Top Destinations: Golf Holiday

Spain

Spain is known as a hot spot for golfing holidays. The great weather and relaxed atmosphere makes it the perfect setting for your golfing trip abroad, and many tour operators run package deals specifically for golf-lovers. Southern Spain is the more popular region for a golf holiday, with the majority of golf courses situated between Málaga and Algeciras on the Costa del Sol and slightly inland where balmy Mediterranean breezes and protective foothills have contributed to the mildness of the climate. Your choice of venue will be determined by personal preferences.

Some golfers relish the hurly-burly of 'T-Town' for their aprés golf; others prefer the homey bonhomie and British pubs of Fuengirola. And many are charmed by urbane affluence of Marbella. The beauty of visiting Spain for a golfing holiday is the accessibility from most regional airports throughout the UK. And with excellent weather conditions and lots of extra activites to do when your game has finished, Spain offers a great opportunity for a truly memorable golf holiday.
 

Portugal

The fine all year round weather and beautiful open spaces, make Portugal, perfect for golf holidays. Most of Portugal's golf courses are located around the Algarve and Lisbon areas. The Algarve has the majority of them, and has become a bit of a mecca for European golfers, with its excellent range and quality of courses all with spectacular views and stunning scenery. Portugal's main golf season runs from mid-autumn to late-spring, but the summer months can also be just busy. The Lisbon area is also home to some world class courses including the 2009 Portugal Open course at Estoril, and not forgetting that both the Azores and Madeira also cater for golfing holidays in Portugal, wherever you are in Portugal, you'll find a golf course.

South Africa

Golf / Golfing holiday in South Africa

Tee-off on a golf holiday in South Africa. For the golf enthusiast, South Africa is a wonderful destination - and that's an understatement. The country boasts an ideal climate for spending time out on the fairways under the bright African sun, and golfers here are blessed for choice. According to Golf Digest USA (2005), South Africa has five of the top 100 golf courses outside the US with Leopard Creek Country Club in Mpumalanga coming in at number 25. Coupled with the growing number of golf resorts and communities, the South African golf vacations industry is stretching its wings. Travelling golfers are greatly spoilt for choice due to the mushrooming golf resort infrastructure. Golf tours to South Africa increase each year and the number of returning visitors testify to the incredible golf vacation experience on offer in South Africa.
 

Italy

Rated as one of the top destinations to play golf in the world, Italy boasts some truly beautiful world class golf courses. Golf courses in Italy range from those located high in the Alps in Lombardy and Piemont to those like the San Michelle Golf Club, making good use of its beautiful seaside location to entice golfers. Like you needed another reason to travel to Italy.

Italy golf package vacations usually revolve around the northern regions, between Milan and Venice in the Lakes District. Food, art, hiking – these can wait until after you hit the links. The lakes the region is named for, including the famed Lake Como; trickling rivers, verdant hills - they all come together here, and the many golf courses in Italy do their best to take advantage of the country’s scenic landscape.

While most Italy golf package vacations are found in the charming northern regions, you can still find some great courses the further south you travel. Both the Napoli and Porto D’Orra Golf Clubs outside Naples offer some of the country’s best golfing.

But the central areas like Tuscany and Lazio are where you’ll experience the true joy of a golf holiday. Italy doesn’t get much better than these regions, and the golf courses here are no exception. The brilliant greens and hilltop views that make Tuscany one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country are on full display along the Tuscan golf courses – the standouts include Toscana Il Pelagone and Poggio Dei Medici (just a short trip from Florence). Mix recreation with culture with a stay in Tuscany, visiting the beautiful courses during the day and sampling the great wines and pasta at night.

Florida

Many holiday makers come to experience the unrivalled Florida golf vacations on the manicured greens of some of Florida's leading courses. There is a mix of over 1100 public and private membership golf courses throughout Florida. There are over 1100 golf courses in Florida, ranging from public courses to private membership only. Given the enormous popularity of golf throughout the state, it comes as no surprise to find that golf vacation packages are available to suit all tastes and budgets. Many major courses are available via resort and vacation packages that incorporate an agreed number of rounds of golf combined with resort accommodation and access to the resort's guest facilities. It makes a lot of sense to pre-book your golf vacation. Whether you require just a few rounds of golf at some of the prestigious Florida courses or a full golf vacation package of golf plus accommodation, then this can be accessed through your travel agent.

British Columbia

British Columbia offers a wide array of golf courses for golf enthusiasts. Canada enjoys avid golfers with a keen interest in the sport. In 2003 Canadian Mike Weir won the prestigious Masters Tournament at Augusta, Georgia, one of the four major tournaments in men's golf. Whether you're a complete beginner or seasoned pro, your golfing experience in BC will be memorable. BC offers up an impressive array of golf courses strategically located for golfers to enjoy the scenery, from a changing palette of forests, crystalline waters, snow capped mountains and lush Pacific rainforests. The diversity of the province ensures some of the most scenic and challenging golf courses in North America. There are over 250 golf courses in British Columbia with some courses open up to 9 months of the year. Some of the best golf courses in British Columbia are the Arbutus Ridge, Balfour, Bear Mountain, Brent Morrison, Covelinks, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, Glen Meadows, Randle Golf, Redstone Alpine Golf Resort and lastly, Salt Spring Island Golf Club and Sandpiper Golf Resort.

