Great golf magazine july august 2016

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July - August 2016 Great Golf Magazine

Great Golf Trinidad & Tobago

KitzbĂźhel Austria Interview Rolls Royce Book your Golf Break

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Great Golf

Great Golf

Trinidad & Tobago

Kitzbühel Austria Interview Rolls Royce

Contents TRAVEL FEATURES

INTERVIEW

LUXURY

PROPERTY

Wine

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Book your Golf Break

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One destination, many highlights:

Play golf

Go hiking

The Golf paradise in the heart of the Tyrolean Alps The formula for Alpine golf: 4 courses in Kitzbühel + 30 within 100 km Convenient connection: 1h via Innsbruck /Salzburg Airport, 2h via Munich Airport

The Legend

www.kitzbuehel.com

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Great Golf 30 Eridge Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8HR United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1892 544 872 www.greatgolfmagazine.co.uk MANAGING DIRECTOR

Mike Kaas-Stock mike@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk CHAIRMAN

Colin Morrison

GOLF TRAVEL

EDITOR

YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE...

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Nils Bjornes nils@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk Camilla Kaas-Stock camilla@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk ART DIRECTOR

elcome to the summer edition of Great Golf. We assume that you have already booked your holiday and are either expectantly counting down the days until you go, or already reminiscing on your trip too soon gone. Fear not, for all things come to pass and another holiday will manifest itself.

“But where shall we go?” we hear you say. And that presumably is one of the main reasons that you are now thumbing through this edition of Great Golf Magazine.

You can divide locations into seasonal and all year round, and from there into short and long stay. We hope that we have yet again given you a selection from which to choose for your requirements, whether it be for this year, next or beyond.

Yes, the hills are alive with the sound of golf balls being hit. Austria has been featured before, but this time we head to Kitzbühel and discover that the Alps are not just for people who hurl themselves off mountains with pieces of plastic stuck to their feet. Here you will find some of the most spectacular courses in surroundings that will simply take your breath away.

The alps not your cup of tea? Then read our article on Trinidad & Tobago or countless other locations.

W

Within these lofty pages is the answer to your questions, well, golf travel at least. Please look out for our latest website addition, Great Golf Properties which should be live by the time you read this. And remember, if we write about a location, then we also aim to provide you with the best way to actually go for yourself through our Great Golf Holiday website.

All in all, we’ve got your back covered.

HAPPY TRAVELS!

Ketil Plassgaard ketil@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk ADVERTISING MANAGER

David Singh Tel. 020 8979 9858 david.singh@greatgolfmedia.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Karim Ullah karim@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk CONSULTANT EDITOR

Peter Ellegard peter@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk LUXURY PRODUCTS

Angus Davies angus@escapement.uk.com SUB EDITORS

Sophie Morrison Louise Candy CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE

Angus Davies Dena Roché Peter Ellegard Steve Killick Mark Alexander Steve Carr Rob Hodgettes Camilla Kaas-Stock Mike Kaas-Stock Published by IPB Publishing Ltd Company No 6484115 Printed by The Magazine Printing Company www.magprint.co.uk For advertising enquiries please contact: david.singh@greatgolfmedia.com karim@greatgolfmagazine.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior written consent of Great Golf Magazine UK

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March-April 2016

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Oslo Stockholm Copenhagen

100 pages

Trinidad & Tobago

Golf on the Viking Trail

Bring the Kids Family friendly Golf Locations

Wine Nick Faldo Collection

Top 5 Canary Islands courses

Kitzbühel Austria Interview

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ARIZONA

Rolls Royce Book your Golf Break

Book your Golf Break

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Want to read us online?

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Enjoy Great Golf wherever you go!

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GOLF & THE CITY

Life of Luxe-ury Luxembourg’s administrative and financial leanings hide a country full of culture, adventure and gastronomy. Rob Hodgetts plundered some of the Grand Duchy’s finest treasues

By Rob Hodgettes, photos Luxembourg National Tourist Office

hat do you know about Luxembourg? Go on, have a think. If bankers and bureaucrats are all you can muster, you might be in for a surprise. For starters, did yo u k n ow t h e n a t i ve l a n g u a g e i s Luxembourgish, or the natives known as Luxembourgers?

While it does seem to be fond of an institution – Luxembourg is a founder member of the European Union, home of EU boss Jean-Claude Juncker and seat of the European Court of Justice – this particular book shouldn’t be judged by its pin-striped cover.

The Grand Duchy boasts fabulous hiking and biking in the forested Ardennes, more mediaeval castles than you can shake a siege gun at, pretty villages, rolling countryside, a world-class wine region on the banks of the Moselle river, a stunning UNESCO-listed capital in lofty Luxembourg City, more Michelin-starred restaurants per head than anywhere on earth. And golf.

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A WELL KEPT SECRET. It turns out this tiny landlocked country – just 85km from top to bottom -- bordered by Belgium, France and Germany, could well be one of Europe’s best-kept secrets.

Shame, then, to let the moneymen and EU suits have all the fun.

Combining Luxembourg’s charms with a golf break deserves some serious thought – short distances to travel, a variety of courses, top-notch cuisine and bags of culture.

With people from 168 nations represented, Luxembourg is a real melting pot in the heart of Europe, with French and German spoken as standard and English fairly widespread.

“The cosmopolitan life of so many languages makes it unique,” says Leon Marks, head pro at Golf de Luxembourg, Belenhaff.

Of the five 18-hole courses, the most northerly, Clervaux, lies at the heart of the Ardennes, a region of thick forests, deep valleys and winding rivers that stretches into France and Belgium.

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ARRESTING SIGHT. The town of Clervaux is an arresting sight. A meandering country road creeps around the shoulder of a hill to reveal an enchanting white-washed castle astride a rocky outcrop in a deep bowl on a loop of the river Clerve.

This picturesque spot hides a bloody past. Clervaux was the scene of heavy fighting during the infamous Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s counterattack through the Ardennes in the latter months of World War II. Outside the castle, a Sherman tank stands in more or less the exact position it was left when the besieged Americans were overrun by several German Panzer divisions in December 1944.

The castle is well worth a wander, with a compelling war museum and the famous Family of Man collection of photographs by Luxembourg-born Edward Steichen.

GOLF. A couple of clicks out of town, Clervaux Golf Club sits

on a plateau, almost the highest point in Luxembourg, with

far-reaching views over the forested folds of the Ardennes.

The characterful course, measuring 6,083 yards off the yellow tees, plunges away from the modern clubhouse and four-star hotel.

The layout sits well in the landscape, contouring the crumples of the surrounding area to reveal some quirky corners, such as the dog-leg fifth to a sunken green in a dingly dell.

The drive down to the short par-four eighth green, looking all innocent at the other side of a pond, is one of the steepest fairways you are ever likely to see.

“Clervaux is unique among Luxembourg courses because it is so up and down. That’s one of its attractions,” says manager Martine Malecki.

PANORAMA. Gazing out over the Ardennes from the club’s

restaurant, Le Panoramique -- and what a panorama -- it’s easy to see how Luxembourg bred 2010 Tour de France champion Andy Schleck and fellow pro-cyclist brother

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Frank. Those rolling hills, laced with biking and hiking tracks, seem to go on forever.

If Clervaux whets your whistle for some more castle culture, head south east to Vianden, another of the 100 or so chateaux dotted around Luxembourg.

With origins in the 10th Century, Vianden is an imposing sight; a steep-roofed, pointy-towered citadel looming over a pretty village on the banks of the river Our. Far from a romantic ruin, the castle underwent extensive renovation in the late 1970s and 80s and offers a good glimpse of lordly life.

LITTLE SWITZERLAND. From Vianden, on the edge of a region known as La Petite Suisse Luxembourgeoise or Little Switzerland, a quiet country road across bucolic farmland takes you to the delightful Golfe de Luxembourg in Junglinster.

The course is set around an 18th-century farmhouse which now forms the charming clubhouse, and appealing light-filled restaurant and cosy terrace.

The farm was acquired in 1973 by brothers Jean and Marc Weidert, but they waited until there was sufficient demand for a second golf course in Luxembourg – after the members-only Grand Ducal -- before starting the course work in 1992.

“It’s 100% Luxembourgish and we’re proud of that,” says assistant manager Clara Kreh-Seco.

The majority of the eye-catching 6,129-yard course weaves through open farmland before returning to the more wooded plateau near the clubhouse.

Highlights abound, such as the risk/reward nature of the water-guarded second, the sylvan sixth green and the final three holes hugging the forest.

WATERLOO. The 18th is dubbed “Waterloo”, presumably because so many balls do meet their Waterloo in the lake guarding the green under the walls of the old farm.

“The golf course is a good challenge which any level of golfer can play and enjoy,” says Marks. “To play the course well, a golfer should be able to shape the ball both ways from the tee and be accurate with iron shots as the sloping greens can be brutal during the summer.”

In contrast to Belenhaff, a gentle meander into Moselle country brings you to the impressive Kikuoka Country Club – named by the Japanese founders.

The vast 76-roomed four-star Hotel Mercure dominates the centre of the property, a 6,479-yard American-style course featuring huge greens, lots of manmade water features and big shapely bunkers, like billowing clouds of sand.

It’s a muscly, ambitious course which has hosted European Challenge Tour events. It has an air of 2010 Ryder Cup venue Celtic Manor about it, with a handful of holes that run along shelves on the hillside.

GLIMPSE OF GERMANY. The 16th and 17th occupy the

high point from which you can glimpse Germany across the Moselle River.

“You never get bored of playing it,” says director of golf John Pickford, an Englishman who has been there for 26 years.

“It’s the architecture and the big greens offering endless pin positions.”

From Kikuoka it is a 20-minute drive into the heart of Luxembourg City. The historic Old Town sits on a high sandstone crag, carved by the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers. It’s a delightful spot for a saunter through mazy streets, taking in sights such as the relics of 17th-century ramparts, the Palais Grand-Ducal and the “casemates” – a network of former gunnery tunnels carved into the cliffs.

Fo r a t a s t e o f L u xe m b o u r g , o rd e r Ju d d m a t Gaardebounen (smoked collar of pork with broad beans in cream sauce) in Um Dierfgen, an authentic brasserie in the heart of town. Or head down to the Grund, a former working-class district at the foot of the cliffs, for a meal at the Michelin-starred Mosconi Italian restaurant.

To remind yourself of former preconceptions, gaze across to the modern tower blocks of financial institutions and EU offices on nearby Kirchberg hill. And smile.

Because the bankers and bureaucrats will be there toiling away, while you plunder the true treasures of Luxembourg.

GGM

GOOD TO KNOW GETTING THERE Flights to Luxembourg City, or from the UK take the Eurostar to Brussels and transfer to an InterCity train to Luxembourg City (about 3hrs 15mins).

