FIJI IS NO LONGER JUST FOR HOLIDAYING FAMILIES AND COUPLES ON ROMANTIC GETAWAYS. AUSTRALIAN GOLFERS ARE HEADING TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND JEWEL IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN EVER BEFORE. BRENDAN JAMES DISCOVERS WHY.
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n international poll was conducted last year that aimed to discover where the happiest people in the world live. For anyone who has been to Fiji, it is not surprising to learn that the survey found that the people of this beautiful South Pacific island nation are the happiest on the planet. And that happiness quickly becomes infectious. You can board the plane in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane beaten down by the stresses of modern life, but that first smile and welcoming “Bula!” when you disembark at Nadi Airport strips it all away. It is a genuine heartfelt welcome more than 650,000 visitors receive each year, and it’s one you never grow sick of. The first time I experienced it was in 2009, a month or so after the first rounds were played across what is now Fiji’s premier golf course, Natadola Bay. Natadola Bay’s opening was the injection Fijian golf desperately needed. While the golf world knew Fiji was the homeland of three-time
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major champion Vijay Singh, his name alone could not move the needle on getting golf tourists into the country. Fiji had some good courses but nothing that had enough ‘wow’ factor to make golfers across the globe want to grab their clubs and jump on a plane. The spectacular Natadola Bay course was a game changer. It not only put Fiji on the golf traveller’s map, but it raised the bar for other Fijian courses. As a result the overall presentation of these other layouts has improved dramatically in recent years as they compete for a slice of the golf tourist dollar. In fact, in the six years since Natadola Bay opened, Fiji has evolved into a genuine golf destination. The evidence of this can be found as soon as you touch down at Nadi International Airport and before you even clear customs. When I visited in 2009, strollers and portable cots easily outnumbered golf bags at the oversize baggage carousel by ten to one. A few months back when I made my fourth Fijian visit to compile this feature, there were just as many golf bags being stacked for collection. And there were far fewer
passengers wearing floral shirts and thongs, having been replaced by the performance golf polo and Titleist cap-wearing golfer. At the forefront of each of these golfer’s minds is how they will tackle the challenge Natadola Bay represents. Located on Fiji’s Coral Coast, about 50 minutes’ drive south of Nadi on the main island of Viti Levu, Natadola Bay is a visually stunning layout that combines 14 holes covering undulating land and affording ocean views with four inland holes that are irresistibly breathtaking. The par-72 officially opened for play in June 2009 by hosting the Fijian Open, which was won in convincing style by Victoria’s Matt Griffin. His winning 72-hole score of one-over-par – 11 strokes clear of his nearest rival – was clear testament to his ability and the difficulty of the course, especially from the back markers. The Fijian Open has since been replaced on the Australasian Tour schedule by the $1 million Fiji International, which was played for the first time at Natadola last year and will again host the event next month, with Queensland’s Steve Jeffress back to defend his title. Jeffress, who hit the first and last shot of the 2014 event, has travelled all around the world to play golf and lists Natadola Bay high in his topten favourite courses (see page 128) because of its eye-catching beauty and the challenge it presents.
One round at Natadola Bay and you will be convinced it is more than just a beachside resort course. The course was originally routed by Vijay Singh in 2005, but the final design was taken over by the Singapore-based Heritage Golf, while the construction and growing-in maintenance was handled by Turnpoint, the Victorian firm that helped establish Magenta Shores (New South Wales), Sandhurst and The Sands Torquay (Victoria). Turnpoint did a fantastic job in getting the Seashore Paspalum playing surfaces established and thriving and have been a highlight ever since. It is no wonder the salt-tolerant grass – used on the tees, first-cut rough, fairways and greens – is becoming the grass of choice for new courses being built in tropical climes, especially oceanside layouts like Natadola Bay. With the amount of movement in the huge, rolling greens at Natadola, they don’t need to be shaved too short. The Seashore Paspalum surfaces are brilliant with flat putts consistently running at about ten feet on the Stimpmeter but downhillers, especially downwind, are very slick. The layout leads away from the impressive clubhouse towards the ocean with a long, narrow downhill par-4. Like every hole, there are several teeing options and I would recommend you leave your ego in the car park and, unless your job description is golf professional, golf australia
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clockwise from left: The
uphill climb to Natadola Bay’s par-4 8th hole; Five bunkers ring the par-3 7th green; The 6th tee sits at a dizzying height; It’s easy to be distracted at the par-3 4th.
