Golf holidays: Are these the world’s best resorts?

 

Not so long ago, the only option for golf tourists was to hop on a flight to Spain or Portugal where the courses were limited and overcrowded. These days, it’s easier to count the countries that haven’t capitalised on the golfing holiday boom, than to tally up those that have.

 

From Australia to Venezuela, the current set of golfing holidays is mind-boggling, and with diversity comes choice. Regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a fanatic, there’s a golf destination to suit your needs. Golfers have never had it so good…

 

 

Pebble Beach, US

 

Opened in 1919, Pebble Beach in California is the grandaddy of American golf resorts.

 

Steeped in history after staging an array of PGA events, the formidable coastal track is the centrepiece of the Pebble Beach Resort, which includes The Lodge and Spa at Pebble Beach and The Inn at Spanish Bay as well as three other renowned golf courses.

 

It might not be cheap, but few begrudge the inflated green fees when presented with the opportunity to play one of the world’s most beautiful golf courses.

 

Two nights at The Lodge or The Inn, a round of golf on Pebble Beach Golf Links and another on either Spanish Bay, or Spyglass Hill, with $100 retail credit, starts at $1,940 per person. Valid until September 6.

 

 

Hotel Dona Filipa and San Lorenzo Golf Resort, Portugal

 

Voted Europe’s top golf resort in 2009 by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), Hotel Dona Filipa and San Lorenzo Golf Resort enjoys remarkable views over the Atlantic. But among the glitz and glamour of the hotel and the spectacular golf course, consideration is also given to youngsters, with a 2,000sq metre children’s play area.

 

Packages include buffet breakfast, a round of golf, free use of the tennis courts and the beach club, as well as complimentary meals and accommodation for children sharing a room with their parents. Rates start at €230 per twin room per night.

 

 

Alvaston Hall, Cheshire

 

Taking your first tentative swings can be a daunting prospect, but help is on hand at the charming Alvaston Hall in Cheshire where the Swing Build Golf programme has been introduced to help golfers of all abilities improve their game.

 

Designed by top coach David Blair, the programme offers three levels of tuition for everyone from novices through to old hands, meaning beginners can learn the game before trying out their skills on the course.

 

Two-night breaks at Alvaston Hall, two Swing Build Golf clinics and two rounds of 18-hole golf start at just £199 per person twin-share in an Ambassador room. All Warner breaks include full English or continental breakfasts, three-course evening meal and en-suite accommodation.

 

 

Royal Mougins Golf Resort, France

 

Few accolades carry the same cachet as the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences International Star Diamond Awards, and few are more coveted than the Best Golf and Spa Hotel category.

 

Incredibly, the 2008 recipient bagged the top prize just a few months after opening a new hotel and spa. Just 10 minutes from Cannes, Royal Mougins Golf Resort is an elegant retreat for those with discerning tastes, a point echoed by the immaculate presentation of the course and the new hotel.

 

The jaw-dropping spa, housed in an authentic 18th century bastide – fortified country house – offers massages, beauty treatments, Turkish baths and saunas, just yards from the course.

 

Two nights in a superior suite with private terrace, on a bed-and-breakfast basis, with two rounds at Royal Mougins, two rounds at the Cannes-Mougins Country Club and luxury transfers start at €949 twin-share.

 

 

The Montgomerie, Dubai

 

Signature courses give golfers the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of their heroes. In Dubai, Colin Montgomerie was one of the first to write his name in the sand when he created the links-style Montgomerie championship golf course.

 

Spread over 265 acres, this par-72 course sweeps through 7,308 yards of natural contours. The Ryder Cup captain’s affinity with fast-running greens has been transported to the heat of the desert with remarkable results, and with guest rooms in the Clubhouse limited to 21, this formidable golf resort is as exclusive as it is testing.

 

Three nights’ accommodation for two people including two rounds of golf and dinner at Nineteen Restaurant, costs £610 and is valid until 30 September.

 

 

New golf developments

 

Despite the economic downturn, new golf courses are still being built. Here are just a few to watch out for:

• The first PGA Village resort to be developed outside of the US will be on the sixth-largest island in The Bahamas. The Rees Jones-designed championship golf course will also include a spa, casino and a hotel. The $200 million PGA Village the Bahamas on Cat Island is expected to be completed in 2011/12.
• The Cliffs at High Carolina marks Tiger Woods Design’s first project in North America. The stunning mountain setting will reportedly provide 50-mile panoramic views. Golfers walking the 7,279 yards, par-71 course will be encouraged to enjoy the extraordinary vistas at the on-site spa. Expect a lot of publicity when it opens in 2010.
• An hour’s drive south east of Seoul, Korea is the $40 million Haesley Nine Bridges course, the follow-up to the hugely successful Nine Bridges resort on Jeju Island. This latest incarnation is as dramatic as its illustrious stablemate, which is firmly ensconced on the world Top 100 lists. Expected opening in late 2009.
• On the east coast of Scotland, a development of remarkable beauty and controversy is emerging from a stunning dunescape. The $2 billion Trump International Golf Links at Menie Estate, near Aberdeen, is the largest golf development in Europe. As well as two championship courses, the ambitious scheme also includes 950 holiday homes, 500 private residences, 36 luxury golf villas, a golf academy and a five-star 450-bedroom hotel. Due to open in 2010/11.
• Located just outside Lisbon, a spectacular 18-hole golf course is being created by real-estate developer Fibeira. It will be the closest golf resort to the city’s international airport and will feature a former 17th century palace, which is being transformed into a luxurious six-star hotel. An opening date is yet to be confirmed.