WHERE TO STAY HOTEL DU GOLF CLUB CLERVAUX www.golfclervaux.lu info@golfclervaux.lu Tel: +352 92 93 95 MERCURE KIKUOKA GOLF CLUB HOTEL www.mercure.com Tel: +352 26 35 41 H2898@accor.com GOLF GOLF DE CLERVAUX www.golfclervaux.lu info@golfclervaux.lu Tel: +352 92 93 95 GOLF DE LUXEMBOURG DOMAIN DE BELLENHAF www.golfdeluxembourg.lu info@golfdeluxembourg.lu Tel : +352 78 00 68 KIKUOKA COUNTRY CLUB www.kikuoka.lu kikuoka@kikuoka.lu Tel: +352 35 61 35

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Spanish eyes It is essential for any golfer to be able to see well, without being dazzled by the sun. That’s why top golfer Miguel Jimenez swears by his Maui Jim sunglasses…

By Mike Kaas-Stock, photos Maui Jim

A

s the lyrics of Engelbert Humperdinck’s song says, “You and your Spanish eyes will wait for me”. Well, the Spanish eyes belong to Miguel Angel Jimenez, eyes that survey the golf courses of the world through a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses.

For the uninitiated, Maui Jim is establishing itself as the sunglasses for both work and play.

In golf, as in all sports, you need quality sunglasses that are going to perform to the highest standards so that you can do the same.

And, as the brand boldly states, these glasses are ‘created on the Hawaiian Islands to make the colours shine’.

And they should know, as the island of Maui is one of the lushest and most vibrant places you could possibly find on this earth. Yet its intense sunlight creates conditions that can hide its beauty. That’s why Maui Jim sunglasses, which are designed to go beyond shielding your eyes from glare and harmful UV rays, also reveal and enhance the world’s true colours.

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THE GOLF AMBASSADOR. So, you create the best sunglasses

possible, what better way to prove their capabilities than to put them over the eyes of one of the world’s most flamboyant and respected sports stars, the talented and charismatic golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez.

The fifth son of a family of seven brothers, Jimenez left school at the tender age of 15 to work in a garage. This was soon followed by a job picking up golf balls on the driving range at Torrequebrada Golf Club near Malaga in Spain, where he eventually progressed to caddying.

After watching the great Seve Ballesteros in the Spanish Open in 1979, Miguel felt inspired to play himself, turning professional only three years later in 1982. His first victory came at the Piaget Belgian Open in 1992.

He has always stated that he owes everything he has to the world of golf, which is why in 2007 he decided to put something back into the game and promote the Open de Andalucia, a European Tour tournament staged near his home in Spain. He has also developed the Miguel Angel Jimenez Golf Academy and is the promoter of the Miguel Angel Jimenez Junior Circuit, which gives kids the opportunity to learn, play and compete.

Now 52, Jiménez was once asked the secret of his longevity within the game. He replied, "There is no secret. Good food, good wine, good cigars and some exercise!”

THE MEETING. We caught up with Jimenez after his round at the BMW Championship at Wentworth.

How did the partnership with Maui Jim come about?

Well, I have to wear glasses when I play. I tried several different brands but when I tried Maui Jims, I thought, wow, these are beautiful. They really cut out the glare while enhancing the colours. They are so light you hardly know you are wearing them.

You know, as you get older, you need to protect your eyes even 28

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more; these glasses do that as well as giving me fantastic clarity.

So you consider Maui Jim to stand out against the other brands?

Maui Jims are good because they have no weight, and no distortion, and they also look great. For me, they really stand out as being better than the other brands, they are not cheap, but they are very good.

Do you have a selection of the glasses for different conditions?

Yes, I have many pairs that I can use depending on the weather and also where I am playing. It could be cloudy so I will have a pair that works for that, or if it’s very bright sun so I may wear a different pair – whatever helps me.

How many pairs do you have?

A lot! But I always have my favourites. At the moment it’s the Maui Jim Mavericks. Wherever I am playing in the world, I have will have my Maui Jims with me.

MAUI JIM. Maui Jim began in 1980 as a small company selling sunglasses on the beach in Lahaina, Hawaii. Seeing a need for technology that could combat intense glare and harmful UV rays, while also bringing the brilliant colours of the island to life, the company engineered the revolutionary PolarizedPlus2® lens.

There are now over 125 styles, all of which are polarised and offer 100 per cent protection from UVA and UVB rays.

In 1999, Maui Jim was listed in Forbes Magazine’s '100 Things Worth Every Penny' article and in both 2015 and 2016, the brand was selected as the Best Sunglass Company in Vision Monday and 20/20 magazine's EyeVote Reader's Choice awards.

GGM To get more information and discover where to buy Maui Jim sunglasses, visit: www.mauijim.com

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song AND THE

DEADLY

STREIF Austria is well known for its stunning ski slopes and beautiful scenery but it’s time for golf to take centre stage, as there are some spectacular courses to visit…

By Mike Kaas-Stock, photo Arosa Resort and Kitzbühel tourist board

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he world of golf travel is not what it used to be. In times past, you booked your golf holiday to Spain or Portugal and that was it. Well, I for one welcome change and get excited about locations not generally on the European golf radar. And one such location is Kitzbühel, Austria.

Anyone who is keen on skiing will have heard of Kitzbühel.

The Hahnenkamm, a mountain close to the town is the location of the Hahnenkamm Streif attack, known the world over as one of the hardest and most dangerous downhill skiing events.

Basically, crazy guys throw themselves off an almost vertical slope with little more than a bit of plastic strapped to their feet.

This is a ski slope of jaw-dropping complexity and risk. Now imagine playing golf down this same slope, as happens once a year (I will cover this event in a future article).

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There are three choices of airport through which you can reach Kitzbühel: Salzburg, Innsbruck or Munich. Due to my proximity to Gatwick, I choose Munich, as it’s about one hour’s drive north of my destination.

After a short flight I find myself cruising down the autobahn.

The drive could not be easier, but remember to look out for exactly where you leave Germany and enter Austria as the speed limit changes from crazy warp drive to a sedate 110kph. The lyrics from a Kraftwerk song keep buzzing around in my head, ‘Wir fahr'n fahr'n fahr'n auf der autobahn’ (We’re driving, driving, driving on the freeway’) as I take in the pretty landscape.

SCENIC ROUTE. I have satellite navigation in my hire car, which

is great, apart from the fact that it’s in German. Now this is not a problem as I happily hurtle down the autobahn, but when I turn

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off the motorway and begin to drive on the more sedate country roads, I suddenly find myself quite literally traversing on single track. I can only assume that the nice Germanic speaking people who had the car before me have programed in ‘Scenic Route’.

Don’t get me wrong, the scenery as I reach the Tyrolian Alps is stunning, but I am on a schedule. As I reverse to let yet another car pass and the passengers smile and wave nicely to me, I am inwardly starting to worry as to what else has been programed into the navigation, possibly a tour of interesting mountain peaks?

I need not have worried, for I am soon in the historic town of Kitzbühel and looking for my hotel, this time relying on good old road signs.

AROSA RESSORT. I arrive at the Arosa Resort exactly on time, which amazes me after my rather interesting drive. This is a luxury

hotel with 115 rooms and 36 suites, located just outside Kitzbühel and positioned to look directly toward the famous Hahnenkamm mountain and infamous Streif run. My luxurious suite is at the front and overlooking the Kitzbühel golf course and clubhouse.

There are various levels of accommodation here, from Executive Room on up to Imperial Suite, but all are of a very high standard.

Among countless amenities available on-site, the hotel has a large spa covering an area of 3,000 m2 with many treatments available, as well as a pool and sauna area.

GOLF CLUB KITZBÜHEL. Attached to the hotel is the Kitzbühel

Golf Club. I have already viewed the final holes from my window and am keen to play. This nine-hole course is one of the most famous in Austria and if the view from my window is anything to go by, it is going to be a lot of fun.

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Hole number one is a par-5 with a slight dogleg left, a nice hole on which to begin, with not too many dangers as long as you avoid the bunkers on the right and the water on the left. In other words, land on the fairway or else!

Every hole is a pleasure to play, but always being a sucker for drama, it’s the eighth and ninth that have piqued my interest.

From my hotel window I have been watching golfer’s successes and failures on these two interesting holes.

The eighth is a par-5 dogleg left, with a shot across water to an island green. The ninth is a par-3 across that same water. I land in the water on the eighth, but after a round of many bogeys, I am finally rewarded with a Par on the ninth.

Time to meet my guide for this trip, Daniel from the Kitzbühel tourist office. I retire to the main hotel lounge where we discuss our plan of action for my all too short time here. First up, I am visiting one of the most beautiful courses anywhere; Eichenheim 34

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Golf Club, located just the other side of the town. And later that day Daniel has plans to take me to see the fearsome Streif run for myself. Should I bring my clubs?

EICHENHEIM. It’s no more than a few minutes’ drive to Eichenheim. I am keen to see the course for myself as I have read rave reviews. It all seems rather unassuming as I make my way up to the clubhouse, but once I’m on the course its beauty is revealed.

With a backdrop of the Wilder Kaiser and Hohe Tauern mountains, the scenery is simply breathtaking.

The first hole is a tricky shot through a narrow gap between trees to the fairway. This is a par-5 with a handicap of three, just to get your juices going. Following on is a nice par-3, then back to a par-5 on the third. With a shot from an elevated position down to the fairway below, this may be the signature hole, but every hole has a jaw-dropping view of the mountains.

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HANENKAMM STREIF. That afternoon we begin our assent to the top of the mountain. The cable car starts at a sedate climb but it’s not long before we are rising at quite a steep angle. Gradually, Kitzbühel, the valley and surrounding mountains are revealed to us in all their glory.

There are no words to describe looking down a ski run like this, but when there is no snow you see obstacles that would normally be buried during the winter – making it look even more terrifying.

I see a right angle bend by what seems to be a vertical drop that awaits the intrepid skier, only a few hundred metres from the start.

If you miss it, I imagine you would be in danger of participating in some serious tree hugging.

As I mentioned already, once a year in early summer an event takes place here known as the Golf Streif. Rather than skiing, players take on the mighty slope with clubs and golf ball. Sports stars and amateur golfers alike pit their wits against this legendary

run. Former skiers, such as downhill Olympic champions Fritz Strobl and Leonhard Stock, Hahnenkamm winners Marco Büchel and Didier Cuche experience the Streif from a different perspective as they make their way down to the valley armed with driver, iron and wedge to the cheers of the spectators.

Time is ticking and I still have more two more courses to visit.

I must point out that I have not actually left the immediate vicinity of Kitzbühel – this area is rich with golfing opportunities.

A short drive from here opens up even more possibilities to the intrepid golfer.

GOLF CLUB SCHWARZSEE. Schwarzsee is next on my list. It is located on the other side of the town to Eichenheim and about the same distance from the city centre. Again, as with all the courses I have visited, there is that stunning background of alpine mountains. From Schwarzsee it’s the 35

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Wilder Kaiser mountain range that loams large.

The course begins on the relatively flat area by the clubhouse before steadily progressing into the surrounding foothills. With a good mixture of hard and intriguing holes combined with some more forgiving ones, this is a good test for anyone.

