Autumn 2023 Ultratravel.com

AUTUMN 2023

THE JOY OF DISCOVERY

G L O B A L B E S T

N E W

G E A R

G O L F : C O U R S E S

G U I D E

S U D D E N L Y S O T O G R A N D E T O U R A

T A L K G R E A T

D R I V E

PLUS: BACK TO THE FUTURE TOAST OF THE TOWN AU T U M N M U S T- H AV E S AND, GHA WELCOMES REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES

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THE JOY OF DISCOVERY

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60 IN THIS ISSUE 13 • Editor’s Letter 37 • Golfing World

Autumnal musings by Farhad Heydari

Scoping out fairways and greens in this special Ultratravel section

15 • Sea Change Global Hotel Alliance unveils an exciting partnership with Regent Seven Seas Cruises. By Julie Alpine

18 • Shipping News

38 • Green Pastures

50 • Suddenly Sotogrande

A round-up of the greatest layouts we know you’ll want to play

By Tom Mackin

Why southern Spain’s golfing mecca still has what it takes.

By Nick Bayly

4 4 • Gear Guide

55 • Eastern Promise

The must-have irons, apparel and high-tech kit that promise to elevate your game.

By Nick Bayly

In conversation with Asian Tour commissioner and CEO Cho Minn Thant.

By Farhad Heydari

Andrea DeMarco, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, tells Ultratravel what’s next on the horizon

22 • The Shortlist A précis of the latest covetables, from just-released tipples to newly debuted scents. By Ultratravel editors

26 • Toast of the Town

32 • Heaven’s Dart

60 • Perfect Drive

From Paris and Monaco to the Umbrian countryside — we celebrate the season in style. By Ultratravel editors

Supersonic air travel, revisited, via a compendium of Concorde nostalgia. By Nigel Tisdall

Heritage meets innovation in Porsche’s glorious new 911 S/T. By Paul Casey

AUTUMN 2023 C O V E R P H O T O : C A B O T C I T R U S FA R M S ’ P I N E B A R R E N S C O U R S E , H O L E 3

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Farhad Heydari Farhad@ultratravel.com @MrFarhadHeydari

CHAIRMAN Nick Perry Nick@ultratravel.com @MrNickPerry

SENIOR EDITOR Julie Alpine

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS Nick Bayly, Paul Casey, Chris Hall, Tom Mackin, Nigel Tisdall

ultratravel.com

@Ultratravel

© 2023 Published by PGP Media Limited on behalf of UHC Cayman Holdings Limited, Northside House, Mount Pleasant, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN4 9EE, England, UK. All rights reserved. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork submitted. The information contained in this publication is correct at the time of going to press.

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or UHC Cayman Holdings Limited.

Ultratravel is a registered trademark.

AUTUMN 2023

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U LT R A T R A V E L

YOUR DAY,

elevated.

CO R I N T H I A .CO M

EDITOR’S LETTER

MAXIMUM IMPACT

Farhad in action on Newcastle’s Close House course, host of the International Series England

Now on the tee in more first-timers and newbies into its sylvan, aquatic or heathland fold.

For those of us who love the great game, this influx of quality new layouts and masterplan developments, new equipment and apparel manufacturers, new exciting off-course facilities and practice ranges and new personalities and influencers, will continue to inject life into the multifaceted fabric of golf writ large.

And regardless of the ways in which the professional structures of the game may evolve in light of all that is happening on tour, one thing remains unchanged for us amateur golfers: the boundless benefits (from health and wellbeing to camaraderie and fellowship) we derive each and every time we tee it up with friends and family or colleagues and associates, whether we are at home or away.

So, please enjoy this golf-themed issue of and go low when you next hit the links. I know I will.

It’s been a seismic year in professional golf.

A year when the PGA Tour, alongside its counterpart, the DP World Tour, decided to join forces with the upstart Saudi-funded LIV Golf League.

The ripple effects from the memorandum of understanding, which was announced Farhad Heydari EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ultratravel

AUTUMN 2023

in June, are still being felt and absorbed by the golf world and by fans who want to see a decorous détente and a resumption to a more harmonious milieu, where the best can still face off against each other.

Despite this ever-shifting new paradigm, the game continues to evolve – with entities such as the Asian Tour coming to the fore (see our feature on page 55) alongside new course developments, ranging from resort to daily-fee, all around the world (see Green Pastures on page 38).

And, as it turns out, golf’s popularity continues to gain momentum and grow, thanks in part to a broader democratisation of the game, which has managed to bring

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One thing remains unchanged for us amateur golfers: the boundless benefits (from health and wellbeing to camaraderie and fellowship) we derive each and every time we play, whether we are at home or away

U LT R A T R A V E L

Sea Change

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ith 800 properties from 40 brands, scattered across more than 100 countries – among them the new Green Collection’s nearly 200 hotels, resorts and palaces that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to protecting people and planet – the Global Hotel Alliance could be said to have the world covered. But now, in a groundbreaking move that heralds a new era of luxurydefining travel, the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands has the rest of the Earth’s land mass wrapped up, too, as it sets sail on a glittering new partnership with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

“We are the perfect match,” says Chris Hartley, the CEO of GHA, of the exclusive agreement – the first time a cruise line has partnered with GHA. “Regent Seven Seas

AUTUMN 2023

The world is our oyster like never before, thanks to a landmark new partnership between GHA and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Julie Alpine reports

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MAKING WAVES

Left: the show-stopping Observation Lounge on Seven Seas Grandeur Below: each of the new ship’s 373 suites comes with a spacious balcony

“The partnership heralds a new era of luxurydefining travel”

Cruises is the world’s leading luxury cruise line, offering itineraries that connect key cities across the globe, and GHA DISCOVERY unites the world’s largest collection of luxury hotel brands, with some of the best hotels in the world in those same destinations.”

Andrea DeMarco, President of the Miami-based Regent Seven Seas Cruises, shares Hartley’s excitement about the momentous union, affirming, “ We are delighted to partner with GHA to bring Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ unrivalled luxury experiences to even more discerning guests around the world. We are confident that Regent’s all-inclusive, immersive destination experiences, lavishly appointed, spacious suites, exquisite gourmet restaurants and world-class service will appeal to GHA DISCOVERY’s millions of members who desire the highest standards of luxury whether on land or at sea.”

Those 24 million members of GHA DISCOVERY will now, as a result of the partnership, enjoy the additional benefit of earning the programme’s rewards currency, DISCOVERY Dollars, when reserving a voyage with Regent, and will be able to redeem those benefits i n a ny GHA p roperty, f rom tropical five-star hideaways to sprawling beachside resorts and urban sanctuaries. Members who reserve a Regent cruise will also be fast-tracked to GHA DISCOVERY Titanium status, bestowing a range of privileges such as double room upgrades, special amenities, early check-in and late check-

The announcement comes at the perfect time, with the launch of Regent’s newest ship, Seven Seas Grandeur, later this year providing a siren song for everyone from lifelong cruisers to the ocean-going curious. Impeccably designed to embody A Heritage of Perfection, and with the knowledge and wisdom learned over three decades of excellence in delivering unparalleled cruising experiences, the 55,500-gross-tonnage ship will offer 373 balcony suites, with 548 dedicated crew on board providing the utmost of personalised service to 746 guests. Guests need only step into the ship’s art nouveauinspired Observation Lounge, its interiors finished by seasoned craftsmen, for a taste of what’s in store. Bathed in the warm light of a crystal chandelier, and with intimate

out at GHA hotels and resorts around the world.

The gift of a bottle of chilled champagne and chocolates awaiting GHA DISCOVERY members in their suite speaks to the significance of this affiliation in shaping GHA’s future.

“The partnership with Regent Seven Seas Cruises underlines our strategy to focus on partnerships that strengthen our position as the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, with an innovative loyalty programme at its heart,” says Hartley. “This paves the way for continued growth in 2023 and beyond as we look to expand our travel ecosystem with like-minded partners for mutual gain.”

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SLUG

A FEAST FOR THE SENSES

Top: top-quality cuts await at Seven Seas Grandeur’s Prime 7 steakhouse Left: savour elevated French cuisine at the ship’s elegant bistro, Chartreuse Bottom: the enchanting design of Grandeur’s flagship restaurant, Compass Rose

alcoves looking out to sea, spacious gathering places and dancefloor seating, the lounge, as with the ship’s other public areas, exudes elegance and sophistication. A culinary voyage of discovery awaits, too, with gourmet dining experiences on board ranging from those that evoke the romance of railway travel and the first great American steakhouses of early industrial New York in Prime 7 to the refined plates served at flagship restaurant Compass Rose.

For discriminating travellers seeking the ultimate fusion of opulence and adventure, this partnership offers an unrivalled opportunity to explore the world’s most desirable locations, spanning white-sand Caribbean beaches to Italy’s cultural riches, whether by land or by sea.

© REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES®

For more information or to join the programme for free, visit ghadiscovery.com or download the GHA DISCOVERY mobile app. Visit RSSC.com/gha and ghadiscovery.com/ regent-cruises for more information about this extraordinary partnership and its exclusive offer.