by-pass the black markers. For example, the 2nd hole is an uphill 400-metre par-4, which usually plays into the ever-present prevailing wind, and calls for a 180-metre carry to reach the start of the fairway. The back pegs stretch the course to 6,567 metres, while the blue markers are just beyond 6,000 metres, which is not long. But it is the strategic nature of the design that makes this Natadola layout challenging and, at the same time, utterly enthralling. The unique local touches add to the round here, too. The wooden tee markers are carved into the shape of ‘neck breakers’, which is a tool used to crack coconuts. Native bala-bala ferns, which are said to be the home of ancient spirit gods, are the distance markers beside each fairway. The 4th tee has you standing on the edge of the turquoise waters of the Coral Coast for the first time and while the outlook is visually stunning, the hole that lies in front of you demands full attention. From the back pegs, this par-3 measures 190 metres and with three bunkers surrounding the green it is regarded by the locals as being the hardest short hole on the course. From the forward tees, most players can use a mid-iron to find the green and avoid the waste bunker that separates the hole from the ocean to the left, and the hazard lining the entire hole to the right.
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The tee of the par-5 5th hole offers the last panoramic ocean view for an hour or so as you make a long hill climb back to the clubhouse and onward towards a quartet of inland holes, which are laid out across the most dramatic landscape with large elevation changes coming into play. It is hard to believe you are even on the same course you have been playing for the first five holes as you stand on the tee at the par-5 6th, which is elevated about 60 metres above the start of the snaking fairway. The view all the way to the hole, nearly 500 metres away, is amazing with the strip-cut fairway turning right, passed a large bunker to the left, before veering back to the left as it climbs gently towards a wide green that lies in a natural amphitheatre created by large, deep, roughcovered hills. Regular players at Natadola might point to the 4th hole as the toughest par-3, but I beg to differ. The much shorter 7th is my pick as the most challenging and a far greater test of your club selection and ball-striking. It doesn’t matter which tee you play from here (164 metres, black, and 140 from the blue), there is no hiding from the task of trying get your ball onto the green here safely. The elevated tee offers a clear view of the wide but shallow putting surface, which is guarded by five deep bunkers short and features steep drop-offs from the fringe down into unplayable scrub. The ideal play to any hole
Even Natadola Bay’s shortest hole, the 15th, still packs a punch.
position is to aim right of the flag as the green slopes from right to left. Another elevated tee (about 80 metres above the fairway) awaits at the par-4 8th hole. From the blue markers a carry of 150 metres is needed to find the fairway that climbs steeply out of a valley. Looking across the landscape from this tee, it is easy to imagine you might be standing in the heart of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, not on the coast of a Fijian island. These inland holes are sheltered a little from the wind, which comes back into play after you cross back to the oceanside holes starting at the par-4 10th. One of the memorable holes is the downhill par-4 12th, which features a narrow fairway wedged between bunkers left and a rocky stream and lake to the right. It is just 267 metres from the blue markers, which will certainly entice the big-hitter, but the green, with the ocean as a backdrop, is a tough one to hold. Even tougher to hold, especially downwind, is the shortest of Natadola’s par-3s – the 113-metre 15th hole. With a wedge in hand on the elevated tee, the hole presents a genuine birdie opportunity but a poor shot is definitely penalised here. Just ask Newcastle professional Jake Higginbottom, who bogeyed here to lose a share of the lead in the final round of the inaugural Fiji International last year. Compared with the rest of Natadola’s greens, the putting surface at 15 is relatively small and is protected by six bunkers with the only ‘good’ place to miss being left of the green. Just like Jeffress, I love Natadola Bay. Yes, it’s tough but there isn’t a boring hole among the 18 … it’s a real thinking golfer’s course, while the rolling nature of the greens ensures you’ll have plenty of fun hitting
