Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2023 i Golf Monthly

“Not many people gave us a chance, especially two years ago. Well, we proved them wrong.” These were the words of Luke Donald as he spoke immediately after the 44th Ryder Cup. I’m more than happy to admit that I was one of the doubters. Sitting at home two years earlier, I remember vividly watching the Ryder Cup through my fingers. I chuntered to myself as match after match went red. Our team, many of whom had experienced incredible success in this format, were blown away. By contrast, the US had clearly figured out the secret formula, that little bit of magic that turns 12 great golfers into a brilliant team. What’s more, they were young. This was the start of something worryingly new, I thought. Within an hour of…

As the newest addition to the bonanza of golf on offer at Bandon Dunes, the remodelled Sheep Ranch opened in its current incarnation in 2020. The course boasts a mile of stunning ocean frontage overlooking the intoxicatingly named Whiskey Run Beach, and it runs over land that was previously a private, fledgling 13-hole design. This was then fully renovated by the renowned Coore and Crenshaw team. There are no fewer than nine green sites perched right on the edge, and while it’s not the longest course in the world, it’s surely one of the most scenic and entertaining. Unusually, rather than sand bunkers, there are grassy hollows that have a wonderfully natural look and feel. The expansive resort at Bandon Dunes opened in 1999, with its first 18 holes designed…

In the end it was about a hat, an invisible hat, an all too visible row and a noisy crowd that sometimes seemed too large, too rooted in their own importance, just too much. But, goodness, the 2023 Ryder Cup was diversionary fun. An ancient Roman Stoic philosopher even got into the mix at the end. Oh, and “apologies for any bad language” became the most used phrase by the commentators. Flipping heck, whatever has happened to the old game’s sense of understatement, a state of mind that has been overwhelmed by modern society’s determination to say what you want, when you want, to who you want and to hell with the consequences. Not that Europe’s captain was involved in any of the nonsense. Actually Luke Donald was more, as…

Great performances by outsiders in sport always capture the public’s imagination. When Emma Raducanu came from nowhere to win the 2021 US Open tennis title, it was a Cinderella story that cheered the nation. When Leicester City won the 2015/16 Premier League title, even non-football fans rooted for them and celebrated their success. Essentially, everyone loves an underdog. It heartens us to see people exceed their, and others’,expectations. We golfers are all underdogs – every time we go out, it’s likely the course is going to beat us, so we appreciate great performances by outsiders as much as any sports fans. If a player can go out and score beyond their supposed ability, it inspires us to believe that maybe we could just win the Summer Cup or break 90…

1Let’s use something you’ve already got in your bag, a golf ball box, and get you finding the middle of the clubface more. Those strikes towards the heel or toe give us all sleepless nights, so place the box a fingertip’s width outside the ball. The idea here is to just miss the box. If you move your hands closer towards the ball on the through swing, then you’re going to catch the box. If you go a little bit out and pull the club in, again you will catch the box. Nice and simple. 2The biggest route to consistency with your pitching and chipping is keeping that club on plane. If you whip it inside on the way back, you’re going to have problems. Grab a wedge and place…

On a broad level, all golfers know what a bunker is, but some still get a little confused when it comes to the finer detail of the above question. First, a bunker is defined under the Rules as a specially prepared area of sand, often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. Bunkers are one of the five defined areas of the course, with the regulations and restrictions relating specifically to them found in Rule 12. Committees may define a prepared area of sand as part of the general area (i.e. not a bunker) or a non-prepared area of sand as a bunker, so when you’re playing in the Middle East, for example, you’ll need to check which areas of sand are bunkers and which are not.…

Having the optimal wedge set-up is a crucial step to ensuring a solid short game. Covering new releases and models that have carried over from 2022, we conducted our testing indoors on a launch monitor and out on the course to help you identify which clubs are right for your game. Looks There is a great variety of styles and shapes this year. We’ve seen plenty of manufacturers design models with full-face grooves that allow golfers to play even more creative shots around the green. It’s a look that can take some getting used to, but it’s well worth trying if you often play wedge shots with a very open face. Across most of the new releases, there are multiple finish options available – ideal for those who want something…

