HAMMAMET 1st – 8th March 2014
ESCAPE THE WINTER AND HEAD FOR THE SUN Participate in the 2nd edition of the
Tunisia Golf Festival to ft le es ac pl w fe a l il st e ar e er h T participate in this great event
The Tunisian Golf Festival will be played on the Yasmine Valley and Citrus Golf Oliviers and Forest courses, all three courses are different and offer a variety of challenges to golfers of all levels.
Both golf complexes are all within 10 min drive from the hotel. During the week we will be joined by several players of the Ladies European Tour looking for some winter practice in preparation for the upcoming season. They will play with the participants and you will be able to appreciate their company and skills. List of participants will be confirmed soon. In addition to
competitive golf, there are plenty of social activities to engage with your fellow golfers and to get acquainted with the local culture and food. There will be cocktail parties and a prize giving gala dinner, Excursion to Port El Kantaoui & Sousse. The base for the week is the LE ROYAL HAMMAMET HOTEL 5*****. All elegant guest rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a minibar and extralong beds. Some suites feature a seating area and kitchenette. Seafood dishes and cocktails are served in Dana Club bar at Le Royal Hammamet. Italian cuisine is served at restaurant Capri and a buffet breakfast is provided every morning. The spa at hotel Royal Hammamet features a sauna and provides beauty treatments including the 4-hand Ylang-Ylang massage. Le Royal Med Spa features an indoor pool, fitness centre and beauty salon. Air-conditioned guest rooms offer a private terrace. Tunisia is a very historic country where settlements date back from pre-Roman times. The Tunisians are extremely friendly people. The food is excellent and the country has entered an era of stability and democracy which shows everywhere you look.
THE PROGRAM?
* sATuRdAY 1sT MARCH 2014 Arrival at the airport and transfer to the ROYAL HAMMAMET Hotel * sundAY 2nd MARCH Day 1 of the competition “CITRUS Golf Club – LES OLIVIERS Course”groups go out in team format Cocktail party in the Hotel at 18h00 * MOndAY 3Rd MARCH Round 1 Stableford Competition - Yasmine Valley Golf Club * TuEsdAY 4TH MARCH Round 2 Stableford Competition - Citrus Golf, Forest Course * wEdnEsdAY 5TH MARCH Free day - excursion to PORT EL KANTOUI & SOUSSE * THuRsdAY 6TH MARCH Round 3 Stableford Competition - CITRUS Golf Club- LES OLIVIERS * FRidAY 7TH MARCH Round 4 Stableford Competition – YASMINE VALLEY Golf Club Prizegiving and Gala Dinner * sATuRdAY 8TH MARCH Check out and Departures
wHAT's inCLudEd?
● Seven nights’ accommodation on HALF BOARD in the LE ROYAL HAMMAMET HOTEL 5* ● Five rounds competitive golf on Yasmine and Citrus Olivier & Forest ● One Cocktail Party (Sunday 2 March) ● Prize Presentation & Dinner Friday 7th March ● One 30 min massage session in the Spa of the HOTEL ● SPA Package for NON-GOLFERS ● Excursion to PORT EL KANTOUI & SOUSSE ● Transfers from and to the airports, hotel and golf ● Permanent ground assistance and tournament organisation
THE TOuRnAMEnT PACkAGE PRiCE (NET Tour Operator’s Rates)
Price per Golfer on Half Board based on shared occupancy: €865 per person
Price per Non Golfer on Half Board based on shared occupancy: €735 per person
Single Room Supplement for the 7 night:
€95 per person
The above prices do NOT include the flights to Tunisia
HOw TO EnTER?
