Katie McGonagle tees up some top-notch golf breaks across Spain and Portugal
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Dig out your plus fours and Pringle knitwear – or at least a collared shirt and some tailored shorts. On western Europe’s world-famous courses, golf is more than just a game, it is an entire industry, and the correct dress code is just the start of it.
So when it comes to crafting holidays around your clients’ favourite hobby, knowing an eagle from an albatross is useful, but the real key is being able to tailor a break to their level of interest.
Are they dedicated players seeking nothing but non-stop golf? Or occasional enthusiasts who fancy squeezing in a few rounds between shopping and sunbathing? Whatever the answer, check out our guide to some of the options in golfing hotspots Spain and Portugal.
Easy does it
A golf holiday should be just that – a holiday – so it is crucial to gauge how much time customers want to spend on the fairway.
Ricky Wason, general manager of short-haul product for Travel 2, recommends occasional players head to a property that offers more than just great golf.
“The Tivoli Victoria Vilamoura is a golf and spa hotel with views over the beautiful fairways of the Oceanico Victoria course, designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer,” he says. “After a morning on the course, guests can spend the afternoon relaxing in The Elements Spa by Banyan Tree or in one of the four swimming pools, or experience the latest food trends at gourmet restaurant Emo, which has panoramic views.”
The tennis academy, fine-dining restaurants and picture-postcard beach at the nearby Sheraton Algarve – along with its stunning nine-hole Pine Cliffs course – make this Portuguese property a similarly impressive all-rounder.
Prestige Holidays highlights the recently refurbished Dona Filipa Hotel, 20 minutes from Faro. Guests can strike their own balance between playing its 18-hole San Lorenzo Golf Course, exclusive to hotel guests (and those of sister property Formosa Park Apartment Hotel), and time on the sandy Vale do Lobo beach, which is just a 200m stroll away.
A shared interest in golf can also be a great way of bonding with fellow travellers, which is why singles specialist Solos offers golfing breaks in eight destinations in Spain and Portugal, including the 36-hole Novo Sancti Petri Golf Complex in Spain’s Costa de la Luz. Staying at the Iberostar Royal Andalus, which is within easy reach of the historic cities of Jerez and Cadiz, guests enjoy either a golf clinic with five two-hour group lessons, or five rounds of organised golf. Prices start at £1,035 including flights from Luton or Manchester.
Work hard, Play hard
Serious players might scoff at the idea of ‘wasting’ any time away from the fairways. Those who want to play all the time should be offered a dedicated package.
SuperBreak has introduced golfing holidays in the Algarve this year, combining flights, bed-and-breakfast accommodation at the Hilton Vilamoura and access to courses ranging from the pine tree-lined fairways of Pinhal to the aforementioned Oceanico Victoria, home of the Portugal Masters. Prices range from £709 for a four-night package with three rounds of golf to £989 for a week playing on five courses, based on travel in March.
Completing these iconic courses will give players bragging rights with golf buddies back home. But anyone keen to clock up another high-profile name should consider the winner of Europe’s best new course at the World Golf Awards.
The North Course at Quinta do Lago in Portugal has undergone a €9.6 million revamp under the direction of victorious Ryder Cup captain and the BBC’s coach of the year Paul McGinley, and while there is no guarantee that his success will rub off on every player, they can be sure of a great game. Five nights’ bed and breakfast at the Hotel Quinta do Lago starts at €833, including green fees but excluding flights and transfers.
The Leadbetter Golf Academy at Murcia’s La Manga Club, which has also benefited from a €1 million redevelopment, has added ‘stay, play and learn’ packages. Options range from ‘Beginner to Winner’, with six hours’ tuition over three days (four nights, from €470), to an in-depth analysis of technique over five days (from €1,022). All packages include B&B accommodation at the five-star Hotel Principe Felice.
Off Course
For every avid golfer, there is a long-suffering other half happy to indulge their partner’s passion for the game, but secretly hoping there will be something for them to enjoy too. Fear not. Whether they want to while away days in the spa or escape the hotel for a spot of solo sightseeing, non-golfers can feel just as spoilt as their other halves.
The Ritz-Carlton, Abama, in Tenerife, not only boasts a 72-par championship course designed by former Ryder Cup player Dave Thomas, but also has two Michelin-starred restaurants among its 13 eateries, a spa boasting therapies from around the world, and a kids’ club for those too young to tee off.
Jet2holidays recommends the Costa Blanca for its balance of golf and non-golfing activities. The four-star Servigroup La Zenia in Playa de Orihuela, for example, offers discounted green fees at the 12 nearest courses, but the area also boasts Blue Flag beaches, watersports and some challenging hiking and cycling trails through the area’s mountainous interior.
For those who prefer their relaxation to be a little more relaxing, the Villa Galé Marina in Vilamoura has a health club with a sauna and Turkish bath, so guests can get well pampered before rubbing shoulders with the yachting crowd at the marina or enjoying a flutter in the casino.
Sample Product
Travel 2 offers seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton, Abama, in Tenerife from £819. The price includes accommodation in a deluxe citadel resort-view room, flights and taxi transfers, for departures on June 9.
travel2.com
A week’s bed and breakfast at the Sheraton Algarve in a deluxe inland-view room starts at £945 with Sovereign Luxury Travel. The price includes green fees, a welcome gift, private transfers, UK airport lounge access and Norwegian Air flights, for departures on July 2.
sovereign.com
Jet2holidays offers a week’s half-board at the Servigroup La Zenia in Playa de Orihuela from £499, including flights from Manchester and transfers, departing May 10.
jet2holidays.com
Seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the Vila Galé Marina Hotel in Vilamoura starts at £259 with Cosmos, including flights from Gatwick to Faro on February 19.
cosmos.co.uk