At all points you are witness to those amazing views of the surrounding mountain peaks. Beware, you could feel the urge to break into song, ‘The hills are alive with the sound of music’. For those of an aquatic nature, water comes into play on several holes while not scaring others who prefer not to risk too many watery graves.

RASMUSHOF GOLF & HOTEL. My final golf course, on the last day, is the Rasmushof Golf Hotel, with its attached nine-hole offering, conveniently located right at the bottom to the Streif run. Needless to say, the course provides the finishing hole for the intrepid Streif golfers.

During the winter ski season, it’s home to large numbers of spectators as well as film crews who set up camp during the ski events. It’s a small miracle that only a few weeks after the end of the ski season, the course is open and ready for play.

The hotel is the quintessential alpine residence, authentic and charming and having the course onsite is perfect for those who want to be able to play directly from the hotel.

KITZBÜHEL GOLF. I have visited four golf courses, two 18-hole and 36

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two nine-hole, a total of 54 holes without really leaving the town.

And there are at least 30 other courses within a manageable distance.

I cannot for the life of me understand why there are no British golfers here. Are we so fixated with the usual suspects that we are unaware of other options? Possibly it’s because the likes of Spain and Portugal are easy sells for the golf tour operators and they can book large numbers. But then, that leaves the more interesting locations to the adventurer looking for something new.

The courses are stunning and the scenery is to die for. It may not be the Mediterranean, but on a sunny day, you will be glad for the shade of alpine trees and a cooling breeze coming off the mountains. You cannot guarantee sunshine 24/7 but you sure of good courses, wonderful hospitality and a holiday that you will remember for a long time.

History, culture, tradition and landscape all conjoin to create a fantastic location for golfing holidaymakers, whether with family of friends. Want to go somewhere different? Go to Kitzbühel. GGM GOOD TO KNOW To book your golf holiday to Kitzbühel go to www.greatgolfholiday.com There are flights to Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck from most UK airports with many airlines including EasyJet and British Airways.

For more information on Kitzbühel golf courses go to www.kitzbuehel-golf.com

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GRAN CANARIA

A GRANDaffair

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love coming to Gran Canaria, its beautiful beaches, dramatic landscape and wonderful golf courses make this island in the sun so special. Located in the Atlantic and to the west of southern Morocco, it’s a last stop before the Caribbean. But I am here to see much more than just the golf courses. Included in my itinerary are trips into the mountains along with a visit to the highest altitude winery on the Island.

I am met at Las Palmas airport by my guide for this adventure,

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the talented Guillermo Morales, who has been assigned by the Gran Canaria Golf Association to guide me on this trip. As well as running various fun activities in, Guillermo works for LPA Segway tours in Las Palmas (more on that in a later feature).

Within a no time at all we arrive at my accommodation, the Dunas Suites & Villas, which is to be found not far from the Maspalomas golf course and perfectly placed for everything that I plan to do and see on this foray.

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WINES AND MOUNTAINS. The next day, with the sun shining,

myself and Guillermo head off into the interior. It’s amazing just how quickly we find ourselves winding our way along mountain roads. The views created by the islands volcanic birth several million years ago, are just stunning, with high peaks and large calderas marking the view.

With the island fast becoming a mecca for cyclists, we pass quite a few individuals and groups working their way up the steep

mountain roads. Gran Canarias’s unique environment is fantastic for golfers, cyclists and anyone else for that matter who takes the time to get out of the urban areas and explore.

Our first stop of the day is the Agala Winery. Soon we are making our way along a small and inconspicuous road, passing terraces of vines, with the winery coming into view little way ahead.

Agala is an Aboriginal word of Berber origin which aptly refers to a high mountain, which is exactly where the vines are grown, 41

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processed and bottled, at a height of 1,318 meters above sea level.

Located in the Nublo, World Biosphere Reserve, and close to the famous rocky peak and symbol of the island, the Roque Bentayga. this family owned business produces high quality wines, taking advantage of the unique conditions that this location provides.

We enter the main reception area which incidentally is partly of troglodyte construction, being recessed into the very rock of the mountain. The cave like environment is perfect for aging the 42

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wine with natural and stable conditions of temperature and humidity. Currently, the winery has a production capacity of 55,000 litres.

Discreetly, we mingle with a group who have come for a tour and wine tasting, just in time for the first bottles to be opened.

The winery produces both red and white wine and our host explains that all harvesting is done by hand. The grapes are then introduced into a cold chamber in order to keep its properties intact.

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Both the red and white wines are superb and I count my blessings that I am not driving and can enjoy the experience, Guillermo on the other hand has to content himself with a few sparing sips.

TIERRA GUANCHE. Next stop, lunch and a bit cheese. Yes, I know, the cheese should have come with the wine, but to really savour the dairy delights of the island you need to go to Tierra Guanche,

Tierra Guanche is a combination of restaurant, traditional arts & crafts shop, and cheese & wine cellar. This means that you can have a meal upstairs in the restaurant, go down to their cellar for your drinks and nibbles, and then purchase some local produce on the way out.

The whole business is owned and run by the Moreno brothers.

With traditional dishes coming out of the kitchen as fast as mother Moreno can cook them, we are soon stuffed to bursting.

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I love cheese, and have never really thought of Gran Canaria as a place for the smelly gold, but it is, and the cheese is fantastic. All hand-made raw-milk cheese, along with local wine with a smattering from the other Canary Islands.

I leave a short while later clutching a wonderfully smelling item and looking forward to my wife’s face when she opens the fridge in a few day time (she is not a fan of strong cheese).

I return to Dunas Suites & Villas absolutely stuffed and very content with my days work. After a dip in the pool I relax outside my own personal villa with a cool glass of wine and watch the sunset. This is going to be a busy few days with a trip to Las Palmas and plenty of golf.

But this is all for an article in the next edition, for now I leave you with my glass of wine and the cheese safely stowed away ready for my return to the UK. GOLF. There are seven courses here in total, all superb and with enough variation between them to keep the most discerning golfer happy. And being an island, none are too far away wherever you happen to be staying.

SHERATON SALOBRE. This resort is home to the aptly named New Course and Old Course. The Old is a pleasant round with not too many surprises, but the New Course, however, is quite a challenge. Beware if you stray off the fairway, the rocks on either side are volcanic, and if a ball hits them, wave it goodbye as it bounces off – seeming intent on being the first golf ball in space!

Having said that, it is a real joy to play.

ANFI TAURO. This desert-style course opened in 2006 and a lot

of thought has been put into creating something both aesthetically pleasing and challenging. Of particular interest is the eighth hole, a par-4 with the green cut into the mountain.

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With a cliff face on three sides, it’s pretty spectacular.

LOPESAN MELONERAS GOLF. With stunning sea views on almost all nine holes, this really is one to savour – particularly the twelfth, a par-3 to a green on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic, which makes a stunning backdrop.

REAL CLUB DE GOLF DE LAS PALMAS. Perched next to the

crater of an extinct volcano, you can easily see why in 1891 a group of intrepid British nationals decided this was the place to play golf (the phrase about mad dogs and Englishmen comes to mind). It’s an absolutely stunning location.

MASPALOMAS GOLF COURSE. Bordering the famous sand dunes

and within ball striking distance to the sea, this is a very popular course for locals and tourists alike. Flat and with wide fairways, it may not tax you to the extent of other to be found here, but you can expect a good game in picturesque surroundings.

EL CORTIJO CLUB DE GOLF. This course runs along three valleys with a total of six lakes. There are six tees per hole, giving players of all abilities an opportunity to play within their level.

It was here that Sergio Garcia won the Spanish Open in 2002.

This is a great course for the big hitters but not overly worrying for the mere mortals among us.

Look out for Gran Canaria – “Golf & the City” in the upcoming Autumn edition.

GGM GOOD TO KNOW To book your Gran Canaria holiday direct with the hotels & resorts go to www.greatgolfholiday.com For more information for golf and more, visit the Gran Canaria Golf website at www.grancanariagolf.com

THE ISLAND OF TOBAGO....

A championship golf course awaits you at Magdalena Grand The lush Par-72, 18-hole Tobago Plantations Golf Course at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort in Tobago has been woven into the landscape with lakes, woodland thickets, beaches, mangroves and wild grass. The flat terrain of just over 7,000 yards has characteristic pot bunkers sunk into the greensides and a Par 4 that heads out into the peninsula where golfers can enjoy panoramic views of Scarborough, the capital of Tobago. Other holes weave their way through mature palm trees and surrounding mangroves. The course is designed to PGA Championship standards.

The Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort has 178 deluxe oceanfront guest rooms and 22 suites, all featuring breathtaking ocean views from large private balconies and terraces. There are 3 oceanfront swimming pools, tennis, spa services, guest activities, a kids club and a variety of excursions, as well as a wide range of dining options.

Book your Tobago golf holiday for stays until April 30th, 2017 and save up to 20% on accommodation rates and 2 free rounds of golf with a minimum stay of 7 nights.

To book your holiday call 0845-004-8276 WWW.MAGDALENAGRAND.COM/UK

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TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

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Liming with the locals

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don’t like cricket, I love it’ – as the 70s hit song, Dreadlock Holiday, by 10cc goes. Which is a good thing when visiting Port of Spain, the capital city of the Trinidad and Tobago Republic. The Queen’s Park Oval, in the heart of the city, is the Caribbean’s largest cricket ground. It was also the sporting home of Brian Lara, one of cricket’s true greats until his retirement in 2007.

Everyone in Trinidad seems to know, or is related to, Lara. After an early flight from Tobago, Nick, my driver and guide for two days of golf and sightseeing, reveals that he was born in the same village, Santa Cruz, as the Lara family. Apparently, he grew up with ‘The Prince’, Lara’s nickname, and his 10 siblings.

‘I

MILLENNIUM LAKES. Arriving at nearby Millennium Lakes Golf

and Country Club, I am greeted by golf administrator Lauren Lara, Brian’s sister-in-law. She introduces me to her golf tour operator husband, Richard, former manager of his cricketing brother, before I venture out. Both he and Brian are three handicappers.

The flat, open course meanders along the Arouca River and is well named, with water on almost every hole. Safely avoiding the river for both my opening drive and pitch to the green, my 23 handicap shows itself and I find the wet stuff with alarming regularity.

Having missed the club’s website pointing out that the lakes and ponds are filled with not only exotic birds, but also caimans – the Caribbean’s alligator – I hunt for lost balls in the reed-filled lake edges in blissful ignorance. Mercifully, the snappy residents stay hidden.

Opened in 2006, Millennium forms the centrepiece of an upscale residential community development, and fancy villas line several fairways. The fairways are more parched than normal in the January–May dry season because of an unusually arid rainy season, but the greens are well watered and putts roll nicely. The 48

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signature par-4 9th hole finishes with a green in front of the clubhouse beyond a pond full of water lilies. It’s all very picturesque.

EXPLORING THE CAPITAL. I check into the charming, intimate Coblentz Inn boutique hotel – an oasis of calm in the frenzy that is Port of Spain – before lunch at Shiann’s Food Palace, a city centre institution famous for its curries. Owner Lisa Nagir decorated walls with posters of Brian Lara during his cricketing pomp and he eats there regularly. I try ‘buss-up-shut’, a type of roti or flatbread, with curried chicken. Delicious.

