W H E R E T OT R AV E L

ta k e a t OP-Va LU e b r e a k On e U rOPe ’ s t OP c OU r s e s : ◗ e n G L a n D ◗ I r e L a n D ◗ s c O t L a n D ◗ Wa L e s ◗ s Pa I n ◗

◗ P Ort UG a L ◗ F r a n c e ◗ t U r k e Y ◗ c Y PrU s & L Oa D s MOr e

T O P T R AV E L T I P S & H U N D R E D S O F A M A Z I N G D E A L S

W H E R E T O T R A V E L

If you don’t know where to go for that eagerly-awaited golfing holiday, then this is what you need. ‘Where To Travel’ is the home of the best value-for-money deals on the planet. Well, in the UK and Europe anyway!

We reveal all you need to know about when and where to stay and play and what to do off-course as well. You’ll find pages of top deals and special offers, many from leading golf travel operators. And there are handy tips to make sure everything goes according to plan.

‘Where to Travel’ focuses on the top destinations like Spain, Portugal and France, but we also check out emerging countries like Turkey and Cyprus and others set to become serious players in the market.

According to Peter Walton, chief executive of the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, now is a good time to book, with the country coming out of recession and the Icelandic volcanic ash scenario a thing of the past. “Prices are now as good as they have ever been and are unlikely to get any better. The golf tourism industry is rewarding those who book early with the best offers, allowing prices to rise as departure dates approach. There are already weeks in October and November where tee times in Turkey are fully booked, so you need to be quick. It’s also a good time to investigate lesser-known golf destinations like Bulgaria.”

Booking a break through specialist companies like Your Golf Travel.com and Golfbreaks.com has many benefits, including outstanding value for money.

Read on and we’re positive you’ll pick the perfect deal.

stay & play special

◗ a magical mixture of quality and quantity in your back yard

◗ beating the recession with treats at the home of golf

ENGLAND: 5-7

SCOTLAND: 9-11

◗ sPectacular scenery and a warm welcome guaranteed

◗ unrivalled hosPitality makes the emerald isle a real delight

wALES: 14-16

irELAND: 17-19

◗ exciting new courses at euroPe’s no1 golf destination

◗ find some stunning deals as venues try to temPt uk golfers

SpAiN: 23-29

pOrTuGAL: 31-37

◗ not all Plain sailing but it’s coming back into fashion

◗ one of the fastest-growing golf destinations in the world

frANCE: 39-43

TurkEy 49-52

◗ you can’t helP but fall in love with golf on aPhrodite’s isle

◗ great golf destinations that are still off the beaten track

CypruS: 55-57

wOrTH A Try: 59-62

Today’s

28Majorca magic!

the stunning son Gual course has more than 1,000

olive trees lining its lush fairways.

C O N T E N T S

TODAY’S GOLFER | w HEr E TO Tr AV EL 3

ENGLANDQ u a l i t y a n d q u a n t i t y i n y o u r o w n b a c k y a r d

magical mixtureLinks, heathland and parkland. England’s finest are just a pitch and a putt away...

{ take a break} You don’t have to travel far to experience great golf – some of the world’s best courses

are right here on your doorstep.England has a plethora of

quality courses to bring you memorable golfing experiences.

Lancashire and Merseyside – known as the Golf Coast – are home to some amazing links and inland courses, topped off by Open-hosting ‘Royals’ Birkdale, Liverpool and Lytham & St Annes. Yorkshire meanwhile has three Ryder Cup venues in Moortown, Lindrick and Ganton.

Head south-west for the

cracking Atlantic links of Burnham & Berrow, Royal North Devon, Saunton (pictured below) and St Enodoc.

Links-lovers will adore the Kent coast (Royal St George’s, Cinque Ports and Prince’s) and Norfolk (Royal West Norfolk, Cromer and Hunstanton), while the Home Counties are home to stunning, if expensive, heathland golf. Many of England’s finest courses, including St Mellion, Forest Pines and The Grove, belong to 2-FORE!-1 and offer half-price green fees (provided you’ve got a 2-FORE!-1 voucher).

Best time to travel for golfSummer and, hopefully, the sun will shine. Spring and autumn can be OK, but it may be best to stick to fast-draining coastal courses in the winter.

Avge sunshine Best is July (192 hours) with May and August next best. December and January are the worst.

Avge rainfallWettest month is December (90.4mm) and the driest is July (54.1mm).

FlyingPlenty of regional airports, but book early for the best deals. Book your clubs in online.

TrainThere’s bound to be a station close by. Visit www.thetrainline.com for all the latest times and fares.