your approach shots into the right spots that feed the ball towards the hole. And then there are the enjoyable post-round discussions to be had on the balcony of the traditional Fijian-designed clubhouse, where you can sip a cool beverage overlooking the oceanside holes. It doesn’t get much better than that. After a few cold ones it was onto the shuttle bus for the five-minute ride to the adjoining InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, my luxurious base for a few days golf and relaxation. The five-star InterContinental is ideally located for the golfer looking to mix their rounds at Natadola with a round or two at either Denarau Golf & Racquet Club, 45 minutes’ drive north near Nadi, or The Pearl Course & Country Club, which is a scenic 90-minute drive towards the capital, Suva. Just after dawn on day two of my Fijian golf getaway, I pointed the hire car south on the single-lane highway known as Queens Rd, bound for Pacific Harbour and The Pearl South Pacific Resort, which is home to the course of the same name. Wedged between hills to the left and the ocean to the right, Queens Rd is a winding excursion that seems to only straighten when you reach one of the tiny villages scattered along the route. The local villagers, particularly the kids, will often give a wave and smile as you drive by. Pacific Harbour, which hugs a pretty stretch of beach coastline south of the Coral Coast, has gained a reputation in recent years as an adventure activity hub where you can dive with, or feed, the eight or nine species of sharks to be found off the coast here. There’s also game fishing, whitewater rafting and a flying fox experience where you get a different perspective zipping through the rainforest canopy at about
Beside the Natadola Bay course sits the luxurious InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa.
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Y R U X U L R O F E S A B Golfers
The Pearl’s par-3 2nd calls for a well-struck mid-iron.
60 kilometres an hour. While that all sounds exciting enough, I prefer to get my thrills from a cracking drive or holing a long birdie putt. With both those things in mind, I teed it up at The Pearl ready to discover a course that was built 40 years ago but few outside Fiji know much about. The Pearl was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr in one of his first major projects outside the United States and was originally called Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club. The layout was routed to incorporate a series of winding canals and several holes were cut through the edge of a tropical rainforest. The climate on this side of the main island is vastly different to what you will find at Nadi or Natadola. The annual rainfall is higher and, therefore, the grasses are always lush, offering little to no run so the 6,285 metres of this par-72 layout is almost all carry. I really liked Jones Jnr’s design here. Generally, the fairways are pretty wide but the way the greens and surrounding bunkers are laid out, there is really only one side of the fairway that offers the best approach shot. But then there are also a selection of holes where the fairways are like a sliver of short grass through almost impenetrable rainforest. One such hole is the 524-metre par-5 3rd hole, where accuracy from the tee is far more beneficial than bombing a long drive. The dogleg left fairway gradually widens the closer you get to the green, which features bunkers left, right and short, with dense rainforest (classed as a lateral water hazard) just beyond. The course has addressed issues with conditioning and presentation in recent times and has, according to some locals I spoke to, improved markedly. More money is being spent on the course and that can be easily seen in the quality of the playing surfaces, which I thought were pretty good. If you are thinking of staying in Pacific Harbour for more than one round, the resort at The Pearl offers an idyllic boutique escape. Set on one of Fiji’s longest beaches, The Pearl has penthouse suites, ocean
Avoiding the forest and the sand is part of the test on The Pearl’s long par-5 3rd hole.
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Nestled among 35 acres of tropical gardens, the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa is located on the picturesque Natadola Bay, which boasts one of the best beaches in the world. And for golfers, it doesn’t get any better than basing yourself here for a few days or a week, as a complimentary shuttle links the neighbouring Natadola Bay golf course with the resort. Even though there are several resorts within easy reach of the Natadola course, the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa is the closest and best on the Coral Coast, offering all the things you could possibly want in a golf holiday. The rooms (there are 271 of them) are very comfortable with terraces or balconies to relax on a day bed or in the private ‘Cleopatra’ bath. Dining options are plentiful with five restaurants and bars offering casual meals to exquisite fine dining.