You haven’t been to Trinidad unless you try roti, doubles, and bake and shark, according to Nick. So that night we go to Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain’s largest recreational space, for some street food. At weekends it heaves with people. I sample doubles – patties filled with spicy channa (chickpeas) – as well as corn soup, whilst enjoying a barbadine punch, made from an exotic fruit, finishing with Guinness ice cream from a street vendor in St James.

Beforehand, I take a sunset boat tour through the vast Caroni Bird Sanctuary mangrove swamp to see Trinidad’s national bird, the scarlet ibis. Huge flocks of these vivid red birds fly in to roost on mangrove islands at dusk, a spectacular sight.

BAMBOO AND BLOSSOM. After a dawn start to avoid Port of

Spain’s notorious traffic, I play at the hilly St Andrews Golf Club.

Laid out in 1891 through mature trees in a valley between forested mountains, it is a joy to play. It is also challenging, despite being just 6,550 yards from the back tees, thanks to streams and overhanging bamboo. The bright pink blossom of scattered, indigenous poui trees is a highlight.

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Beware the short and innocuous-looking stroke index 18 hole, the par-3 15th. From the high tees you can easily over-club into the river and trees behind the green, or short-side yourself and find the gaping front bunker.

Both the 9th and 18th holes end by the colonial-style clubhouse.

There, in the Hacker’s Bar & Grill, I meet another of Lara’s brothers, Robert, the club’s golf operations co-ordinator. I had hoped to meet the man himself at St Andrews, but he is off-island.

However, Robert gives me a pink St Andrews golf hat that Brian has signed for me and a golf ball bearing his name and the number 375 – his record Test score for the West Indies against England in 1994. This number was eclipsed when he regained the record with an unbeaten 400 runs in 2004, once more against England. Both now have pride of place in my office.

We are set to leave Trinidad but I still haven’t tried bake and shark (a seafood sandwich), so we drive through rainforest to beautiful Maracas Beach on the north coast. I order one from Richard’s Bake and Shark, famous for serving the best, while enjoying a refreshing drink of coconut water from a freshly chopped coconut on the beach.

With tailbacks to the airport, sadly there’s no time to visit Yerette, a hummingbird haven created in the garden of a house above Maracas Valley, or the nearby Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad’s top bird-watching location. Next time.

TIME FOR TOBAGO. This island bookends my trip and is far more

laidback than larger Trinidad. Both are famed for their colourful and vibrant carnival street festivals, Notting Hill Carnival being inspired by Trinidad’s, but Tobago is the beach holiday destination.

My first few days there are spent at the Grafton Beach Hotel, which is family-friendly, and next-door’s Le Grand Courlan Spa

Resort, which is adult-only. Both overlook palm-fringed Stonehaven Bay. Here is an idyllic retreat, just steps from the beach where you can enjoy lunch and cocktails above the golden sands in their beachside Buccaneers Bar. I rent a car to play at the nearby Mount Irvine Bay Resort’s golf course and to explore the area. Carved from an old sugar and coconut plantation in 1968, the resort’s restaurant is built around a 200-year-old sugar mill. This course has seen some action and it hosted Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf in its early years.

The design is delightful. Fairways lined by towering royal palm trees swoop down and back up gentle slopes, giving tantalising glimpses of the Caribbean from many holes before finishing on the 18th green just across the coast road from the beach.

Star hole is the 9th, a par 4 that starts with an elevated tee giving wonderful sea views and curves around a water hazard to a tuckedaway green. My favourite hole is the par-4 18th, though, after I chip in for a birdie.

SUNDAY SCHOOL. After the golf, I visit small seaside town Buccoo, known for its annual crab and goat racing festival. At sunset I attend Sunday School, along with what seems like the whole of Tobago. The faithful are all dressed in their Sunday finery, but forget religion. Sunday School Tobago-style is one big weekly party under the stars. People come to go liming (hanging out with friends) and wining (dancing provocatively).

What an atmosphere! Everybody is liming, beer in hand, chatting away as a steel pan band fills the air with the distinctive Trinidad and Tobago sound from the stage, while several couples are wining suggestively on the dance floor.

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shirt, hat, shades and cane. He poses for tourists’ selfies in return for beers. Then a DJ comes on stage, pumping up the volume with fast-paced local Soca rhythms and the dance floor fills.

I feel a bit like Cinderella as I leave before midnight, but while I don’t lose a shoe, my minibus does get stuck in a jam from people still pouring in. Back at the Grafton Beach Hotel, I miss my pina colada nightcap as Ali, the barman, is just heading out to Sunday School. Next day he admits he left at 5am and it was still rocking.

TROPICAL PARADISE. Tobago is beautiful, with its stunning

beaches lapped by the gin-clear Caribbean and Atlantic on either coast. The sea teems with coral and fish, and diving is huge here.

I board a glass-bottomed boat from Store Bay to drift over Buccoo Reef and and go liming in the shallows of Nylon Pool, a submerged coral sandbank surrounded by azure sea.

Rainforest-clad mountains provide refuge for most of Tobago’s 200-plus bird species. I take a guided bird-watching hike into the Main Ridge Forest Preserve with Tobago’s bird whisperer, Newton George. The rainforest echoes to a cacophony of tropical bird song and as George points out numerous colourful species, he also mimics their calls, to which these tropical birds respond.

MADGALENA GOLF. My final Tobago base is the Magdalena

Grand Beach & Golf Resort, a lavish sanctuary set on a 750-acre former plantation on the rugged south coast. Environmentally friendly, the Tobago Plantations Golf Club course is a certified Audubon Co-operative Sanctuary member that opened in 2001 and was revamped in 2013.

It is partly laid out through wetlands and artificial lakes created to enhance flora and fauna and partly alongside the coast and mangroves, which you can explore on boardwalks. Several holes are on the ocean, including the par-4 3rd, where the green gives views across the bay to Tobago's capital city, Scarborough, while the par-3 14th hole runs alongside wind-blown Atlantic waves, 50

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skipped across by speedy kiteboarders.

After checking in, a motorcade arrives bearing the Trinidad and Tobago prime minister and his entourage. He is here for a colleague’s wedding and a cabinet meeting, the bellboy tells me, and sweeps past me as I stand by the entrance. I bump into him again by chance two days later while playing golf. My playing partner, a local golf pro, introduces me to him when we end up playing adjacent holes. Asked if I am enjoying my stay, I tell him I feel thoroughly at home.

How could I not be? Especially after liming and dining, if not wining, just like the locals.

GGM

GOOD TO KNOW GETTING THERE British Airways offers twice-weekly services to Tobago, as does Virgin-Atlantic.

Thomas Cook Airlines begins direct weekly services from Manchester in November.

WHERE TO STAY TOBAGO Grafton Beach Hotel www.graftontobago.com Le Grand Courland Spa Resort http://legrandtobago.com Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort www.magdalenagrand.com TRINIDAD Coblentz Inn www.coblentzinn.com WHERE TO PLAY TOBAGO Tobago Plantations Golf Club (Magdalena Grand) www.magdalenagrand.com Mount Irvine Bay Golf Club www.mountirvinebay.com TRINIDAD Millennium Lakes Golf & Country Club www.millenniumlakes.com St Andrews Golf Club www.golftrinidad.com To book your holiday go to www.greatgolfholiday.com

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GREAT GOLF TOP 20

TOP 20 FAMILY FRIENDLY GOLF RESORTS Welcome to the second of our Great Golf Top 20 Categories. In each edition of the Magazine we will introduce a list of 20 Golf Resorts that are considered candidates for that particular field.

As the year progresses we will be asking our readers to vote for the winner of each category as well as an overall winner.

The sixth and final edition of 2016 is the “100 Greatest Golf Resorts” in which the winners of each category and also an overall winner will be announced.

You can vote for each category as they are listed, or save all voting until the end of the year.

Individuals who have voted in all 5 categories and also for an overall winner will be added to the “Win a Golfing Holiday” competition with the winner being announced in the 100 Greatest Golf Resorts edition in December.

To vote go to www.greatgolfmagazine.co.uk To book a golf holiday to these and many other locations, go to www.greatgolfholidays.net

100 GREATEST

Golf Resorts

2016 Great Golf MAGAZINE

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WESTIN RESORT COSTA NAVARINO – GREECE

MAZAGAN BEACH & GOLF RESORT – MOROCCO

ACCOMMODATION.

GOLF. DINING. SPA. CHILDREN.

PINE CLIFFS RESORT – ALGARVE, PORTUGAL

APHRODITE HILLS – CYPRUS

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CHATEAU D’ AUGERVILLE – FRANCE

LA MANGA – SPAIN

HERITAGE AWALI GOLF & SPA RESORT – MAURITIUS

TURNBERRY – SCOTLAND

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BOVEY CASTLE – ENGLAND

BEACHCOMBER ROYAL PALM MARRAKECH – MOROCCO

REUNION RESORT – FLORIDA

FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI – HAWAII

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FAIRMONT ORCHID – HAWAII

THE WESTIN KIERLAND RESORT & SPA – ARIZONA

PONTE VEDRA INN & CLUB – FLORIDA

THE RITZ-CARLTON, ABAMA – TENERIFE, SPAIN

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VIVA ZAFIRO ALCUDIA & SPA – MALLORCA

CONSTANCE LÉMURIA - SEYCHELLES

SHANGRI-LA'S RASA RIA RESORT & SPA, KOTA KINABALU - MALAYSIA

HALF MOON RESORT – JAMAICA

To c h o o s e y o u r T O P FA M E LY F R I E N D LY G O L F L O C AT I O N , g o t o w w w. g r e a t g o l f m a g a z i n e . c o . u k 57

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Rolls Royce Phantom Standard Wheelbase

JUSTIFIABLY

EXPENSIVE The very name ‘Rolls Royce’ exudes luxury. This British marque prides itself on meeting the personal requirements of its clientele. However, despite the rarity of its prestigious cars, its brand name is world famous. Indeed, a Rolls Royce is an object of desire, coveted by the man in the street and the well-heeled connoisseur alike.

by Angus Davies, www.escapementmagazine.com, photo courtesy Rolls Royce

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ecently, I was invited to drive the Rolls Royce Phantom and experienced, first hand, the regal ride synonymous with this most revered car manufacturer.

The two-tone exterior of the Phantom press car consisted of 'Cassiopeia silver and blue velvet'. The lighter colour adorned the upper part of the body, while the lower portion of the car was suffused with a rich, dark blue. I must confess, this treatment was not to my taste and I would personally favour a single, more unassuming colour. Nevertheless, as I examined the lustrous bodywork at close quarters, I was forced to admit that the overall effect was profoundly impressive.

Furthermore, my rejection of said colour scheme illustrates that, as individuals, we all have distinct personal tastes, something that the designers at Rolls Royce pride themselves on catering for.