Car hireFor the best car hire rates visit www.travel supermarket.com/car-hire

SCOTLANDS t u n n i n g s c e n e r y a n d a w e s o m e c o u r s e s

TARTAN CHARMIt’s where the game teed off centuries ago and is now home to some of the best courses on the planet

{ take a break} W e may have been going through a recession but that has not stopped

golfers flooding to Scotland.VisitScotland estimate golf

tourism is worth £100 million to the country’s economy and over £70 million of that is from UK visitors to the Home of Golf.

Part of Scotland’s charm is its ability to provide fantastic, good-value golf wherever you are in the country. So, away from the high-end illustrious links, smaller inland and municipal courses are also doing well despite the economic climate.

The Open has long been a regular visitor to Scotland and the Ryder Cup returns in 2014.

It has only been played there once before, at Muirfield in 1973,

and the Scottish Golf Union is eager to build on the imminent arrival of the world’s third largest sporting event.

They say the hosting of the 2014 Ryder Cup has acted as the catalyst for change, delivering opportunities to build on existing strengths and initiatives, with the ambition of achieving prosperity for all involved beyond 2014.

The SGU hope the Ryder Cup maximises the potential of golf as a contributor to the economy, encourages investment in golf development and ensures that Scotland produces more world-class golfers in the future.

By 2020, they hope Scotland will be the world’s leading golfing nation, with the most players per head of population.

Best time to travel for golfOn a good day in the height of summer you can be knocking it around until well past 10.30pm!

Avge sunshine 180 hours in May/June, 170 in July. Less for the Highlands.

Avge rainfallSome areas get 3,000mm per year (western Highlands) and others only 800mm (east coast). Driest months are April/May, the wettest Sept/Oct.

FlyingFlying time is an hour from London, from £50 return. Visit www.easyjet.com and www.ryanair.com

TrainLeuchars station on the main East Coast mainline is just a short drive from St Andrews. Visit www.eastcoast.co.uk

Car hireCheck out www.travelsuper market.com/car-hire

walesS u p e r b c o u r s e s a t s e n s i b l e p r i c e s

enter thedragon!Wales hopes Ryder Cup boost will help it gain recognition the country deserves

{ take a break} W ales’ 202 golf courses unfurl across 750 miles of coastline, three

mountain ranges and four Areas Of Natural Beauty.

The country is shamefully overlooked as a golf destination, players regularly preferring powerhouse neighbours England, Scotland and Ireland. But this is something the country is seeking to change; Wales is using its staging of the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor (pictured below) as a catalyst to boost golf in the Principality. A £2m Legacy Fund provided by the Welsh Government will support local authorities and golf clubs in helping them develop as quality golf facilities. Neath’s Gnoll Park, opened by First Minister Carwyn Jones in April, is one of more than

40 projects that will create more than 200 new holes across Wales.

“The Americans and Japanese have flocked to the great courses in Scotland and England before heading to Ireland,” explained Ryder Cup Wales chairman John Jermine. “We want tourists to see first-hand a wonderfully diverse, charming country which also possesses wonderful golf courses.”

The Cambrian Mountains across the Welsh heartland means most courses are in the north and south, the A55 North Wales Expressway linking up the tracks to the north and the M4 doing the job down south. But the great thing for the golf traveller is the value. The fact the country is often neglected means there is a wealth of superb courses to be played at sensible prices.

Best time to travel for golfMay is best for sunshine and low rainfall. Courses are quieter than in peak summer. Autumn months can be OK too.

Avge sunshine Cardiff averages seven hours a day in June and six in May, July and August. Steer clear of the gloomy winter months.

Avge rainfallDriest months are March-June when rainfall averages less than 80mm.

FlyingFlybe go direct to Cardiff from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle and Belfast.

TrainCardiff Central has regular services from across the UK.

Car hireGreat deals at www.travel supermarket.com/car-hire

IRELANDO n e o f t h e w o r l d ’s l e a d i n g g o l f d e s t i n a t i o n s

Back TO ITS BESTGreat deals and unrivalled hospitality make the Emerald Isle a golfing delight

{ take a break} I t has been something of a mixed past few years for golf in Ireland. It was only in 2006

that the Ryder Cup at the K Club did wonders to raise the profile of the game on the Emerald Isle. The following year saw Padraig Harrington win the Open at Carnoustie. The emergence of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell’s shock US Open win this year further thrust Ireland into the spotlight. Statistics reveal around 150,000 golfing visitors a year bring a staggering 110 million euros into the economy.

But it’s not all been good news. An International Association of Golf Tour Operators spokesman said: “Ireland has been struggling to get back to where they were in 2007, suffering as a result of high pricing and missing Americans owing to the economic climate.”