Having a dip after a round? There are two main pools, with an adultsonly infinity pool overlooking Natadola Beach and an expansive family pool wedged between the Toba Bar and Grill and rows of bures. If you’re after some peace and quiet as well as a view for your swim, there is the infinity pool at the hilltop Club InterContinental. Staying in the luxurious Club InterContinental suites is like staying at a different resort. The club has its own lounge, which overlooks the infinity pool and affords spectacular views over the rest of the resort and the bay. The suite I stayed in had a large outdoor living area with a Cleopatra bath, which was great to soak in after sweating it out on the course. The quality of the resort was recognised at the World Travel awards in Dubai in 2013, when it was named Australasia’s Leading Golf Resort. Next month the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa will be abuzz with many of the professional golfers competing in the $1 million Fiji International tournament staying at resort. For more information about the resort or to book, visit the website fiji.intercontinental.com
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clockwise from above: Wide
fairways and expansive greens are a feature at Denarau; The final approach to the par-5 14th hole; Hole with a view, the par-4 15th; Plenty of bunkers to contend with on the short par-4 16th hole.
view rooms and garden view rooms as well as two restaurants and four bars. After my morning round at The Pearl and a leisurely drive back to the InterContinental Fiji, there was still six hours of daylight left in the day, which left me with a conundrum – do I go for a swim in the infinity pool overlooking the beach or should I saddle up for another round at Natadola? I couldn’t decide so I did both and was still back at the InterContinental’s Kama Lounge in time for happy hour drinks watching the sunset. An early start to day three had me back on the road again, this time heading north towards Nadi and Denarau Golf & Racquet Club, which has undergone a drastic improvement in recent years. I played the course during my second visit to Fiji in 2010 and was disappointed at the poor presentation and surprised to learn later that the course had actually improved from what it was a few years earlier. The ‘green’ hub of the Denarau Island masterplan of eight resorts and an equal number of residential communities was, in a word, ordinary. The club’s general manager now is David Roche, a former PGA of Australia professional, who has formerly worked as the manager at Natadola Bay as well as the head pro at Eynesbury in Victoria, and Capricorn International in Queensland. He assured me before booking my trip that the course had improved even more and I should come back for a game. As I was to soon to discover, ‘Rochey’ wasn’t simply spinning a yarn … Denarau was in great shape. In fact, the
transformation from what was dished up five years ago to now was astounding. Course superintendent David Brennan has overseen the improvements, much of which have been devoted to attaining and keeping a consistently higher standard of tee, fairway and green presentation. He is now aiming to take Denarau to the next level by converting all the putting surfaces from Bermuda 328 to the hardier paspalum, which has worked so well at Natadola. Denarau opened for play in 1993 after three years of construction that saw the course rise out of a lowlying mangrove swamp. Designed by little-known Japanese golf course construction company president Ichi Motohashi, the development called for more than two million cubic metres of fill to elevate the site, while more than 8,500 mature trees and shrubs were transplanted. But the big talking point of Motohashi’s creation was the design of the bunkers, with some crafted into the shape of an octopus, sea shells and fish. Most of these novelty bunkers have been rebuilt over the years, while others are not as clearly defined as they were two decades ago. Denarau is a flat course and it is not too demanding with wide fairways and thin rough. But it does flex its muscle in terms of length. The par-72 is 6,513 metres from the tips, so I would suggest moving forward to the gold tees (6,109 metres) or even the silver (5,780 metres) if you’re a mid to high handicapper … after all you’re on holiday and want to enjoy yourself.
Denarau was in great shape. The transformation from what was dished up five years ago to now was astounding.
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REMARKABLY WORLD CLASS
Present this page when you are at Natadola and receive a 10% discount on your green fees
UNMISTAKABLY FIJIAN A stunning 18 hole championship layout comparable with the finest the South Pacific has to offer. NATADOLA BAY is Fijis premier golf course boasting a genuine five star facility and brought to life by local hospitality.NATADOLA BAY has always had one of the best beaches in the world. It now has a golf course to match. And it’s unmistakably Fijian.
WORLD CLASS GOLF The par 72, Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course measures 6566 metres from the championship tees and is a journey through the stunning Fijian landscape revealing a showcase of Viti Levu’s topographic diversity and its breathtaking views across the magnificent Coral Coast. Natadola Bay is complemented by the facilities and services expected from a world class golf course of this nature.