The basic price of the Phantom Standard Wheelbase, at the time of writing, was £318,120. However, the press vehicle I was entrusted to drive was non-standard, raising the final on-the-road cost to the princely sum of £416,448. It would appear that the

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potential to personalise a Rolls Royce is limited merely by the imagination of the would-be purchaser.

PALATIAL DECOR. Having eagerly walked over to the Phantom, I was overwhelmed with a sense of anticipation. I grasped the gleaming, chrome handle of the driver's door and absorbed the spectacle which lay in front of me. The interior decor was palatial, exuding an unmatched air of grandeur.

I gingerly, and rather deferentially, sat upon the driver's seat.

Looking at the front foot well, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt at the thought of placing my feet on the pristine, navy blue, deep-pile rug.

Once my humble shoes had sunk into the plush lambs’ wool carpet, I began to appreciate the driver's seat, with its well-padded, seashell-toned, full natural grain leather. The optional, contrasting navy blue piping and matching monogrammed headrests only added to the sense of opulence.

Looking over the steering wheel, my eye was caught by the

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The Rolls Royce Phantom is a treat for all the senses. The leather interior smells wonderful, the sumptuous seats and rugs are deliciously comfortable, the sound system must be heard to be believed and even the organ stop ventilation controls are oddly gratifying to adjust.

legendary symbol riding on the bonnet. Those drivers seeking a marginally more understated arrival can open the glove box and electronically lower the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot into a recess, hidden from view.

POWER RESERVE. Starting the car proved to be a hushed affair, with no unseemly cries from the 6749cc V12 engine. Watching the power reserve dial was the best method of establishing whether the whisper-quiet engine was running. The gear selector on the steering column was intuitive to use.

As I drove away for the first time, I could not fail to be impressed by the absence of any extraneous road noise. When I encountered pockmarked sections of road, the Rolls Royce handled them with a nonchalant shrug, leaving my fellow occupant blissfully unaware.

The sheer scale of the leviathan-like Phantom, which weighs in at 2635kg, means that it does sometimes have to defer to the laws of physics. When I attempted to negotiate twisting bends,

the vehicle did want to over steer, especially on off-camber corners, where its sure-footed character seemed less certain. However, in fairness, the Phantom is intended for genteel progress. Indeed, to drive the Phantom down a country lane with boy racer zeal would seem disrespectful.

A benefit of threading the Phantom through twisty bends is that it encourages the motorist to drive a little more sedately in order to savour each moment. This is not to say the Phantom is a slouch; it will readily accelerate from 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds and continue to increase momentum up to a governed top speed of 149mph. This vehicle is perfectly suited for autobahn use, having the ability to cross large expanses of land in sublime comfort.

I was keen to explore the full Phantom experience, so I relinquished the commanding position of the driver's throne and swapped places with my colleague, taking up position in the rear passenger compartment. The 'suicide' doors accord a unique and slightly retro means of entering the back seats of the Phantom.

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Measuring 5.842m in length, the Rolls Royce Phantom is unlikely to ever go unnoticed.

CUSTOMER IS KING. The highly specified press car was equally well appointed in the rear. The traumatic memories of my childhood, shoehorned into the back of our modest family hatchback, readily evaporated on entering the serene sanctuary of the Phantom. The available leg room allowed me to stretch out, despite being 6' 4" tall. Surprisingly, there is actually a longer version of the Phantom: the Extended Wheelbase. I do not quite understand the rationale for selecting this latter model when the Standard Wheelbase provides such a vast interior, but I accept that in this rarefied world of motoring, the customer is king.

The headlining above was populated with a twinkling depiction of the night sky. The ‘starlight headliner’ consists of approximately 800 optic fibres, each one individually positioned by Rolls Royce's artisans. The rear armrest incorporated a drinks cabinet containing beautiful glassware.

Riding in the back of the Phantom, I absorbed the experience with relish. I noted the fold-down picnic tables, neatly integrated into the backrest of the front seats, and my index fingers stroked the magnificently polished, ultra-smooth, cross-banded royal walnut trim on the inside of the doors.

UPHOLDING TRADITIONS. Despite the numerous examples of traditional hand craftsmanship, the Phantom does not eschew technology. The obligatory satellite navigation system graces the dashboard and the car features an impressive-sounding in-car entertainment system. In addition, the press car came with the

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brand's ‘theatre configuration’, adding two rear-mounted 12 inch screens for watching TV or DVDs. Measuring 5.842m in length, the Rolls Royce Phantom is unlikely to ever go unnoticed. Its scale, profile and the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy all encourage bystanders to take notice. Quite simply, while some vehicles are anonymous, the sight of a Rolls Royce is something to be remembered. However, one potential pitfall of such an immense vehicle becomes apparent when parking.

Nevertheless, despite its size, this actually proved to be quite simple, courtesy of the numerous cameras and information relayed via the dashboard screen.

PRODUCT PAR EXCELLENCE. The Rolls Royce Phantom is a treat for all the senses. The leather interior smells wonderful, the sumptuous seats and rugs are deliciously comfortable, the sound system must be heard to be believed and even the organ stop ventilation controls are oddly gratifying to adjust.

In my professional role as a journalist, I am sometimes left disappointed by my encounters with luxury brands. The sizable asking price seems to buy you a thin veneer of artificial glamour and nothing more. Rest assured, this is not the case with Rolls Royce.

The Phantom makes no compromises. It is born from a rare union of cutting-edge design and traditional craftsmanship. The outlay necessary to secure such a vehicle is justified. Its reputation is not merely a function of sales-led hyperbole, but a deserving acknowledgement of its splendiferous creation.

GGM

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MALLORCA

The

GOLF ISLAND

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hat a difference a day makes, 24 little hours!

Well, I don’t know about you, but that sounds like an awfully long time, I prefer one hour and forty minutes, which is precisely how long it takes to fly to Mallorca from London.

Mallorca, one of the 11 islands that make up the Balearic archipelago, is in my humble opinion, vastly underrated – not just as a golf destination, but also as a holiday location.

I remember my mother-in-law returning from a holiday here, raving about its beauty after having fallen in love with the island.

At the time, I could not understand how a place that I had

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associated with one type of vacation could be so different. Welltravelled and worldly wise, she painted a picture completely contrasting to my perspective. Now, all these years later, my viewpoint has completely aligned with my mother-in-law’s.

I have to start by saying that this is truly the golf island. There are 19 (yes, you read correctly) golf courses on a landmass that you can drive from one end to the other in about an hour.

However, you would need to take a seriously long vacation to give yourself the opportunity to play them all, although I for one would be happy to try.

The capital, La Palma, a truly beautiful Spanish city in every

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sense, is authentic, charming and welcoming. And once you see the countryside, you will really begin to understand what our misjudged perspective has caused us to miss over the years. There are mountains, sweeping plains and rolling hills, along with picturesque villages and pretty towns.

THE NORTH EAST. My plan for this trip is to cover the north-east

of the island. I begin in the town of Cala Ratjada, which is located on the Punta de Capdepera peninsula. This peaceful settlement is built around the harbour and a sea promenade that stretches from Playa Son Moll to the south to Cala Gat on the peninsula.

Nearby is the equally beautiful Capdepera, where you will find a medieval castle dating from the 14th century standing guard over the town. The area is perfect for those looking for a relaxing vacation in authentic surroundings.

I am booked in at the Serrano Hotel close to the sea front, conveniently located for sun, sea and golf, with four courses close by. A stroll along the promenade soon uncovers a myriad of cafes and bars at which to sit and watch the sun set.

CLUB DE GOLF SON SERVERA. The next day I head off to play golf at the Son Severa course. This is my first visit, although, 67

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believe you me, I have tried to cover them all in the past. Located close to the coast and roughly 20 minutes from the Serrano Hotel, this is a real gem. Beautifully designed and well maintained, this parkland golf course is the second oldest club on the island.

Meandering its way up into the mountains, the views out over the bay of Cala Millor are spectacular. For me, the visual experience is everything and this course really ticks the box.

CAPDEPERA GOLF. The last time I came to Capdepera, I had

about 20 minutes to spare and had to race around the course with hardly a moment to actually hit a ball. But this time I get to play.

Located, naturally, not far from the town of Capdepera, the course hugs the Artá mountain range behind to create the perfect backdrop. The front nine are mostly on level ground, while the back nine take you into the foothills. There are some inspiring holes and enough to keep all levels of golfers content. The 15th was voted ‘Best Hole on the Island’, and offers spectacular views to the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding land.

PARK HYATT MALLORCA. After visiting two golf courses in one day, it’s time for some luxury. And an opportunity has presented itself with the new Park Hyatt Mallorca having just opened in nearby Canyamel. Now, I have stayed at a few Hyatt’s in my time and have always been impressed, so the new Park Hyatt Mallorca has a high bar to reach. Happily, this accommodation easily hits the mark.

The hotel has been created in the form a traditional Mallorca hilltop village, with hotel rooms and apartments combined into the structure. The resort is so new that direction signs haven’t gone up yet, so I spend a good ten minutes searching for it. This is made harder by the fact that the resort fits so well into its surroundings, but it’s all worthwhile when I finally arrive.

From the moment you pull up at reception, you are in good hands. You just cannot beat that personal service from trained staff who are more than happy to make you feel pampered. My suite is perfect, with views out to the rolling hills and a large balcony on which to relax and enjoy a glass of wine.

Later on I meet up with Stefanie from the hotel, who is giving me a guided tour of the facilities. We meet in the square, which is complete with its own clock tower. First stop is the spa. It offers day treatments, half-day escapes and unique signature experiences, all individually tailored to meet the needs of every guest. The spa rooms are cool and peaceful – a great place to unwind. With every convenience catered for, this is worth the visit.

There are four restaurants available, all of them good. The traditional Balearic eatery is rooted in the strong culinary values of the region, while the Tapas Bar offers an inclusive social space, with an outdoor terrace where guests can enjoy freshly prepared tapas, classic and original cocktails plus an extensive selection of wines. The Asia has a wide range of authentically prepared panAsian dishes by specialist chefs, and then there is the Café Sa Plaça, offering all-day dining.

All the restaurants source local food and beverages as much as possible, from sustainably caught fish to free-range poultry, local farm-grown vegetables, fruit and olives, and seasonally produced cheese and olive oil. As such, the restaurants and bars operate on a seasonal basis.

With Canyamel Golf Course next door and another two within ten minutes’ drive, this is a great place to stay. The prestigious Alcanada golf course is also not far away.

REAL GOLF DE BENDINAT. I cannot visit Mallorca and not play at Bendinat. This is ruining my plan of only covering courses found in the north of the island, but it really is worth the visit.

Bendinat is located just a little way west of the capital Palma.

Quirky and beautiful are two words that come to mind here.

The course is both urban and parkland, with so much more.

Right from the first tee, where your drive is a blind shot into a valley, you have a feeling that this is no ordinary course. The backdrop of the imposing Bendinat Castle adds to the experience (indeed, the honorary president of the club is none other than King Juan Carlos of Spain). The back nine provides some breathtaking views, particularly from the 12th, a par 3 from a ridge down to the green below.

