http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/ Your Guide to Golf Travel en david@oxygensolutions.co.uk Copyright 2012 2012-03-11T16:37:44+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/son_caliu/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/son_caliu/#When:16:37:44Z As soon as you enter into Son Caliu Hotel Spa Oasis you will understand why we call ourselves “Mallorca’s friendliest hotel”, to the very best of our abilities, our extensive facilities and amenities, as well as the attentive service of our staff, who are all dedicated to giving you the holiday you deserve. Situated in a small cove with a secluded beach and surrounded by mature sub-tropical gardens, only a very short distance from Puerto Portals, Mallorca’s most exclusive yacht marina, and cconveniently located 12 kms from Palma. The Hotel has 177 elegantly decorated double rooms, 36 Superior double rooms, 4 communicating Family rooms and 4 Suites. In addition, 29 fully- equipped one bedroom apartments with a superb sea view. Comfortable lounges, bar and card room offer a variety of settings in which to relax. Our restaurant offers excellent international and national dishes. Other facilities within the hotel include a British Lounge with Wi-Fi Internet access, as well as a Golf room to keep personal accessories. For those who enjoy being active and sports on holiday, the hotel also offers a wide range of possibilities like free tennis courts, a well equipped fitness gym, one indoor pool and an outdoor pool by the beach. Over the years Son Caliu has established it’s self as one of the most popular hotels amongst golfers, who can enjoy up to a 10% reduction in Green Fees on most of the golf courses on the island. Our golf professionals are able to book tee time well in advance. Work and pleasure is the perfect combination to make your event successful. For seminars and meetings the hotel offers 5 Wi-Fi conference rooms complete with audio-visual equipment and capacity from 10 to 280 people. Our Spa Center “Oasis” built on 1.100 square meters, will offer an extensive range of health, relaxation, wellness, sports facilities, as well as Mediterranean gastronomy. The hotel guests will have free access to the thermal circuit which will include eight treatment cabins: experience shower, whirlpool, sauna, traditional steam bath, laconium, ice fountain, Turkish bath and relaxation area with heated waterbeds. The beauty center will offer a wide range of treatments with 100% natural products, as well as offering courses for Qi Gong, Yoga and Pilates, Aqua Gym, anti-cellulite treatments and personal workout programs. be our guest and enjoy.... Spain 2012-03-11T16:37:44+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/favourite_courses/article/louis_oosthuizens_favourite_courses/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/favourite_courses/article/louis_oosthuizens_favourite_courses/#When:03:16:45Z The one thing everybody notices about the 2010 Open champion, South African Lodewicus Theodorus Oosthuizen – or Louis to his chums – is his cheerful demeanour. He always seems to be displaying that unique, gap-toothed smile. So it’s little surprise to learn that one of the courses which always puts that smile on his face is where he won the Open: The Old Course at St Andrews. He said: “Just to walk on the same ground as all the greats of the game and to play the same holes is so special. It’s holy ground. I love walking around the town, too, with all the old pubs and golf shops. It’s a unique place.  “Winning the Open at the home of golf was so special. I played with my brother there at the Dunhill Links last year and showed him where I hit it on 14 and 17 and pointed out some of the putts I had to make. That was fun to share with him. “I pointed out the Jigger Inn by the 17th. It was chaos in there after I won. I didn’t want to drink champagne out of the Claret Jug, because, you know, it’s the Claret Jug! But my friends made me.”   He added: “I love the par-three 11th. It’s one of my favourite holes. I think I was one-over for the four rounds when I won the Open. The misses on the right end up having 70, 80-foot putts for birdie. If you go a bit left, you’re in the deep bunkers. So you just have to get it spot on. And it’s always windy there so judging distance is tricky. It is one of those holes where you can easily make a double bogey.  “It’s been great to see the Claret Jug in my house. It’s incredible to see my name on there with all the other South Africans: Bobby Locke, Mr (Gary) Player and Ernie (Els). And Seve, Faldo, Nicklaus, Palmer, Watson and all the way back to the old names like Old Tom Morris, JH Taylor and James Braid. My father put a sign up on the entrance to the farm. It says ‘Home of the Claret Jug’. Now I’ll always love the Old Course even more,” he smiled. Oosthuizen, who turns 30 later this year, is also a big fan of another renowned Major venue, the home of the US Masters: Augusta National. He recalled: “I watched the Masters so many times late at night on TV growing up in South Africa. It used to start at about 10pm. Seeing the players drive up Magnolia Lane, watching them walk over the bridge at the 12th and seeing Amen Corner. Everything was so beautiful. It looked incredible on TV. It’s amazing to be able to see it for myself now and to play Augusta with all those great champions and its history.  “It shocked me how fast the greens really are. I’m used to playing on tough fast greens but it was frightening to experience just how fast they are. You can really leave yourself with some slippery ones. You might have a putt that you know you’re not going to get within six or eight feet of the hole – and you’ve got to get your head around that.  “You have to hole some difficult putts for par. It’s all about where you position yourself after your second shot. You can leave yourself in an incredible spot where it might be a good three-putt.  “You need to play as many rounds as you can to get used to it. I played a few practice rounds on my first visit in 2009 to get all the shock and awe out of my system. I played with Trevor Immelman and Mr Player. It was great to get tips from former champions about course management and where to be and where not to be – especially on those greens!” His third choice is much closer to home – indeed it’s in his home country of South Africa: Leopard Creek. He said: “The Kruger National Park is just across the Crocodile River. The views are incredible. They opened up the view from the 13th green and you can watch the wildlife such as giraffes as you wait to putt. There are crocodiles in the pond around the ninth and 18th greens and you can sometimes see elephants and hippos from the fourth, which is way up high looking down over the river and the Kruger Park.  “I played it for the first time in 2002 when I was 20 and loved it straight away. My record there is not great but I just love being there. The aim of Mr Player’s design (tweaked by Jack Nicklaus) was to make the course fun for professionals and amateurs and it works. The greens are receptive and you can set up a lot of birdie chances. It’s a great iconic South African course. It’s my number one home course.” Louis Oosthuizen was talking to Going for Golf’s Paul Mahoney 2012-02-28T03:16:45+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/hammock_beach/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/hammock_beach/#When:02:43:57Z About an hour’s drive south towards Daytona Beach is Hammock Beach Resort, in Palm Coast – a vast network of hotels, condominiums and residential apartments which resembles a brand new city in the making. The jewel in this high-rise crown is the Nicklaus-designed Ocean Hammock – ranked as one of Florida’s top five courses – an oceanfront course that features indigenous forest and wetlands, coastal dune formations and the Atlantic Ocean itself as a panoramic backdrop. The course concludes with a thrilling finale dubbed “The Bear Claw” – a collection of four daunting holes precariously edging the sweeping coastline.  Tom Watson’s Conservatory Course is the longest in the state and is highlighted by waterfalls, babbling brooks and stone-work. To the 140 sand and coquina bunkers, Watson also added three sod-faced bunkers, a nod to his affinity for British links-style golf. Golf Digest, in its January 2008 issue, ranked the Conservatory third on its elite list of America’s best new public courses. Add in a rejuvenating resort spa and a host of other recreational amenities and it’s easy to see why guests return year after year. Like Reunion and Innisbrook, Hammock Beach is managed by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, which has branded the group as the Grand Resorts of Florida, and created a Legends of Golf Trail including the collection’s nine courses. Wherever you go in Florida, there will be courses to suit both the standard of your game and the width of your wallet. Green fees start at $30 but can be as high as $250, though most are pitched between $60 and $120. Lessons are easy to book at clubs while the hire of clubs and shoes is usually inexpensive. However, it should be remembered that most courses will require you to hire a buggy, thus adding a minimum of $20 to your outlay. In addition, most shopping malls have a golf store where clubs can be snapped up at around two thirds of the price on this side of the Atlantic. You won’t find Tiger Woods bargain-hunting in the aisles, but if golf in Florida is good enough for him then it should suit the rest of us. USA 2012-02-28T02:43:57+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/innisbrook/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/innisbrook/#When:02:43:33Z   For those in search of something a little more ‘high-end’, though, the Innisbrook Resort, at Palm Harbor on the Gulf of Mexico, has four Larry Packard-designed layouts, one of which, the Copperhead, has staged the Transitions Championship on the PGA Tour since 2000. With its tree-lined fairways and rolling terrain, Copperhead challenges even the longest hitters at more than 7,300 yards. Its surrounding lakes and ponds are home to abundant wildlife, including fox squirrels, bald eagles, alligators, blue herons, and numerous water fowl. A particular favourite with many tour pros, most notably Paul Azinger and Curtis Strange, Copperhead provides the opportunity to enjoy golf just as nature intended. The other three 18-hole layouts at Innisbrook are not to be sneezed at either. The shorter North and South courses are a delight to play while the Island has staged LPGA Legends Tour events. With tight fairways, intimidating water hazards, abundant bunkers, and extraordinary elevation changes, the newly renovated and lengthened Island is considered by many to be as equally demanding as Copperhead.  