Estonian Golf & Country Club

National tourism boom and Tallinn’s status as a European Capital of Culture drives new visitors to one of the continent’s Top 100 Golf Courses

Estonian Golf & Country Club experienced a 10% increase in overseas visitors throughout 2011 on the back of a tourism boom in the Baltic State.

Tourism across the country was up 16% compared to 2010, with visitors drawn from across the continent by the capital Tallinn’s status as European Capital of Culture and the fact that low cost airlines increased the number of routes into the country.

Hanno Kross, Estonian Golf & Country Club Chief Executive, said:

“We are seeing more and more visitors from overseas,particularly from the UK. With Tallinn a mere 25 minutes away people are combining a visit to the stunning city with a round of golf at our first class European Tour Course.

“Our total number of rounds increased by 7% in 2011 compared to 2010 – the appetite for golf in Estonia is growing and it is testament to the quality of our facilities that people are choosing to visit.”

Estonian Golf & Country Club – featured in Golf World’s Top 100 Golf Courses in Europe – has two outstanding courses, both hewn from an ancient archaeological site: the championship 18-hole Sea Course – a challenging layout that winds its way through forests before opening out alongside the Gulf of Finland and the Jägala River – and the links style 9-hole Stone Course.

A single Sea Course green fee in 2012 will cost 70EUR (£62), while those wishing to stay on-site can enjoy one of the venue’s luxury Golf Villas, which can accommodate up to 12 people, with prices starting from 167EUR (£138) per person, including two rounds on the Sea Course.

Visitors to Estonia from the UK doubled over the course of 2011 according to statistics published in a report by Visit Estonia, which also showed a vast increase in the number of visitors from Russia, Germany, Finland, Sweden and Denmark as well as substantial growth in tourists from Spain, France and the Netherlands.

Flights to Tallinn from the UK are available through Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) from Luton, Stansted, Liverpool, East Midlands, Edinburgh and a new route opening in April from Manchester.

For further details and a full list of stay and play deals visit www.egcc.ee.

Golfing holidays Europe is the most popular destination. Excellent facilities and pristine golf courses now litter Europe.  From France to Turkey, Bulgaria to the Spanish Islands. The choice has never been greater.

A quick day trip across the English Channel and you can be playing golf in France, enjoying some fantastic golf courses with beautiful views, enjoy some French cuisine and back home for supper.

France is large country that offers the golfer different options. A quick journey by train or ferry and you can drive to golf courses in Northern France in next to no time.  Or maybe you fancy a couple of days in or around the capital city of Paris.  The Alps offers probably the most beautiful backdrop of any golf course in France.  While southern France offers warmer climates and more time to relax.

If you are looking to getaway then you can be enjoying the Mediterranean Sea views within two-and-a-half hours.  Portugal, Spain and the Spanish Islands are cheap and easy to get to, especially this time of year.

Spain has always been the most popular resort for golf holidays in Europe; and with offers right now as little as £139 for three nights and three rounds, that’s not surprising.

Outstanding prices like these are currently available for Roda Golf and Beach Resort which is located in the Costa Calida’s Mar Menor.  It is on Spain’s south east Mediterranean coast and enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year it is the perfect location for a winter golf break.

Or maybe you fancy a golf holiday at the Hotel Almenara with its 27 holes of championship golf. The Almenara also offers no less than three 9 hole courses; Los Pinos, Alcornaques, and Los Lagos – each with their own unique challenges.

There are 1000s of great offers right now.  The best deal I could find was three nights and one round of golf at the Aroeira Resort.  The resort has two courses to choose from and is located 40 minutes east of Lisbon in a quite rural part of the Costa Azul. The Aroeira Resort apartments include wonderful views of the golf courses. Most apartments feature their own private garden with porch or balcony.

Golf holidays in Europe have never been so popular, and never been such good value.  Take a look and see just how cheap it really is.

I love a round of golf, but as much as I enjoy the game itself, I equally enjoy the relaxation, the fresh air, exercise, walk amongst countryside as an alternative to work and stress, the quiet over the madden crowd… and the sunshine and warmth on my skin. Equally, I prefer to play in a polo shirt, sunglasses and a cap rather than jumper, Gore-Tex waterproofs and a woollen hat.

Everyone agrees the perfect round of golf includes sunshine and a warm day.  But for me it’s more than an optional ingredient.  It’s as obligatory as several birdies, spectacular drives, and nothing more than 18 two-putts.  That’s a perfect round of golf as far as I’m concerned.

