» Advertiser login

Costa del Sol golf holiday to beat the winter blues

January 27th, 2012

It may be the mildest winter in UK recorded history but mild or not a cold, wet January day in England doesn’t come close to matching the attraction of a Spanish or Portuguese golf holiday. Unsurprisingly you might be heard to utter!

But where to go?

There is much talk of how the Algarve has been forced to reduce its prices to attract customers. Bars, restaurants and golf courses all noticeably cheaper (and emptier) than last year (interestingly a survey by The Post Office Travel Money has seen the Algarve move from 10th to 1st in the list of value for money from UK popular holiday destinations). But to my mind, as good as it is, it still comes a close second to the Spanish Costa del Sol. Here the golf and après golf is just that bit more varied and that bit cheaper.

So, it’s a Costa del Sol golf holiday for me…

Accommodation was easy I perused the myriad Costa del Sol golf villas available at PackYourClubs.com and decided on a villa just down the coast from Fuengirola (I was tempted by golf accommodation actually on the golf resorts but decided to be ‘in the midst of it’).

Getting there was easy, British Airways flight was cheap and civilised, but why oh why do they have that very, very annoying policy of NO REFUND UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Charge me an exorbitant admin fee, but don’t just say NO, it’s annoying.

Golf was fantastic, an opening round on the Europa Course at La Cala Golf Resort where I scored an impressive (and handicap reducing) 39 Stableford Points was followed by a few beers on the superb terrace of the golf clubhouse overlooking the Asia Course. Then the next day I failed to do justice to beautiful course at the Santana Golf & Country Club, but my ‘skill’ (lots of unfair mutterings about luck) returned for a final round at Mijas Golf Club (another beauty of a course).

A short break but good company, superb courses, great off-course fun and sun on your back into the bargain. In the immortal words of Arnie – I’ll Be Back…

Posted in Golf holidays in Spain | No Comments »

January Golf Holidays in Portugal, sun, sea, golf…

December 30th, 2011

It’s December 30th and the 7 day weather forecast for Portugal is sunny skies, a balmy 18c and a light 4mph breeze from the east. Now is that perfect for golf holidays or what!

For many Golf holidays in Portugal means the Algarve, the 90 mile long coastline along the southern edge of Portugal with its laid-back appeal, beautiful beaches, fishing villages, history, charm and some of the most iconic golf courses in the world, but for others Golf Holidays in Portugal means the Silver Coast, the coastal area around Lisbon, with its rugged coastline, ancient royal palaces and sophistication.

So, the sun is shining, the weather perfect, the people friendly and the range of available golf holiday accommodation simply vast. Why are you still here?

Take a look at Golf Holidays in the Algarve, book golf villas or a golf apartment and play the Sir Henry Cotton designed masterpiece the Penina Championship course, or perhaps Vale Do Lobo, twice the host of the Portuguese Open, maybe San Lorenzo, voted the 2nd best course in Europe, Vila Sol, twice venue for the Portuguese Open or the superb new Oceanico Amendoeira Golf Resort with the fantastic Christy O’Connor designed ‘Lakes’ Course and the equally stunning Nick Faldo designed ‘Hills’ Course.

Or perhaps you’d prefer the sophistication of a Golf Holiday on the Silver Coast with a luxury golf villa on one of the regions many fantastic golf courses. Perhaps the superb Robert Trent designed Penha Longa Atlantic Course, listed in the European Top 30 Golf Courses, the beautiful Arthur Hills designed Oitavos Dunes, ranked 88th in Golf Magazine’s World Top 100 Courses, the visually stunning coastal resort of Praia D’El Rey deservedly ranked 13th Best Course in Europe and 80th in the World. Wherever you choose, golf holidays here can be as laid-back or full-on as you choose. If you fancy leaving the luxury of your golf villa there’s plenty to see and do to make the golf holiday complete. Cascais and Estoril are popular spots offering shops, bars, restaurants, casinos and nightlife in sophisticated surroundings, Lisbon itself is within easy reach and if you want a taste of the real Portugal head for Costa da Caparica or Sesimbra.