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VIVA ZAFIRO ALCUDIA & SPA. My final stop is a visit to the recently

opened five-star Viva Zafiro Alcudia Resort & Spa. As with Park Hyatt and Serrano, this hotel is located in the north of the island. It is perfectly placed for golfers, with Alcanada only a few minutes away.

The resort has been built with careful consideration for both couples and families, with a central amenities area as well as both adult and kids pools, some of which are accessed directly from ground floor apartments.

If you are looking for somewhere to keep all members of your family happy, then this is the place. Children will find it hard to complain of being bored here with so much to do. Help is on hand with childcare and kids’ clubs should the adults decide to partake in their own activities, such as golf, for example. The rooms and apartments are modern, light and well equipped, with choices from single and on up to suites complete with a rooftop Jacuzzi.

The nearby Alcanada golf course is set in beautiful surroundings and is one of my favourites. If you are in Mallorca, then a visit here is a necessity.

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I cannot recommend Mallorca enough. Yes, it is more expensive to play golf here than in mainland Spain, and this is something that I hope they rectify in the near future. But the quality is high, the weather is good, the views are stunning and you are not fighting for a tee time as you would at other locations. Whatever you do, make time to visit ‘Golf Island’ – it’s less than two hours away.

GGM

GOOD TO KNOW Book your Mallorca holiday by going to www.greatgolfholiday.com Monarch operates year round flights to Mallorca from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton, Leeds Bradford and Manchester airports with fares, including taxes, starting from £59 one way (£130 return) For further information or to book Monarch flights, Monarch Holidays or Monarch Hotels, please visit www.monarch.co.uk For more information on golf in Mallorca, go to www.mallorcagolfisland.com

A BLEND OF LUXURY AND GOLF Located just 3.5 Km from the Club de Golf Alcanada, designed by Trent Jones Jr. Puerto de Alcudia (Mallorca) · T. +34 971 897 008 · F. +34 971 897 007 info@hotelsviva.com · hotelsviva.com

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MARRAKECH

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The great

ESCAPE If you’re looking for exotic boltholes in the sun, Marrakech should be high on your wish list.

Mark Alexander looks at two Moroccan getaways that offer luxury and seclusion. Photo by Mark Alexander

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t was an unseasonably cold April and I needed pampering.

Snow had been forecast and a northerly airflow was wafting shrill breezes from the Artic. I needed warmth and plenty of it. In such circumstances, a quick exit was called for. I wanted a place where the heat of the sun could mingle freely with an exotic culture, far removed from the bracing chill of the UK’s spring air.

The three-and-a-bit-hour flight down to the Red City, otherwise known as Marrakech, was filled with fellow escapees feverishly searching out their own antidote to northern Europe’s dismal start to spring. But this wasn’t your usual ensemble of sunseekers and merry-makers that might blight other well-trodden escape routes. Instead there was a cultured mix of seasoned travellers, locals and small eager groups, and not one sported a luminous piece of clothing or portable speaker system. If my fellow passengers were anything to go by, Marrakech was going to be intriguing.

The city itself is a dazzling array of people and animals, cars and bikes all heading in different directions, all at the same time.

Add to that the occasional donkey cart, hugely overladen with a

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cargo of freshly cut vegetation, and the constant buzz of a demonic army of mopeds, and the taxi you ordered from the airport really begins to make sense.

This is a place where ‘hustle’ and ‘bustle’ don’t quite cover the penetrating hubbub of a city in constant commute. And with daytime temperatures easily reaching 420C during the summer months, Marrakech can smoulder in a haze of buzz and flurry.

While my quest for warmth had driven me to temporarily abandon my beloved Scotland, I would guess that had the same trip been arranged three months later, my comfort would have been severely compromised and my tender skin scorched in that kind of heat.

Springtime was perfect. But for all its wondrous mosques, palaces and gardens and the enticing medina where maze-like alleys of colourful souks (or marketplaces) form part of a medieval walled city dating back to the Berber Empire, Marrakech is really about escapism, and that’s where the Palais Aziza & Spa comes in.

THE GETAWAY. As the automated gates of this oasis closed slowly

behind me and I followed the meandering driveway towards the reception of this 29-room boutique hotel, the fuss and commerce

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of the busy streets melted away and were replaced by the wail of a peacock and the gentle tinkle of a delicate water feature. This is a calm retreat bordered by manicured gardens and tall, shadeproviding palm trees.

The Palais Aziza is situated 6km from the city centre in La Palmeraie, which is commonly referred to as the Beverly Hills of Marrakech. This borough of high walls and impressively armed entrances is home to a plethora of private palaces and high-end retreats. Opposite the Palais, for instance, a Saudi prince had his lavish bolthole and down the street, King Mohamed VI of Morocco had a sprawling residence that seemed have no end.

This is about as far removed from the heaving streets of the city as you could get.

CLASSIC FEEL. Palais Aziza has a classic feel about it, created by traditional architecture and five acres of lush gardens that transport you to a sanctuary of calm. If you’re accustomed to bland, cramped, non-descript city centre hotels, this will come as a pleasant surprise. After all, the emphasis here is on privacy and recuperation, meaning each room has a unique design with space

both inside and out. A room here isn’t simply somewhere to rest your head and store your suitcase – each room is to be enjoyed.

But as much as the accommodation shines, this small, delightful hotel also has the facilities of a much larger property including a 670m2 spa, gym and swimming pools (one heated) which offer a cooling and energising respite from the heat. And then there are the restaurants. Maroliano is the main eatery adjacent to the hotel’s bar, lounge and library. This is where you’ll spend your evenings, as I did, perusing the menu for Moroccan or Mediterranean delights. Lemon sole stuffed with langoustine followed by chocolate fondant were my choice selections.

But perhaps even more delightful is the small garden restaurant where, shaded by vines, guests sip rose wine and enjoy delicious light lunches while the sun beats down overhead. “When guests come here, they need service,” says Ahmad Adra, the hotel’s general manager and only non-Moroccan employee (he’s from Lebanon). “I want them to empty their bags and return home with new energy. The hotel only has 29 rooms, so there will be only 60 people here and you never feel crowded. We are making a luxury service not an industrial one.”

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MARRAKECH

A clue to the hotel’s serenity lies somewhere in Adra’s sentiments.

The Palais Aziza is a beautiful retreat perfectly set up for couples.

It is certainly not a lads’ haven, where you and your best buddies could kick back and chill unless, that is, your posse enjoy spa treatments and relaxing afternoons lying next to empty pools. For a little more shazam and, more importantly, golf, Royal Palm Marrakech should be your next stop.

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ROYAL COMMAND. This sprawling, exuberant resort is one of a

new breed of holiday and golfing venues recently opened around the city of Marrakech. They are designed to impress travelling golfers who seek sunshine, golf and luxurious surroundings in equal measure. There are a host of different restaurant options to choose from after your round, as well as lavish villas and suites and an expansive sports centre to enjoy. In many ways, Royal Palm

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Marrakech is Palais Aziza’s big brother, and his mates. Everything here is on massive scale.

But, of course, it would have to be. With the snowy peaks of the Atlas Mountains as a backdrop, Royal Palm Marrakech was always destined to have scale. For instance, the Cabell-Robinsondesigned course exceeds the ubiquitous 7,000-yard mark when played off the back tees and the main pool spans 2,000m2. The

spa, sports centre and kids’ club might as well be resort entities in their own right, with each sporting the kind of facilities and physical presence of a boutique residence – the 3,500m2 spa with its 18 treatment rooms is simply vast.

The resort is spread over 231 hectares and was once a working olive grove. In fact, Royal Palm Marrakech continues to produce its own olive oil, which has a deliciously nutty overtone and is 77

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MARRAKECH

used liberally in all three restaurants. Outside, the 18-hole golf course ambles its way through the former grove with space aplenty. And yet despite its size, the layout is well maintained with colourful flowerbeds surrounding the tees to catch the eye.

If your golf is like mine, you will appreciate the wide open spaces off the tee, which the resort’s director of golf, Michel Besanceney, says reflects a more friendly approach to golf. “The course has been built to please clients, not to please 0.01 per cent of the very best players. I want to smile at the end of my 18 holes and for the golfers to make more pars than usual. Tranquillo.”

And he should know. Besanceney is a former tour player and was the project manager during the construction phase of the golf course, which eventually opened in 2013. He explains that prior to work commencing, the site was a featureless plain onto which 1,500 palm trees were introduced and 1,000,000m3 of earth moved. Today, it’s hard to believe so much has gone into such a natural-looking site, but it has.

INTRIGUING GREENS. Perhaps most intriguing of all are the

greens. If the fairways are welcoming, the putting surfaces have the potential to cancel out any advantage with numerous possible pin positions that could cause concern. These include properly devilish Sunday placements which, I get the feeling, aren’t used that often.

“During the construction process, we wanted to make sure we had plenty of pin positions and flat landing areas, but Cabell, like most architects, wanted to kick some ass at the opening pro-am.

He wanted to give the pros something to remember. I suggested we put on the handbrake. We did and we succeeded because most of the people still enjoy playing the course.”

There are greens out there with big slopes, but the majority adopt a subtle approach. This is a course to be savoured, along with the sunshine, but it certainly won’t be the toughest course you’ll ever play. Saying that, it has its moments – the par three 7th with a peninsula green is a tester, while the dogleg right at 13 78

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demands an accurate tee shot and a well-judged second to make the dancefloor in regulation. The downhill one-shotter at 17 poses even more questions with water to the right and bunkers to the left and by the time you reach the last, you’ll be ready to enjoy the resort’s ample facilities.

Royal Palm Marrakech is a visually pleasing resort, and since it is part of the Beachcomber group, it carries off it duties with poise and dignity. The service is impeccable and the accommodation fabulously designed with contemporary Moroccan styling. Don’t let the size of the place put you off. Like the Palais Aziza, this is a place in which to lose yourself for a few days. If Marrakech is all about escapism, then these resorts are the magical land hiding at the end of the rainbow.

GGM GOOD TO KNOW Marrakech is known as the Red City, thanks to the hue of the thick walls surrounding the old city. It has been a popular tourist destination in Morocco since the 1960s and is a major economic centre. It is accessible from most European cities via a three-hour flight.

For more information, visit www.muchmorocco.visitmorocco.com.

WHERE TO STAY Palais Aziza & Spa Mejjat 3/38, Cercle Ennakhil, Commune J'Nanate, Marrakech, BP 7212, Sidi Abbad, 40 000 T: +212 (0) 524 329 988 W: www.palaisaziza.com/ WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Royal Palm Marrakech BP 2470, Km 12 route d’Amizmiz Marrakech T: +212 524 48 78 00 W: www.royalpalm-hotels.com/home/royal-palm-marrakech

Image credit: Beachcomber Royal Palm, Marrakech

GET SOME SUN WITH YOUR SWING If you want to play on some of the top courses in the world, in fantastic weather, surrounded by spectacular scenery, then you need to visit Morocco. Fly from cities across the UK in just over three hours.

visitmorocco.com

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NORTHERN ITALY

Verdi, daVinci and GREAT GOLF

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M. Crivellari

M. Crivellari

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Friuli Venezia Giulia

or far too many British tourists, the experience of northeast Italy ends at Venice. There may be a hearty band of skiers heading further afield during the winter months but few travellers and even fewer golfers head east along the silver-grey waters of the lagoon. If only they knew how much they were missing.

