Junior Suite based on 2 people sharing. g.

Shangri la le Touessro o ok Resort and Spa From £1754 Half Board 7 Nightts Daily Golf on Ille Aux Cerfs Golf Cou urse.

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Beachcomber Trrou aux Cerfs erfs From £1663 H / B & 7 Nights Daily Golf on Paradis Golf Club or Mont Choisy sy le golf.

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Based on September Travel Subject to availabilityy. Please see website for specific travel dates. Te erms and conditions ditions apply.

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www.stsports.com CR ICKET - R UG BY - GOLF - F1 - HOCKEY WIN 2 people 7 nights half board daily golf including ing flights staying at the Heritage le TTelfair elfair Golf & Wellness resort! Visit www.stspor w.stsports.com/competition

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Spain - Cadiz

SHERRY GOLF JEREZ esigned by Stirling & Martin from Global Golf Company, Sherry Golf appears like an accessible course for amateurs and challenging for professionals. Proof of this are the many important tournaments we have had the honour to host, like the Spanish Open Amateur Championship, two years in a row, and the Seniors International Championship. We are also the official venue of the 2nd Stage of the PGA Qualifying School.

The layout is characterized as being one of the most pleasant walkthroughs in Spain: - 18 holes Championship course: 6572 meters, Par 72 - Pitch & Putt course: 911 meters, Par 3 Sherry Golf is within the new concepts of American golf course design: fun but safe in the game with undulations and well placed hazards, without making it too hilly, in order to ensure a pleasant

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walkthrough. Wide fairways and ample greens, puts Sherry Golf into the category of a luxury course.

The Clubhouse counts more than 2,800 sq metres designed under the Sherry flair, with a warm, welcoming atmosphere just like the city of Jerez. Its facilities caters to every single aspect of the sport as well as tournaments, including pro-shop, club storage room, locker rooms, restaurant, terrace grill, cafeteria, spike bar, lounges, golf academy, and much more.

The exceptional geographic location of Jerez and its surroundings make this area the perfect destination for the visitor.

3,200 hours of sun light per year, gives this area of the coast its name, Costa de la Luz (Coast of light).

Sherry Golf is located only 5 minutes from the international airport of Jerez, 50 minutes from Seville airport and 1 hour from Malaga International, thanks to the new motorway from Jerez to Los Barrios.

CONTACT

SHERRY GOLF JE RE Z, 11407 Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz Telephone +34 956 088 330. Fax +34 956 088 331 Email info@sherrygolf.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.sherrygolf.com

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Great Golf

Magazine

Bon Voyage 98

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