Whether you choose Golf Holidays Algarve or Golf Holidays Silver Coast, Golf Holidays in Portugal are simply fantastic and PackYourClubs.com offers the best range of golf accommodation on the web, with a superb range of golf villas, golf apartments and golf accommodation available at ‘direct from the owner’ prices.

To recap, sunny skies, a balmy 18c, light breeze, fantastic golf courses and vast range of available golf accommodation. Searching for flights yet?

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Golf holidays in Portugal | No Comments »

Golf holidays in Spain on the Costa del Sol / Costa del Golf

December 2nd, 2011

The Costa del Sol, alternatively know as the Costa del Golf, is the beautiful 100 mile stretch of Mediterranean coastline centred around Malaga in southern Spain. This area is generally considered to be Spain’s premier golf holiday destination, a claim supported by it being named “Europe’s Established Golf Destination of the Year for 2009” in the IAGTO Awards.

Golf holidays in Spain don’t get any better than this. The availability of golf holiday accommodation on the Costa del Sol is simply vast with a range of golf villas and golf apartments to rival anywhere in the world and, as you would expect the golf here is simply fantastic. This 100 mile stretch of Mediterranean coastline offers over 60 Costa del Sol golf courses, ranging from pleasant local tracks to world class courses; no less than nine of which were designed by Robert Trent Jones senior, that doyen of golf course architects.

In the south there is Valderrama, one of five golf courses on the fantastic 6,000 acre Sotogrande estate. Whilst Valdarrama is generally considered the star of the area (recently voted “Europe’s Third Best Golf Course” by Golf World) it is given a good run for its money by other super local golf courses like its exclusive next door neighbour San Roque or Alcaidesa, the picturesque coastal Links course perched above a sweeping beach and offering fantastic views of the Rock of Gibralter.

Slightly further north, around Estepona, you have the absolutely fabulous Finca Cortesin, the home of the Volvo World Matchplay Championship. Although it only opened in 2007 Finca Cortesin has quickly established itself as one of the best courses in Spain and at 7,438 yards from the back tees it is certainly one of the longest. Interestingly, Finca Cortesin was designed by Cabell B Robinson, a superb golf course architect in his own right and a man who worked as part of the senior design team at Valderrama under Robert Trent Jones senior.

From Mijas up to Marbella there is a cluster of courses including the two 1960s creations of Golf Rio Real and Santa Maria Golf & Country Club plus the beautiful parkland layout of the Santa Clara course.

In the aptly named “Golf Valley” by Marbella it would be hard to avoid the golf courses even if you wanted to. Here you find the undulating golf course at La Quinta Golf Club, the rolling layout at Los Naranjos (another Robert Trent Jones senior design), the lovely Guadalmina Golf Resort, plus the visually spectacular and challenging Monte Mayor Golf Course plus of course the Flamingos Golf Resort where the original course has been joined by the much longer, par-73, Gran Flamingo course and the Gary Player designed El Paraiso.

Between Marbella and the regional capital of Mallaga the golf continues apace with literally dozens of top quality golf courses scattered along the coast; Rio Real, Santa Clara Golf Club, Santa Maria Golf Club, Miraflores Golf Club, Calanova Golf Resort and the former Spanish Open venue Torrequebrada (this wonderful hilly course, with panoramic sea views is the home course of local legend and Spanish Ryder Cup star Miguel Angel Jimenez).

This part of the coast is also home to La Cala Golf Resort, Spain’s largest golf complex. This massive resort, stretched across 1,000 acres of rolling terrain 5 miles inland from the Mediterranean behind Fuengirola, offers thousands of residential units, a hotel, golf clubhouse complex, a David Leadbetter teaching academy and three championship length 18 hole golf courses. All three of the 18-hole courses at La Cala Golf Resort (Campo America, Campo Asia and Campo Europa) were designed by the renown American golf architect Cabell B Robinson (also the designer of Finca Cortesin Golf Resort). All three of the courses at La Cala were constructed to the same high quality standard but they each offer a markedly different golfing experience.