So relatively speaking, yes it is mild for this time of year, and this morning the sun was bright.  But the Mediterranean is where I want to be playing golf in Janaury, February and March.

Average temperature in The Algarve for this time of year is 15°C, increasing to 16°C in February, 18°C in March and steadily rising until a peak of 28°C in July and August. And though 15°C may not be overly appealing right now to some, it comes with more of a guarantee than the English weather.

The Algarve has been one of the most popular resorts for UK golfers for some time now; and due to the law of supply and demand, there are now more golf courses in this beautiful region of Portugal than ever before.  As well as choice, this also results in some great Algarve golf deals with offers for as little as £95 per person for a three nights, two rounds and bed & breakfast break.

Plenty of golf courses with a backdrop overlooking The Mediterranean, how can anyone not prefer to experience the sun, sea and relaxation on offer.

With flights only taking approximately two-and-a-half hours from London to The Algarve, gorgeous food, great accommodation, and top golf courses such as Parque Da Floresta, Tivoli Lagos, Penina, Tivoli Marina Portimao, Tivoli Carvoeiro, Pestana Carvoeiro and Val do Lobo, some with adjoining hotels.  What are you waiting for?

Hanbury Manor Hotel & Country Club
A stately Jacobean mansion set in 200 acres of scenic Hertfordshire parkland, Hanbury Manor is the kind of place where the world stops a while and you can get your breath back. In situ there’s a Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole PGA Championship golf course which offers fairways fringed by ancient woodlands and picturesque water hazards. It looks beautiful and plays superbly and greens and tees are all to USGA specification – offering the best of putting surfaces and guaranteed great golfing all year round. As you’d expect, along with hosting keen amateurs on golf breaks, the course has also provided the setting for numerous major pro events including the European Tour Men’s English Open and the Women’s European Open. Once you’ve played your shots, unwind tired muscles with a massage or a steam in the hotel’s wonderful spa, relax in front of a log fire in the fine wood panelled library and dine on award-winning food in the Zodiac restaurant.

Meon Valley Hotel and country club
Meon Valley Hotel and country club is a modern style hotel close to Southampton. Surrounded by 225 wooded acres of rolling countryside on England’s southern coast, it enjoys a secluded environment near the motorway and is just over 1 hour from London. A plethora of streams, ponds and ancient oak trees offer an ideal setting for 27 championship holes of golf. Choose from the 18-hole Meon Course or the 9-hole Valley course. Both were designed by famous British golf course designer Hamilton J. Strutt. The hotel is also well located for exploring the history and culture of this corner of England; the historic old town of Winchester offers a glorious cathedral and ancient cobbled streets and the wild landscape of the New Forest is ideal for strolls and more strenuous hiking too. After all your exertions you can relax completely in the hotel’s top quality spa which offers scrubs, wraps, facials and more.

Sprowston Manor Hotel & Country Club
An attractive red brick country house hotel, Sprowston Manor combines historic Victorian charm with top quality modern conveniences. In its 170 acres of leafy grounds there’s one of Norfolk’s finest golf courses – 18 holes of challenging greens and fairways surrounded by rolling countryside. The club here also participates in Marriott’s family golf scheme which makes it ideal for all the family – offering free tuition, free clubs and free play for children under 16 when accompanied by a paying adult. Nearby Norwich is one of the UK’s best kept secrets for culture offering a stately Norman cathedral, ancient streets and surprisingly busy nightlife all wrapped around an atmospheric historic centre. But you may struggle to leave the hotel – fine dining to tempt the most discerning palate is on offer at The Restaurant 1559 whilst more relaxed contemporary drinking and eating is to be had within sight of the 18th hole at the ZEST Cafe Bar & Grill. The luxurious on-site Fontana spa completes the package.

If you fancy a golf break at one of these hotels visit the Marriott website for their best hotel deals.

Eléa Golf Club in Cyprus

An important new reciprocal arrangement with Mission Hills China will help to introduce golf in Cyprus to one of the most exciting golf markets in the world

Eléa Golf Club in Cyprus, part of the prestigious Eléa Estate development near Paphos, has signed a reciprocal agreement with the World’s largest golf facility, Mission Hills China.

The arrangement will see members of Eléa Golf Club receive privileges to use the members’ facilities at Mission Hills, – a development that boasts golf courses designed by some of the game’s modern-day greats including Sir Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam and Ernie Els. Mission Hills’ members will also be offered the same courtesy when visiting Cyprus.

