From Dubai to Hawaii, Mark Alexander lets you in on the latest golf holiday hotspots
Golf has become a truly international pastime with fanatical players jet-setting across the world to find idyllic courses with amenities to match.
Destinations far and wide are realising the potential of attracting big-spending golfers by providing top-class accommodation and award-winning service.
As a result, this market is no longer dominated by the likes of Spain and Portugal but an eclectic mix of exotic destinations and old favourites.
If your clients are looking further afield for a golfing holiday, here are a few suggestions.
Dubai
Dubai is a remarkable destination designed to impress and the massive investment there in golf is helping to achieve this.
The emirate already has seven championship-standard courses and 11 are due to open in the next three years. But there’s more to Dubai than just sun, sand and birdies. The place is renowned for impeccable service, shopping arcades and breathtaking hotels.
Courses
- Emirates Golf Club was opened in 1998 and was the first all-grass course in the region.
- Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club was voted one of the world’s Top 100 Must-Play Golf Courses.
Sample package: Gold Medal offers three nights at the five-star Park Hyatt for £599, including breakfast, flights with Emirates from Gatwick and all pre-payable taxes. Valid for June and July departures.
Mauritius
It may be tiny, but Mauritius is a place of unequalled beauty. It also has its fair share of golf courses, many of which are attached to stunning hotels. There are six courses on the island and a handful on their way, so there is plenty of choice for golfers.
Courses
- Golf du Chateau is a par-72 Peter Matkovich design, which opened in 2004 to much acclaim.
- The stunning course at Le Touessrok is only reachable by boat or helicopter.
Sample package: Virgin Holidays offers seven nights at the Le Telfair Golf and Spa from £1,639 twin-share, on an all-inclusive basis. Price includes flights with Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow and transfers, for departures between August 19 and September 30.
St Lucia
Few places epitomise luxury better than St Lucia, and despite a spate of new resorts, the island remains relatively uncommercialised.
There are three golf courses on the island but all that is set to change with four new 18-hole developments set to make this one of the Caribbean’s top golfing destinations.
Courses
- The 6,836-yard course at the St Lucia Golf and Country Club
- Sandals Regency Golf Resort and Spa at La Toc (18 holes)
- Jalousie Hilton Resort and Spa (nine holes)
Sample package: Thomson Worldwide offers seven nights at the Village Inn and Spa Resort on an all-inclusive basis from £749 per person twin-share, including
Virgin Atlantic flights from Gatwick. Valid from September 1 to December 5, including complimentary rounds at the St Lucia Golf Country Club.
Sun City, South Africa
Sun City is a magnificently extravagant holiday destination with some of the most stunning golf facilities in Africa.
The resort’s four world-class hotels ensure a heady mix of gambling, game and golf encapsulated in the location’s two courses, both designed by former champion Gary Player. This remarkable venue has attracted visitors from across the world as well as top international golf tournaments.
Courses
- Sun City’s desert-style golf course at Lost City Golf Club boasts a hole featuring a water hazard full of Nile crocodiles.
- Gary Player’s Golf Course is the most famous in South Africa and plays host to the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Sample package: Travel 2 offers seven nights at Sun City from £1,069 per person twin-share, including breakfast, transfers from Johannesburg and return flights. Valid for departures from July 11 to the end of November.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the number one golfing destination for American tourists. With golden beaches sandwiched between lush mountains and the expansive blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, who’s going to disagree with them? Hawaii’s six islands are also a haven for golfers.
Travel 2/4 USA product manager Kerry Sullivan commented: “Hawaii has made its mark on the golfing scene by hosting some top PGA tournaments including the MasterCard Championship tour in Hualalai on Hawaii and the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club on Oahu.”
Courses
- Hawaii has more than 70 golf courses
- The Sheraton Maui Resort has two courses in close proximity
- The Grand Hyatt Kauai offers an 18-hole championship-standard course on the island of Kauai
Sample package: Travel 4 offers five nights at Sheraton Maui Resort, Maui in a twin room from £1,095 per person, based on travel in November and flights with Delta Air Lines.