For bookings and further details, contact
ELITE EVENTS & TRAVEL Tel: +44 203 004 9893 • email: golf@eliteevents-travel.com or tunisiagolffestival@gmail.com
www.golf-travel.co.uk Or alternatively, contact Benjamin Oosterveer by email at: benjaminoosterveer@hotmail.com
Destination Golf Media Ltd
destinationgolf@live.com www.destinationgolf.travel ■ PUBLISHER Dermot Synnott ■ EDITOR Karl Doyle
■ CONTRIBUTORS Andrew Marshall Paul Marshall Aidan Bradley Tom Breazeale ■ DIRECTOR Vincent Synnott
■ FINANCIAL CONTROLLER Darren Maguire ■ CREDIT CONTROLLER Mallory Courell
■ OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helen Duggan INTERNATIONAL OFFICES/ REPRESENTATION • Albert Ferrer (Spain) • Peter Barnes (UK) • Gene Oberto (Sweden) • Gianni Attanasio (Italy) • David Cooney (China) • Maarten Hageman (Netherlands) • Benjamin Oosterveer (Tunisia & Morocco) • Kevin Markham (Ireland)
Front Cover: Anvaya Cove Phillipines
Happy New Year from all at Destination Golf! O
n behalf of the team at Destination Golf, I would like to extend our warmest wishes for a happy New Year to all of our readers.
2013 was a fantastic year for Destination Golf. We welcomed more representatives to our team of global golf advisors, who will play an important role in our development into major markets in 2014. We also strengthened ties with Golf Tour Operators through our Affiliated Marketing Programme, and initiated media partnership with leading Golf Shows such as the Shanghai Golf Show.
We reviewed some fantastic destinations and resorts, and even managed to attend exciting press trips to the French Riviera, Belgium, Poland and Hainan Island (China).
In this issue David Cooney reports back from a recent visit to Hainan Island, China’s only tropical island, which is located in the South China Sea. His base for this inspection trip was the luxurious Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa, which is reviewed as one of our resort articles.
Our travelling duo of Andrew and Paul Marshall tee it up in Marrakech and Agadir, and their travel feature provides a fascinating review of the cultures and traditions of Morocco.
Lastly, we have a look at Denia Marriott La Sella in Spain, and the newly opened Anvaya Cove Golf Resort in the Philippines. Enjoy!
Karl Doyle
EDITOR editor@destinationgolf.ie Dermot Synnott
Andrew Marshall
Aidan Bradley
Follow Us!
Editorial Director
Golf Course Photographer
Golf Travel Writer
Paul Marshall
Golf Travel Photographer
Facebook: facebook.com/DestinationGolf Twitter: twitter.com/Dest_Golf LinkedIn: ie.linkedin.com/in/dermotsynnott YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/destinationgolf
Contents and reference guide DINOSAUR MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB Phoenix, Arizona www.gcgr.com Page 4-5
KIERLAND GOLF CLUB Scottsdale, Arizona www.kierlandgolf.com Page 6-7
LOST GOLD GOLF COURSE Gold Canyon, Arizona www.superstitionmountain.com Page 8-9
RAVEN GOLF CLUB Scottsdale, Arizona www.ravenphx.com Page 10-11
SUNRIDGE CANYON GOLF CLUB Fountain Hills, Arizona www.sunridgegolf.com Page 12-13
VENTANA CANYON GOLF CLUB Tucson, Arizona www.ventanacanyonclub.com Page 14-15
ASKERNISH GOLF CLUB South Uist, Scotland www.askernishgolfclub.com Page 16-17
CRUDEN BAY GOLF CLUB Aberdeen, Scotland www.crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk Page 18-19
GLENEAGLES PGA CENTENARY Perthshire, Scotland www.gleneagles.com Page 20-21
MACHRIHANISH DUNES GOLF CLUB Argyll, Scotland www.machrihanishdunes.com Page 22-23
MURCAR LINKS GOLF CLUB Aberdeen, Scotland www.murcarlinks.com Page 24-25
ROYAL DORNOCH GOLF CLUB Sutherland, Scotland www.royaldornoch.com Page 26-27
Features THE KINGDOM OF GOLF Andrew Marshall travels to Morocco
SANYA MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA
Page 28-33
Hainan Island, China www.sanyamarriottresort.com Page 36-41
AANVAYA NAYA COCOVE VER GGOLF OLF && SSPORTS PORTS CCLUB LUB Manilla, Philippines www.anvayacove.com Page 42-47
DENIA MARRIOTT LA SELLA GOLF RESORT & SPA Costa Blanca, Spain www.lasellagolfresort.com Page 48-53
Dinosaur Mountain Golf C Phoenix, Arizona • www.gcgr.com
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Kierland Golf Club
Scottsdale, Arizona • www.kierlandgolf.com
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Gold Can
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Lost Gold Golf Course
nyon, Arizona • www.superstitionmountain.com AIDANBRADLEY Golf Course Photography
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Raven Golf Club