Ross Robertson, Director of Golf Operations at Eléa Estate said: “Our aim has always been to create a golf course in Cyprus that operates and upholds the ethos and values of the great golf courses of the world – both Eléa and Mission Hills have golf courses designed by Sir Nick Faldo so we already have a common link.

“Mission Hills is, without doubt, one of the world’s great golf destinations and a development we are proud to have a reciprocal arrangement with. We look forward to a strong and valuable partnership and welcoming the first Chinese guests to Cyprus in the very near future.”

Eléa Golf Club, opened by six-time Major winner Sir Nick Faldo in October 2010, has rapidly built a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting new golf destinations.

It recently won ‘Best European Leisure Development’ and ‘Best European Golf Development’ at the 2011 International Property Awards in London and has also been recognised by one of the World’s largest consumer golf journals, Golf Magazine in the USA, as one of the ‘Top 10 new international golf courses of 2010’.

Ross added: “China is set to become one of golf’s great superpowers in years to come and it is key Eléa Estate creates strategic relationships with major developers, like Mission Hills, going forwards. In just 12 months, Eléa Estate has helped create a global awareness of golf in Cyprus and associations like this are instrumental when introducing our brand to emerging markets around the world.”

For further information about Eléa Estate, visit www.eleaestate.com.

Golf holidays in Majorca

Balearic sunshine, amazing views and competitive golf is all available in Majorca. With a flight time of just under 3 hours, Majorca has long been a destination for family holidays for tourists all over Europe. The Balearic Island has been building a reputation as a Golf hotspot in Europe, with 21 courses of varying difficulties and design it is a Golfing paradise.

Cheap holidays in Majorca are perfect for short breaks, family holidays and even business trips. Fit in a round or two under the Mediterranean sunshine and have a round of Golf without your trusted brolly that accompanies your bag in the UK. Here is a selection of some of the best courses in Majorca.

The Camp de Mar just west of Palma Majorca is a resort that offers the travelling golfer the chance for a treasured experience, a magnificent 18 hole course is accompanied by an Italian styled restaurant, Pro shop and Golf Academy.

The course rewards precision over length, it is recommended to bring a few spare balls as there is water spread over the course. The course strikes a fair balance between tricky and intricate, and enjoying a good challenge whilst on the course. Awarded championship course status, the course meanders its way beautifully through the natural Majorcan landscape. Take in the olive groves, almond groves and when on the 8th tee a breath-taking view of the bay in Camp de Mar. Green fees hit the €100 mark, but that includes buggy rental.

Golf Poniente is set in between capital of Majorca Palma, and the hustle and bustle of Magaluf. Again this course offers a fantastic landscape to play golf that is unique to Majorca, it was however British golf course designer John Harris that designed this course before its opening in 1978. Harris was behind 450 golf course designs and redesigns, detailing the prestige of this course. The course is hilly in nature so it is recommended that you rent a buggy to enhance your experience further. Once your round has finished enjoy the Majorcan style club house which reflects its countryside location, a retreat worth visiting on your Majorca holiday.

Majorca is a diverse resort and when explored offers something for the whole family, Golf is just one activity for you to enjoy. With great weather and resorts tailored to families, enjoy practicing your swing in one of Europe’s finest golfing destinations.

The Cascades Golf and Country Club

If you are looking for a golf course that offers sensational views as well as a challenging round with a difference, then you may like The Cascades Golf and Country Club, known as the “Red Sea Treasure” in the sensational Soma Bay.

The Cascades Golf and Country Club set within the boutique destination of Soma Bay offers world class golf in fantastic sunshine all year round. Designed by one of the ‘Big Three’, this spectacular Gary Player designed desert-style links course consists of an 18-hole, par 72 course, a PGA golf academy and an extensive driving range. Nestled in the centre of the course is the beautiful Residence des Cascades, making Soma Bay a perfect year round escape for the whole family.

Described by golfing legend Gary Player as the “Red Sea Treasure” the Cascades is the very first championship course in the Middle East, and has recently been ranked as the best golf course in the world, outside of Europe, for the third year running by the readers of “Golf Journal”. Offering spectacular scenery and lush green fairways, rugged desert mountains and azure blue water, the excitement of the course is as memorable as the views!

As well as the 18 hole, 72 par course, the immaculate Cascades also boasts a 9 hole, 3 par course for less advanced players, and a 60 bay driving range. For those who fancy trying their luck in an amateur tournament, this July The Cascades at Soma Bay is gearing up to host two of the most hotly anticipated tournaments in the golf circuit:

The Cascades Tournament

Red Sea Open Amateur Championship: 5th – 7th July 2011
Based on gross stoke play, this event is available for people with handicaps of six or better for men, and 14 or better for ladies.