There’s mixed news on the courses too. The northern scene has been boosted by the opening of Nick Faldo’s sensational Lough Erne, but the ambitious project at Moyvalley, near Dublin, has hit financial problems.

Breathtaking Royal County Down (pictured below) rules the northern roost, where company Northern Ireland Golfing are trying to establish themselves. “Because of its reputation during the troubles it’s a slow-burner, but a very good product and lack of exposure to the euro is a bonus,” said the firm’s Dan Thomson.

As new courses crop up across both Northern Ireland and the Republic, the tourist board have teamed up with sport management giants IMG to promote their ‘Time to Play’ campaign fronted by Harrington.

Best time to travel for golfApril is Ireland’s driest month but for warmer, sunnier weather June and July are best. Green fees tend to drop from the autumn months.

Avge sunshine Sunniest months are May and June (5-6.5 hours per day). December is the dullest (1-2 hours).

Avge rainfallIt rains 150 days of the year and the wettest months are December and January.

FlyingBudget airlines Aer Lingus, bmi and Ryanair fly from the UK to various airports in Ireland.

FerriesStena Line and Irish Ferries are the two main companies, with prices starting from £69.99.

Car hirePlenty of deals through Budget and Irish Car Rentals, like three days from £47.

SPA INA l m o s t 4 0 0 t r a c k s t h a t w o n ’ t C o s t a p a c k e t !

VIVA ESPANA!Exciting new courses should help Spain’s battle to maintain its standing as Europe’s No1 golf destination

{ take a break} A s a golfing destination, Spain – and in particular the Costa del Sol – has

suffered a few telling blows of late, but it’s bouncing back well.

The number of visiting golfers may have dropped, but it’s slowly emerging from the economic recession and is alive and kicking.

Marco Polacci, who has been selling golfing holidays on the Costa del Sol for nearly 30 years, is not too surprised by the recent visitor decline. “Some courses have been a bit naughty with pricing when they had a lot of people on their doorstep,” he said.

“It got out of hand a bit, but at the moment there’s some good value to be had.”

There are more than 60 courses on the Costa del Sol and around 380 across Spain. More than a quarter of them are in the southern region of Andalucia, which includes the Costa del Sol and the up-and-coming Costa de la Luz.

The fastest-growing golf region is Murcia, soon to have 20 18-hole courses, including the three Nicklaus Trail courses at Polaris World and the evergreen La Manga Club.

Another rapidly-growing region is around Valencia. Its 28 courses include three new ones like the stunning Las Colinas (pictured below), which is set to join the country’s legendary layouts.

Best time to travel for golfBetween autumn and spring, when the weather is dreary in the UK. The Costa del Sol enjoys 325 days of sunshine a year at an average 18ºC.

Avge sunshine Soak up 11 hours between June-August and nine in May, but only five in December and January.

Avge rainfallJust 4mm in July, rising to 17mm in June and 18mm in September. Most rain falls in Nov-Dec.

FlyingA host of airlines and routes to choose from. Visit www.easyjet.com or www.ryanair.com

FerriesBrittany Ferries (www.brittany-ferries.co.uk) sail to Santander from Portsmouth and Plymouth.

Car hireA host of options are available at all airports, with prices starting from around £30 per day

PORTUGALWi n n i n g t h e b a t t l e i f n o t t h e w a r

recession beatersPortugal – and the Algarve especially– is bouncing back after double whammy

{ take a break} A long with Spain, the Algarve is where British golfers first started making

trips abroad. But it has been seriously hit by

the recession and the ash cloud crisis, prompting Algarve Promotion Bureau Golf Product Manager Maria Manuel Delgado e Silva to say: “We are facing our biggest challenge ever.

“Since May and June we have started to see numbers going up but we are by no means out of the woods yet. Hotels have

offered special promotions and courses added value – twilight green fees have been selling really well – in a bid to attract golfers.”

Algarve courses are close together and boosted by new tracks including Monte Rei (pictured below) in the east and dynamic Oceanico pair, the Faldo and O’Connor Jnr.

Further north in Lisbon, the weather is a tad cooler but the options are as good. Plus they come with all the facilities you’d expect from a capital city.

Best time to travel for golfEscape from our freezing winter to a mild climate here. Although the weather can be a bit hit and miss, it’s still warm. Spring is a good time to go.

Avge sunshine Algarve: 12hrs in July/Aug, 10 in May/June , 6 in Nov-Jan. Lisbon: July/Aug 11, June 10, Nov-Feb 5.

Avge rainfallAlgarve: Driest in June-August, wettest Jan-Feb.Lisbon: Driest in July-August, wettest Nov-Feb.