Scottsdale, Arizona • www.ravenphx 10
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Sunridge Canyon Golf Club
Fountain Hills, Arizona • www.sunridgegolf.com
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Ventana Canyon Golf Club
Tucson, Arizona • www.ventanacanyonclub.com
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Askernish Golf Club
South Uist, Scotland • www.askernishgolfclub
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Aber
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Cruden Bay Golf Club
rdeen, Scotland • www.crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk
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Gleneagles PGA Centenar Perthshire, Scotland • www.gleneagles.com
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hrihanish Dunes Golf Club Argyll, Scotland • www.machrihanishdunes.com
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Murcar Links Golf Club
Aberdeen, Scotland • www.murcarlinks.com
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Royal Dornoch Golf Club
Sutherland, Scotland • www.royaldornoch.com
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THET KINGDOM he first port of call for our five-day Moroccan golf journey was the Palmeraie Golf Palace & Resort, an oasis of luxury and refinement nestled in the heart of a lush, cool palm grove ten minutes from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.
Words: Andrew Marshall
This exquisite property is richly decorated in intricate Moorish designs that feature large archways, opulent furnishings and a décor in rich earth tones. After checking in we were asked to make ourselves comfortable on a collection of carpets and cushions by a water fountain in the tiled foyer area.
Morocco is a fascinati authentic Kasbahs, sp attracting artists, writ ANDREW MARSHALL
Before long, resident tea-maker Mr Aziz Igouzoulen appeared through an archway wearing a flowing white robe and a maroon fez hat, carrying a silver tray with an elegant metal teapot packed with fresh mint leaves, tea and sugar. After the tea had brewed for a few minutes, Aziz made a spectacle of pouring the fragrant golden liquid from a great Photos: height into the small decorative glasses. With a grin Paul Marshall (Except where indicated) wider than Tiger Woods after winning a major, he handed us the tea, overflowing with the delicious aroma of fresh Moroccan mint, saying: “Welcome to Marrakech, and I hope you play some good golf.”
Although the mint tea was certainly refreshing, we were keen for a different kind of tee time at the hotel’s Palmeraie Golf Club. This 18-hole layout designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr is a good introduction to Moroccan golf and is laid out on a spacious valley featuring generous fairways bordered by hundreds of palm trees and seven lakes that frequently come into play. Numerous sand hazards add the pearly whiteness of the Atlantic beaches to this lush scene, with the ochre walls and green tiles of the magnificent Moorish styled clubhouse forming a striking centrepiece to the whole design. Caddies are available for hire to add some local colour and knowledge to your round. MAGICAL MARRAKECH In the late afternoon we visited the centre of stunning and exotic Marrakech, founded more than 1,000 years ago with its distinctive ochre ramparts, Andalusia-inspired arches, souq marketplaces and distinctive skyline of mosques set against the majestic snow-capped High Atlas Mountains.
We got thoroughly lost in the souqs of the medina, where labyrinthine passageways and lanes seethed with a tide of endlessly streaming humanity.
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Clubhouse and practise putting g
EL E AV R R U T AT
FE
M OF GOLF
ing mosaic of cultures and traditions, desert landscapes, pice bazaars and sumptuous palaces. For decades it’s been ters, travellers and, more recently, golfers in search of the exotic. L & PAUL MARSHALL tee-it-up in Marrakech and Agadir.
green at the Amelkis Golf Club (Marrakech)
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Golf suite at the Palmeraie Golf Palace & Resort (Marrakech)
The Amelkis course in Marrakech
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Street vendor selling tajines in Marrakec
Dried f
fruit seller at Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakech
From previous page Covered bazaars were crammed with fruit and spice stalls and workshops of every kind, where artisans worked away fashioning slippers, weaving rugs, dyeing textiles and hammering metals.
