Golf Travel Articles -
February 2010 Golfbreaks.com Newsletter

This month:

1. Stunning New UK Golf Courses - See Our Latest Courses To Sign Up And Be Inspired In 2010
2. Six Weeks Without A Swing? Golfbreaks.com Is Here To Help - See Our Last Minute Breaks
3. Quinta do Lago, Algarve, Portugal – Golfing Heaven On Earth
4. Fall In Love With The Turkish Riviera
5. Your Essential Golf Calendar For 2010 – The Top 30 Tournaments Not To Miss

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Stunning new UK golf courses - see our latest courses to sign up and be inspired in 2010

At Golfbreaks.com we are constantly working to offer golfers everywhere the best choice of championship courses. With 2010 now well underway, here’s a couple of the latest that really stand out.

The Oxfordshire 4*, Thame – 1 night & 2 rounds start from £147 – OPENS May 2010

Located 12 miles from Oxford, this 4* luxury hotel and spa is scheduled to open in early May 2010. As well as offering contemporary guest rooms, The Oxfordshire also has an outstanding golf course which measures 7,192 yards from the championship tees. Sure to be a Golfbreaks.com favourite, it offers a real challenge for golfers of all abilities. Water plays a significant part on at least 6 holes. A good deal of concentration is called for on this PGA European Tour standard golf course.

Book your golf break now – this high class facility is a must for 2010

Marriott Lingfield Park 4*, Surrey –1 night & 2 rounds start from £99 - OPENS May 2010

Located just off Junction 6 of the M25, Marriott Lingfield Park is the UK’s first fully integrated hotel, racecourse & Golf Club. Lingfield Park Course was designed by Harvey Jarrett in 1987, and the 18 hole, 6,487 yard, 72-par Parkland/Woodland Course winds through over 200 acres of beautiful Surrey countryside. It is already a very well regarded golf course, and has held the Surrey Professional Golfers Association Open for the last three years.

Add to this a fantastic Marriott hotel and this is certain to be one to watch for 2010.

Castle Stuart Links, Inverness - 2 nights & 3 rounds start from £375 - OPENS April 2010

The Castle Stuart Links course is already the most talked about golf course to play in 2010. Located close to Inverness airport, the 18-hole 6,906 yard, par 72 golf course is a classic links course with wide fairways, huge undulations and extraordinary greens. No frills, no gimmicks, no artificially revetted bunkers – just honest to goodness links golf with major up and down problems if you miss a green. This golf course is set to become one of the best in the Scottish Highlands

Visit here and experience a modern classic links course.

Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort, Aviemore – 1 night & 2 rounds start from £99 - OPENS March 2010

Lying at the Heart of the Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park is the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort. Home to 4 distinctive hotels and 18 luxury lodges, it is only a short drive to the impressive Spey Valley Golf Course. Measuring 7,153 yards and meandering along the banks of the sparkling River Spey – this is a championship golf course to be reckoned with. It also boasts the longest par 5 in Scotland ‘Creag Eabraich’ measuring a striking 635 yards from the Championship tees.

For the avid golfer, this resort and golf course make it an ideal venue for a golf break in 2010.

Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, Wiltshire – 1 night & 2 rounds start from £99

Bowood Course is considered the regions’ principal championship golf course, hosting amongst other top events, the European Challenge Tour Championships three years running.

Experience a fantastic break here in 2010

Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire – 1 night & 2 rounds start from £99

The par-72 golf course twists its way through the undulating terrain of the estate, and features numerous lakes, streams and strategically placed bunkers to add to the challenge of this enjoyable golf course.

This break is ideal for couples and smaller golfing groups.

Be inspired to take a golf break - click here to visit our website

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Six weeks without a swing? Golfbreaks.com is here to help - see our last minute breaks

If you’ve been desperate to get back onto the fairways since the Christmas break but have been denied due to the wintery weather, then Golfbreaks.com is here to help. Escape on a last minute break and start working on that New Year’s resolution to lower your handicap. Breaks start from only £75 in February, so break out those Christmas presents of balls and clubs and swing into 2010 in style. Our top 5 recommended last minute Golf Breaks are below.

P.S. We know that Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone, but if you want to treat your loved one to a fantastic hotel, delicious food and spa (not to mention a couple of rounds of golf) no matter what time of year, then at Golfbreaks.com we have the perfect venues. See our top 5 below.

Our top 5 Last Minute Breaks – escape this February

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De Vere Herons Reach 4*	North	from £79	1 in 16 Stay & Play FREE
De Vere Mottram Hall 4*	North	from £79	1 in 16 Stay & Play FREE
Kenwick Park Golf Club 3*	Midlands	from £85	Exclusive to Golfbreaks.com, 1 in 16 Stay & Play FREE Book 16 & get £100 bar credit
Donnington Grove	South	from £95	1 in 16 Stay & Play FREE
South Lodge & Mannings Heath 5*	South East	from £99	Exclusive to Golfbreaks.com. Save £20

Click here to see all out last minute golf breaks

Our Top 5 Romantic Getaways – perfect anytime of year

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Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort 4*	South	from £99	Save £25
De Vere Carden Park 4*	North	from £99	1 in 16 Stay & Play Free. Save £11
Hotel Westminster 4*	France	from £115	Save £15. Exclusive to Golfbreaks.com
Luton Hoo Golf & Spa 5*	East	from £160	1 in 16 Stay & Play FREE
Gran Hotel Elba Estepona & Thalasso Spa 5*	Spain	from £345	Save £100. Exclusive to Golfbreaks.com

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Quinta do Lago, Algarve, Portugal – Golfing Heaven on Earth

By Edouard des Fontaines - Product Manager for Spain and Portugal

In 2010, European Golf is definitely back on the agenda.

