Simply stunning golf
courses
Golf courses are by their nature beautiful – whether they’re windswept links courses, rolling parkland or inland classics. However some, by merit of their natural location, are breathtakingly stunning and make for a very special round of golf no matter how well you play. See our selection of hand picked golf courses below from across the UK & Ireland, Europe and the Rest of the World. Why not treat yourself to a memorable round of golf:
England:
Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Lancashire
Situated on the beautiful Sefton Coast of Southport and set in a nature reserve, this stunning links course is worth a visit for both the golf and the surroundings. Having hosted The Open in 2008 for the eighth occasion, this truly magnificent links course is one of the best England has to offer.
Golf breaks here from £269 . Click here and be inspired
Wales:
The Celtic Manor Resort, Wales
Set in 1,400 acres of rolling Welsh parkland, this is the first Ryder Cup venue in Wales. With water hazards on half of its holes, the course has six signature holes and presents many more memorable tests and risk-and-reward dilemmas.
Golf breaks here from £69. Click here and be inspired
Scotland:
Kingsbarns Golf Links
After the famous Old Course in St Andrews, Kingsbarns is certainly a must play when visiting the area. You can see the North Sea from almost any point of the course adding to the scenic beauty of the surroundings. The rippling, fairways, hollows and humps make the terrain a perfect setting for golf. The signature hole 15th is rightly called 'Tighten yer kilt laddie'. This long par 3 sits beside the welcoming waves of the North Sea, that kindly beckon your ball and ruin your scorecard! The greens also are worth a special mention here for being amongst the fastest in Europe.
Golf breaks here from £349. Click here and be inspired
Ireland:
Druids Glen Golf Club, Ireland
As a leading golf course in beautiful Wicklow, Druids Glen is often referred to as "The Augusta of Europe". The flora and fauna of the Glen provide a colourful backdrop to a magnificent golf course. The forests and streams produce a haven for wildlife in what was once a home to the Druids.
Golf breaks here from £199. Click here and be inspired
France:
Golf Club du Champ de Bataille, France
This simply stunning course in an idyllic setting is often compared to Wentworth and Woburn. Enjoy championship golf through 370 acres of ancient woodland and parkland. It’s also good value for money, and one, if not the best, course in Normandy
Golf breaks here from £195. Click here and be inspired
Spain:
La Cala Golf Club, Spain
The La Cala resort is set in 1,000 acres of beautiful Costa del Sol landscape, nestled between the Sierra de Mijas national park and the Mediterranean coast. Although it is only 20 mins from the hustle and bustle of Malaga, it’s extremely tranquil. Enjoy fantastic golf here with spectacular views.
Golf breaks here from £219. Click here and be inspired
Portugal:
Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo Golf Resort, Quinta Do Lago, Portugal
This renowned championship course is a gem of the Algarve. Set in the idyllic Quinta do Lago nature reserve, the course takes full advantage of the wonderful undulating pine woodland topography of the Quinta do Lago estate. Bordering the Ria Formosa nature Reserve and Estuary which provide perfect playing conditions, San Lorenzo is a golfing gem.
Golf breaks here from £149. Click here and be inspired
Rest of World:
Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, USA
This is the crown jewel of Florida golf. Elegantly framed by a brilliant sandy beach, moss-draped oaks and fragrant magnolias, seven championship-level golf courses await you— including the iconic 17th “Island Hole” at TPC Sawgrass THE PLAYERS Stadium course.
Golf breaks here from £335. Click here and be inspired
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Golf & Wine - enjoy quality golf and fine wine in France
Nick Liddle, Product Manager France
As Ernest Hemingway once quoted,
“Wine is the most civilized thing in the world". Which would lead one to argue that after a round of the most civilised sport in the world, how better to unwind but with a quality glass of wine?
Indeed, golf and wine complement one another perfectly– the relaxed lifestyle, the immediate pleasures and the fact a number of professional golfers (Faldo, Els, Palmer) have all entered the wine market either partnering up with vineyards or launching their own labels. Being an avid wine enthusiast and a keen golfer, I thought I’d take this opportunity to promote some of the venues we work with, where these two of life’s passions can be enjoyed in abundance.
Bordeaux
Where better to start than in the heart of the Bordeaux region, at the
Golf du Medoc Hotel & Spa. This 4* hotel combines quality gastronomy with an enviable collection of the finest Medoc wine to choose from. With two 18 holes courses onsite, a spa and just 20 minutes from Bordeaux airport, this is the ultimate golf and wine destination.
With the package below, enjoy a FREE visit and wine tasting, exclusive to Golfbreaks.com clients.
Golf du Medoc Hotel & Spa 4*, Aquitaine
4 nights' B&B and 3 rounds of golf including 1 welcome dinner
from £375 per person
Book a golf break here from £375
Getting There...