In the heart of the city is the world famous Djemaa el-Fna, a town square named by UNESCO as part of Humanity’s Universal Heritage. This cultural and artistic crossroads is used not only as a meeting place for local people, but also for storytellers, acrobats, musicians, healers, fortune tellers, magic potion sellers and snake charmers. We grabbed a prime seat and a chilled drink at Le Grand Balcon overlooking the square and watched the drama unfold – it was frantic non-stop activity that overloaded our senses.
As the orange sun travelled across the sky and the minarets and palms gradually fell into silhouettes, chefs began to cart in the makings of some hundred-food stalls and, before long, the aroma of barbecued meats, kebabs, meatballs and harira (a thick soup of meats, garbanzos, tomatoes and lentils) filled the air. When the sun finally set, all the music in the medina ceased for one of the most evocative of travel sounds, the muezzin’s call to prayer. Soon, another muezzin in another mosque started up, then another and another – until the entire city was filled with these evocative and fervent sounds.
In addition to street eats, Marrakech offers some wonderful finedining opportunities at palace restaurants, most of which are converted riads (a traditional house or palace with an interior garden). Part of the charm of these places is that they are difficult to locate, and the Narwama restaurant is no exception – hidden away down a narrow alleyway covered in Berber rugs, a short stroll from the medina. Situated in a glorious 19th century riad with 21st century Zen décor, the Narwama offers an award-winning combination of Moroccan and Thai cuisine and the best Moroccan mint mojito in town. After your meal relax in the rustic bar that has hookah pipes at each table. “The food we serve is Fez cuisine, the finest in Morocco, and one of our house specialties is lamb tajine with pears,” said the owner Ali Bousfiha. “The tajine is one of Morocco’s most famous dishes and the name refers to the conical-lidded pot in which it is prepared, as well as the intricately spiced stew of meat and vegetables, sometimes with dried fruits and nuts, cooked very slowly over a charcoal fire.”
GOLF BENEATH THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS Moroccan golf courses are renowned for their visual appeal and the 27 holes at the Amelkis Golf Club, a short car ride from our hotel through olive groves and orange trees, is possibly one of the most eyecatching and exciting to play. Located at the foot of the ever-present
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Unloading golf clubs at the Palmeraie Golf Palace Hotel & Resort (Marrakech
The green of the 141 metre par-3 7th on the Golf Du Soleil (Blue Course) Agadir
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Atlas Mountains, the Amelkis owes its name to the queen of a Berber tribe in the Atlas.
Designed by Cabell B. Robinson, this is an expansive course with undulating fairways, seductively mounded and is heavily bunkered – to say nothing of the lakes, fountains and the unique waste bunkers created from crushed rock, whose colour complements the landscape. The large greens are relatively easy to find, but three putts are not unusual. Paul seemed to really take to the Amelkis Golf Club and shot a very memorable alltime best round of 12-under-par.
The Amelkis’ next-door neighbour is the Marrakech Royal Golf Club, created in 1923 by the Pacha of Marrakech and the second oldest course in Morocco. Throughout the club’s history distinguished players such as Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George, Ike Eisenhower and his late Majesty King Hassan ll have trodden its fairways and greens. This is a course that suits all levels of ability and the main attraction here is the lush setting – with fairways lined with standing cypress, eucalyptus, olive, orange, apricot and palm trees. A new addition of nine holes in 2008 called the Menara now complements the original two nines (the Koutoubia and Agdal). On the Menara nine look out for the 481metre par-5 4th. It plays over a pool of water that’s an exact replica of the Menara of Marrakech, bordered by hundreds of olive trees and ending with a superbly defended dogleg. When we stood on the tee of this unique hole, we were in two minds whether to pull out the driver or change into
The locally brewed Casablanca beer is a refreshing drop at the 19th hole.
From previous page our swimming trunks. Other memorable holes include the par-4 4th (Agdal) with the snowy Atlas summits in the background, and the 173 metre par-3 9th (Koutoubia) that’s got more curves than Scarlett Johansson. The green is hidden behind two grassy mounds separated by a bunker plus an additional hazard of two high palm trees blocking the angle of the tee shot.