In summary, the Costa del Sol has earned its reputation as being the place for golf holidays in Spain and, wherever you choose to stay along this beautiful 100 mile stretch of Mediterranean coastline, you can be assured of easy access to multiple quality golf courses.

Check of PackYourClubs.com for the best range of golf holiday accommodation on the Costa del Sol.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Golf holidays in Spain | No Comments »

Denia, Costa Blanca for fantastic winter golf holidays

November 4th, 2011

How about Denia for that winter golf holiday in Spain?

Turn up the coast from Alicante, speed past Benidorm with your eye fixed firmly forward, and you come to the coastal city of Denia.

With its laid back style, beaches and beautiful backdrop courtesy of the Montgo Mountains Denia is certainly not on everyone’s radar for the perfect golf holiday but it certainly deserves to be considered.  The area offers everything required of a great holiday destination, relaxed atmosphere, restaurants, bars, shops, beautiful beaches, water sports, golf holiday villas and lots of sun, but Denia is also a great destination for golf holidays.

Denia itself offers the fantastic La Sella Golf Course. This championship length 18 hole track was designed by none other than Jose Maria Olazabal and laid out in the grounds of the 5* Denia Marriott Hotel.  With beautiful views of the surrounding countryside offered from many of its tree lined fairways La Sella Golf Club has been cleverly designed as a balanced course which will challenge the best whilst also offering an enjoyable round the less gifted player (you won’t score well but you’ll enjoy the experience!).

A short drive further up the coast brings you to another cracking golf course the Olive Nova Golf Course. A fantastic challenge designed by the legend of Spanish golf, Severiano Ballesteros. Whilst the area is naturally beautiful anyway Severiano certainly worked his magic by designing a course that will challenge any level of golfing expertise. Numerous lakes and wide inviting fairways provide a fantastic golfing challenge, a golfing challenge course which will not disappoint.

Then, once the golf is over, you can retire to the pool of your Golf villa with perhaps a BBQ in the garden or, for a change, Denia has over 20km of beautiful sandy beaches with a variety of bars and restaurants along the coast road to sate your thirst when you’re tired of sunning yourself.

All in all, it’s hard to see why Denia isn’t on the ‘1st choice’ list of more golf holiday makers.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Golf holidays in Spain | No Comments »

Counterfeit Euros: A Fast Track to Arrest and a Foreign Jail…

September 30th, 2011

The introduction of the Euro in 2002 proved itself an undoubted boon for holidaymakers – no more currency exchange at every border, no more nightmare of trying to convert Francs to Deutschemarks to Lira to Peseta and no more being left with £50 equivalent of coins and notes of multiple currencies on you return from holiday.  Fantastic!

Unfortunately, the Euro has also proved itself to be irresistible to counterfeiters.

Since as early as 2003 Police have issued various warnings that counterfeit Euro notes are in circulation on the continent and numerous entreaties to holidaymakers to take precautions and check that the notes they receive from other than banks are genuine. Check the notes you receive as change in taxis and restaurants was the cry.

Further, in July 2008, the European Central Bank (ECB) said that the amount of fake euro banknotes was on the rise, with the amount seized jumping more than 15% in the first six months of 2008. It said most were bogus €50 and €20 notes; although high quality €200 and €500 notes are also being made

However, despite all these warnings most British holidaymakers remain foolishly ignorant of even the most basic of tests to verify whether the notes they are being offered are genuine or counterfeit.

Unfortunately for these unwitting tourists, Europeans are very aware of how to check the validity of their own bank notes and are obliged to call the police when someone attempts to spend a counterfeit note.  As a consequence British holidaymakers are exposing themselves to the very real risk of being arrested when trying to spend their holiday money, charged with currency fraud and potentially prosecuted and invited to extend their holiday in a foreign jail (perhaps not the sun, sea and sand vacation they had planned!).

And it’s so unnecessary. A few simple checks is all it takes.

Spotting Counterfeit Euros

Whilst, in the interest of security, the exhaustive list of security features on the Euro is a closely-guarded secret, the ECB has described some of the more rudimentary security features of the euro note to enable the general public to authenticate their currency at a glance.