Toronto

Toronto and its surrounding areas offer a haven for golf enthusiasts. Canada enjoys avid golfers with a keen interest in the sport. In 2003 Canadian Mike Weir won the prestigious Masters Tournament at Augusta, Georgia, one of the four major tournaments in men's golf. Most Toronto golf courses offer a challenging rolling landscape amidst exciting natural settings. Green fares vary but are reasonable with reduced rates for juniors and seniors. Most courses are open mid-April to mid-November. There are about 170 golf courses in the Greater Toronto Area with over half open to the public/semi-private.

Austria

Austria seems to have been purpose built golf holidays; with rolling greens that blend into lakes, the golf you'll play here is as nature intended it. The courses are simply stunning, you'll find them nestled between the magnificent mountains and dotted with crystal clear lakes. There are over 140 popular golf courses located throughout the country; choose one of the many golfing hotels that are situated on the courses, but check in advance whether there are any golfing tournaments going on, as Austria hosts many golf events every year. There are a great selection of resorts that range from the 2-3*quality, to the luxurious 5* 'golf and spa' hotel breaks. Prices for golfing breaks in Austria are also very reasonable; for a 3 night stay in a 3* hotel, half board plus 3 x greenfee, you can expect to pay around €236 per person.

Hawaii

Hawaii is heaven for visitors on a golf holiday. When you have almost 365 days of perfect weather and the most lush landscaping on the planet, it’s easy to see why Hawaii is home to some of the most lauded golf courses in the country. Hawaii is home to many tournaments including the PGA Tour. Be sure if you’re on the Big Island to try the world famous Hualalai Golf Course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Although there are many country club courses where membership is required, there are also many spectacular public course with tee times starting as low as $25. Book early to ensure your spot!

Dubai

Dubai is one of the top ten destinations in the world to play golf. It is the most popular sport in the UAE, with 6 fully grassed 18 hole courses in Dubai, some floodlit and one exceptional 9 hole course at the Jebal Ali Hotel. Four of the courses are designed by top professionals, including the new Els course at Sports City and the Tiger Woods course under construction. The Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Course is a PGA course home of the Desert Classic. The Earth Course designed by Greg Norman, is one of four championship courses comprising the Gulf Estates which will host the Race to Dubai when completed. Green fees are expensive, but group deals and summer discounts are available especially if you stay at the Jebal Ali Hotel or a serviced apartment at The Montgomerie or Arabian Ranches.

Marbella

Marbella is a haven for golfers and courses bask in sunshine over 300 days of the year and have some of the most spectacular views that the city has to offer. Golf in Marbella is an extremely popular pastime for residents and visitors alike with over twenty five courses available to choose from, and the city has golf courses to suit all levels.

La Cala has three quality 18 hole golf courses and the David Leadbetter golf academy offers expert tuition. Los Naranjos, is a friendly, good quality course in the medium price range for Marbella golf. If it is the challenge that you are after, Monte Mayor, situated in the hills is the place to be.

For those just looking for some practice in the sunshine, with views over looking San Pedro and the sea, a well-respected driving range is Magna Marbella Golf which also houses the Magna Café, and its spectacular wonderful terrace.
 

Costa Dorada

Spain is known for its massive selection golf courses, and this coastal region is no exception, there are around 8 golf courses in the area from the Sitges Terramar Golf Club and the Golf Masia Bach south of Barcelona, and there is also Panoramica Golf and Country Club located in Valencia, so wherever you are in the Costa Dorada you are never far from a golf course.

You can even hire a villa or apartment that is set on a golf course, so you won’t have far to travel to tee-off. There are easier, intermediate and advanced golf courses in the Costa Dorada, so beginners to advance golfers will find the right course to suit their standard, for example the Bonmont Terres Noves Golf Club is a championship golf course, while the Sitges Terramar Golf Club is not a difficult golf course. A golf holiday in Costa Dorada is highly recommended, as there is something for every golfer in the region.

Singapore

Singapore is an ultimate location for extended golf holidays as well as short golf breaks since it is a country that actually has more golf courses or clubs per capita than anywhere else in the world. Most of these golf courses are of championship quality. Usually only members are allowed to play in the weekends and are often expected to hold a handicap or proficiency certificate to play.

The golf clubs are either nine or 18-hole course & some of the most sort after courses are, The Changi Golf Club, Keppel Club, Raffles Country Club & Sentosa Golf Club, which usually have a green fee of about 60 to 80 Euro. The “Singapore Open” is Asia's richest golf tournament which offers players the chance to play for prizes up to millions of dollars on Sentosa Island’s, Serapong course.

South of France

Despite the great weather and varied landscape, the South of France is not an ideal destination for golfers. With hot temperatures during summer, expensive or member only clubs, and hard to reach courses – keen golfers would be better off heading to nearby Spain or Portugal for a real golf holiday. However, for those who just want a quick game, amateur golf courses are available, with hotels happy to organise transport. Bargain golf holidays can be found, but these aren’t world-class links; the South of France would be a great place to holiday and try golf, but is frustrating and inaccessible to experienced golfers.

Tenerife

Tenerife is ideal for golf holidays as there is a wide range of stunning golf courses dotted around the North and South of the island. If you’re looking for a sun-filled golf holiday in Tenerife then definitely consider booking a holiday on this island. Some of the most popular courses on the island include: Golf Las Americas (an 18-hole par 72 course with streams, waterfalls and spectacular surrounds), Buenavista Golf (18-hole golf course flanked by the Teno Country Park), Golf Costa Adeje (18-hole golf course with breathtaking sea views) and Abama located in South Tenerife (18-hole course with practice green and club house). Whatever your golfing needs, you’re sure to find your perfect golf holiday in Tenerife. Prices start from around 40 Euro for a single game of golf.