WINTER 2021

U LT R A T R A V E L

Q&A

WITH ANDREA DEMARCO

GLITTERING JEWEL Ultratravel talks with the president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises

AUTUMN 2023

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GRAND DESIGNS

ith the recent unveiling of GHA and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ landmark new partnership, and the ravishing new 373-all-balcony-suite Seven Seas Grandeur setting sail from Miami later this year, Andrea DeMarco has been busy. Following her recent visit to the Italian Ancona Shipyard, where the luxurious Explorer-class vessel is nearing readiness, we caught up with her to get a sneak peek of what guests can expect and the lowdown on Regent’s dazzling new partnership with Fabergé.

Opposite page, top: Grandeur’s dazzling Compass Rose Opposite page, bottom: Journey in Jewels – the first Fabergé egg to reside permanently at sea ADDED SPARKLE

Left: the Fabergé ring and earrings that will be auctioned at Grandeur’s christening event Bottom: Sarah Fabergé, Godmother to the new ship

How is Seven Seas Grandeur looking?

It was amazing to see the teams working on board to bring the ship to life – seeing these spaces that have been renderings for years really come into their own. Our designers have done a magnificent job of marrying elegance and comfort, but in a fresh and exciting new way.

What can you tell us about the Regent Suite, which comes complete with a wraparound balcony, hot tub overlooking the ship’s bow, and sleeps up to six?

We call it The Most Exclusive Address at Sea. I mean, it’s over 4,000sq m – that’s bigger than most people’s homes! This suite is really the pinnacle for luxury travellers who sail on board Grandeur, so every element has been treated as a piece of art, from the highest-quality textiles to hand-selected furnishings and custom artwork. One of the things I love most about the Regent Suite is its position at the top of the ship.

Then there’s our new relaxation space, The Parlor – a glassenclosed area with this serene skylight where you can sit and just relax and enjoy the views.

What inspired the recently announced partnership between Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Fabergé?

It was a match made in heaven. We’re known for providing exceptional artwork across our fleet – including works by Picasso, Miró and Chagall – and having Journey in Jewels from Fabergé [the first Fabergé egg to reside permanently at sea] as the central piece of our collection is taking it to a whole new level – a luxury jewelled item that symbolises all the luxury and craftsmanship of the ship itself.

Sarah Fabergé has been named as Godmother to Grandeur. What makes her a good fit for this role?

Sarah feels a great affinity with Regent Seven Seas Cruises and we’re honoured to have her as Godmother. As a founding member of the Fabergé Heritage Council, which is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and exclusivity, she knows the qualities that define our respective brands. Heritage really comes into play and it all gels together beautifully.

What do you have planned for Grandeur’s forthcoming christening event in Miami?

It’ll definitely be dazzling. Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor, actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth is going to come and perform, with our valued travel partners, loyal guests and other VIPs in the audience, and then we’re going to follow up with a three-night Caribbean sailing, to allow all those guests who are with us to experience Grandeur and see everything she has to offer. When you can get people to experience your product, especially with cruise, a light bulb goes off in their head. They’re like, “wow, this is absolutely amazing... why haven’t I done this sooner?”

AUTUMN 2023

The charity auction of the bespoke earrings and ring designed for the christening event will support the Gemfields Foundation. Can you tell us more about Regent’s commitment to responsible tourism?

We’re very focused on our global sustainability programme, Sail & Sustain, which is centred around our commitment to drive a positive impact on society and the environment while we take our guests to see the world. The auction is just one of many pillars that fall under this, helping us to benefit a really, really good cause. We go and visit sub-Saharan Africa, so there’s a real connection in supporting wildlife and conservation there.

What can guests expect on the Fabergé Spotlight Voyage setting sail on 1 July 2024?

Hosted by Sarah Fabergé, this voyage is really going to allow us to bring guests into the world of Fabergé in smaller groups. There’ll be masterclass programmes, exclusive access to unique, intimate shore tours, jewelled egg demonstrations, lectures and screenings. We’re taking the level of exclusivity that people want and marrying that together with Fabergé to bring a new type of experience that you can only get when sailing on Regent Seven Seas Cruises. When you get to really enjoy an experience that nobody else can have, that’s luxury, right?

“Sarah Fabergé feels a great affinity with Regent Seven Seas Cruises and we’re honoured to have her as Godmother”

For more information, please visit rssc.com

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Sometimes, it is when you stop that the journey begins.

FOREVER YOURS Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts Bintan | Maldives | Marrakech | Mauritius | Tunis | Zanzibar

cenizaro.com

O N O U R R A DA R

THE SHORT What’s hot, what to buy and what to know, as compiled

by Ultratravel editors

JAMAICA VIBES What does Jamaica mean to you?

To work in Jamaica is incredibly inspiring – it really is a blessed island. It has so much going for it, from its agriculture to its beaches and mountains… It has everything, but most of all, the people are really extraordinary. They have had tough times in their lives, but they are great people. I love Jamaica. Jamaica is the place I love most in the world.

The latest release in Assouline’s Travel Series Collection is an ode to an island nation close to the heart of legendary music producer Chris Blackwell, who penned the foreword to the coffee-table book.

Here, he tells Ultratravel how Jamaica captured his heart and that of another British expat, the novelist Ian Fleming, for whom the destination was a creative incubator.

Why did Ian Fleming love Jamaica so much?

He loved the “feel of it”. He would literally wake up, swim and then write in the bedroom with the windows closed. In the afternoon, he would have another swim. My mother, Blanche, also loved swimming [in the waters off the island], right up to her late 90s.

PETER BROWN

Fleming was bewitched by it, correct?

Here is someone who was born in England, lived in England, and travelled all over the world, then decided to come to Jamaica to settle to write his books. Out of everywhere in the world he could have gone to, he fell in love with Jamaica, as well as he fell in love with the Jamaican people. And the Jamaican people loved him.

What is a standout memory you have of Fleming?

A unique memory is when we went “crocodile hunting” out on the south coast. We went out on a boat one evening, “Gore”, the crocodile guide, Ian, my mother and I. It was very exciting: they were huge, with their eyes standing out above the water. Quite a memory!

STELLAR CELLARS Top tipples that

ON THE RECORD

Chris Blackwell, founder of one of Britain’s greatest independent labels, Island Records

raise the bar

The Dalmore The Sherry Edition comprises three exceptional aged whiskies finished in González Byass casks. thedalmore.com

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GRAPE EXPECTATIONS Provence’s Château Minuty already enjoys a vaunted perch and stellar reputation in the ever-popular rosé segment. But now, the third-generation, family-owned winery, which is already the rosé leader on the Riviera and in Europe, and run by brothers Jean-Etienne and FranÇois Matton, will benefit from having the explosive sales and distribution firepower of its new overlords, Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. One of the 23 original cru classé estates, Minuty, which has long been seen as the ultimate expression of the sector, with 160ha of vines across the St-Tropez peninsula, the CÔtes de Provence’s most rarified expanse, now joins a portfolio that includes Château d’Esclans in the Moët Hennessy rosé stable. Cheers to that. minuty.com

HERVE FABRE

LIST

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A DELICACY LIKE NO OTHER It’s the unique by-product of a 250-million-year-old fish that roamed the Caspian Sea until it was driven to near-extinction by overfishing, poaching, water pollution and damming. The fish, of course, is the “living fossil” known as the sturgeon: a prehistoric, scaleless species that can weigh up to 454kg and whose unfertilised roe is made into caviar – the delicacy over which most of us go cuckoo. It has been illegal to harvest wild stocks since 2006, so attention has shifted to farmed sturgeon.

Today, this rare delight is purveyed by entities such as Caspian Monarque, whose gloriously decadent farmed beluga is only for the most special of occasions. caspianmonarque.com

Penderyn 21

Benromach Air Dried

Tomatin PX Cask

Highland Park

Elijah Craig

A cask-strength bottling to celebrate the brand’s 23rd anniversary. penderyn.wales

This new expression offers flavours of vanilla fudge and citrus. benromach.com

An exceptional single malt distilled in 2001 and aged in sherry casks. tomatin.com

Just 642 bottles exist of this smoky London Edition. highlandparkwhisky.com

A small-batch bourbon released to mark the 2023 Ryder Cup. elijahcraig.com

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FUTURESCAPE Cosmic cool meets red-hot va va voom for personal home-and-away must-haves this season

THE DREAM IS ALIVE The ultimate fusion of space-age design and earthbound comfort, the cutting-edge Martian Aerogel Jacket by Vollebak incorporates nextgeneration insulation technology dreamed up by the same lab currently working on the next Mars Rover’s heat shield. The ultra-thin, featherweight jacket features five convenient zip pockets, a versatile twoway front zipper and a toasty aerogel hood, ensuring you’ll be well-equipped for whatever demanding outdoor adventures you set out on over the season ahead. Drawing inspiration from the iconic Project Mercury spacesuits, the jacket features a lustrous metallic finish, contrasting black seam taping and intricate zigzag stitching, with the transparent finish of the outer shell offering a glimpse of the intricate, laser-drilled aerogel tech concealed within. Encasing that remarkable core is a shell crafted from the rarest of fabrics: a material that’s journeyed from Earth to the far reaches of Mars and Titan. This exceptional parachute fabric, originally deployed for landing the inaugural probe on Titan and the final Rover on Mars, ensures unparalleled strength and durability. Designed to keep you snug in temperatures as low as -20°C, this ode to space exploration looks set to become an essential component of your cold-weather kit. vollebak.com

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HEAVEN SCENT This season’s ambrosial elixirs invigorate the senses, revive the soul and fragrance the home

SNAP-HAPPY Instant photography takes a leap forward with the launch of the Leica Sofort 2.