This trio of established layouts has been joined by two new exciting 18-hole developments that will make Marrakech the Moroccan city offering the most for visiting golfers. Firstly, there’s the Samanah Country Club, a Jack Nicklaus design, and Al Maaden, a high-end developer of golf resorts, who commissioned Kyle Phillips, arguably one of the hottest designers of the modern era to take on the task of making their course a Moroccan star. Said Phillips: “The golf course has been designed in grand rolling terrain, placed at the foothills of the nearby Atlas Mountains. Strategically-placed bunkers give players multiple lines of play from the tee and tightly cut spill-off areas around the greens gather errant shots, providing a variety of exciting recovery opportunities. Keeping with the traditions of golf, Al Maaden is designed as a walker-friendly course, with a surrounding designed landscape and geometric water features that give a feeling of playing through a Moroccan garden.”
THE ROAD TO AGADIR The next day we loaded the clubs into the hire car and headed to Agadir. As the last dwellings of Marrakech were left behind, expansive stony plains opened up and offered a window on Moroccan rural life. Berber nomads sat on rocks keeping a watchful eye on their goats and sheep, women carried bundles of firewood back home and kids played football on dusty pitches at the foot of soaring mountains, where simple earthen houses clung defiantly to their precipitous slopes.
Sitting by a vast sweep of protected beach, with an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, Agadir is perhaps best known as a short-stay holiday destination for European package tourists. However, Agadir is fast developing into Marrakech’s golf rival, and the existing Agadir Royal Golf Club (9 holes), Golf Les Dunes (27 holes) and Gold Du Soleil (36 holes) will soon be joined by the Ocean Golf Club (27 holes) and the Taghazout Beach
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The market in Marrakech at night
Green of the par-3 8th at the Palmeraie Golf Palace Hotel & Resort (Marrakech)
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Tea is served at the Palmeraie Golf Palace & Resort (Marrakech)
From previous page Resort, with 36-holes designed by David McLay Kidd 10km north of Agadir, right by the crashing surf of the Atlantic on the coastal road to the popular seaside town of Essaouira. Our home in Agadir was the five-star Tikida Golf Palace, where the luxury suites open onto Golf Du Soleil’s splendid 36 holes that feature water fountains and several lakes, with water coming into play on 10 holes. There are plenty of bunkers to negotiate and if you take a caddie get used to one of their favourite comments: “You’re in the Sahara again.” The beauty here is that you can just stroll from your room to play a few holes on the Blue course - especially pleasant later in the afternoon when it starts to cool down. With warm weather, an exciting culture, only a short flight from the major European countries and a strong golf development programme with many big name designers, Morocco is set to become an increasingly popular destnation for the travelling golfer.
GETTING THERE • www.royalairmaroc.com WHERE TO PLAY • Palmeraie Golf Club: www.palmeraiemarrakech.com • Royal Golf de Marrakech: www.royalgolfmarrakech.com • Amelkis Golf Club: www.moroccogolf.com/courses/amelkis/ • Samanah Country Club: www.samanah.com • Al Maaden Golf Resorts: www.almaaden.com • Golf Du Soleil: www.golfdusoleil.com • Golf Les Dunes: www.golflesdunesagadir.com WHERE TO STAY • PALMERAIE GOLF PALACE HOTEL / MARRAKECH: Two boutique hotels – Les Jardins d’Ines and Le Pavillon du Golf. Enquire about the 11 luxury golf suites overlooking the Robert Trent Jones course. www.palmeraiemarrakech.com • TIKIDA GOLF PALACE / AGADIR: Situated right in the heart of Golf du Soleil’s 36 holes of golf. www.tikidagolfpalace.com
OFF-COURSE ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES
ancient Kasbahs and towns where life has changed little in centuries, and finish off with a • Go haggling in the souqs of Marrakech for camel safari into the sculpted dunes of the Sahara carpets, slippers, metalwork, home decorations, ceramics and more. at Merzouga. • Visit historical monuments and places of interest • Go skiing or trekking in the Atlas Mountains. such as Koutoubia Minaret, Badia Palace, the • Relax at the Cascades d’Ouzoud (one of tanneries out by Bab Debbagh, Jardin Majorelle Morocco’s best waterfalls about 167kms (Majorelle Gardens) and the Menara in northeast of Marrakech) where the three-tiered Marrakech. falls drop 110m into the river below. • Eat traditional spice-laden Moroccan food from a • Go to a hammam for a traditional Moroccan restaurant in the Medina. bath or massage. • Book or self drive a ‘High Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Trip’ (from Marrakech) that includes a 70 • In Agadir visit the Kasbah of Agadir for fantastic views over the city. kilometre climb up the spectacular Tizi n’ Tichka • Take a trip to the relaxed coastal town of Pass, a visit to the exotic Kasbah of Ait Essaouira and take a walk through the historic Benhaddou, where many famous movies have centre and port area. With a magnificent beach been filmed (including Lawrence of Arabia, Essaouira is also Morocco’s best-known wind and Gladiator and Jesus of Nazareth), explore the Dades, Draa and Ziz Valleys lined with palmeraies, kite surfing centre.