La Residence de Cascades is offering a six night, seven day package from $1,065 per person (approximately £654pp), based on two people sharing a double room, half board, including green fees for the five days plus one tournament fee.

Soma Bay Stableford Tournament: 8th & 9th July 2011
Following the Open Amateur Championship, the format of the Soma Bay Stableford Tournament will be Net Stableford scoring, with no handicap limit.
La Residence de Cascades is offering a three night, four day package from $645 per person (approximately £396pp), based on two people sharing a double room, half board, including green fees for three days and one tournament fee.

The boutique hideaway of Soma Bay offers a range of other fantastic activities if guests and their companions need to resist the temptation of the golf course for an hour or too. For active guests, the worldclass kite surfing, snorkelling and diving will never fail to please, and the world-renowned thalasso-therapy spa will unwind and relax guests before a stroll or swim at the pristine natural sand beaches.

13th Hole. Catalunya Stadium Golf course

The illustrious PGA Catalunya Resort has reaffirmed its ever-growing reputation as one of Europe’s premier golfing destinations by developing a range of upgraded practice facilities believed to be unique on the continent.

PGA Catalunya Resort – a World Top 100 venue and ranked second in Spain – is expanding and upgrading its existing practice facilities with a new approach-play area where golfers can refine this part of their game in optimum conditions.

The new facilities include:

• More targets on the driving range – for fairway, short iron, chipping and bunker play; TaylorMade balls will now be used on the range
• Target-shaped greens with bunkers
• Private practice tee with fairway bunker

The approach-play area’s use of three greens, each with different grasses (bermuda, bent and poa), and five bunkers, each with a different type of sand (Augusta National supersand, St Andrews links, Hawaii volcanic, parkland and windy-course), allows players to practice every possible shot from anywhere in the world. It is believed to be unprecedented for practice facilities in Europe.

It is expected that the enhanced approach-play practice facilities, including the upgraded driving range, will serve as the perfect complement to the resort’s highly acclaimed Stadium and Tour championship courses.

Work has already begun within the designated 5,000 square-metre zone behind the 18th green of the Tour Course. It is expected that the new practice area will be ready for use by mid-November, 2011. The complex’s current facilities will remain unaffected by the programme.

PGA Catalunya Resort’s existing superior practice and coaching facilities include large grass practice tees offering spectacular views over the Tour Course, a beginners’ area with high-quality matting, a short-game area with large bunkers and a green, and two dedicated putting greens beside each course.

Miguel Girbes, Golf Manager at PGA Catalunya Resort, said:

“We strive continually to enhance the golfing experience for both elite players and visitors on golfing breaks – and believe our upgraded practice facilities will help make a visit to PGA Catalunya Resort even more memorable.

“As far as I am aware PGA Catalunya Resort is the only venue in Europe, most certainly in Spain, to provide approach-play practice facilities featuring different types of high-quality grass and sand. This will allow golfers to replicate a shot from any type of course in the world.”

PGA Catalunya Resort is hoping its unrivalled practice and coaching facilities will elevate its standing as the foremost training facility in Europe.

“We particularly want PGA Catalunya Resort to become the preferred winter training camp for golf federations and clubs around Europe and we hope to announce the signing up of several shortly,” said Miguel Girbes.

A map of the new driving range and approach-play practice facilities will be produced to enable visitors to fully maximise their experience.

For more information about PGA Catalunya Resort visit www.pgacatalunya.com.

Mare Nostrum Resort - Tenerife

Golfing holidays and breaks are big business for many of the Mediterranean countries, and the same can be said for the island of Tenerife.

Guaranteed sunshine, beautiful views and a relaxed atmosphere, along with good food and drink is music to the ears of golfers of all levels.  But if you are considering a golf holiday or break to Spain, why not consider the Canary Islands instead?  You don’t need to pay over the odds to stay in a golf resort.  With excellent golf courses scattered all over the island of Tenerife you can choose to stay in the Mare Nostrum Resort knowing there will be a golf course not far from where you stay.

The Mare Nostrum Resort in Tenerife caters for golfers as well as couples, families and adventure sports enthusiasts.  During the day their hotels offer relaxation or sports activities, and by night the hotel nightlife entertainment will help you unwind and enjoy the beautiful serene landscapes.