Available in red, black and white, this second-gen whizz-kid combines digital speed with analogue charm, allowing you to preserve precious shots and cherry-pick the perfect ones for instant printing on Instax Mini format paper. Seamlessly connecting to your smartphone or other Leica cameras via an app, it ushers in a new world of creative possibilities. leica-camera.com

Ambre Sauvage Absolu

Barbour

BDK Parfums

An olfactory homage, written by the oh-so Parisian signature of the renowned Goutal maison.

A new coastal expression for him, inspired by the beautiful British countryside.

From this indie perfume house comes Pas ce Soir Extrait, which evokes the mystery and sensuality of Paris.

Monom

Angelica Florae

Acqua di Parma Zafferano

Foglie Verdi is the latest home diffuser essence by the contemporary Italian perfumer.

A fresh, vibrant green floral fragrance created by the esteemed Roos & Roos of Paris.

Inspired by the rare and mystical saffron, this new scent imparts a unique, radiant and spicy sensation.

CODE RED In an electrifying fusion of gutsy power and gorgeous sound, Bang & Olufsen has released a limited-edition range of speakers and headphones in collaboration with Ferrari. Celebrating a shared heritage of singular craftsmanship, the collection pays homage to Bang & Olufsen’s iconic aluminium design, now drenched in Ferrari’s fastest red. Destined to fill the room – and your ears – with roaring bass and audio that fires on all cylinders, the stylish marriage of Italian motorsport and Danish design promises to redefine luxury listening both at home and on the road. bang-olufsen.com

AUTUMN 2023

Goldfield & Banks

Elixir

Chopard

A perfume concentrate encased in shimmering gold and infused with precious agarwood.

A distinctive floral ambrée bouquet dreamed up by Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab.

A tribute to cedarwood, this is the latest addition to the Malaki family of precious opuses.

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TOAST OF THE TOWN Glittering galas, glamorous celebrations and charity golf across Europe

Voyage, voyage

It was an evening to behold: a voyage extraordinaire at Paris’ Musée des Arts et Métiers, where CAMUS Cognac, inspired by the spirit of discovery of French writer Jules Verne, celebrated a noteworthy date – 1863, the year in which Verne’s wanderlust-inducing novel Five Weeks in a Balloon was published. This also happened to be the year in which Maison Camus was incorporated.

Hosted by fifth-generation owner Cyril Camus and his wife Alexa, the event echoed this shared spirit of exploration, showcasing the rarified creations of the Ateliers Camus, which represent the pinnacle of savoir faire in both the small-batch experimental series of cognac produced and the fine vessels that carry them. It’s an apt independent streak from the world’s leading independent cognac house, and an evening that, coupled with the Michelinstarred cuisine and fine beverages proffered, those in attendance shan’t soon forget. camus.fr GOLDEN HOUR

Above: bottles of Camus’ small-batch cognac grace tables at the black-tie event Right: the spirit’s packaging evokes the terroir and heritage of France’s Charente region

Monte-Carlo U.S. Celebrity Golf Cup

Under glorious sunshine and with competitive zeal, a handpicked group of notables and amateurs gathered for the fourth time for the Monte-Carlo U.S. Celebrity Golf Cup, an invitation-only biennial charity event presented by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco in support of the Ryder Cup European Development Trust. Held under the watchful eye of event organiser Susan Feaster, the participants tackled the fairways and greens of Garlenda Golf Club, across the border in Italy, over two days, before repairing to Monaco for just as many days, where off-course get-togethers included ceremonial drives and a star-studded gala where Colin Burns was presented with the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award and Team Europe were crowned champions. To everyone who participated, we say congratulations. mcgolfcup.com

DREAM TEAM

From left to right: US team captain Jerry King; European team captain Ian Randell; Ultratravel editor Farhad Heydari; Ramun Ratti, chief executive of Engadine Golf Club

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RED-LETTER DAY

Above: the participants resplendent in team colours Left: Colin Burns, the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, with H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco

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24HRS OF LE MANS

ALL SMILES

Above: hosts Cyril and Alexa Camus Top right: with guests Right: an example of Ateliers Camus’ creative savoir faire

An homage to the iconic race

RIVIERA CHIC

Left: Celebrity Chef Geoffrey Zakarian with Susan Feaster, the President of the Monte-Carlo U.S. Celebrity Golf Cup and Farhad Heydari, Ultratravel Editor Below: Susan Feaster, President of the Monte-Carlo U.S. Celebrity Golf Cup with Pascal Grizot, President of the French Golf Federation and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco

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Need for speed

Conceived by a visionary group of thrill-seeking Frenchmen in 1923, Le Mans is more than a race; it’s a treasure trove of lore. From chewing gum-sealed petrol tanks to pit stops for champagne, its history is dotted with colourful anecdotes and remarkable participants, spanning the roaring Bentley Boys to modern heroes including Jacky Ickx, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish – with the odd debutante and drug smuggler thrown in for good measure. Written by lifelong Le Mans aficionados Jean-Marc Teissèdre and Thibaut Villemant, and produced as a luxurious, cloth-bound, 360-page edition, 24 Hours of Le Mans captures the intense rhythm that is so characteristic of the event, paying tribute to the skill, valour and technical prowess of the men and women who put it on the map. cercledart.com

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It’s more than an Ocean Voyage...

With two Discovery Yachts, venture further than ever before. Experience the great white wonders of Antarctica with Scenic Eclipse II on our 15 Day Beyond the Antarctic Circle Expedition voyage, and reach the latitude 66°33’ South, where few have explored. Join the expert Discovery Team and be amazed as you see penguins sliding down an iceberg, or humpback whales cruising peacefully by your Zodiac. With Scenic, it’s 6-star, truly all-inclusive ultra-luxury in a class of its own.

Helicopter flight^

Cruise From £15,265pp*

Custom-designed submersible^

Free Flights#

Free Door-to-Door Transfers~

Call 0161 768 9651 | visit sceniceclipse.com

RDS

WORLD

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Terms and Conditions: Cruise from £15,625 per person is based on the Super Earlybird offer* on Beyond the Antarctic Circle departing 21 January 2024 in a DB Deluxe Verandah Suite. #Free flights are strictly limited, subject to availability and up to the value of £4,500pp, which is based on a Panorama Suite Category on Beyond the Antarctic Circle departing on 21 January 2024. Flight credit value varies by itinerary, date and suite category. If flight cost exceeds the Credit amount, surcharge is to be paid by the guest. Super Earlybird sales condition requires bookings to be paid in full at 10 months prior to departure, or at time of booking if departure is within 10 months. ~Private Door-to-Door transfers are complimentary within a 75 mile radius on all voyages and are subject to availability. For guests who live outside of this 75 mile radius, an additional supplement of £2.00 per mile will be UISE A CR charged thereafter, UK mainland only. We reserve the right to withdraw offers at any time. For full terms and conditions please visit sceniceclispe.com. E&OE ^Helicopter, helicopter experiences and submarine at additional cost, subject to regulatory approval, availability, weight restrictions, medical approval and weather and ice conditions. Helicopters are unable 2022 to operate in South Georgia.

World's Best Cruise Ship for Dining

O N O U R R A DA R

A CUCINELLI CELEBRATION The eponymous and iconic Italian designer marks his 70th birthday beneath the starry Umbrian skies

THE GLOW OF SUCCESS

Italian fashion maestro Brunello Cucinelli marked his 70th birthday and the 45th anniversary of his renowned brand in an unforgettable, quintessentially “Brunello” manner last month. The picturesque Umbrian hamlet of Solomeo, home to Cucinelli HQ, played host to the exclusive affair, with family, friends and colleagues converging for the occasion. The designer’s chosen dress code was “shades of white, panama, light grey and beige”, perfectly reflecting his signature style of quiet luxury. The effect was a sea of elegance, with women donning wide-legged trousers, oversized jackets, and silk dresses, and men clad in soft suiting and lightweight double-breasted jackets. Following a fashion presentation featuring supermodels Eva Herzigova, Mark Vanderloo and Tyson Beckford, among others, Cucinelli’s daughter Carolina gifted her father an exquisite statue of Apollo playing a lyre, accompanied by a showstopping 70-candle birthday cake. brunellocucinelli.com

s Versaille

Below: Brunello blowing out the candles on his snooker table-sized cake

LA DOLCE VITA

Top: the birthday extravaganza fashion presentation Above: Cucinelli HQ, in the bucolic Umbrian hamlet of Solomeo

BON APPÉTIT A feast of French culinary history

M IC ST RONO T H E GA T ION R E VOLU

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Versailles, the iconic palace celebrating its 400th anniversary this year, is emblematic of the seismic culinary shift that took place in France during the 17th century – though the “gastronomic meal of the French” didn’t receive Unesco recognition until 2010. Written by historian Guillaume Picon, in collaboration with Nicolas Kenedi, perpetual secretary of the Academy of Gastronomes, and featuring menus from Jean-Maurice Sacré’s collection of rarities, Versailles: The Gastronomic Revolution looks set to inspire many a food-fuelled Gallic getaway.