1.     Raised printing

The “BCE ECB EZB EKT EKP” characters in the top middle of the front of the note are raised to the touch.

2.     Watermark

The blank/uncoloured area on the left-hand side when looking at the front of a Euro note contains a watermark. Holding the note up to the light should reveal this watermark.

3.     See through number print registration

The value of the note in the upper-left corner on the front of the note is printed incompletely. When held up to the light the denomination (eg 5, 10, 20, 50 etc) is visible in its entirety (and is perfect ie looks like a perfect 5, 10, 20 etc).

4.     Security thread

Just like most bank notes of the world. All Euros contain a black magnetic thread in the middle of the note. This magnetic thread is only seen when held up to the light and (if your eyes are good enough) it shows the denomination of the note, along with the word “euro”.

5.     Hologram:

The €5, €10 and €20 notes carry a holographic band on the right side of the front of the note. This band is imprinted with the note’s denomination; e.g., “€5 €5 €5….” in the case of the €5 note.

In the case of the €50 notes and higher, the band is replaced with a holographic decal.

FEEL-LOOK-TILT:

In summary, there is no excuse, counterfeit Euro notes can easily be distinguished from genuine banknotes by using the FEEL-LOOK-TILT test:

  • Feel the raised print at the top of the front of the note.
  • Look at the banknote and hold it up to the light: the watermark, the security thread and the see-through number will then be visible. All three features can be seen from the front and back of genuine banknotes.
  • Tilt the banknote: on the front, you can see the shifting image on the hologram. On the back, you can see the glossy stripe (on the ¬5, ¬10 and ¬20 banknotes) or the colour-changing number (on the ¬50, ¬100, ¬200 and ¬500 banknotes).

So, for that happy relaxing golf holiday, get peace of mind by booking your golf holiday accommodation in Portugal or Spain direct via PackYourClubs.com and check every Euro note you are offered. It only takes a few seconds to check a banknote. If in doubt don’t accept it and ask for a replacement and threaten to call the police.

Tags: ,
Posted in Golfing Holiday | No Comments »

Self-Catering Golf Villa or Hotel, what’s best for your Golf Holiday?

July 17th, 2011

Golf Villa or Hotel, what’s best for your Golf Holiday?

No one can have missed the massive construction boom in golf holiday resort since the mid-90s.  Whilst there is variety, these golf holiday resorts all have a common theme – set within easy striking distance of the coast, with a top quality golf courses as the centrepiece (offering an oasis of green, a sense of peace and fantastic views) and offering numerous other leisure activities (swimming pools, tennis courts, football pitches, cycling paths, bars, shops and restaurants, plus a range of holiday accommodation to suit every requirement (budget golf apartments, stylish townhouses, luxury golf villas and perhaps a golf hotel). In fact, everything required to make the resort a ‘one stop’ centre for golf holidays and activity packed family holidays.

So, the resorts offer the environment and all the leisure activities you need for fantastic golf holidays, but with a range of holiday accommodation options which is best for you?

Self-catering Golf Holiday Accommodation or Hotel?

Most obviously your choice of holiday accommodation is dictated by how you intend to spend your holiday.

If your holiday routine is: get up, want breakfast, get ready, get to course by 11am ready for 11:30 tee time, finish golf at 4pm, couple of beers at the clubhouse then, quick change, out all night, bed by 1am, start again tomorrow.  Then all you need is a bed and someone presenting you with breakfast, so a cheap hotel is probably your best bet.

If on the other hand your holiday is more than that, if it’s more varied, or not so booze soaked, if you want more than a single room, the flexibility of catering for yourself, your own drinks available from your own fridge any time you want them, the ability to lay in until midday or perhaps laze by the swimming pool or have a BBQ, then you need the flexibility which can only come from renting self catering golf apartments or golf villas.

So, group of boozy golfers, probably hotel. All other holiday makers, self catering golf holiday accommodation is definitely your better choice – cheaper, more flexible, more of a ‘group’ holiday experience.