FlyingAlmost every major airport and budget airline in Britain flies to Faro, which is no more than an hour from any of the golf in the area. Return flights from £57.Lisbon is also unsurprisingly accessible and again there’s not much fuss in getting to the golf. Less budget airlines fly there though. Return flights from £77.

CarOnce there, a new motorway links the whole of the Algarve – and there’s no congestion!

FRANCEG a l l i c d e l i g h t s j u s t a C h a n n e l- h o p a w ay

PLAIN SAILING!Faster and easier Channel crossings means northern France is coming back into fashion

{ take a break} A s far as golf breaks are concerned, France is coming back into vogue,

thanks to courses like Paris National (pictured above). That’s the confident prediction of Morgan Clarke, from leading UK operator French Golf Holidays. He says: “We’ve noticed renewed interest in the past few months and I think France is fighting back.”

Clarke says his company organised a staggering 100,000 rounds in France in the boom year of 2004, but that dropped to 70,000 in 2008 owing to the “French getting a bit silly with their pricing.”

So why the renewed

optimism? “Golfers are remembering there’s some quality golf here. Plus, they don’t have to put up with airport hassles or get burnt with flight taxes, luggage and golf carriage charges. There’s a big advantage in taking your own car too.

“Then, of course, there’s the food factor. France is famous for its gastronomic delights.”

Faster cross-Channel ferries and more luxurious traditional vessels has seen more golfers heading to France by sea instead of by air.

Companies like Brittany Ferries benefited from the Icelandic ash cloud crisis earlier this year.

Best time to travel for golfThe main season is between March and June and from the end of August to the end of October. But golf can be played all year round.

Avge sunshine Sunniest months are June-August, (eight hours a day). Next best are May and September.

Avge rainfallDriest months are June and August (40mm) followed by April, May, July and September (all 50mm).

FlyingCheck out budget airlines Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and Flybe (www.flybe.com) .

FerriesBrittany Ferries, P&O and LD Lines operate on the Channel. Prices from £30 each way.

TrainEurotunnel fares can cost anything from £50 return up to £200 for a single journey.

– their overall traffic is up by 7% from last year while golf-related holidays have seen a 9% upsurge.

An IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) spokesman confirmed: “France has fared quite well though its biggest problem is that it’s basically dictated to by people based in the south of England.”

TOP QUALITY AT LOW COSTTickle your tastebuds with haute cuisine and quality courses

W H E R E T O T R A V E L I n a s s o c I a t I o n w I t h

TURKEYO n e o f t h e g r e a t h o t- s p o t s o n p l a n e t g o l f

SIZZLING SucceSSRecession-beating Turkey is going from strength to strength as golf numbers soar

{ take a break} F ifteen years ago there wasn’t a single golf course in Turkey. Now, the

fabulous Lykia Links (pictured below) takes the number to nearly 20, with plans to add 80 more in the next decade!

This is one of the fastest-growing golf destinations in the world. Despite the 2009 recession, the number of rounds rose 17% from 2008 to nearly 500,000 – and the growth has continued in 2010.

Arguably the most notable development is Belek GC, with work due to start next year. Until now, all the courses have

been built on government-owned land with a view to boosting tourism, but the Jose Maria Olazabal-designed Belek GC is a private venture.

That means villas can be built in conjunction with the course and those at Belek are expected to cost from £190,000.

An International Association of Golf Tour Operators official said: “Turkey has had a very good year, probably a bit too good because it has affected availability on some courses. There are rumours that prices will go up next year and that could affect sales.”

The best time to travel for GolfTurkey is very hot in summer (mid-30s) so visit in March-May or October-December, when temperatures average a gentler 15-25⁰C.

Car hireCar hire costs from £30 a day, though there are shuttle services available from some hotels to courses.

Avge sunshine By May daily sunshine is nine hours, rising to 11 or 12 by August. But Turkey is pretty good for sun all year round.

Avge rainfallIt’s virtually non-existent in summer but 20-75mm is the monthly average for spring. Even in winter you’d be unlucky to catch more than one day’s rain.

FlyingLow-cost airline Pegasus flies to Antalya (via Istanbul) from £49.99 one way. BA and charter flights are also available.