Limited to 400 copies. editions-dilecta.com

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C A S TAWAY I S L A N D F I J I TA K E S G R E AT C A R E I N I T S S T E WA R D S H I P A founding member of MES Fiji (Mamanuca Environment Society) and a leading advocate of environmental sustainability in tourism development, Castaway’s collective actions include coral planting, beach and underwater clean-up, fish house making and coastal tree planting, in addition to back-of-house goals such as reducing energy, water and waste while working alongside like-minded local non-profit organizations.

HAWAI‘I

FIJI

MAURITIUS

THAILAND

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Outrigger.com

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JETSCAPE

HEAVEN’S BIRD’S-EYE VIEW

Captain Mike Bannister’s 40th-anniversary photo from Concorde showing the curvature of the Earth

Twenty years after Concorde made its final flight, Ultratravel pays tribute to a supersonic marvel.

By Nigel Tisdall

CRUISE CONTROL

Left: inside the cockpit of Concorde Below: four Concordes in formation Right: the iconic aircraft coming in to land at Boston Logan International

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BRITISH AIRWAYS

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t was noisy and cramped, with tiny windows – yet at the same time glamorous, exclusive and mind-blowingly fast. A flight from London to New York took just under three-and-a-half hours, flying twice as high as Mount Everest, puncturing the sound barrier and arriving before you left. At 60,000ft, Concorde’s privileged passengers could contemplate the curvature of the Earth while sipping Krug champagne and puffing on a complimentary cigar. This pinnacle of aviation, horrendously fuel-guzzling, was a joint project of British Airways and Air France that crowned the skies for 27 years. The first scheduled flights, launched in 1976, sped faster than a rifle bullet to Bahrain and Rio de Janeiro. Chartered for luxurious trips-ofa-lifetime, Concorde touched down in Luxor, Kathmandu and Ouagadougou, and winged the sun-seeking rich to the beaches of Barbados every winter.

Even IranAir had orders in for the sleek delta-winged conveyance. Eventually, the combination of a tragic crash, the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and harsh economics brought this dazzling airshow back down to earth.

The last commercial flight – BA2 from JFK to Heathrow – took off on 24 October 2003. Yes, there were tears. This wasn’t just the end of a golden era – it was proof that there are times when our world really does turn backwards.

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DART

“A flight from London to New York took three-and-a-half hours, flying twice as high as Everest, puncturing the sound barrier and arriving before you left”

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JETSCAPE

20 things you need to know about Concorde

1. LONG GAME

After seven years of development and a pioneering supersonic flight in 1969, Concorde took a further seven years to perfect.

Only 20 aircraft were built over the following decade, divided equally between the UK and France.

2. A WORLD-BEATER

The combined fleet made 72,000 supersonic flights. British Airways’ routes included a daily service to New York and thrice weekly connections to Dallas, Miami and Singapore.

3. NOW THIS IS FAST

Concorde could fly a mile every 2.75 seconds, travelling at more than twice the speed of sound. A Machmeter in the cabin recorded how fast it was going, the outside temperature and the altitude attained.

4. NOSE JOB

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS

Queen Elizabeth on Concorde in 1977

7. FAST FOOD

The world fell in love with Concorde’s nose and its ability to “droop”. This was so pilots could see the runway during take-off, landing and taxiing. Hydraulic lifts then raised it to a streamlined position in order to achieve supersonic speed.

The meals served on Concorde included lobster and caviar but got mixed reviews. No one argued about the quality of the wines, though, which were quaffed with gusto. Ultratravel has been unable to verify reports of couples subsequently joining the 11-Mile High Club.

5. LOOKING SMART

8. CLASSY YET CLASSLESS

Savile Row tailor Hardy Amies designed the first uniforms for the initial six British Airways cabin crew. Intended to be as glamorous and exclusive as the plane, they were made from a “totally uncrushable” polyester and came in a choice of pale blue or French navy.

6. THAT’S SERVICE!

Passengers were limited to a single suitcase weighing just 12kg, plus a small carry-on. Check-in took place 30 minutes before departure and a special suit carrier service delivered these to the baggage hall within eight minutes of arrival.

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Concorde carried a maximum of 100 passengers and had seats in pairs as a single class. When Queen Elizabeth II chartered the plane for state visits, the front cabin was converted into a royal office.

9. PRECIOUS CARGO

Concorde’s speed enabled it to transport human organs for transplants along with high-security items such as diamonds and currency. According to fan site Heritage Concorde, it once rushed a rare snake-bite serum to Africa, saving the victim’s life (heritageconcorde.com).

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JETSCAPE

SWAN SONG

Concorde’s last day, Captain Mike Bannister on right

“Passengers were limited to a single suitcase weighing just 12kg” 10. TRUE JET-SETTERS

In 1985, Phil Collins hopped aboard Concorde to perform at Live Aid concerts in both London and Philadelphia. In the late ’90s, Victoria Beckham famously flew Concorde to New York three times to have fittings for her wedding dress. Business traveller Fred Finn, meanwhile, made a record 718 flights, clocking up 2.5 million miles in seat 9A.

11. BUCKET-LIST TRIPS

Concorde charter flights seamlessly married the miracle of supersonic travel with the wonders of the world. A popular combo was to fly across the Atlantic to New York, then sail back to the UK aboard the QE2, with round-the-world journeys being the ultimate adventure.

12. CARIBBEAN CHARMER

In 1987, British Airways debuted Concorde flights from London to Barbados. Flying time was three hours 45 minutes, and the plane’s arrival was applauded from the beaches.

The aircraft that flew this route, G-BOAE, is still at Grantley Adams International airport, sadly mothballed.

13. FLYING BILLBOARD

In 1996, an Air France Concorde was painted blue for a promotion with soft drinks giant Pepsi. It prompted speculation that this diversion from heat-reflecting white would compromise the aircraft’s ability to achieve supersonic speeds, which proved unwarranted.

15. THE PARTY STOPS

On 25 July 2000, an Air France Concorde crashed near Paris, resulting in 113 deaths. Investigators found that on take-off a tyre had struck a strip of metal that had fallen from another aircraft, triggering an onboard fire. By November, services to New York had resumed but bookings were down and costs rising; it was the beginning of the end.

16. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Concorde aircraft now grace airports and museums around the world. Good places to see one include Brooklands Museum in Surrey (brooklandsmuseum.com), the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian (nms.ac.uk), the Musée Air+Space at Paris-Le Bourget Airport (museeairespace.fr) and Seattle’s Museum of Flight (museumofflight.org).

17. MEMORY LANE

The British Airways Concorde Room lounge in Terminal 5, London Heathrow, displays memorabilia from the aircraft’s heyday, including a nose-tip from G-BOAF, which made its first flight in 1979. Access is limited to passengers flying First Class, frequent flyers and selected guests (ba.com).

18. INEVITABLY, THE BOX SET

The birth of Concorde is set to become a TV series focusing on the Anglo-French rivalry with Russia’s own doomed version, the Tupolev Tu-144. “Concordski” made its maiden flight in 1968 and a later version crashed at the 1973 Paris Air Show.

14. BARGAIN SEATS

BRITISH AIRWAYS, LYNN KINTZIGER ON UNSPLASH, LEGO

In 1997, return tickets to New York on Concorde worth over £5,000 were issued for £10 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the privatisation of British Airways. The sale attracted approximately 30 million phone calls.

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PAY & DISPLAY

19. BUILD YOUR OWN

Left: six Concordes parked on the tarmac

Lego recently released a 2,083-piece replica of Concorde in its Icons series. Notable details include a tiltable nose, landing gear and even toilets. Created for adults, it comes with a 296-page construction manual.

20. THE COMEBACK?

There is hope that we will see a return to supersonic flying by 2029, courtesy of Boom Supersonic’s Overture, which will carry up to 80 passengers, cruise at 1.7 Mach and be powered with sustainable fuel (boomsupersonic.com). Tokyo to San Francisco in six hours? We’ll take that.

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A place that is truly yours Imagine the perfect union between the timeless legacy of ancient Rome and the spirit of oriental landscaping. Now, place this vision in The Seven, the most private secure location with the best views in Sotogrande, Andalucía.

Introducing NIWA by ARK Architects, a spiritual retreat that transcends conventional boundaries and seamlessly blends in with the environment. Sitting on a one-hectare enclave between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountain, NIWA is a turn-key project covering 4321 sqm, delivering 9-bedroom suites, 8 bathrooms, indoor / outdoor reception spaces, cinema, infinity pool, indoor pool & spa, wine cellar, office and 8 car garage. Planning application submitted.