Some 70 miles away on the road to Trieste lies the historic old city of Grado and its even more ancient neighbour, Aquileia, both of which predate seventh-century Venice. As well as producing the finest white wines in Italy and some hearty rustic cooking to enjoy, not to mention the exceptional fish dishes, there is also some terrific golf to be played.

And none more so than at Golf Club Grado, a favourite of Ryder Cup player Costantino Rocca who can regularly be seen playing and joking with members over a glass of Friulian wine.

Owner, Ivan Marzola, and his director of golf, Marko Prekic, have transformed the course since taking the lease back from a hotel chain.

The highlight of the Par 72, 6,051m course are the four par fives, all different, all scenic and all tough. The toughest hole on the course awaits us on only the second hole, a 520m beast where the fairway swings right, crosses a lake at 200m and gradually tapers towards the distant green.

What was the first hole, a terrifying island par three, modelled on the equally daunting 17th at Sawgrass in Florida, is now the last, giving high handicappers a chance to get into their stride before facing its horrors.

Grado is easy walking, with a most welcoming clubhouse, as are the other two most picturesque courses that should be enjoyed whilst in the region. First is the delightful Castello di Spessa some 30 minutes away. Had Walt Disney designed a golf course, it would most certainly have been this one with its beautiful castle and bountiful vineyards as a backdrop.

Enjoy a wine tasting here every bit as much as the golf, as well as an excellent meal in the welcoming clubhouse. This is not a long course, but perfect for a relaxing and enjoyable round.

ALPINE BACKDROP. Now the fairways are lush and the greens true with some treacherous breaks and subtle roll-offs. With the lagoon setting against an Alpine backdrop, a fine day makes for a wonderful, if challenging round where placement is much more important than power.

LIGNANO. The designer of Grado, Marco Croze, also built Lignano, the third course to play at some 50 minutes away. Big hitters should score well here provided the ball is kept in play, otherwise overhanging trees can make shots into the greens all but impossible. At 6,345m off the back tees, Lignano is a tough test,

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veneto

lacking the beauty of Grado, but with a similarly well-stocked clubhouse. This one is not to be missed.

VENETO. Long a visitor magnet, the Veneto region is Italy’s most popular tourist destination, thanks to historic cities such as Venice, Verona, Treviso and Padua, the spa town of Abano Terme, numerous surviving classical villas designed by Andrea Palladio and a landscape that incorporates 110km of Adriatic coastline, Lake Garda and the lofty Dolomites.

It is also foodie heaven, with risotto, white asparagus, polenta, bigoli pasta, tiramisu and Gran Padano cheese typical of the region’s cuisine, washed down by local Prosecco, Amarone or Soave wines.

Its golf courses are spread across the region and even include one within Venice itself – the 80-year-old Circolo Golf Venezia, or Venice Golf Club, which lies partly within a Napoleonic fort at the southern tip of the Lido island and which can be reached by vaporetto water bus from right by the Doge’s Palace in the city’s heart.

Play there and you follow in the spike marks of the good, the great and the bad; Hitler, Mussolini and the Duke of Windsor all walked its fairways, while three Italian Opens and other tournaments have drawn golf greats Henry Cotton, Arnold Palmer, Tony Jacklin, Seve Ballesteros and Lee Trevino, besides home favourites Costantino Rocca, Edoardo and Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero.

GLORIOUS VILLAS. Around Venice and Treviso, courses include Golf Jesolo, close to the sea, the Arnold Palmer-designed Golf Ca’ della Nave where huge bunkers and extensive artificial lakes make for a challenging round, and two courses laid out around glorious 18th-century villas: Golf Club Ca’ Amata, with its clubhouse flanked by a 300-year-old villa, and Golf Club Villa Condulmer, which features a Par 71 course alongside a grandiose villa, now converted into a five-star hotel where famous guests have included US President Ronald Reagan.

Padua and nearby Abano Terme have golf amidst hilly backdrops. The 27-hole Golf della Montecchia boasts a classically designed clubhouse noted for its Michelin-starred restaurant, Alaimo, and the adjacent Conte Emo Capodilista castle. Golf Club Frassanelle is laid out in the grounds of a 500-acre, 19thcentury country park, its clubhouse offering grandstand views.

The picturesque, landscaped fairways and greens of 27-hole Golf Club Padova border the 17th-century Villa Barbarigo.

Verona Golf Club, an eco-friendly club near the city famous for Shakespearean lovers Romeo and Juliet, has an established, parkland course that launched the professional career of Italy’s most successful golfer, Constantino Rocca, when he won his first tournament there in 1989.

In the north lie Asolo Golf Club, with 27 holes bordering forested hills, and the spectacular Asiago Golf Club, a 83

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emilia romagnA mountain course set on a 1,000m plateau in the shadow of the Dolomites and designed by Peter Harradine. Golfers can stay on site at the luxury Meltar Boutique Hotel, which features its Mountain Spa. EMILIA ROMAGNA. Straddling the ancient Via Aemilia Roman road that is now the A1 and A414 highways, linking the coastal resort of Rimini with the north-western town of Piacenza, Emilia Romagna is a region of gastronomy, fast cars, medieval towns and cities, wine, beaches…and golf.

Nearly 20 courses offer the chance to play on a variety of layouts when not enjoying the region’s other pleasures. There are three courses by the Adriatic, among them the American-style Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, the front nine holes of which are links-style, and Rimini Golf Club, overlooking the principality of San Marino.

Imola is famous for its Formula One race track and the historic town was home to Leonardo da Vinci. Further inland, regional capital Bologna is known for its famous spaghetti dish and boasts one of the world’s oldest universities. It also has golf close by in the shape of the long Le Fonti Golf Club course at Castel San Pietro Terme, featuring an island green, and Bologna Golf Club, designed by Henry Cotton and John Harris in 1959 and later updated by Peter Alliss.

ARGENTA AND MODENA. North-east of Bologna, between

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of low dunes with groves of trees, water hazards and elevated tees on a site surrounded by the Po Delta regional park.

Modena Golf & Country Club was designed by Bernhard Langer and provides golfers with a technical challenge encompassing bunkers and water hazards galore on its championship course as well as a nine-hole executive course. Modena’s off-course attractions take in historic edifices such as its UNESCO-listed cathedral, the newly crowned best restaurant in the world, Osteria Francescana, and the Enzo Ferrari Museum – he was born in the city and founded the Ferrari marque there.

Modena is known as the world’s supercar capital, with the likes of Lamborghini and Maserati produced in the area and nearby Maranello the home of Ferrari and its F1 team.

Parma needs no introduction for its delicious ham. Courses in the area include the hilly San Valentino, Matilde di Canossa and Del Ducato golf clubs.

Between Parma and Piacenza, Salsomaggiore Golf & Thermae lies 360m above sea level, while Croara Country Club is halfway between the River Trebbia and Apennines foothills and hosted the first Ladies Italian Open, in 1987.

GGM

GOOD TO KNOW For further information on Italy Golf & More, please download the brochure at www.italygolfand.more.com

GGH_AD_A4_EN.pdf

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WINE

WINES OF SURF CITY

By: Dena Roché, photo:VSCC/Byington Winery

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nown as Surf City, this beachside town of 80,000 is more famous for its waves than its wine, but the Santa Cruz mountain region is an undiscovered gem with over 70 wineries and some of the best chardonnay and pinot noir in the state.

Wine has been made on the area’s coastal slopes for over a hundred years, and names like Mount Eden, Ridge Vineyards and Boony Doon all hail from this area, yet fame has been elusive.

Part of the problem is that unlike Napa or Sonoma, the appellation is huge, and one single varietal doesn’t dominate.

The Santa Cruz appellation is blessed with shallow, rocky soil, similar to the Sonoma Coast. It has a cool moderating ocean climate to the west and warmer temperatures in the east. This gift from Mother Nature is why so many varietals work. The lack of land devoted to vineyards in this area has kept the industry from flourishing, but it also has led to winemakers taking more risks, making wines that taste more French than California.

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BOUTIQUE WINERIES. Because the Santa Cruz appellation covers such a big area and there isn’t a formal wine trail, the easiest way to experience a terrific cross-section of the region is to stay in town and head to Surf City Vintners, a collective of 12 boutique wineries housed in a renovated warehouse space.

Many of the tasting rooms have fully working wineries inside where you can see and learn about the wine making process. Unlike the tasting rooms in Napa, here it’s often the winemaker himself pouring the wine and sharing the stories behind the winery.

That was certainly the case at Equinox, where owner and winemaker Barry Jackson sat down with me to taste some of the sparkling wine the label is known for. We kicked off with some bubbly – a Blanc de Blanc Monterey, a light, crisp, 100 per cent chardonnay. Somewhat dry, this aperitif was perfect for cocktail hour. We followed it with a Rosé, also from Monterey, that was just waiting for a hot summer day to pair with it.

As we sip, Jackson tells me how the Surf City Vintners, despite

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all being in the same business, view each other more as family than competition.

“We’re really just good friends and colleagues here. We cooperate and collaborate on winemaking,” he said. “We help each other and share resources.”

You get the feeling that this is the sense of community Napa and Sonoma had when winemaking was in its infancy and familyrun wineries dominated.

Our next sips were the Brut Reserve and extended Blanc de Blanc Cuvee de Chardonnay, both from Santa Cruz vineyards.

Both wines are aged for nine and 11 years respectively, resulting in a much more complex, yeasty, deeper coloured sparkling wine.

I’m not surprised that my favorite sip of the afternoon was the most expensive… sigh.

MOUNTAIN VINEYARD. Next up is the Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, which has a 40-year history of producing Burgundian

style pinot noir, something detractors said couldn't be done at the time. For the past 39 years Jeff Emery has served as winemaker, and the winery has created so many wines that it split into two labels; Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and Quinta Cruz.

The amount of different, unusual wine you can taste here is almost overwhelming, so I decide to focus on the Quinta Cruz wines, which are all made from Iberian grapes, the first in California to focus on these varietals.

The whites are crisp, lean and acidic, with no oak and butter overtones that so many California whites display. They’re fun to try because the nose belies the taste. Take the Albarino, which smells sweet and fruity, but is bone dry, or the Souzao, which smells like tires and oil and, according to tasting room manager Andrew Cohen, “is like a car crash you can’t take your nose away from.” Thankfully, it sips better than it smells!

While the whites are interesting to taste, it was the Rabelo port that won my heart and taste buds. Aged for over six years in oak, 89

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it is one of the few California ports that is made in the classic Portuguese method. There are many more wineries I could try out, but sadly while the spirit is willing, my tolerance levels are weak – it is time to find some food.