VATU LO BAR AND RESTAURANT Vatu Lo Bar and Restaurant captures all that Fiji is famous for, great food, refreshing cocktails, and spectacular views alongside our warm Fijian hospitality. The stunning South-Pacific inspired clubhouse, with its high cedar shingle roof and open air feel, removes any doubt that you are on holiday in a very special part of the world.
Natadola Bay is a comfortable 45 minute drive south from the Nadi International Airport and Denarau Island. CONTACT DETAILS Maro Road, Natadola, Sigatoka Viti Levu, Fiji Islands Tel (+679)673 3500 Fax (+679)6733501 Email info@natadolabay.com Web www.natadolabay.com
There’s no room for wayward hitting on Laucala’s par-4 3rd hole.
But Denarau is not all about brute strength and long hitting. There is a subtlety of design on some of the shorter holes that demands sensible shot options from the tee. The 306-metre par-4 2nd is a case in point, where you might normally just reach for the driver but some hazard stakes off in the distance suggest moving forward with caution. With water all down the left of the fairway and short of the green, it is far smarter to play a long iron or fairway wood to the right half of the short grass and leaving a short iron into the huge green. Denarau is all about angles, both from the tee and to the green. Playing every bit of its length, the test is to ensure your drives on the dogleg holes hug the inside ‘racing line’ to avoid significantly longer approach shots. While there doesn’t seem that many fairway bunkers out there when you’re playing, you will face your fair share of sand shots into greens, which suggests the strategy of this design is quite good. For mine Denarau’s inward half is the better of the two nines purely due to the greater variety of memorable holes. Arguably the best of them is the long par-4 15th hole – the course’s signature hole – which brings the ocean into view for the only time during the round. With fairway bunkers to the right and dropping coconut palms ringing the large green set against an ocean backdrop, you will enjoy the 400-metre excursion from tee to green no matter how good or bad you hit the ball. The much-improved Denarau hits the mark for the holidaying golfer. While the golfing connoisseur might make Natadola Bay his first stop, he or she will surely find time to get a round in at Denarau as well because this is a fun layout for players of all standards. The course is owned by Starwood Resorts, which operates three Denarau resorts including the Sheraton Fiji Resort. Staying there gives you access to all three Sheraton and Westin Resorts. Each of the 264 left: Laucala
rooms at the Sheraton Fiji hotel features a balcony or patio offering lush tropical garden or ocean views, while the family suites come with or without plunge pools, perfect for larger families, and a deck overlooking the resort’s tropical landscaped gardens. The integrated five-star resort complex is not only within walking distance of the Denarau course but it’s just 20 minutes from the airport, which means you can always sneak in a round shortly after you arrive, or just before you head home. After my round I was airport bound, but home would have to wait. I had a private plane waiting to take me to Laucala Island (pronounced La-thala) – the 3,500-acre exclusive resort island owned by Austrian Red Bull billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz. The island’s King Air B200 – a six-seater with plenty of leg room – takes 50 minutes to reach the easternmost island in the Fijian archipelago, with the narrow airstrip clearing proving a welcome sight for this nervous flyer. In reality, Laucala’s private airport can operate day or night and is quite capable of accepting private jets. Just hours before my arrival, a jet carrying four Augusta National Golf Club members direct from the United States touched down on the island. Even standing on the edge of the airport runway, with a dozen employees singing a traditional Fijian greeting and the sun setting in the distance, the beauty of the place was indisputable. American millionaire Malcolm Forbes once owned Laucala and despite all his material wealth, the only possession he could not part with was his island. When the flamboyant Forbes died in 1990 he was buried on Laucala. It’s no wonder Forbes didn’t want to leave, as Laucala could well be heaven on earth.
Island ... postcard stuff. bottom & right: Kidd’s design is through an old coconut plantation, which is evident on the 2nd hole.
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Down by the sea: Laucala’s tempting short par-4 10th hole.