+34 856 560 922 · sotogrande@sotogrande.com sotogrande.com

TEE TIME

GOLFING WORLD From the hottest courses to the latest kit and much more, Ultratravel takes a deep-dive into the game we all love so much

ROUGH JUSTICE

Cabot Citrus Farms’ new Pine Barrens course showcases the challenging topography of Florida’s “Nature Coast”

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GREEN PASTURES

G

ood things come to those who wait. Especially patient golfers who have long been ready for a series of new courses to open around the world.

Perhaps none more so than those anticipating the Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta (comporta.com), an hour south of Lisbon in Portugal. Officially opened in October 2023, the David McLay Kidd design took 15 years to come to fruition, but the result is a singular effort unmatched in the region. “It’s not links-style, it’s not links-like, it’s a links course,” according to McLay Kidd. “You’re playing as close to the beach as you can get in Portugal, you’re in pure sand, you’re playing on fescue grass with a golf course that wants you to read the ground, bounce the ball and run it around, using the contours to your advantage, so I don’t know if there’s anything out there that wouldn’t tick the box as a links course as a definition that a Scotsman would give you.”

The journey to opening day will be much quicker for McLay Kidd’s newest effort in the US, GrayBull (dormienetwork.com) in Maxwell, Nebraska. “Golfers want to go to a place and actually experience the place, and golf is the excuse for doing so,” said the golf architect. “This land in the Sandhills of Nebraska is special – there’s nothing but you

Beautiful, imposing, playable and hospitable: destination golf courses are popping up across the globe, says Tom Mackin

and Mother Nature in its rawest, simplest, most beautiful form.” The catch? The course, expected to open in late 2024, is private. But it is part of the Dormie Club Network, whose members enjoy access to six (soon to be seven) upscale clubs throughout the US. At Te Arai Links (tearai.com) in New Zealand, the Tom Doak-designed North Course debuted in October 2023.

Open to the public – unlike nearby Tara Iti, a phenomenal private layout also by Doak that garnered lofty rankings soon after opening in 2015 – it joins its adjacent sibling, the South Course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.

“The North Course starts and finishes on the ocean, but for

NORTH STAR

RICKY ROBINSON

Right: the North Course at New Zealand’s Te Arai Links begins and ends on the ocean, with ridges and dunes adding challenge inland

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me, the unique character of the course will be found inland,” said Doak. “The green of the par-four fifth hole and the next tee sit high on a ridge adjacent to an ancient Māori pa, or hill fortress, built from the largest dune on the property, while the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth greens occupy a shared bowl among the dunes.”

According to Jim Rohrstaff of Legacy Partners, developers of Te Arai, the North Course will likely give golfers a greater challenge day in and day out than the South. “As Tom has stated in the past, the inland land reminds him of Pine Valley, so if you think of seven holes on the coast and a mixture of Pine Valley inland, it’s a pretty brilliant combination.”

Back stateside, Doak will join the roster of esteemed course architects who have had a hand in Pinehurst Resort (pinehurst.com) in North Carolina when his design of Course No. 10 debuts in early April 2024. Located just a short drive south of the main resort – where the renowned Course No. 2 will host the 2024 US Open for the fourth time in 25 years – No. 10 sits on landscape that offers a vivid contrast from its siblings, according to Doak.

“The site is topographically distinct and drastically different from anywhere else in Pinehurst,” he says. “It’s bigger, bolder and more dramatic. There’s about 75 feet of elevation change, and we’ll work our way up to it around the mid-point of the layout. You’ll have expansive views from this apex over the rest of the course. It will be an unforgettable experience for golfers.” Especially the distinctive par-four eighth, where hitting over a 9m-high mound of sand is the ideal line off the tee to a mogul-filled fairway.

To complete a Doak trifecta of new designs, head to Sand Valley Resort (sandvalley.com) in Wisconsin, where

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TEE TIME

ROLLERCOASTER RIDE

A buggy is a must when taking on Portugal’s vast Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta

BUCKING BRONCO

Below: spectacular views await at GrayBull, Nebraska, designed by Tom Doak on undulating former ranch land

A PERFECT 10

Above: Course No. 10 will bring 75 feet of elevation change and moguls aplenty when it debuts at Pinehurst Resort next year

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PLAYING WITH FIRE

Utah’s Tom Weiskopf-designed Black Desert Resort is a unique oasis carved into a lava field

his effort at Sedge Valley, a rare par 68 measuring around just 6,000 yards from the tips, debuts in July 2024. “My idea for Sedge Valley is to bring back a more intimate scale and build classically styled holes that everyone can enjoy, but

AUTUMN 2023

RICKY ROBINSON

which may require some compromises from the long and wild hitter,” Doak has said. “The heathland courses built around London in the early 1900s were the first great inland golf courses, and Sedge Valley will integrate some of those characteristics – native groundcover as a strategic element, for instance. This property has sand, open expanses, good terrain and intriguing green sites – the fundamentals of holes that stand up over time.”

The road to hosting a PGA or LPGA tour event is often a long and winding one. Not so for Black Desert Resort (blackdesertresort.com) in St George, Utah. The layout just opened earlier this year, but is already set to host the PGA in October 2024 and the LPGA in May 2025. Tom Weiskopf’s final 18-hole design, built in collaboration with his design firm partner Phil Smith, the course flows through ancient lava fields. The duo built 70-to-100-yard wide fairways for playability but injected plenty of challenging approach

GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME

Above: golfers can anticipate tough holes evocative of London’s early heathland courses when Sedge Valley opens in summer 2024

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BRIAN OAR

shots and devilish greens throughout. The views of nearby mountain ranges only add to the surrealism of the setting.

Breathtaking pictures of Point Hardy Golf Club at Cabot St Lucia (cabotsaintlucia.com) have ignited passionate interest among golf cognoscenti worldwide, and a soft opening earlier this year has proved that the Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design is living up to expectations. From clifftop tees to plunging fairways to seaside greens, Ben Cowan-Dewar (co-founder and CEO of The Cabot Collection) has pulled off yet another spectacular course project, its grand opening slated for December 2023. The course will be open to members, guests, and prospective real estate buyers.

The Cabot Collection continues to grow in the US, too, with three new courses totalling 57 holes being unveiled at Cabot Citrus Farms (cabotcitrusfarms.com) in January 2024.

Formerly known as World Woods Golf Club, the property just north of Tampa, Florida, was purchased by Cabot Golf and has been transformed to feature two 18-hole layouts, Cabot Barrens and Cabot Oaks, plus an innovative 21-hole track comprised of a 10-hole and 11-hole loop.

DIMINUTIVE DANDIES

The trend of short courses accompanying regulation-sized layouts at resorts continues, and that is a very good thing. Bandon Dunes Resort (bandondunesgolf.com) in Oregon already has one of the best in The Preserve, and that 13-holer will be joined by Shorty’s, a 19-hole design, potentially in 2024. Named for the man who provided owner Mike Keiser with his first view of the property that became Bandon Dunes, the layout created by Rod Whitman, Dave Axland, and Keith Cutten will maximise some rolling landscape located west of Bandon Trails and south of The Preserve.

At central Florida’s Streamsong Resort (streamsongresort.com), Coore and Crenshaw’s The Chain short course opens in December 2023.

Named in a nod to the property’s mining history, it includes a six-hole and a 13-hole loop, with tee areas defined by a dragline chain link. With holes that range from 109 yards to a pair coming in at more than 200 yards (the eighth can play up to 293 yards), the 19-hole, 2,916-yard course flows around The Bucket, a massive putting course.

WALKING ON SUNSHINE

“The course flows through ancient lava fields, with devilish greens throughout. The mountain views only add to the surrealism” AUTUMN 2023

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MATT HAHN

Above: refuel at Cabot Citrus Farms’ Cabot Barrens clubhouse after playing the rugged 18-hole course near Tampa, Florida

SHORT ORDER

Top: Oregon’s Bandon Dunes Resort is soon to welcome a new 19-hole layout, Shorty’s Bottom: Streamsong Resort’s The Chain, Florida

Blessed with spectacular views and promising guests a heartfelt welcome and superb service from the skilled team at the club, Dumbarnie Links is already internationally acclaimed as a member of that elite group of golf courses where the discerning player finds the pure experience of traditional Scottish links golf. Looking for evidence to back these bold statements up? The links has hosted the co-sanctioned Women’s Scottish Open in 2021, won the World’s Best New Course and Development of the Year, and was twice voted the Best Golf Experience in Scotland, all since opening back in May 2020.

With its spectacular setting, arranged around the golden sands of Largo Bay on Fife’s historic southern coastline, Dumbarnie Links offers not only breathtaking views across the Firth of Forth, but a modern challenge that any true lover of the purest form of our ancient game cannot afford to miss.

What former Ryder Cup player Clive Clark created on this expanse of ancient linksland is a tribute to his lifetime love of classic links golf. His challenge combines strategy and risk-and-reward shot-making against not only a carefully crafted layout but the ever-changing elements that are the backdrop to golf beside the seaside.