3Five star Papillion Ayscha, Belek

What: Seven nights’ twin all-inclusive accommodation and four rounds on the Montgomerie course, plus transfers. Valid Nov 28-Feb 12.How much: £419pp.Contact: Golf Escapes on 01342 811777 or www.golf-escapes.com

4 Five star Riu Kaya, Belek

What: Seven nights’ all-inclusive (based on two sharing a twin room) and three rounds on Kaya Eagles course, with free course transfers. Valid Dec-Feb.How much: From £349pp.Contact: Your Golf Travel on 0800 043 6644, email info@yourgolftravel.com or www.yourgolftravel.com/

1Five star Sueno Hotels Golf Resort, Belek

What: Five nights’ half board and three rounds of golf on Pines and Dunes courses, plus range balls, trollies and VIP treatment in room. Valid from Dec 4-Feb 9. How much: From £279pp. Contact : Golfbreaks.com on 0845 543 6675 or www.golfbreaks.com

S A V E £ 7 5

2Five star Lykia World Golf Resort, Antalya

What: Seven nights’ all-inclusive and three rounds of golf on Lykia Links. Valid in Feb.How much: From £435pp.Contact: Golfbreaks.com on 0845 543 6675 or www.golfbreaks.com

Something different at the Lykia Links, 30 minutes from Belek.

W H E R E T O T R A V E L

package dealsAll-inclusive stays are a major money-saver

CYPRUSG o i n g a l l - o u t t o r a i s e i t s g o l f i n g p r o f i l e

PARADISE not loSt!Fall in love with some superb golf courses on Aphrodite’s island

{ take a break} C yprus is looking to take a leaf out of neighbouring Turkey’s book and is

determined to become a serious golfing destination.

Elea Golf Club (pictured below), one of the most important new developments in recent years, has just opened to rave reviews. The Nick Faldo creation, five miles from Paphos airport, will be the centrepiece of Elea Estate, boasting luxurious villas and apartments, a boutique hotel and extensive spa facilities.

Sir Nick says: “At around

6,900 yards from the tips, the emphasis will be on thoughtful, rather than big-hitting golf and there will be plenty of strategic riddles to explore over all 18 holes.”

Gary Player has also visited the island with a view to designing a new course.

A spokesman for the International Association of Golf Tour Operators said: “The opening of Elea will resurrect golfing interest in Cyprus.”

The recent refurbishment of the Secret Valley course should also help attract golfers.

Best time to travel for golfCyprus is perfect as a winter golf destination as average temperatures don’t drop below 12⁰c, even in December and January. Temperatures in the 30s make June-September a risky time for all but the hardiest of souls.

Avge sunshine A full 12 hours in June/July but the heat is more manageable March-May and Sept-Oct.

Avge rainfallPeaks at 100mm in Jan/Dec but falls to 40-60mm in March-May and October. The summer months are very dry.

FlyingYou can fly straight into Paphos but it’s cheaper to go to Larnaca. Cyprus Airways fly to Larnaca from Birmingham, Manchester and all London airports from around £80 return and easyJet is a budget option.

Car hireAt around £50 a day it isn’t cheap. Check if your resort offers free transfers before you hire a car.

UP-AND-COMINGTa k e a l o o k a t e m e r g i n g g o l f i n g d e s t i n a t i o n s

unspoilt beautiesFancy somewhere new for your golfing break? Then go further afield before everyone else catches on!

{ take a break} G olf is now a global sport and new nations are emerging as genuine

holiday possibilities – including, Iceland.

Its very name may send a shiver down your spine, but Iceland has some stunning courses, nearly always plotted among breathtaking surroundings. And thankfully that volcanic dust cloud is a thing of the past!

Besides Iceland, we’ve also checked out the golfing delights available in Tunisia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Many of these countries and resorts are unspoilt by hordes of marauding tourists (for now at least) and a host of top-class courses are springing up in

unlikely places courtesy of world-class designers such as Robert Trent Jones Jnr and Sir Nick Faldo.

An International Association of Golf Tour Operators spokesman said: “It’s good to see a lot of new destinations emerging and you’ve got to put the likes of Bulgaria and Morocco into this bracket too.

“Bulgaria is cheap and cheerful, while Morocco has some top new courses and more flights going there, with easyJet now flying into Agidir.”

The emerging nations offer great value, stunning courses, wonderful scenery and some amazing off-course attractions. So book your trip before the rest of the world jumps on the bandwagon.

IcelandOver 70 courses to choose from in some of the most awe-inspiring, lava-clad, glacial landscapes in the world. A unique golf destination with lots more besides.

Czech RepublicThe European Tour is a regular visitor and it’s not hard to see why with some stunning courses. Prague makes for a spectacular city base.

Slovakia Not a single course 20 years ago, but nearly a dozen 18-holers now. The country hosted a Ladies European Tour event this year. A nation determined to establish itself.

Tunisia Hop across the Mediterranean to North Africa and you’ll be greeted by year-round sunshine, great value for money and immensely playable courses within striking distance of the azure blue sea.

Top golf and scenery at

Icelandic track Vestmannae Yja.