Steep mountains offer views over turquoise bays, while subtropical forests are filled with the songs of birds, some native only to Laucala like the Orange Dove. There are exotic flowers, freshwater springs and a dozen beaches scattered around the edges of this beautiful place, which is protected from the sea by a distant coral reef. If not heaven, could this be Shangri-La? Mateschitz bought the island from the Forbes family in 2003 for US$10 million and insisted all he wanted was a private getaway for himself and his friends and he would protect Laucala’s natural beauty and environment at all costs. He was true to his word. Only a fraction of the north end of the island is inhabited, with 25 luxurious villas scattered throughout. The resort is so sparse and the numbers of guests so small, you feel like you have the island to yourself. The aforementioned golfers from Augusta were on the island for 36 hours and I didn’t see them once. Mateschitz has aimed at the island becoming totally self-sufficient, while minimising the impact on the island’s environment. There is a 240-acre farm with free-range pigs, cattle, chickens, quails and there are plans for Wagyu beef. There’s an extensive herb garden as well as three huge hydroponic greenhouses, where vegetables are nurtured through to maturity. Almost 80 percent of the six-star cuisine served at the five restaurants comes from the Laucala farm, while the seafood is caught in local waters daily. Minimising man’s impact here was also of vital importance in building the golf course. Scottish designer David McLay Kidd was commissioned to create the layout and was told to cut down as few trees as possible within an old coconut plantation area. Kidd’s main tool while staking out the routing of the hilly course was a machete, which gives you an idea of what covered
the landscape before the par-72 was completed, along with the resort, and opened for guests in 2009. After feasting on the most extravagant and delicious continental breakfast ever – one that included a mini steak tartare with half a boiled quail’s egg nestled on top, among the selection of treats – I jumped into my personal golf cart and headed for the course, five minutes’ drive away. My playing partner for the round was former touring pro Tony Christie. The New Zealander, who played for many years on the Australasian, Asian and European Tours, has been the resident professional at Laucala since it opened. He has hosted rounds for plenty of celebrities and notable sportspeople in that time, but he’s not naming any names. Kidd’s creation twists and turns over the dramatically changing landscape for the first half dozen holes, before turning towards the sea on the par-5 8th hole. The green here is perched on the edge of a headland just beyond a vast mown area where the 8th fairway and the 9th hole intersect. The crossover aspect of the design is different and given the lack of golf ‘traffic’, it doesn’t present a playing problem at all. With putts holed for a pair of pars on the 9th green, Tony ushers me down a narrow garden path to a small cabana overlooking the ocean where we wash down a selection of delicious gourmet sandwich quarters with iced tea. Refreshed, we take on the most scenic and, for mine, the most enjoyable stretch of the course.
WHERE TO PLAY NATADOLA BAY Maro Rd, Natadola + 679 673 3500 www.natadolabay.com
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THE PEARL C&CC Queens Rd, Pacific Harbour + 679 368 0644 www.thepearlsouthpacific.com
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LAUCALA ISLAND (above) Laucala Island + 679 888 0077 www.laucala.com
DENARAU GOLF & RACQUET CLUB Resort Drive, Denarau Island + 679 675 0477 www.sheratonfiji.com/denarau-golf-racquet-club
FIJIAN GOLF HOLIDAYS To help plan your Fijian golf holiday, where are some packages being offered through the Qantas Golf Club.