The extraordinarily picturesque 7,310-yard course has played host to numerous US Open qualifiers and has also been ranked among the country’s top 50 resort courses by Golf Digest.  The Island’s first six holes are bordered by the beautiful Lake Innisbrook and lateral water hazards that require pinpoint accuracy on tee shots and approaches. The middle six holes feature rolling hills dominated by cypress and pine trees. The final third of this course boasts a mixture of holes designed to reward the bold and penalize the errant golf shot.  The comprehensive Innisbrook resort sits in 900 wooded acres of rolling hills and 70 acres of lakes on Florida’s Gulf Coast and offers 608 suites and rooms; four restaurants and three bars; 11 tennis courts; the Indaba Spa with 12 treatment rooms and fitness centre; six heated swimming pool complexes; and a nature reserve. The north-east is not as well trodden by British golfers even though TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) near Ponte Vedra Beach is probably Florida’s most famous course by dint of staging the annual Players Championship, the unofficial fifth Major in the men’s game. Not far away, just outside St Augustine, is the World Golf Village, a monument to American sporting ambition with its very own Hall of Fame – a stunning high-tech showcase of golf memorabilia, literature and art.    USA 2012-02-28T02:43:33+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/reunion/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/reunion/#When:02:43:02Z The most welcoming of Orlando’s myriad golf destinations is perhaps Reunion Resort & Club – just six miles from Walt Disney World and less than 30 minutes from Orlando International Airport – which has three high-pedigree courses, designed by Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson no less. Innovatively routed on hilly, roller-coaster terrain, Palmer’s 6,916-yard signature course – which was included in Golfweek’s ‘top 100 resort courses’ in 2009 – has unusual elevation changes (up to 50ft in some places) and a lot of risk/reward shots. That varied menu of shot-making opportunities is further ensured by six tee locations on each hole, a variety of natural preserve areas, generously wide fairways and strategically placed bunkers. The parkland-style Nicklaus layout is smooth and flowing, with long horizon lines and elevated tee boxes and greens. Yet this signature design, measuring 7,244 yards off the tips, is as deceptive as it is beautiful. Designed to tempt golfers into hitting risky shots with potentially big payoffs on almost every hole, it poses a continual challenge. Highlighted by fast, firm and wide rolling fairways and spacious green complexes, the 7,257-yard Watson course demands a strategic approach from every player regardless of skill level. The Reunion Resort is also home to the first and so far only Annika Sorenstam teaching academy, where guests can learn from the coaches who guided her illustrious career or from her sister, LPGA winner Charlotta Sorenstam. Accommodation at the resort is provided by luxury villas and houses in 10 different communities which also feature a wide variety of restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. On the western coast of the state, the cities of St Petersburg and Tampa are encouraging visiting golfers to stay for a few days and play a schedule of courses at discounted prices.  USA 2012-02-28T02:43:02+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/saint_endreol/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/saint_endreol/#When:02:37:54Z To stand on the elevated 13th tee at St Endréol is to rule the world. The view is the essence of Provence, with olive groves, stands of pine trees and mellow buildings folded into rich Mediterranean countryside. Look up – rarely advised on a golf course – and you will see the hills of the Rouet and the red sandstone of the Rocher de Roquebrune. Look down, way down, and you’ll see a lonely green almost surrounded by the River Endre. You don’t have to take a helicopter to get to the tee, as you do at the Extreme 19th at Legend in South Africa, but this is still one of the most memorable par-threes in golf. Think of the 14th at Phuket’s Blue Canyon or the 15th at Lemuria in the Seychelles. When it comes to spectacular drops, the 13th at St Endréol is right up there with the most precipitous.  The St Endréol estate, in the hills near Draguignan in the heart of the Var, is 30km north of St Tropez and 30km west of Cannes. The course was designed by Michel Gaydon, France’s undisputed amateur champion from 1975 to 1985 and now its most high-profile golf architect.  