Edited by Jeremy Ellwood & Rob Smith H aving worked extensively with Jack Nicklaus, architect Bob Cupp was engaged to design both courses on the 11,000-acre site at East Sussex National. They opened for play in 1990, with the club originally operating as an exclusive members-and-guests-only development. This soon changed, with first the East course and more recently the West opened to visitors. Cupp’s training and heritage are clearly in evidence all the way. The courses run through archetypal, lush English countryside, while at the same time having a distinctly American look and feel. Despite his extensive architectural output, these were to be his only designs in Europe. Now, with its 104-bedroom hotel and various dining options, East Sussex National makes for an excellent golfing break. Championship pedigree With its…

Various factors determine how tough or otherwise a course is, among them length, bunkering, tightness of drives and approaches, nature of the terrain and, of course, the skill level of the golfer. Some courses might be fearsome off the back tees, yet a little more friendly if you wisely choose to venture forward. A few are just hard, full stop. I now play my golf among the artisans at Royal Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, where the white tees are viewed with a degree of trepidation among the membership. Not that it’s particularly long by modern standards at just under 6,600 yards, but, for some, those extra 300 yards over the yellows are just enough to tip the balance between playability and too daunting a task to keep out of…

This country is home to some of the world’s most famous links courses – of which there are too many to mention here – but head inland and you’ll discover a number of wonderful parkland layouts, too. These are precisely what I’ve hopped across the Irish Sea for on this latest visit.. After a 30-minute flight from Liverpool, I touch down in a drizzly Dublin, from where I travel west for about an hour and a half into the heart of the country. My first stop is Glasson Lakehouse in County Westmeath. The rain has stopped, which is a shame, because I’d happily have sat in Tom’s pub all afternoon and listened to Séamus, our coach driver, who tells a very good story. Quite reluctantly, however, and after a flawless…

I first visited Finca Cortesin in 2017 and was truly blown away by the resort. I have been eager to return ever since and, luckily enough, I got that chance again this year. It is one of the jewels in Andalucia’s golfing crown, nestled just a mile from the coast and a short drive from the likes of Valderrama and Real Club de Sotogrande. In a golf-rich region, Finca Cortesin stands out with facilities that have been acknowledged as some of the finest in Europe. There’s a real ‘wow factor’ on arrival up through the plaza of high-end boutiques and into the main hotel courtyard, and a welcome drink and snack from the Blue Bar really help you to take it all in. Our first few minutes at Finca Cortesin,…

For as long as we can remember, Portugal – and in particular the Algarve – has been a go-to destination for golfers seeking a warm-weather break. With a mild, temperate climate throughout the year – and much less rain than the UK – the destination has become a favourite hotspot for groups searching for incredible hotels, apartment complexes and golf venues that will live long in the memory. Sitting in the heart of the Algarve, Amendoeira Golf Resort – just 20 minutes from Vilamoura and 35 minutes from Faro airport – has been meticulously crafted and designed to create the ultimate resort for just this type of holiday. Perfect for groups, families and couples, the resort is brimming with leisure facilities, including tennis courts, swimming pools and gym facilities. For…

It’s June in Morocco. It’s hot and it’s frantic. “Welcome to Marrakesh,” grins the taxi driver, as I stare at what can only be described as organised chaos. I love it. Three months later and the people of Morocco find themselves dealing with the aftermath of its most devastating earthquake for decades. The rebuild in certain parts of the country will, of course, take years. However, now more than ever it’s important to support Morocco and remind everyone of its merits as a top-class golf destination, something that I discovered earlier this year. The last thing any golfer wants when playing badly (in my case, a bout of the ‘unmentionables’) is to participate in a competition, but sometimes an opportunity comes along that you just cannot turn down, such as…