Flying to Bordeaux couldn’t be easier. Numerous U.K. airports (London, Bristol, Manchester etc) offer flights to Bordeaux and they are generally very well priced. BA, EasyJet, FlyBe & BMIBaby all fly this route.
Bergerac
Moving east across ‘La Gironde’ and to the border of the Bordeaux Appellation in
Bergerac, is located the fabulous 4*
Chateau
des Vigiers. Surrounded by 17 hectares of vineyards, this truly unique château
produces its own award winning red and white wine onsite. Add to this 27 Donald
Steele designed holes, a ‘Marie Galland’ Spa and top class dining facilities, the
word ‘heaven’ springs to mind.
With the package below, you can make the
most of exclusive rates and a free wine gift pack on arrival, exclusive to Golfbreaks.com.
Chateau des Vigiers 4*, Aquitaine
3 nights' B&B and unlimited golf
from £249 per person
Book a golf break here from £249
Getting There...
Flying to Bergerac is also very simple. You can again choose from a whole selection
of U.K. airports and flights are very reasonably priced. Ryanair, FlyBe & Air France
all fly this route.
Provence
My final recommendation is the beautiful 4*
Dolce Fregate located on the Mediterranean coast, 30 minutes from Marseille. This stereotypical Provençal resort is located within Bandol, Provence’s most internationally recognised wine region. Although both red and white wine are produced here, I recommend the superb Rosé wine, given remarkable ageing ability and depth of flavour through the dominant use of a particular grape called Mourvèdre. With an 18 hole championship course and superb dining and leisure facilities, the package below is terrific value for money.
With the package below, receive a bottle of Dolce Fregate Rosé Bandol wine on arrival, exclusive to Golfbreak.com clients.
Dolce Fregate 4*, South of France
2 nights' B&B and 2 rounds of golf from
from £259 per person or go for 7 nights
and play 4 rounds
from £629 per person
Book a golf break here from £259
Getting There...
Fly to Marseille airport (35 minutes from Frégate and with a choice of numerous
airlines and departure airports) or Toulon (20 minutes from Frégate and operated
by Ryanair from London or Bristol).
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Top 5 Last Minute UK Golf Breaks
Valid for travel in August 2009
Top 5 Last Minute
Golf Breaks in the North
Top 5 Last Minute
Golf Breaks in the Midlands
Top 5 Last Minute
Golf Breaks in the South
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cameron Ritchie, Product Manager UK & Ireland
- "Golf is a game in which you yell "Fore!", shoot six, and write down five" (Paul Harvey - American Radio Broadcaster)
- "Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose"
(Winston Churchill)
- "If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron." (Lee Trevino)
- "The harder you work, the luckier you get." (Gary Player)
- I'm the best. I just haven't played yet (Muhammad Ali)
- "If I had cleared the trees and drove the green, it would've been a great shot." (Sam Snead)
- "They call it golf because all the other four letter words were taken." (Raymond Floyd)
- “If you drink don't drive. Don't even putt." (Dean Martin)
- "They say "practice" makes perfect Of course, it doesn't. For the vast majority of golfers it merely consolidates imperfection." (Henry Longhist)
- "Golf is like an 18-year-old girl with big boobs. You know it's wrong but you can't keep away from her" (Val Doonican)
Do you have a favourite golf quote, joke or any words of wisdom? Share them with us at sales@golfbreaks.com
________________________________________________________________________________________________
The golf break is booked for the early autumn, you’re practising hard out on the course and your game is coming together nicely. So the big things are all sorted...BUT have you thought about all of the little extras that help ensure that everything goes like clockwork? Here at Golfbreaks.com, we’ve partnered up with some of the leading providers to give you great value and make sure that all of the
Travel Extras are covered.
Our
Travel Extras service means you can take care of everything all at once, and take advantage of some fantastic discounts. Below are just some of the great deals available:
- Car Hire - Through our partnership with Auto Europe, we offer car hire from over 7,000 locations at very competitive prices
- If you’re heading off to Europe or further afield to enjoy some golf in the sun, your flights will be all booked but have you thought about airport parking? We can offer you some great prices, and if you’ve got a long journey to the airport, you can also book an airport hotel to prevent that last minute rush for flights.
- When going abroad we all know we need to change our money, but did you know you can get your foreign exchange commission free and delivered straight to your door?
- If you haven’t hired a car, but would like to organise transfers to and from airports, hotels & golf courses, then we you can book taxis, minibuses and shuttles with Holiday Taxis.
- Can you imagine having your favourite club stolen? Or the cost of having to buy drinks for everyone after a hole in one? Most golfers are still not adequately insured, but now you can get specialist insurance that covers you both on and off the course.