Three short par fours, driveable for some perhaps, but fraught with danger for those too bold or overambitious, are among the highlights of Clark’s mastery here. His quartet of short holes is glorious, and exposed to all four points of the compass, with the eighth, looking down from high on the escarpment, destined perhaps to become one of the most photographed holes in Scottish golf.

Dumbarnie Links is ready to welcome you to a very special golfing experience.

“Dumbarnie Links is the best new course I’ve played in years. An amazing links experience from 1 through 18 – great design qualities with spectacular views. Can’t wait to return.”

– Ian Baker-Finch, 1991 Open Champion “I had such a great experience at Dumbarnie. The views, great conditions and the variety of holes weaving in and out of the dunes was spectacular.”

– Pat Hurst, 2021 USA Solheim Cup Captain “I have no doubt that Dumbarnie will soon come to stand along with Kingsbarns as the two courses (after the Old) that every serious St Andrews pilgrim will want to play.”

– George Peper, Links Magazine

Dumbarnie Links, Upper Largo, Fife, KY8 6JQ +44 (0) 1334 845945 I info@dumbarnielinks.com I dumbarnielinks.com

PRO SHOP

GEAR GUIDE

VEGA MIZAR Started by Samurai craftsman in Japan, boutique manufacturer Vega prides itself on only releasing new equipment when it can prove that it is better than what came before. The updated Mizar irons feature a one-piece forged carbon steel body with a powerful 3.5mm maraging steel face. The game-changer? The addition of a weight pad on the lower part of the head. The Mizar uses a mix of tungsten, titanium and aluminium weights throughout the set to optimise ball launch and spin and to aid in forgiveness. £1,494 (4-PW), vega-golf.com

The latest and hottest must-haves for any self-respecting amateur. By Nick Bayly

PXG 0317 CB

EDEL SMS PRO The Colorado-based Edel Golf specialises in highend custom-fitted clubs. The SMS Pro is its latest iron launch and is designed for the better player. The forged cavity back iron features two key technologies: a CNC-milled tri-step sole, which provides precise turf interaction from any lie, and an eye-catching swing match weighting system. Two 2g weights and one 8g weight can be switched about until you find the combination that gives the most consistent strike and fastest ball speed. £250 per iron, thegolftailor.com

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PXG is best known for loading its irons with visible technology, but that’s not what all players are looking for. The 0317 CB is a simpler golfer’s iron, triple-forged from soft carbon steel. A large weight in the back of the head can be used in a fitting to fine-tune head weight. To create consistency from set to set, the face and cavities are milled and then robotpolished to a level of replication and detail that can’t be achieved by human hands. £189 per iron, pxg.com

IRONS TO INSPIRE A trio to bring out your inner tour pro

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IN THE BULLSEYE

Cutting-edge rangefinders for top optics

LA GOLF BEL-AIR LA Golf has managed to save substantial weight by making the body of the putter from carbon, which enables a huge amount of mass to be placed in the heel and toe to create a blade putter that resists twisting through the arc of the swing. A milled stainless steel face creates a noticably more consistent roll, while the graphite P-Series shaft creates even more stability. It is available in the Bel-Air blade and Malibu mallet, as well as a matte carbon option. £499, lagolfglobal.co.uk

CADDYTALK CUBE PXG BATTLE-READY Although better known for its eye-catching irons and woods, PXG is also no slouch when it comes to making putters. Taking inspiration from its iron designs, the new line of Battle Ready putters boasts a hollow body construction that repositions weight to the perimeter. The thinnest putter face on the market allows more weight to be positioned further back. Then, that hollow body is filled with S COR polymer, which reduces vibrations and provides a great sound and feel. Each of the nine different models also features a pyramid face design and four different hosel options for custom fitting. £349, pxg.com

Looking more like a Leica camera from the 1960s than a state-of-the-art laser rangefinder, the CaddyTalk Cube not only allows you to zap the flag for accurate yardages, but also to laser your golf ball and the pin to reveal how far you’ve hit the ball. Additionally, Magic Slope technology calculates slope off both the launch angle and the height of a shot, while E-Slope takes altitude, humidity and temperature into account when assessing distances. Now all you have to do is hit the shot. Easy. £350, caddytalk.co.uk

SHOT SCOPE PRO LX+ The PRO LX+ combines a fast and accurate laser rangefinder with a powerful GPS unit and a shottracking system to provide valuable performance insights. The GPS element can be removed from the unit – it’s held in place by a strong magnet – and clipped onto a golf bag or belt or used in conjunction with the laser. The shot-tracking aspect works with tags screwed into the grip-end of your clubs, which you tap close to the LX+ after every shot, enabling you to view your shot on a free app, post-game. It comes in black with blue, orange or grey accents. £349.99, shotscope.com

PAR BUSTERS High-performance birdie-delivery flat sticks

L.A.B. GOLF MEZZ.1 L.A.B. Golf putters boast a patented technology designed to keep the putter face square throughout the arc of the swing, as opposed to toe-hang and facebalanced models that variously try to open and/or close the face during the stroke.

“L.A.B.” stands for “Lie Angle Balance”, and the firm’s putters are all designed to eliminate torque from the equation, giving golfers who have a back-and-forth arc the ability to repeat their stroke more consistently. Used on tour by Adam Scott and recent dual winner Lucas Glover, they are offered in a range of blade-style and high MOI designs, with the MEZZ.1 being the most compact. £449, labgolf.com

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BLUE TEES SERIES 3 MAX Blue Tees prices itself below some of the better-known rangefinder brands but it doesn’t skimp on the tech.

Magnification is at x7 to help you find your target from long-range, while Adaptive Slope helps account for changes in elevation and Active Flag Lock quickly locks onto the target. The bold display is easy to read in all light conditions, and automatically adjusts to the ambient environment, while a built-in magnetic strip allows you to attach the device to the struts of a buggy, trolley or any other metal surface. As an added bonus, it’s available in a choice of four colours – white, pink, navy and black. £199, skymaxsport.com

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PRO SHOP

FRESH PRINTS Head-turning polos for style and comfort

CHERVO ANYONE Italian fashion brand Chervo’s bold all-over prints are hard to miss on the fairways this season.

While they not only look the part, they are packed with technology, including a “Dry-Matic” treatment that ensures real freshness and breathability and built-in sunblock science that protects the wearer from UV rays. £110, chervo.com

UNDER ARMOUR ISO-CHILL GRAPHIC PALM Available in shocking pink and a slightly more conservative navy palm print, UA’s striking Iso-Chill shirt is made from a unique fibre that quickly pulls heat away from the skin to keep you cool, calm and in control of your game.

Boasting four-way stretch, it will also help you swing with complete freedom. £60, underarmour.co.uk

G/FORE FLORAL TECH JERSEY The Floral Tech dares you to be different with an eye-catching floral print that is available in lilac, emerald green or ocean blue. Made with a fine, high-tech jersey fabric for maximum mobility and stretch, it also boasts moisture-wicking properties to keep you cool when the heat is on. £110, gfore.co.uk

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ORIGINAL PENGUIN SWINGING PETE Worn on tour by former Open champion Cam Smith, Original Penguin’s polos are never dull and frequently fun, as this Swinging Pete design proves. Manufactured with sustainability in mind, it is made with 30% recycled polyester and features a self-fabric collar. £60, originalpenguin.co.uk

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FOOTJOY HYPERFLEX GOOD VIBES

ECCO BIOM TOUR SPIKED

The new Hyperflex Good Vibes are something of stylistic breakthrough for FootJoy, which has traditionally opted for a more conservative look when it comes to footwear. Although not “out there” by any means, they certainly bring a bit of California cool to proceedings and will have some appeal to the younger crowd of new golfers. Offering plenty of grip underfoot, a StratoFoam midsole provides cushioning comfort while also offering excellent support throughout the swing. £179.99, footjoy.co.uk

BEST-CASE SCENARIO

Although better known for its spikeless shoes, Ecco also understands that there is still a time, a place and a player that prefers a spiked golf shoe. The Biom Tour, which almost resembles a hiking shoe, combines the brand’s natural motion technology with a cleated sole to create the ideal winter all-rounder.

Pivix spikes are interspersed between additional grooves to deliver high levels of traction, while a waterproof membrane will keep feet dry during wet rounds. A soft, ultra-light midsole delivers bounce and energy return for added comfort. £160, eccogolf.com

TWO FOOTER Pomp and performance ensure solid footing ADIDAS SAMBA GOLF SUPERSTAR

While many equipment brands have enjoyed a surge in sales following the immediate post-pandemic rush back to golf courses, one that has enjoyed a continued boom is Sun Mountain, which not only produces a fine range of golf bags, but also does a booming trade in golf club travel covers.

While many such bags can be heavy and cumbersome, Sun Mountain’s ClubGlider Meridian (£269) glides across the airport concourse and hotel foyers with grace and ease, thanks to its retractable leg frame and pivoting caster wheels, which make travelling with clubs in tow a total joy.