Further Information from Moroccan Tourist Office: www.visitmorocco.com
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Sanya M Hainan Island,
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China • www.sanyamarriottresort.com
EL T RE O U H AT FE
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Sanya Marriott R
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A Tropical Escape
David Cooney reports back from an inspection trip to Hainan Island, China’s only tropical island that is located in the South China Sea.
H
ainan Island is regarded as a premier beach holiday destination, and its tranquil ocean, whitesanded beaches and tropical mountains frame most of its resorts.
Here you will find many internationally operated hotels such as the Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa, a luxurious hotel that lies on the shores of Yalong Bay just a short 30-minute drive from Sanya Phoenix International Airport.
Marriott Hotels around the world are known for their well-equipped, spacious and luxurious bedrooms, and Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa is no exception. Offering 452 well-appointed rooms and suites, guests have the option to avail of a Doublebedroom, King-bedroom or a Deluxe Suite. Most guest rooms have balconies with superb views of the garden, mountain or ocean, but all are fitted with Marriott Hotels’ signature bedding, a stylish 42-inch flat screen LCD TV, high-speed internet, fully-stocked mini bar and more - and the friendly staff are always there to cater for your every need.
Set in a stunning location, this hotel offers an array of top class facilities, including its sprawling, picturesque two-tiered pool, a well-equipped Fitness Centre, Kids Club and the signature Quan Spa. With its outdoor spacious green area in a tropical landscape setting and an Ocean Front Chapel, the Marriott is a popular choice for a wide variety of travellers.
The dining options are impressive, too. Guests can choose between contemporary Cantonese and local Hainan cuisine at the Wan Hao Chinese
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Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa
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From previous page
Restaurant, or a freshly prepared sushi dish at the Edogin Japanese Restaurant. For more informal options, you can enjoy tasty snacks at the Sea Breeze Pool Bar & Grill, or just kick back with coffee at the Marriott Café. To enjoy the stunning natural setting, the View Lounge serves exotic cocktails while enjoying panoramic ocean views, and the Deep Blue Beach Bar is the perfect place to have a drink and witness breathtaking sunsets. Golf’s popularity has increased in China with the addition of the sport to the Olympic Games, and the new wealth that emerged after an economic boom in 2009. Hainan is one of its most celebrated golf destinations, boasting some of the finest courses in Asia. A great example of this is Sun Valley Golf Club - an immaculately manicured course which is located just 5 minutes from the hotel. With its stunning views overlooking the whole of Yalong Bay, this 27hole course provides a truly unique golfing experience for players of all levels. Try to score on the huge Par 6 or check out the longest tee box in China! Get in touch with Marriott for details on their special combo offers. A must-play when visiting Hainan and Yalong Bay.