PINOT SORBET. I head to Soif in downtown Santa Cruz, a local favourite for hard-to-find wines paired with food created from local ingredients, run by former Bonny Doon employees.

Tolerance be damned, the Birichino 2013 pinot noir is far too good to pass up.

This is not normally a grape I love, but the expression of it in this local bottle is stellar and pairs well with the family-style dining going on at our table. Our group feasts on starters of chickpea panisse, DiStefano Burrata and my favourite, grilled octopus.

Mains include Manila clams, grilled pork tenderloin and crispy fried quail.

Save room for dessert at the nearby Penny Ice Creamery, owned by the former pastry chef for the three Michelin star Manresa restaurant. Today Chef Kendra Baker is making sophisticated, composed desserts from this childhood delight. There’s even a wine tie-in. After the annual Pinot Paradise wine festival, one of the wineries gave Baker some extra pinot and she created a mouthwatering Strawberry Pinot Sorbet. Talk about a good use for leftovers!

SURFING SUCCESS. I waddle back to my room at the new Hotel Paradox. This Marriott Autograph Collection property is transforming Santa Cruz, bringing luxury accommodations to the city for the first time. The hotel pays homage to the stunning Redwood Forest surrounding Santa Cruz.

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The front desk is actually crafted from a mind-boggling huge tree trunk. The rooms continue the nature vibe, done in warm creams and greys and featuring custom furnishings. In the summer, enjoy handcraft cocktails (or wine!) by the pool during the day and the fire pit at night.

If you want to work off the wine in a decidedly Santa Cruz way, book the Hotel Paradox’s special Exactly Like Nothing Else Package that includes a lesson with surf legend, Robert ‘Wingnut’ Weaver.

Wingnut, a Santa Cruz local, is the former director of the O’Neil Surf School in Europe and star of Endless Summer II. He normally only gives private lessons to Silicon Valley tech stars, A-list celebs and Wall Street tycoons, but he has partnered with the hotel to create this exclusive experience for its guests. Wingnut has a 100 per cent record of getting students up on the board during the first lesson; so even newbies are assured of success.

After the lesson, select whatever your favourite wine was and raise a glass to your success, the discovery of a new wine country and a relaxing holiday on the California coast.

GGM GOOD TO KNOW Hotel Paradox: http://www.hotelparadox.com/ Surf City Vintners: http://www.surfcityvintners.com/ Soif: http://www.soifwine.com/ Penny Ice Creamery: http://thepennyicecreamery.com/ GETTING THERE: Santa Cruz is 75 miles south of San Francisco. Fly in and out of SFO and extend your stay in the city at The Clift, The Fairmont San Francisco or The Ritz Carlton San Francisco. For more information on what to do in San Francisco visit http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/

BC_Moroc GolfMonth 03-14_Layout 1 03/03/2014 10:57 Page 1

Marrakech Luxury Golf in Morocco at the Royal Palm Marrakech

Set on an exclusive estate just ten minutes from the centre of the city, Royal Palm Marrakech is the perfect haven from which to make the most of this amazing destination.

Comfort and relaxation are built into the DNA of this exquisite hotel.

Luxury furnishings abound and every suite has its own spacious

terrace or balcony with views towards the Atlas Mountains.

There are also 12 superb Family Villas which come with their own pools. Delicious cuisine is served in four separate restaurants, there’s a Clarins Spa, tennis courts, squash court and complimentary children’s club for 3 to12 year olds.

For golfers the superb onsite Royal Palm Golf Course is an added treat with special privileges for hotel guests. The Par 72 Golf course is a great challenge for all levels of golfer and the views up towards the Atlas Mountains and extensive practice facilities complete the excellent golf experience.

For more information or to book a holiday to Royal Palm Marrakech call Beachcomber on 01483 445 618 Mauritius • Seychelles • Marrakech • Dubai • Abu Dhabi

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SPAIN GOLF PROPERTY

Great Golf Property PGA Catalunya

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ust ten minutes from Girona and 35 minutes by highspeed train from Barcelona, lies PGA Catalunya Resort.

Set within 300 hectares of thick forests, this is an environmentally-conscious project that is perfect for golf enthusiasts looking for a bit of luxury. The properties are modern and sleek and nestle along the fairways of the Stadium Course (Spain’s #1 golf course) and the Tour Course. There are four residential areas within the development, La Vinya, La Selva, La Balca and La Pineda.

EXCLUSIVE VILLAS. La Vinya, which runs along fairways 8 and

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9 of the Tour Course, offers the largest plots of more than 2,000 m2, for villas of up to 400 m2. Here you can build your dream property, or choose one of the luxury villas designed by the resorts award winning architects. With the perfect combination of modern design, comfort and wellbeing, these properties have been built to make the most of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

LUXURIUS APARTMENTS. The modern and spacious La Selva

Apartments, are ideal if you are looking for a profitable buy-to-let investment. Designed by prestigious Barcelona architects DamiĂĄn and Francisco Ribas, these two and three bedrooms apartments

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SPAIN GOLF PROPERTY

lies next to the golf course, with easy access to the Residents Club and Clubhouse. Large sliding doors connect the living and dining area to the private garden or terrace, where you can enjoy unobstructed views of the magnificent landscape. There are also plots from 1,000 m2 that are ideal for villas with a surface areas of approximately 250 m2.

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES. Set in a private garden tucked between the fairways of the Stadium Golf Course, the La Selva semi-detached villas are a collection of spacious and stylish homes, perfect for entertaining friends and family. A beautifully landscaped park is

connected to each backyard and features a swimming pool, children’s pool and sun terrace.

The new La Selva Terrace Villas, which overlook the 10th hole of the stadium course, have 3 bedrooms and are within walking distance of the Clubhouse and other key resort facilities.

The La Balca residential area, faces the 15th fairway of the Tour Course, and consists of eight new single family homes, divided into two groups of four. These contemporary properties are split over two levels, with three bedrooms and a basement, and are surrounded by green space and a shared swimming pool.

The newest sector of the resort, La Pineda, offers endless 93

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possibilities with nine single family homes and nine large plots of more than 1000 m2 each. It is located in a sheltered area of lush vegetation between the 7th holes of the Tour Course and the Stadium Course.

CHALLENGING GOLF. For those who choose to invest in one of the resorts properties, having two golf courses virtually outside your front door, means there never needs to be a dull moment.

The spectacular and challenging Stadium Course, which has consistently been ranked among the best ten golf courses in Europe since it opened in 1999, could do serious damage to your scorecard, but will keep you coming back for more.

If you are looking for something slightly less challenging, then the beautiful, but kinder Tour Course, is perfect. Dominated by pine trees and lakes, the course is shorter, though the design ensures that it still throws up some challenges for every level of player. The fairways are wide with strategically placed bunkers, but you are never far from a water hazard, so you still need to stay focused.

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FEELING GOOD. The Residents Club & Wellness Centre is the

perfect place to start the day. Here you can work on your fitness in the latest generation Technogym, swim a few lengths in the pool, or perhaps play some tennis. But relaxing is equally important, so if you feel like a bit of pampering, why not book one of the treatment rooms, or perhaps head to the steam room, or sauna. And if your days on the golf courses haven’t perfected your tan, then what could be better than spending the day by the pool.

When you don’t feel like cooking, then head to one of the resorts restaurants, or to historic Girona, where you can stroll the streets and soak up the city’s medieval charm.

Having been named Best Golf Development Europe at the International Property Awards in 2015, PGA Catalunya Resort would be a great investment, not only financially, but also in quality of life .GGM

www.greatgolfproperties.co.uk

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Spain - Cadiz

SHERRY GOLF JEREZ esigned by Stirling & Martin from Global Golf Company, Sherry Golf appears like an accessible course for amateurs and challenging for professionals. Proof of this are the many important tournaments we have had the honour to host, like the Spanish Open Amateur Championship, two years in a row, and the Seniors International Championship. We are also the official venue of the 2nd Stage of the PGA Qualifying School.

The layout is characterized as being one of the most pleasant walkthroughs in Spain: - 18 holes Championship course: 6572 meters, Par 72 - Pitch & Putt course: 911 meters, Par 3 Sherry Golf is within the new concepts of American golf course design: fun but safe in the game with undulations and well placed hazards, without making it too hilly, in order to ensure a pleasant

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walkthrough. Wide fairways and ample greens, puts Sherry Golf into the category of a luxury course.

The Clubhouse counts more than 2,800 sq metres designed under the Sherry flair, with a warm, welcoming atmosphere just like the city of Jerez. Its facilities caters to every single aspect of the sport as well as tournaments, including pro-shop, club storage room, locker rooms, restaurant, terrace grill, cafeteria, spike bar, lounges, golf academy, and much more.

The exceptional geographic location of Jerez and its surroundings make this area the perfect destination for the visitor.

3,200 hours of sun light per year, gives this area of the coast its name, Costa de la Luz (Coast of light).

Sherry Golf is located only 5 minutes from the international airport of Jerez, 50 minutes from Seville airport and 1 hour from Malaga International, thanks to the new motorway from Jerez to Los Barrios.

CONTACT

SHERRY GOLF JERE Z , 11407 Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz Telephone +34 956 088 330. Fax +34 956 088 331 Email info@sherrygolf.com • www.sherrygolf.com

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2500

DoMaine Des reMparts ryad hôtel

golf & spa . marrakech

Golfs of Marrakech

At 5 minutes drive from the domaine (others at 25 minutes). In the heart of great golf signature.

GoLf royal

GoLf aMelkis

GoLf al MaaDen*

27 GoLf assouFiD

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27 GoLf De la palMeraie

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GoLf MontgoMerie

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Package

Golf & hôtel

> 7 nights in junior suite double, pool side, with breakfast > 5 green fees & 6 dinners > Airport & golf transfers > V.A.T From july 1st to september 30th of 2016 & from 1st to 20th december 2016

-20

€ % 890 1120

Daily stay tax : 2,6€ per person per night

For your reservation, please contact : Direct: (01753) 752960 / Main: (0845) 678 2400 / Fax: (0845) 678 2500 email: rhowell@golfbreaks.com . post : Golfbreaks.com, Minton Place, Victoria Street, Windsor SL4 1EG www.golfbreaks.com www.domainedesremparts.com

€

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...AND FINALLY

Great Golf

Magazine

Golf, fashion and the great sock debacle

See you soon!

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PALAIS AZIZA & SPA

In support of

Time for life—with limited edition timepieces in support of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières. Each watch raises £100 for the Nobel Peace Prize winning humanitarian organisation.

And still these handcrafted mechanical watches with the red 12 cost the same as the classic Tangente models from NOMOS Glashütte. Help now, wear forever. £100 from every timepiece sold is paid to Médecins Sans Frontières UK, a UK registered charity no. 1026588. NOMOS retailers helping to help include Watches of Switzerland, Fraser Hart, Mappin & Webb, Berry’s, Hamilton & Inches, Catherine Jones, CS Bedford, CW Sellors, Perfect Timing, Orro, Stewart’s Watches. Find these and many other authorised NOMOS retailers at nomos-glashuette.com, or order online at nomos-store.com.

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