Adidas has brought its lifestyle footwear fashion to the fairways with the launch of a limited-edition collection of streetinspired models. Previously released in 2020, the Superstar Golf features those iconic three stripes in the midfoot and a distinctive white rubber shell toe. The marbled multicolour outsole combines grey, silver, green, burgundy and orange colourways, and includes six replaceable cleats with secondary lugs for added grip. £100, adidas.com

With ample storage for shoes and other clobber, it is available in black/blue, black/graphite and a new Tropic/Spruce combination, which is sure to turn heads at the check-in desk.

Sun Mountain also offers the Kube Wheeled Travel Cover (£165), which folds down to a neat hard-shell box the size of a piece of carry-on luggage when not in use. sunmountain.com

G/FORE G.112 Merging stability, comfort and style, the G.112 is a spikeless golf shoe that can be worn on and off the course. The EVA midsole offers stability and cushioning that is backed up by the distinctive massaging footbed.

Golfers are spoilt for choice when it comes to colours, with 24 models for men – four of which are unisex – and six for women, which come with a removable kiltie. £180, gfore.co.uk

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A CLASSIC REVISITED

SUDDENLY SOTOGRANDE The southern Spanish sporting and residential retreat continues to go from strength to strength, anchored by its quartet of world-class golf courses.

Nick Bayly tees off

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n a post-Covid world where the office can be wherever you want it to be, and where the lines between work and play are often blurred, finding a place where the sun always shines, there’s lots to occupy your time between Zoom calls, and you’re never too far away from the beach, some decent restaurants and dozens of championship golf courses seems like something to aspire to.

Fortunately, that place exists – and it’s called Sotogrande. Nestled between the Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz, in the south-west corner of Spain, where the continents of Europe and Africa are separated by just the slender Strait of Gibraltar, Sotogrande is the largest privately owned residential development in Andalusia.

Occupying a 20,000sq km area that stretches from the

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Mediterranean Sea to the foothills of the Sierra Almenara, and boasting a population of 15,000 in peak season, it is also one of Europe’s leading sporting destinations, boasting four championship golf courses and facilities for yachting, sail racing, water sports, tennis and international polo. Its air of exclusivity has long attracted the celebrity set, with numerous A-listers and royalty enjoying holiday homes here, along with families from all over Europe who decamp to this rarified enclave for the privacy and seclusion it’s renowned for.

Golf first began here in 1964, after Sotogrande’s founder, Filipino-American industrialist Joseph McMicking, commissioned Robert Trent Jones Snr to create the Real Club Sotogrande as the centrepiece of the sprawling estate’s ambitious residential plans.

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ROOM TO ROAM

Inaugurated in 2003, La Reserva Club’s greens can be characterised by their ample size and variety of form

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TOUGH, BUT EMINENTLY PLAYABLE OFF THE RIGHT TEES, EVERY HOLE IS A MASTERPIECE OF DESIGN THAT PLACES DEMANDS ON YOUR SHOTMAKING SKILLS AND, ABOVE ALL, YOUR IMAGINATION

It was RTJ’s first course in Europe and it is a testament to the great man’s skills that the layout remains one of the most coveted courses in continental Europe some 60 years later, with a renovation carried out in 2016 only having enhanced its quality and appeal.

Every hole here demands the utmost respect: fairways that at first appear generous soon narrow when you factor in the tiers of rough and the encroaching ranks of cork, pine, oak and eucalyptus trees, plus the dozens of cleverly placed bunkers. With large and elevated greens, which are both quick and heavily contoured, the golfer is only able to relax once the ball finds the bottom of the cup.

It would take something pretty special to knock Real Club Sotogrande off the top spot in the Spanish course rankings, but Real Club Valderrama narrowly achieved that soon after it reopened in 1985 following a major redesign

by RTJ that improved upon the original, and rather less memorable, course opened in 1975. The vision-turnedreality of the late Jamie Ortiz-Patiño, Real Club Valderrama offers 18 holes of pure golfing heaven that first etched itself into the global golfing psyche following its hosting of the 1997 Ryder Cup, when Seve Ballesteros led Europe

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SMOOTH OPERATOR

Real Club Sotogrande’s 16th and 17th holes seem to make the course appear longer than its 6,224m, the consolation being the total lack of rough

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

NIWA by ARK Architects – villa living that seamlessly blends with the environment

to a memorable victory over the US in what was the first Ryder Cup to have been held in mainland Europe.

Tough, but eminently playable off the right tees, every hole is a masterpiece of design that places demands on your shot-making skills and above all, your imagination.

While the par threes are spoken about in hushed terms, it’s the par fives – especially four and 17 – that will linger longest in the memory.

And while Real Club Sotogrande and Real Club Valderrama understandably enjoy top golfing billing, Real Club Sotogrande’s two other courses, La Reserva Club and Almenara, are very capable co-stars. The 2004-opened La Reserva Club is a stunning Cabell B Robinson design that enjoys an elevated location and is arranged around a Y-shaped valley. Featuring generous fairways and large greens, the 6,700m layout has been subject to considerable investment in recent years, and has consequently attracted plenty of interest as a tournament venue, including the hosting of the LET’s Aramco Team Series in 2022.

Over at Almenara, golfers are treated to 27 holes spread across the three nine-hole loops of Lagos (the Lakes), Pinos (the Pines) and Alcornoques (the Cork Oaks,

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all of which were the original handiwork of the late Dave Thomas but which have been recently and sympathetically renovated by Spanish golfing legend Manuel Piñero.

As you’d expect from their names, the nines offer contrasting challenges, with Lagos featuring no fewer than five water hazards, while the other loops occupy more hilly terrain that cuts a swathe through the forest.

But Real Club Sotogrande’s comely characteristics aren’t limited to golf: the residential development also boasts a polo club, equestrian centre, racquet club offering both tennis and padel courts, water sports lagoon and beach club that’s home to Europe’s first sandy swimming pool.

Diners won’t be disappointed either, as there are dozens of casual and fine-dining experiences that cater for the estate’s global clientele, spanning authentic Andalusian cuisine to Asian fusion menus. Whichever you opt for, the emphasis remains on making the most of the wonderful local produce, including grilled fish and fresh vegetables.

Add to the proposition an international school to enrol the kids in, and this could easily be the best “remote” postpandemic retreat to repair to. sotogrande.com

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GAME PLAN

SINGAPORE SWING

© 2023 ASIAN TOUR LTD

Asian Tour commissioner and CEO Cho Minn Thant Below: ...and in action

I EASTERN

PROMISE

At a time when golf’s professional ecosystem is in flux, the Asian Tour is making strides, and doing so in leaps and bounds. Farhad Heydari speaks to its commissioner and CEO, Cho Minn Thant

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t was established in 1995 to primarily champion players from Asia. But today, the Asian Tour’s DNA is very multinational, boasting a schedule that, in 2023, comprised no fewer than 24 tournaments, with events primarily held in Asian and Middle Eastern countries, including Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but also, for the first time, two back-to-back fixtures in the UK (one at Close House in Newcastle and the other at St Andrews Bay in Scotland).

To say that the Asian Tour is breaking new ground is an understatement – and its prize funds have commensurately increased. So, too, has its footprint, courtesy of the new International Series of 10 premier events backed by LIV Golf, which have elevated purses and offer Asian Tour players an opportunity to earn a promotion to LIV Golf, where remunerations are significantly higher.

What’s more, all Asian Tour competitions offer points that are recognised by the Official World Golf Ranking, enabling players, including LIV golfers who currently cannot compete on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, to rise up in rankings and qualify for major championships.

At a time when golf is at a crucial crossroads, we sat down with the Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant to talk about the growth of the tour, the positive impact of its partnership with LIV Golf, and why it’s no longer seen as simply a stepping stone to other professional tours, but as a viable and respected tour in its own right, where players can earn good money and enjoy a comfortable work/life balance.

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EYES ON THE PRIZE

PAUL LAKATOS/ASIAN TOUR

Left to right: Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe, Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, defending champion, Nittihorn Thippong of Thailand and Jaco Ahlers of South Africa pose with the winner’s trophy at the Jewel Changi on Tuesday 3 October 2023

How pleased are you with the current state of the Asian Tour, coming after what was a difficult time during and immediately after the pandemic?

Given the international schedule that we operate, the Asian Tour was probably the hardest hit of all the international professional golf tours during the pandemic. We had to effectively shut down the entire operation for almost two years, which obviously had serious consequences for the tour as a business. Not being able to cross borders was extremely disruptive for us, probably more so than for any other tour in the world. But we’ve come out on the other side of that now and things are all looking very positive. We’ve got 24 events this year, with players competing for around $36m in prize money. Obviously, the DP World Tour has more events – I think they have just released their schedule for 2024, and it has 44 confirmed tournaments for a prize fund of around $130m – so we’re not quite there yet, but we’re on a good trajectory. We’ve gone from an average purse of less than $1m a couple of years ago to an average of about $1.5m, so we’re moving in the right direction.

I’m confident that we have a great product. We’ve got interesting characters on our tour, interesting storylines, and

we visit interesting places. Our TV coverage is growing, plus, thanks to our alliance with LIV Golf, our brand presence and its recognition is growing around the world.

What is the nature of your partnership with LIV Golf and how does it impact on the Asian Tour’s standing within the overall golf ecosystem?