PackYourClubs.com, the self-catering golf holidays accommodation specialist offer a superb range of holiday accommodation at ‘direct from the owner’ prices plus an online golf tee time booking facility. PackYourClubs has a range of Golf Holiday Accommodation to suit every requirement – from budget golf apartments to 12 bedroom luxury golf villas with private gardens and private pool. From golf holiday accommodation on the beach to frontline golf villas on the golf holidays resort.

So for cheap golf holidays in Portugal or golf villas in Spain look no further than PackYourClubs.com

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Golf holidays in Portugal, Golf holidays in Spain, Golf villas | No Comments »

Portugal, Golf Holidays on the cheap

June 27th, 2011

Portugal, golf holidays on the cheap…

Portugal has long been a favourite with UK holiday makers – what’s not to like about direct flights, sunshine, friendly people, good food, miles of beaches, water sports plus some of the best golf courses in the world…

Now, according to the Post Office, it’s got even better!

Post Office Travel Money have been conducting a survey comparing typical holiday costs across the 10 most popular UK holiday destinations for several years now. The results for 2011 show that prices on the Algarve have dropped by a staggering 49% since last year making Portugal the cheapest of the top ten UK holiday destinations (Spain was in second place).

Sarah Munro of Post Office Travel Money said: ‘Over the past two years popular resorts in the (Portuguese) Algarve and the (Spanish) Costas suffered badly from a drop in UK visitors, put off by the prospect of higher costs because of the weak pound.  Restaurants and bars responded by slashing prices in a battle for business and competition has resulted in a price crash in Portugal and Spain.’ Bad news if you’re a bar or restaurant owner on the Algarve or one of the Spanish Costas but great news if you’re looking for a great value golf holiday…

So, if you’ve been pondering where to go for that beach golf holiday a golf villa on the now cheaper Algarve has got to be a strong contender.

PackYourClubs.com, the self-catering golf holiday accommodation specialists offer a superb range of holiday accommodation at ‘direct from the owner’ prices plus an online golf tee time booking facility. Golf Holiday Accommodation including Luxury Frontline Golf Villas on Praia d’El Rey and Quinta do Lago; Townhouses on Vila Sol Golf Resort; Golf Apartments on Vale do Lobo and in Vilamoura Town.

So for cheap golf holidays in Portugal look no further than PackYourClubs.com

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Golfing Holiday | No Comments »

La Cala Golf Resort, the best place for golfing holidays in Spain?

April 18th, 2011

La Cala Golf Resort, set in the hills overlooking the lovely little town & beach resort of Cala de Mijas (on the Costa del Sol between Malaga and Marbella), is a fantastic oasis of flowers and green rolling fairways contrasting strikingly with the mixed, sometimes dense dark green scrubland of the surrounding countryside.

Who in 1989 looked at this steep, hilly, rolling terrain with no access roads or services, land probably only fit for goat herds (of the hardy variety!) and thought “with a 1,000 acres of this I could create a fantastic, luxury resort for golfing holidays” is unknown to me, but vision of an extraordinary nature he/she must have had.

22 years later and the La Cala Golf Resort of today is a fantastic place for golf holidays offering three, very different, championship length 18 hole courses plus a David Leadbetter Golf Academy and a Par 3 Excecutive Course. In fact, following the addition of the third golf course and the latest housing development, it is now billed as the largest golf resort in Spain, having taken the crown from La Manga Golf Resort, further north in Murcia.

But, to think of La Cala Resort only as a destination for golf holidays is to miss the point. It is a residential community comprising low density developments of high quality apartments, townhouses and golf villas plus it offers a wide range of other general holiday activities including cycling, squash, tennis, swimming pools, a football academy, pilates classes… In fact I’d guess that, despite the quality of the golf facilities, at least 50% of the people on the La Cala Golf Resort are there just for a fantastic family holiday rather than a golf holiday, viewing the golf courses as simply a nice area of manicured greenery to make the resort even more beautiful.

Planning My Golf Holiday at La Cala Golf Resort

My story begins in January when I decided that, following the long winter layoff, I was in need of a ‘golf tune up’ prior to the onset of the all too short English Summer. Having pondered the options I concluded that a few golf lessons could best be tied in with a couple of games of golf all crammed into a short golfing holiday with the guys somewhere in the sun (so I could concentrate on my golf I suggested to an obviously sceptical wife). Anyway, after a bit of deliberation we decided on a golf ‘mini’ school at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at La Cala Golf Resort then a couple of games on the one or more of the golf courses at La Cala Golf Resort.