Many international golf trips start from a gloomy UK, with the one little ray of hope we all latch onto the thought of playing in glorious weather elsewhere in the world. I was sitting in a cold corner of my dark house in springtime when this particular opportunity to jet off to the United States hit my inbox. My eyes lit up and before I knew it my bags were packed and I was setting off to Heathrow where I would be meeting my partner in crime for the week, Golf Monthly photographer, Kevin Murray, aptly nicknamed ‘Muzza’. Having met Muzza in the airport lounge, I knew we were in for a good week. I’d never been to a lounge in the airport before – it was all very exciting…

Photography: Getty Images Money matters I read with interest your story about Arnold Palmer and The Open Championship [October issue]. While Arnie’s obvious charisma and talent played a huge part in growing the game across the world, the piece opened my eyes to the other factors at play, most notably money. It’s very easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses on a time when golfers were paid a pittance and played for the love of the sport, but the professional era has always been driven by one thing, and fans have benefited from a better product along the way. On that note, there was a lot of talk about whether players should be paid at this year’s Ryder Cup. While I do see the arguments on both sides, I don’t…

SOUND BITES “I’M PROBABLY ON THE BACK NINE OF MY RYDER CUP CAREER, AND EVERY ONE THAT I GET TO PLAY IN FROM NOW ON IS VERY, VERY MEANINGFUL” “IT IS NOW OVER TEN YEARS SINCE WE HAD A REALLY CLOSE RYDER CUP, AND OVER 30 YEARS SINCE THE US WON IN EUROPE. AS MUCH AS THAT FACT IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF, IT IS ALSO A CONCERN” “THE ANSWER WAS, THERE WAS NO CHANCE” “IF HE KEEPS PLAYING THE WAY HE HAS BEEN THEN THERE’S DEFINITELY A GOOD CHANCE. I THINK IT’D BE AMAZING TO PLAY WITH HIM” “IT WAS DEVASTATING” Royal Dornoch gets the green light for new clubhouse Members of Royal Dornoch have backed plans for a new £13.9 million clubhouse, with construction set to get…

Worse says Fergus Bisset This is one where we’ll both base our argument on personal playing experience. Over nearly 40 years as a golfer, I’ve had quite a bit of that – some good, most not so good. I can say with great confidence that I play worse than average when I take on a course for the first time. Whether or not Jeremy plays better than average, I don’t. In the dim and distant past when I embarked on four years of golfing and drinking at St Andrews University, I was feverishly excited at the prospect of playing the Old Course for the first time. When my name appeared on the ballot sheet midway through freshers’ week, I was on cloud nine... until I stood on the 1st tee…

I’ve just got back from the Ryder Cup and I can’t remember covering many better events. Marco Simone proved to be a fantastic match-play course with plenty of chances for birdies and eagles and the crowds absolutely loved it. The weather was ideal, the whole event was perfect and I think it’ll go down as one of the best Ryder Cups of all time. So many people deserve credit, but we have to start with Luke Donald. His leadership was exemplary. When Paul McGinley – a man who many feel re-wrote the rule book when it comes to Ryder Cup captaincy – offers you the highest praise, you know you’ve done something right. I think there were four stand-out elements to his captaincy: the way he conducted himself, his picks and…

It was just past 2pm on May 18 this year in Rochester, New York, when the fourth-from-last pairing began their final round of the US PGA Championship. It was a pairing that contained Rory McIlroy, golf’s biggest superstar in the post-Tiger Woods era, yet the adulation was loudest for someone else on Oak Hill’s 1st tee that afternoon. “That’s the biggest ovation of the championship so far,” said Jim Nantz, as the name of Arroyo Trabuco’s club professional was read out to the type of raucous reception typically reserved for one of New York’s own. But that was the extent to which the story of Michael Block resonated with the people on the ground and those tuning in around the world. For it was the beginning of the closing chapter…

1Fairway bunker shots are among the hardest in golf. Often all you can do is hack out, but when you have a chance to go for it, amateurs often chunk the ball and come up well short. While it’s a difficult shot to pull off, there are some basics that will help you make good contact more consistently. The first thing to consider is club selection. If you have what would normally be a pitching wedge yardage, move up to a 9-iron. 2With a club more than usual, grip down so you’re standing a little closer to the ball. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to get into your set-up position. Don’t dig your feet into the sand as much as you would on a greenside bunker shot. Instead, do…