The fairways cut from the forest are impressive, but the hilly terrain makes for a number of blind shots. These inevitably bring lady luck into the equation so matchplay is the recommended competitive format for first timers. Only those who take pride in never using a buggy should consider walking here. With five possible pin positions on each green, ask for the flag of the day chart at the outset. The opening par-four is reassuringly gentle, but reality kicks in at the second, a dogleg with a nervy approach over one of two reservoir lakes. At this early point, it’s game on – and don’t expect it to get any easier. With a slope rating of 145 off the yellow tees, St Endréol is no pushover. Stand-out holes include the par-three eighth, a carry across the second lake, and the 14th, 15th and 16th which follow a bend in the river. The long par-four 17th is a worthy stroke index one, taking no prisoners at the start of the home stretch. And so to a clubhouse that gives great pleasure. The Roman well at the entrance may be the only genuine antique, but the two-storey building is Provence unadorned and all the better for it. With terracotta walls, red roof, green shutters and a door guarded by matched cypress trees, it is a place to linger, first over a beer on a terrace cooled by an ornamental pond, then over lunch in the Saint Endréol restaurant. No cuisine minceur and no stinting. This is robust country cooking, sustaining, affordable and deserving of a good rose from one of a dozen vineyards around the traditional village of La Motte down the road. Course and clubhouse celebrate their 20th birthday in August, but the St Endréol property portfolio has expanded considerably since 1992. The residential hotel, a seven-minute stroll through the forest from the clubhouse, is relatively new, dating from 2008. It has 50 bright contemporary rooms, each with a tiny kitchenette and a balcony, plus restaurant, pool and spa. Amenities include a Turkish bath, a counter current pool and a comprehensive list of treatments using Anne Semonin and Comfort Zone products.    The extensive real-estate operation also includes town-houses, villas and apartments, many of them privately owned but available to all through a rental pool. The town-houses have two or three bedrooms and private gardens with shaded terraces, while the free-standing villas have three, four or five bedrooms, gardens and private swimming pools. In what has been described as an on-site Provençal hamlet, all guests can use the swimming pool in their hamlet, and hotel guests may also use the spa – though it is extra for those in a villa, town-house or apartment. Although St Endréol would tease most golfers for at least a week, those looking for variety will find plenty of it within 30km: Terre Blanche – with its two fine Dave Thomas layouts; Harry Colt’s Cannes Mandelieu; Cannes Mougins, another period piece; Pete Dye’s Barbaroux; and, if you prefer American target golf, try Robert von Hagge’s super-chic Royal Mougins. Mind you, it’s worth exploring the region for reasons other than golf. A day swimming and shopping in St Tropez or St Raphaël is always enjoyable: the culturally inclined might combine it with a visit to the Roman amphitheatre and aqueduct in Fréjus. Closer to home, the hill town of Draguignan was named for a dragon that stalked pilgrims as they picked a trail through the marshes to the monastery at Lernins. This legendary reign of terror ended when the beast was slain by the hermit Hermentaire. It sounds as if he deserves the commemorative statue in the church of St Michel. No visit to France is complete without a bit of food tourism. Michelin honours abound on this elite coast – the regional landmark is Gérald Passédat’s three-star Le Petit Nice in Marseilles – but the towns and villages in the hills around St Endréol have their own only slightly less glittering goodies. Auberge Eric Maio, in Montauroux; Bruno, in Lorgues; Hostellerie les Gorges de Pennafort, in Callas; and Les Chênes Verts, in Tourtour, all deserve a mention in the one-star category. And, in an even more immediate catchment area, Lou Galoubet, in Draguignan, and L’Oustaou, in Flayosc, have Michelin-guaranteed quality menus for under €30. Bon appétit. France 2012-02-28T02:37:54+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/quinta_da_ria_quinta_da_cima1/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/quinta_da_ria_quinta_da_cima1/#When:01:53:21Z Still in the Eastern Algarve and tucked into the coastline, south of the main road (EN125), are two sisters: Quinta da Ria and Quinta de Cima. Although undoubtedly alike, they are sufficiently different to leave no excuse for confusing one with the other. They are, however, part of the same club and under the same management. Both were designed by the American architect William ‘Rocky’ Roquemore, who has shown considerable imagination and flair in creating such an appealing pair of coastal crackers. Opened in July 2002, Quinta de Cima is the slightly younger and, at nearly 7,000 yards, the significantly longer of the two. Although by no means flat, the terrain is gentle enough to make walking a pleasure and, although available, buggies