Well, I feel like we are operating in our own ecosystem right

HOT-DESKING

now. I mean, we’re an outlier tour because we’ve aligned ourselves with LIV Golf, but it was the right thing for the Asian Tour to do at the time and we still stand by it. It’s improved our product dramatically and by aligning with LIV, we’ve created our own ecosystem where LIV is the pinnacle and the International Series forms a pathway, and the players who play LIV Golf can come back and play in the Asian Tour’s International Series events as often as they want. We make sure we don’t clash with LIV events and we make sure they complement each other, so that LIV Golf tournaments are geographically close to preceding International Series events and vice versa. It’s good for the Asian Tour as we get their top players, including Major champions, appearing at our 10 International Series events, and it’s really helping to build the overall profile of the Asian Tour.

Right: LIV players and Asian Tour stalwarts at a press conference in Singapore

How do you think the truce between PGA Tour and LIV will impact your operations going forward?

I have been assured that the funding remains intact for the International Series and the tour as a whole, and Asia is still very much part of LIV Golf’s business model going forward, but we, like everyone else, are still awaiting details of what this new entity will look like. Ultimately, I have strong hopes that it will benefit the Asian Tour’s commercial prospects.

If the deal goes ahead it looks like the market will be a lot more open. It’s already been interesting to see the number of approaches that we have had from broadcasters and

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STAR ATTRACTIONS

“We’re an outlier because we’ve aligned ourselves with LIV Golf, but it was the right thing for the Asian Tour to do at the time and we still stand by it”

Right: Anirban Lahiri in action at the Asian Tour’s International Series England event, Newcastle Below: Graeme McDowell puts on a clinic for tomorrow’s champions in Singapore

THE HEAT IS ON

© 2023 ASIAN TOUR LTD

Muscat, Oman, played host to the inaugural leg of the 2023 Asian Tour

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last year, and now he’s the poster boy for the PGA Tour.

So, a lot’s changed in 12 months for him and that’s how easily they can flip the switch.

In that respect, would it be fair to say that the Asian Tour is still generally regarded as being a stepping stone for players looking to break through to the US or Europe’s top pro tours?

No, I don’t think that’s entirely fair. I think there was a frustration for us in the past when the top players, whatever nationality they were, were gravitating towards the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour, but these days even the top European players seldom play on the DP World Tour. They’re playing in the majors and WGCs, and they’re playing a few events here and there in Europe, but they’re playing almost exclusively in America. Yes, we realise that the PGA Tour and LIV are still the pinnacle of golf, but we’re a very competitive tour in our own right now, and no longer a feeder tour.

Players can make a good living playing on the Asian Tour. They can go to world-class destinations and play against world-class players. That’s the big difference for us now. We are a genuine option for players looking to establish themselves in the global game.

sponsors who wouldn’t work with us over the last 18 months and who are now wanting to do so going forward.

You scheduled two events in the UK this year for the first time. How was that received by your members?

A lot of our players had already had the opportunity to compete in Europe and the UK, but some hadn’t, so it was a chance for them to come to some new countries and experience new playing conditions and to test themselves.

We held a tournament at Slaley Hall last year as a one-off, but it made sense for us to do back-to-back weeks in Europe and the feedback from the players was that they would like that, so it felt like the right thing to do to expand on that by adding the event at the home of golf in Scotland. We had strong fields at both venues, with 22 LIV players at Close House and 21 at St Andrews Bay, so the support from the guys has been unbelievable and the fans got the chance to see world-class players competing on world-class golf courses. Coming to the UK for that two-week stretch increased the brand presence of the Asian Tour tremendously and it’s something we’re very keen to repeat going forward.

How important is it that you expand the tour both in terms of the number of events you stage and where you stage them?

Our guys are right up there in terms of their skills, but they don’t have the opportunity to compete over a 12-month season just yet. And they need the exposure of coming out and playing in the west. And that’s what’s great about having tournaments in England and Scotland, and also now in the Middle East, Morocco and Egypt. It gets the guys travelling.

So, when the time comes when they do qualify for major championships, they’re not scared. It’s not overwhelming for them. They’re used to playing in front of different audiences and different course conditions, and they’re ready.

Take Tom Kim, for example, who was playing on the Asian Tour last year. He played in the International Series England last year before he qualified for The Open at St Andrews.

That propelled him into stardom before he went on to the PGA Tour and won twice. So, here was a 20-year-old kid from South Korea with bags of potential playing the Asian Tour

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It’s been a good year for rising stars on the Asian Tour, pictured here in Taipei

“Our guys are right up there in terms of their skills, but need the exposure of playing in the west”

BIG HITTER

Brooks Koepka at the International Series Oman

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What makes the Asian Tour unique?

Although we attract players from many different countries and cultures, it still feels like a tightknit group of people. It’s friendly and accessible, and everyone travels together from event to event.

At times it feels like one big family. We have guys playing who have competed on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and they always comment that it’s a lonely life out there for them, but when they come back to the Asian Tour, they say it’s like coming back home. So that’s something we take great pride in.

Let me give you an example. Anirban Lahiri, who is a long-time Asian Tour player, went off to the PGA Tour for the last seven years, before joining LIV last year. He lived in Florida when he was competing on the PGA Tour and said he felt very isolated out there. He said there wasn’t much camaraderie among PGA Tour professionals. They have their own little pods, where they have their manager, their caddy, their physiotherapist, and they just don’t really mix like they do on the Asian Tour. We all stay at official hotels together, travel together, visit the physios, the driving range. It’s just one big happy family, really. And that’s what makes the Asian Tour unique. asiantour.com

© 2023 ASIAN TOUR LTD

AUSPICIOUS BEGINNINGS

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W W W .T H E S E T C O L L E C T I O N . C O M | @T H E S E T C O L L E C T I O N O F F I C I A L

TIME MACHINE

PERFEC D Pro golfer and Porsche obsessive Paul Casey takes the new 911 S/T for a spin

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EASY RIDER

The classic two-tone interior of the 2024 Porsche 911 S/T has been designed to fully reflect the heritage concept

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© 2023 DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AG

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ave you ever had the feeling that the harder you push, the further the finish line appears? Or that the harder you train, the more your body hurts?

It’s natural for us as humans to want to keep improving year after year. As an athlete, that’s my job. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Injuries, setbacks and fluctuations in form can inevitably thwart progress. Our body is our greatest asset but can also be the limiting factor. Ultimately, time is against us. It’s part of being human, of course. Sure, the years can make you wiser and smarter, but not always stronger and fitter. How many people do you know who are physically better at 60 than at any other point in their life?

In the car world, there’s no such biological decline to complain about. Yes, humans are comprised of a miraculous blend of elements, but it’s no match for carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRP). For car designers and engineers, each new model represents an opportunity to learn from what came before, deploy new technologies and set new automotive standards. Perhaps surprisingly, not many brands are consistently able to achieve this.

Fewer still can brag about having done this with one single product over eight generations.

This year marks 60 years of the 911, and Porsche continues to prove itself the grand master of evolution.

In honour of the anniversary, the German automobile manufacturer has given us the 911 S/T. In a nod to the year in which the model first appeared, just 1,963 will be built. Perhaps only hardcore fans will recognise the “S/T” moniker, but let me explain why this car is such a good example of how to hone your craft, and why the athlete’s journey will ideally share some of its characteristics.

The original S/T was a lightweight 911 performancefocused variant built between 1970 and 1972. Estimates of how many were produced range from 33 to 62, many of which had subtle differences in the gearbox or engine capacity. What they had in common, though, was a performance suspension, weight-saving features, such as plastic front lids and Plexiglass side and rear windows, and beautiful broad rear arches, allowing for wider tyres and extra grip. It became a staggeringly successful sports car in races and rallies around the world.

Made using the same cherry-picked-parts formula as its predecessor, the 2024 S/T has emerged as one of the most impressive Porsche 911s of all time, with carbon fibre body panels, lightweight glass, magnesium wheels and reduced insulation making it the most nimble 911 of its generation.

The engine – a 4-litre flat-six producing 518hp – and suspension – the same as in the current GT3 RS – make it the fastest and best-handling version, too.

Unlike the original, which was built for racing, this model is geared for the road, albeit at the extremes. In homage to the purity of its lineage, the S/T foregoes a few of the more flashy innovations we might expect and instead opts for a six-speed manual transmission and lightweight clutch with a fast-revving single-mass flywheel that requires focus to drive but delivers an incredible experience when you’re on the right road in the right flow.

In 60 years of 911 evolution, there have been hundreds of variants, some of which have stood out more than others. Icons include the 2.7 RS, 964 RS, 993 GT2, 997 GT3, RS 4.0 and, more recently, the 911 R, to name but a few. All have shone because they were brilliant reimaginings of previous-generation iterations.

In fact, the 911 story epitomises where we as humans, and especially athletes, are trying to get to: deploying an endless feedback loop in order to learn, improve and take that trophy before the inevitable forces of nature catch up and overtake us. This is where the 2024 911 S/T wins.

It shows what 60 years of careful innovation can do and is, I believe, a 911 that will be included on a roll call of the greats. Well played, Porsche.

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A Racing Machine On The Wrist