By David Cooney, Destination Golf (Asia). Email david@destinationgolf.ie
Get in touch! www.facebook.com/pages/ Sanya-Marriott-Resort-Spa www.twitter.com/Marriott For more information see
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Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports
Manilla, Philippines • www.anvayacove.com
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B LU C RE LF U O AT G FE
Club
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Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports
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s Club
Fascinating Philippines
S
ituated in Southeast Asia 2.5 hours from downtown Manilla, Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports Club is one of the newest courses to hit the global golf scene. Recently opened for play on December 7, 2013, this course is the brainchild of Philippine real estate giant Ayala Land, and is the group's first attempt at highend, seaside golf development. Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports Club run the gamut of pulse-quickening golf environments. Designed by California-based course designer, Kevin Ramsey, the 7,030-yard course has some holes playing directly alongside the beach, while others occupy bluffs some 30 meters above the surf. Several more cut daring paths through thick, tropical jungle, while the remaining play along ridges 100 meters above sea level. Proud course designer Ramsey says he was able to create “an uninterrupted string of really strong golf holes that play through five distinct environments” to provide that ‘wow’ factor. "There's a lot of ‘wow’ out there,” he adds. “Holes 11 through 13 account for some of that. They form our own Amen Corner, only this one's at the seaside." This run of holes -- a driveable par-4 looking out across Subic Bay, a par-4 that plays
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Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports C
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From previous page downhill to the beach, and a bluff-top par-3 – whose peninsular green falls off some 30
meters into the ocean on three sides – will
surely rank among the most photographed
holes in Asian golf. But Ramsey is
understandably proud of the inland holes which,
thanks to the marked elevation changes and
expert shaping, played right into the hands of his firm's "look hard, play fair" philosophy.
Anvaya Cove boasts a striking Beach &
Nature Club complete with two restaurants, a water sports pavilion, pool complex and a
massive swathe of pristine beach along Anvaya
Cove itself. Though they are essentially two clubs in one location, members of the Anvaya Cove
Golf & Sports Club enjoy the amenities at both, including more than 40 guest cottages. As
Ayala Land Premier is a developer of high-end
residential properties, these casitas have been designed and appointed with particular flair.
Get in touch! www.facebook.com/AnvayaCove twitter.com/anvaya_cove_ For more information see
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Denia Marriott La Sella G
Costa Blanca, Spain • www.lasellagolfresort.co
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Luxury on the Costa Blanca T
he Denia Marriott La Sella Golf Resort & Spa offers five-star luxury comfort in a quiet environment surrounded by Mediterranean nature adjacent to the Montgó Natural Park, and only a few minutes’ driving distance from Denia or Javea (Costa Blanca /Province Alicante). The Denia Marriott Hotel la Sella has 178 comfortable guest rooms and 8 Junior Suites with a tasteful classic design, warm colours and Mediterranean elements. The hotel includes two restaurants – the main restaurant Brasserie Montgó is open all year round for breakfast, lunch and dinner offering Mediterranean cuisine in a relaxing and informal ambience. The restaurant has a large roofed terrace with nice views to the golf course and over the pool area. The second, fine dining restaurant Segaria, with its romantic patio, offers contemporary creative cuisine in an elegant setting. The Denia Marriott La Sella has a beautiful outside pool with sun beds and a pool bar which is open during summer season, a baby pool, a games room, hotel boutique, gym and outside parking for free. La Sella Spa is situated on the lowest floor of the hotel building and is entirely dedicated to wellbeing, health and beauty. Hydrotherapy, body and facial massages, aesthetician, physiotherapist, hairdresser, relaxing area,
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Denia Marriott La Sella Golf Resort & Spa
52 Destination Golf TRAVEL
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outside Jacuzzi, saunas, and gym – all you need to relax and keep in shape in a warm and tasteful setting. The 27-hole championship golf course La Sella is adjacent to the hotel and only two minutes walking distance. The course, designed by José María Olazábal, is surrounded by a setting of pure, Mediterranean nature and it is playable all year around. The golf course offers a clubhouse with restaurant, Pro Shop, Driving Range, Golf Academy, Putting Green and Pitching Green. Sella Golf has been the official home of the European Ladies Golf Cup since 2008, as well as hosting meetings of different Spanish teams and other important events. It’s three loops of 9-holes uniquely differentiate themselves by colours and by names of winds: Llebeig, Gregal and Mestral. They could blow you away!
Get in touch! www.facebook.com/deniamarriott www.twitter.com/deniamarriott For more information see
www.lasellagolfresort.com Volume 2 • Issue 15
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