The logistics…

Having never been to La Cala Golf Resort before I searched the web and concluded that, as good as the resort sounds, it would be best to stay within walking distance of multiple bars and restaurants in the small town & beach resort of Cala de Mijas.  There were a good selection of golf villas and apartments to choose from on PackYourClubs.com – so accommodation sorted!

Getting there was easy enough, an Aer Lingus flight from Gatwick was a pleasant surprise, seats with more legroom than BA and a cheerful, professional flight crew.

Car hire was a little trickier as I didn’t want to bother with the offsite car hire companies (even if most of them are only 400 yards from the terminal – it’s not walkable!) but the onsite ones have appalling reputations (high excess on the insurance, forced to purchase a full tank of petrol even for a  three day hire, etc, etc) but then I found Auriga Crown Car Hire – office in the airport terminal, full insurance with no excess as standard (except windscreen and tyres) and with a good reputation.

Finally, that age old conundrum of whether to take your own clubs, pay the exhorbitant airline charges and still risk damaging them or just hire a set once you get there. Having gone through the process of custom club fitting only last summer I discovered (as apparently many people do) that I needed clubs with a standard shaft, standard flex, standard lie, I guess just call me Mr. Standard… So, not needing anything out of the ordinary, I hired a set of TaylorMade R9s from ClubsToHire.com as they are exactly the same as my own clubs (except I wanted to try the new TaylorMade ‘White’ driver so I asked that that be included).

The Resulting Golf Holiday…

Aer Lingus flight arrived on time in Malaga, hire car collection in the terminal was painless but where are ClubsToHire?  It transpires that they are with the hire car companies in a strip of buildings along the exit road 400 yards from the terminal. When we arrived we were welcomed with a smile and a personal greeting (they know your flight and so are expecting you) and the clubs were there waiting for us, all shiny and new. After a quick photocopy of my credit card and passport we were off.

Accommodation definitely up to scratch and Cala de Mijas is a very pleasant little town with a lovely beach and good mix of bars (Biddy Mulligans, Fluters, The Sports Bar to name but a few) & restaurants (Spanish, Italian, Chinese) plus the usual assortment of banks and shops.

La Cala Golf Resort is an 8-10 minute drive into the hills behind Cala de Mijas (or a €10 cab ride). On entering the resort you get a great view of the La Cala Europa Golf Course and then the La Cala America Golf Course before climbing up past the hotel and, finally, arriving at the Golf ‘Centre’ comprising a Golf Reservations office, large Golf Pro Shop, Caddy Master and a lovely Bar/Restaurant with indoor area and a huge terrace (some covered some not) looking across the La Cala Asia Golf Course and down to Cala de Mijas and the Mediterranean. Fantastic.

Unlike most other Portuguese and Spanish golf resorts I’ve seen La Cala Golf Resort has resisted the urge to line every fairway with golf villas. This gives a lovely feeling of space – you look over the clubhouse terrace and you see green rolling fairways with the luxury apartments and golf villas set well back higher up the hills away from the golf course – lovely…

Our first day activity was a game of golf on the La Cala Europa Golf Course (the baby of the three). On the strength of the advertising literature (flatter ground along the river valley…) we considered walking the course but decided that perhaps we’d have the buggy. What a result! The La Cala Europa Golf Course is about as flat as the foothills of the Himalayas and the walk green to tee is sometimes enormous. It’s a fantastic course, well designed, immaculately maintained and a great challenge but we concluded that if not for the buggy they would probably have found us lying face down on the 6th fairway, clubs still on our backs, unable to move further due to exhaustion!

Following a welcome beer on the terrace after the game we headed back to our accommodation for something to eat and an early night ready for the start of our golf school the next day.