DENARAU GOLF PACKAGE (5 days / 4 nights) • • • • •
Four nights at the Sheraton Fiji Resort Breakfast daily Two rounds at Denarau Golf & Racquet Club, inc shared cart South Sea Island Day Cruise Return airport transfers
CORAL COAST GOLF & SPA ESCAPE (5 days / 4 nights) • • • • •
Four nights at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa Breakfast daily Three days’ unlimited golf at Natadola Bay, inc.shared cart Sixty-minute Fijian massage per person Return airport transfers
EAST COAST PREMIUM GOLF (7 days / 6 nights) The elevated tee of the 272-metre 10th runs along the edge of the ocean, with a tidal inlet cutting the hole in two. Big hitters will certainly be tempted to take on the water and avoid the four large bunkers protecting the angled green. The long dogleg right par-4 11th leads away from the shoreline, heading gradually uphill to a relatively small green that is receptive to only the best-struck approach shots. As we drive through the thick forest to the 12th tee, Tony brakes suddenly. “Did you hear that?” he whispers. Then he’s off … out of the cart and looking skyward through the canopy. “There it is,” he says, urging me to focus on a tree branch some five metres above. It’s an Orange Dove, and Tony assures me it’s a rare moment for any visitor to spot one of these vividly coloured birds. Tony seems inspired by his bird-watching fortune as he pumps a drive down the left side of the 12th fairway, putting him within reach of the green on this downhill 471-metre par-5. I tag along doing my best, which involves a couple of straight shots followed by a shocker into the bunker that surrounds most of the green to the right and is an extension of the beach beyond. My double-bogey to Tony’s birdie ensured the local man would certainly keep the cash on this occasion. After the round, I jumped back in my cart for the picturesque drive back to my beachside villa. I could have spent the afternoon fishing, biking, horseback riding, water skiing, jetskiing, sailing or snorkelling. Instead I chose to lounge around my villa, one of only 25 on the property. Here’s why. Built in a traditional Fijian style with thatched roofs and huge wooden beams tied together with elaborate patterns of ropes, my villa (named Rurugu) had a large bedroom with a sitting area, lounge, dressing room and a massive bathroom featuring a bath carved entirely from a single tree trunk. Outside, there was a large private pool, two cabanas and an outdoor bathroom with a deep marble bath tub and shower. No more than 40 metres from the folding doors leading out of the bedroom to the pool’s edge was the powdery white beach. Not surprisingly, a stay on Laucala Island doesn’t come cheap. The rates for a one-bedroom villa start from $7,460 per night, which is all inclusive – from the Red Bulls in the mini-fridge to all the activities, including a spa treatment, meals, most drinks and golf. There is an extra cost if you want to experience the underwater beauty surrounding the island without getting wet in Mateschitz’s Super Falcon submarine. Also, air transfers from Nadi are an extra US$600 per person. Laucala is not for the bargain traveller. If you yearn for five-star and beyond and can afford it, this is your cup of tea. Even just a few days here will give you memories to last a lifetime, and you can’t put a price on those.
• • • • • • •
Three nights at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa Three nights at Nanuka Luxury Resort Breakfast daily Two rounds of golf at Natadola Bay, inc. shared cart One round at The Pearl Course & Country Club All-inclusive meal package at Nanuku Return airport transfers
INTERCONTINENTAL & LUXURY ISLAND ESCAPE (8 days / 7 nights) • • • • • • • •
Three nights at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa Breakfast daily Two rounds of golf at Natadola Bay, including shared cart Four nights on a choice of luxury island resorts (Vomo Island or Qamea Island) Breakfast daily Welcome drink on arrival Non-motorised sports and several activities Return airport and island transfers
For more details, visit qantasgolfclub.com/fiji BOOK any Fijian holiday package+ before October 20, 2015, to earn 10,000 BONUS QANTAS POINTS*. DISCLAIMER +Golf holiday packages are offered by Golfer Escapes Pty Ltd (ABN 36 093 86 756) and are subject to the Golfer Escapes terms and conditions, available at www.qantasgolfclub.com/holiday-packages-terms. All packages are subject to availability and may be withdrawn without notice. An additional 2% fee applies to credit card payments. Package cancellation and changes fees apply. Please check all prices, package inclusions, availability and other information with Golfer Escapes before booking. * Receive 10,000 bonus Qantas Points for any Fijian holiday booking made between 1 September - 20 October 2015. A maximum of one 10,000 bonus points offer is available per booking. To be eligible for this offer, booking must be made and a deposit received by 20 October 2015. All travel must be completed by 31 May 2016. Qantas Golf Travel can assist with the booking of airfares. Qantas reserves the right to withdraw or extend this offer at any time. This offer is not transferrable and not available in conjunction with any other offer. Allow up to 6 weeks after the booking has been confirmed for Qantas Points to appear in your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. By confirming your booking, you are also agreeing to the Qantas Golf Club terms and conditions, available at www.qantasgolfclub.com/terms-and-conditions.