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands and welcomes around five million tourists every year.  The Mare Nostrum Resort is situated on the beautiful white sandy beach of El Camisón.  The resort is just 15 minutes from the Reina Sofía International Airport and includes three separate five star hotels  in Tenerife in one single resort.

Mare Nostrum Resort Hotel in Tenerife

Each of the three hotels offers a perfect holiday depending on what you are looking for.
The Mediterranean Palace Hotel is geared towards holidays for the whole family, while the Cleopatra Palace Hotel has a more relaxing atmosphere for those who want to get away from it all; and the Sir Anthony Hotel offers luxury holidays in Tenerife.

Amarilla Golf Course in Tenerife

There is no less than nine golf courses in Tenerife, several of which are very close to the Mare Nostrum Resort on the south coast of the island.  The Golf Las Americas is practically next door while there are five other courses within a short driving distance.

Choose from the Golf Los Palos, Golf Costa Adeje, Golf Del Sur, Amarilla Golf Club and the Abama Golf club.  While the other three courses – Buenavista Golf, Real Club and Golf La Rosaleda – are on the west coast of the island.

The Mare Nostrum Resort is a great way to combine golf with a family or adventure holiday by allowing you to play as much or as little golf as you please.  It’s the perfect solution for anyone who is looking to play golf on the beautiful island of Tenerife.

Elea Golf Club in Paphos, Cyprus

As Elea Golf Club, Sir Nick Faldo’s ‘Mediterranean Masterpiece’ situated near Paphos in Cyprus, continues to receive high praise from visitors and media, it is also building a strong reputation as a first-class winter training and practice facility. The hi-tech Elea Golf Academy is building a strong reputation as the perfect winter training camp for European golf’s brightest young talents.

The world-class 18-hole Sir Nick Faldo course is supported by the Elea Golf Academy and in recent months has hosted some of the sport’s up-and-coming stars, including Kent, UK-based Liam Burns, a member of the English Golf Union’s Elite Amateur squad, and highly regarded Scottish Amateur Champion Kelsey MacDonald, a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Training Squad.

The world-class Elea Golf Academy’s state-of-the-art, hi-tech range of teaching aids is designed to appeal specifically to top-class golfers looking to fine-tune their skills and includes the V1 Coaching System that offers detailed video swing analysis.

These are ideally complemented by the Academy’s unrivalled outdoor facilities including a full-length driving range complete with target greens and bunkers, a short-game practice area and a stunning putting green, which commands an imposing location overlooking the whole course.

On returning from his first visit to Elea Estate, Liam Burns commented:

“Elea is a fantastic place to visit with all the facilities you could require. The Elea team is totally focused on your every need and even the little things are brilliant; the golf balls on the range, for example, are of the highest quality. Things like this are really important when you are training.”

Elea Estate was officially opened in October 2010 by six-time Major winner and course creator Sir Nick Faldo and has since received rich critical acclaim from journalists across the world, including a ‘Top 10 new international golf courses of 2010’ ranking from American title, Golf Magazine, and being recognised as ‘one of the World’s most exciting new courses’ by UK title, Golf World.

Chris Campbell, the recently appointed Head Professional at Elea Golf Club, and who himself climbed the ranks in Scotland as a Scottish Boy, Youth then Men’s International player, said:

“The facilities at the Elea Golf Academy, coupled to the beautiful climate in Cyprus, contrast to the cold winter months of northern Europe, and make this facility a perfect choice for golfers wanting to fine-tune their games when frost, snow and rain are affecting their preparations back home.

“It is great to be attracting international players to Elea and, growing up in a colder climate myself, I know how hard it is to compete at a top level without the chance to train at a great facility. It is a pleasure to welcome young, talented golfers to Elea Estate and one of our commitments to the sport is certainly to help every up-and-coming golfer, whether they come from overseas or are home-grown, to maximise their potential for the greater good of the game.”

Kelsey MacDonald, a rising star in the women’s amateur game and tipped to enjoy a successful professional career, added:

“At this stage of my amateur golfing career I believe that warm weather training is very important in preparation for the start of the season. The lack of facilities and poor weather at this time of the year in Scotland causes a problem, so coming out to Cyprus is the perfect opportunity for me to develop my golfing skills.”

At 6,900 yards, Elea Golf Club’s premium quality course circulates through groves of mature carob and olive trees, while dramatic outcrops of weathered limestone strikingly contrast with the dark green fairways that, on many holes, are fringed by Mediterranean grasses and an abundance of wild herbs and native flora.

For further information about Elea Estate or the Elea Golf Academy, visit www.eleaestate.com.