The David Leadbetter golf school at La Cala was initially a bit of a disappointment. A large ‘log cabin’ type wooden building attached to the driving range. However, it was obvious that James Jewell, our instructor knows his stuff and quickly identified the myriad of problems with my swing and set about developing a few training exercises to unwind the worst of my bad habits.

Perhaps not the best way to build on our golf swing lesson, but the afternoon was spent playing the La Cala America Golf Course. This is a lovely course, probably best described as a ‘resort’ course it offers wide tree lined fairways and less opportunity to get into trouble than the Europa Course. Some of the views from the elevated tees are spectacular and, perhaps because of the late start, we didn’t see another soul on the course. A great investment of €59.

In summary, I’d fully recommend La Cala Golf Resort for golfing holidays or even for family holidays (with or without golf) as it offers possibly the best combination of scenery, location, quality, golf courses & low density golf villas which I have seen in Europe.

My Recommendations…

Definitely look at La Cala Golf Resort

Consider hiring your clubs at Malaga Airport (check out ClubsToHire.com)

If you prefer a leisurely afternoon/evening, perhaps around your own private pool followed by a BBQ then consider a Golf Villa on La Cala Golf Resort

If you prefer to be able to walk out to multiple bars & restaurants then consider holiday rental accommodation in Cala de Mijas or Calahonda

Play:

-          La Cala America Golf Course

-          La Cala Europa Golf Course (if you have a handicap of 18 or less)

-          Santana Golf & Country Club (in the next valley but much flatter)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Golf holidays in Spain | No Comments »

Marrakech Golf Holidays an exotic alternative…

April 17th, 2011

Marrakech, set in the centre of Morocco, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, is perhaps best known as a destination for a cultural, city break type holiday. Having been founded in 1062 it certainly has the history with an ancient underground irrigation systems, the Koutoubia mosque (a masterpiece of Moorish architecture which dominates the skyline), an array of museums, an ancient university and palaces. Plus of course the maze of alleyways which hold the souks (markets, one for leather, one for rugs, one for food etc) winding their way to the huge central market square. But what is less well known is that Marrakech is also home to some superb golf courses.

At a little over 3 ½ hour flight from the UK Marrakech is only a short hop past Spain but it is a world apart.

My Golf Holiday in Marrakech

Getting there was easy enough with various flight options available from British Airways, Easy Jey, Air Moroc, Thompson and, if you really are that desperate, Ryan Air.

We had decided to stay in Marrakech and travel out to the golf (it is only 3-5 miles dependent on course) and, having decided to stay in Marrakech we thought we might as well be right in the heart of Marrakech. So a traditional Riad in the Medina for us (the Medina is the walled part of the old city).

The riad was lovely but, because it was designed and built three hundred years ago to be cool in summer plus not allow women in the house to be seen from the street, it was a three storey high building with no windows to the outside (all facing into the two/three internal courtyards). Which meant you walked along an alley to a big door, banged on the door to get in and once in it had the feeling of an enclosure.  The roof terrace was however a lovely retreat and a great place for a late afternoon beer.

The Medina itself is comprised of a twisting maze of ‘streets’ which are more like 12ft wide alleys with shops either side, a milieu of people and thousands of mopeds buzzing back and forth with the rider’s finger permanently attached to the horn.  When walking you had to be on constant alert for mopeds whilst being persistently assailed by invitations to look at goods on display on either side of you or actually enter the shops. Looking at something was tantamount to agreeing to buy it and what remained was merely to negotiate the price (any attempt to deny you wanted it or even walk away was viewed simply as a negotiating stance). If you did go so far as ask the price it was at least twice what you were actually expected to pay (unless you were an idiot). I am now firmly of the belief that the sketch in Life of Brian where ‘Brian’ is desperately trying to buy a beard to disguise himself but the stall holder won’t sell it to him because he won’t haggle was born out of the writer’s experience in Marrakech! In all, for a person who views shopping in general as a necessary evil, strolling around the souks was a far from enjoyable experience.

It is a Muslim country and a very accommodating and liberal one (people were generally very friendly and helpful), but having been a French colony until 1956 I had expected almost a cafe culture and was therefore surprised to find it was anything but. There were numerous licensed premises but if you wanted an alcoholic drink you had to be seated where you could not be seen from the street (like being 16 again…). There were no Parisian style smart cafes (not even in the huge central square) from which you could relax with something light to eat and a cold beer to while away an hour or so watching the world pass by.