If you were one of the many golfers who decided to forgo your European golf break last year due to the uncertain economic climate and are looking to get back into the sun, treat yourself to a golf break at one of the best golf resorts in the Algarve – now with fantastic savings courtesy of Golfbreaks.com.

Quinta do Lago is an exclusive golf and residential resort of nearly 200 acres, bordered by the dramatic Atlantic Ocean and the stunning Ria Formosa Nature Park. Located just a 15 minute drive from Faro airport and only 20 minutes away from the vibrant town of Vilamoura, it is the perfect setting for an unforgettable golf holiday.

The resort has achieved a reputation for excellence, receiving many awards recognising the quality of its magnificent golf courses, splendid hotels and exquisite villas that blend into the backdrop of pine forests, lagoons and the ever present scent of nature.

But what makes this place unique is the standard of its “Augusta style” 3 golf courses which consistently rank in Europe’s 25 best course layouts.

The 3 golf courses are all different in style and design, combining a total of 5 architects between them:

1. The North Course was initially a 9-hole course, designed by William Mitchell in 1974. The 2nd part of the course was added in 1989 and designed by Joseph Lee and fellow American Rocky Roquemore. The terrain is typical of the area: sandy and strewn with pine trees, heather, gorse and wild flowers.





2. The South Course, also designed by William Mitchell and opened in 1974, has hosted the Portuguese open 8 times, the last one won by Padraig Harrington in 2001. The favourite of many tour players, Quinta South is a par 72 with 6,500 metres surrounded by umbrella pines, lakes and wild vegetation with the stunning Ria Formosa in the backdrop…





3. The Laranjal is the newest addition to the bunch, opening in 2008. Designed by Santana Da Silva, it is a beautiful and totally different golf experience. What makes it really special is the excellent service you’ll receive from the moment you arrive – as well as a superb golf course. Set amongst 5 lakes, it's narrow fairways and well defined greens require concentration and accuracy to navigate this testing route laid out on a rolling and distinctive terrain

If you’re tempted by this World-class golf resort we recommend to stay at the 5* Monte da Quinta Suites, which is located nearby with shuttles available for all 3 courses. Prices start at £345 for 3 nights and 3 rounds of golf. Call our expert sales team for other accommodation options on 0800 279 7988

Click here for more information on the stunning Quinta do Lago

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Fall in Love with the Turkish Riviera

By Adam Shaw - Product Executive

There is a reason why Turkey has been billed as the hot new destination of 2010 - it is quite simply, stunning - and fantastic value for money. The year round good weather (see below) also helps...

Region

The small and historic town of Belek is situated in the heart of the beautiful Turkish Riviera, and is very much the epicentre of golf in Turkey. The region is developing fast, and now is the ideal time to take advantage of some great products and great prices. 5 nights' half board and 3 rounds of golf in the 5* Sueno Golf Hotel starts at just £345 in the high season.

Golf:

The golf courses in Turkey really are some of the best around. Two golfing legends have also stamped their mark on the region with two fabulous golf courses, namely the Montgomerie Course at the Papillon Golf Club, and the Faldo Course at the Cornelia Golf Club. Also look out for deals at the Antalya Golf Club, particularly the Sultan Course which is destined to be one of Europe’s elite. National Golf Club is the oldest in the region and a superb test of golf, and Carya Golf Club is also a must play, recommended personally by the team here at Golfbreaks.com.

Accommodation

Accommodation in the town of Belek is of the highest class. Keep an eye out for all inclusive packages, which are amongst the best available, keeping your pockets as full as your stomach. The food is absolutely delicious, with restaurants specialising in seafood fished straight out of the Mediterranean, just off the coast on which it lies.

Flights

The airlines are also starting to wake up to this sizzling new destination, with more and more adding routes to Antalya Havalimani Airport (just a short drive from Belek). Direct flights operate from Stansted, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Aberdeen. We don’t book flights ourselves but pass the savings on to you directly, by putting you in touch with our specialist flight centre – SkyScanner. Return flights in April can be found for £106 return.

Our local ground agents will pick you up from the airport and take you to the hotel & golf courses quickly and painlessly. It costs a little extra, but take it from us it is definitely worth it. Speak to a sales agent today for details.

So what are you waiting for?! Appreciate some Turkish (golf) Delights and have a fantastic golf break to remember in 2010.

Click here to see more information

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Your essential golf calendar for 2010 – the top 30 tournaments not to miss

The year ahead is a busy one for golf, and if you had the time you could fill almost every day of the year watching them. So to help you, we’ve put together our top 30 golf events not to miss in 2010, along with the date.

Look out for the courses that are underlined – Golfbreaks.com offer golf breaks which include that course. Perfect if you want to walk in the footsteps of Champions.

Feel free to email in and let us know if you think we’ve made any omissions