are not really necessary. With so much sand on the glorious stretch of coastline, it’s hardly surprising that there are big bunches of bunkers. A pretty stream with a number of attractive waterfalls is a factor on three of the earlier holes and a couple of impressive lakes come into play as the round reaches its climax, most especially on the card-wrecking 18th. There are enough trees to provide interest and some of the olive trees qualify comfortably as super seniors. The longest established of these is reckoned to be around 850 years old and will have witnessed many historic moments, although nothing as strange, perhaps, as the sight of sunburned Englishmen trying to hit a three iron out of the rough. A quick straw poll of the members revealed Quinta de Cima to be the more popular of the two, which confirms that there is an undoubted masochistic streak running up the aching back of most golfers. Even more surprising is the fact that the club chooses to play its competitions on it, which leads one to suspect that the lake guarding the 18th green is only as full as it is because of all the tears shed by heartbroken competitors who have screwed up at the death. Right next door is Quinta da Ria, which is every bit as beautiful and enjoys rather better views of the Ria Formosa estuary and the gloriously sandy beaches. Environmental considerations have prevented the course from encroaching closer to the sea than 50 metres from the bluff above it. However, even though it’s not as precipitous as Acapulco, that’s close enough. There are a number of man-made lakes on half-a-dozen holes. These are home to a wonderful variety of waterfowl which undoubtedly add interest as well as noise and feathers. Portugal 2012-02-28T01:53:21+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/morgado_do_reguengo_resort/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/morgado_do_reguengo_resort/#When:01:52:54Z Another fairly recent development containing two top-quality courses is the Morgado do Reguengo Resort. Just to the north of the seaside town of Portimão, the resort is vast and occupies nearly 1,000 hectares of undulating valley alongside the Monchique Mountains. CS Morgado Golf, the first course, opened early in 2003. More than 7,000 yards off the tips, it’s a game of two halves, with the front nine lulling you into a false sense of security before the tough par-fours on the hillier inward half wreck your card. Even a standard scratch of 73 probably won’t rescue your hopes of playing to your handicap, especially as the large greens will almost inevitably result in some three putts. CS Álamos Golf, the second course, opened half-a-dozen years ago and has rapidly grown in popularity. It complements its sister perfectly with tighter fairways, fewer bunkers and smaller greens. It also boasts a couple of sizeable lakes which enhance its considerable visual appeal. With fabulous panoramic views over the two courses and surrounding countryside, the south terrace of the clubhouse is a great place to relax after the round. Portugal 2012-02-28T01:52:54+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/oceanico_old/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/oceanico_old/#When:01:52:53Z The name may have changed twice, from Vilamoura to Vilamoura Old to Oceanico Old, but the beauty and appeal of the great Frank Pennink layout in the heart of Vilamoura endures. Although it has been remodelled and lengthened since it opened about 40 years ago, the original features and natural contours are still very much in evidence and it retains an enchanting parkland atmosphere. Rightly regarded as the Grande Dame of the Algarve, it has hosted the Portuguese Open and a number of other important tournaments. For the less accomplished players, the imposing umbrella pines, which divide one fairway from the next, present a substantial problem but the walk is fairly gentle and, although you can’t see the sea, the views are delightful. Portugal 2012-02-28T01:52:53+00:00 http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/san_lorenzo/ http://www.goingforgolf.com/courses_and_resorts/listing/san_lorenzo/#When:01:52:36Z On the western side of the Ria Formosa right in the middle of a magical nature reserve lies the simply stunning San Lorenzo. Regarded by many as the finest course in Portugal and one of the best in Europe, it really is extraordinarily pretty and the holes, particularly those that run alongside the estuary, are quite breathtakingly beautiful. But with many elevated tees, tight-ish fairways and an abundance of water, it’s certainly not easy. The opening holes stretch across typical Algarve coastal terrain – slightly undulating and with plenty of pine trees. Alongside the rolling fairways are a number of impressive properties. Whoever took the brave decision that the golf course should run down to the water and golfers, rather than villa owners, should enjoy the best views, is to be congratulated. Regardless of how you play, you can’t fail to enjoy the scenery. The only unwelcome distraction will come from the aircraft flying in and out of nearby Faro airport. Portugal 2012-02-28T01:52:36+00:00