But the golf, the golf is simply fantastic. La Palmeraie Golf Resort to the north west of the city was apparently voted ‘Top Golf Resort in Africa 2006’ an accolade I can easily understand. Everything was immaculate, the service, the facilities, the course, everything. The Amelkis Golf Resort to the south west of the city was similarly magnificent, not a penny spared in creating a fantastic holiday resort with golf villas surrounding the course and the backdrop of the Atlas Mountains. Across the road from the Amelkis Resort is the renown Royal Marrakech Golf Club which looked very exclusive indeed. Then to complete the set you have the Samanah Country Club to the south west of the city.

So, a mixed bag really.  When we return (and we will) we will certainly stay on one of the golf resorts just outside Marrakech and then, when not playing golf, we can get a 10 minute taxi into the Medina to ‘experience’ it before retreating back to the relaxed atmosphere of the private resort with a beer or two by the pool with the mountains in the distance.

Check out these links for holiday and golf information:

Golfing Holidays Morocco

La Palmeraie Golf Resort, Marrakech

Amelkis Golf Resort, Marrakech

The Royal Marrakech Golf Club

Samanah Country Club, Marrakech

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Golfing Holiday | No Comments »

Murcia, the perfect golf destination to escape the English Winter?

February 15th, 2011

The fantastic golfing region of Murcia is part of the Spanish Costa Calida, a beautiful region on the Mediterranean coast one hour south of Alicante and easily accessible from most UK airports with flights of a little over 2 hours available to either Alicante or San Javier airports.

This coastal area of Spain is protected by the magnificent Sierra del Puerto mountains giving Murcia its own ‘micro climate’. Here the annual average is for 320 days of sunshine with an average winter temperature of 15c and clear blue skies.

Two hours from the UK, a winter climate which is warm, with sunny days and clear blue skies, a location offering a backdrop of imposing mountains and views out across the crystal blue Mediterranean sea… not really a surprise then that the Murcian region has been for some years the top location for golf course construction in the whole of Spain.

Currently the region boasts sixteen luxury golf resorts including world famous names like La Manga, Roda, Hacienda del Alamo and the Jack Nicklaus Polaris Resort courses at La Torre, El Valle, Mar Menor and Hacienda Riquelme plus the new Jack Nicklaus ‘Signature’ Course at Alhama. In addition further courses already under construction include a number designed by golfing greats such as Seve Ballesteros, Maria Jose Olazabal and of course Jack Nicklaus.

Luxury Golf Resorts

The majority of these high quality golf courses are built as the focal point of large self-contained holiday resorts. Typically these luxury resorts offer a huge range of holiday accommodation from cost-effective duplex apartments to luxury green side detached villas plus fantastic golf and leisure facilities including swimming pools, tennis courts, cycling routes, shops and of course, multiple bars and restaurants. In fact everything you need for a fantastic family holiday with something for everyone and perhaps the option of a round or two of golf for you, or as the centre for a 100% focused golf break with friends.

Where to Stay

If there are two of you then perhaps a room in a hotel is the cheapest solution, but for families or larger groups undoubtedly the best, most flexible and cost-effective option is to rent a holiday apartment on the complex or perhaps a luxury golf villa with private pool and green side views. Whether it’s a short break for you and the guys or a holiday for all the family to include a round or two of golf, renting a golf apartment or golf villa is definitely the way to go.

Who to Go With

PackYourClubs.com, one of the market leaders, offer a superb range of golf apartments, golf villas and other golf holiday accommodation in Murcia at direct from the owner prices. Plus they offer online tee time booking at discounted prices.

Mediterranean coast, fantastic golf courses, 320 days of sunshine, huge range of holiday accommodation to suit all requirements and only 2 hours from the UK. What’s not to like?

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Golf holidays in Spain | No Comments »

« Older Entries

Categories

Archives



All Content Copyright © 2010 WebReactive Ltd