1 In stroke play, Fergus arrives at the 1st tee three minutes later than his starting time due to heavy traffic. What is the ruling? A There is no penalty. B Fergus gets the general penalty (two strokes). C Fergus is disqualified. 2 In stroke play, while taking embedded ball relief, Fergus drops a ball in the relief area but from lower than knee height. What is the ruling? A Fergus gets one penalty stroke. B Fergus gets the general penalty (two strokes). C There is no penalty, but Fergus must drop again from knee height. 3 In stroke play, Fergus removes a few twigs and leaves near his ball before playing out of a bunker. What is the ruling? A There is no penalty. B Fergus gets one penalty…

GM verdict Adidas has been spending the last few years adapting shoe silhouettes from its deep archive for the golf course. While the likes of the Stan Smith and Samba have already made the journey from street to fairway, it’s now time for something a bit more circumspect to join the line-up. The ‘MC’ in the name stands for Modern Classic and, in our opinion, this new shoe certainly lives up to this billing. The full-grain leather upper and detailed stitching mimic the classic styles from FootJoy and we think the MC80 holds its own against similar models from more traditional shoe designers. There was a solid amount of comfort on offer out of the box and, despite its more traditional looks, the modern Boost technology in the midsole provided…

ASK OUR EXPERT What are the best clubs to select for a threeclub challenge? Alan Benfield, via email I’d always opt for a hybrid as the longest club in the bag. It’ll give you decent length off the tee and will be very useful for any long approach shots. You’ll then need a mid-iron, I tend to go for an 8-iron, and then, presuming it’s not included already, a putter. You could always putt with your hybrid if you’re feeling bold and would prefer to carry a specialist wedge. What’s the best pencil bag you can buy? Kyle Hill, via email There are quite a few pencil or ‘Sunday’ bags out there nowadays, ideal for a quick nine holes with half a set. The best I’ve tested so far is…

I’ve been lucky enough to do some amazing things during my years travelling the world making golf videos, and one of the most memorable came six years ago when I had the chance to play golf with Edoardo Molinari in Piedmont in Italy. I met Dodo, as he’s affectionately known, when he was back at his home club, Royal Park I Roveri, shooting a video for the European Tour while I was playing and filming at a number of courses in the region on behalf of Italy Golf & More. I can honestly say that Edoardo is one of the nicest and most entertaining people I have ever filmed with – and I walked off the 18th green smiling and very much a Molinari fan. This all happened during a…

Windlesham Fast approaching its 30th anniversary, this attractive design on the Surrey/Berkshire border is mature beyond its years. It runs over gently undulating parkland, with streams and ponds that add to both strategy and challenge. The 1st is a real beauty – atough par 4 with water awaiting anything short – while the excellent par-4 17th is a beautiful sting in the tail, with a diagonal ditch guarding the green and a pond hidden away on the left. In an area packed with premium golf, Windlesham is a welcome and welcoming alternative. GF: 18 holes: £80 Wed & Fri The beautiful par-3 6th at Windlesham stretches to almost 200 yards and plays over water, with a cavernous bunker waiting on the right. Stoneham The constantly improving course and facilities at Stoneham…

Even those with a fairly decent knowledge of Open history can sometimes forget that Prince’s, too, is an Open venue, along with Royal St George’s and Royal Cinque Ports, which sit alongside it on the Kent coast. Gene Sarazen introduced his revolutionary sand wedge to the golfing world here en route to lifting the Claret Jug back in 1932, but 91 years down the line, the Prince’s of today bears little resemblance to the 18-hole course over which The Squire triumphed. There are now 27 holes for a start, but, to be fair, even they bear relatively little resemblance to how they looked and played seven years ago, thanks to a major upgrade and restyling at the hands of Martin Ebert. All three nines – Dunes, Shore and Himalayas –…

In my experience, when somebody or something gets to number one in their field, one of two things happens: they either spend a lot of time telling everyone how good they are and then end up resting on their laurels; or they take stock of what has got them to the top and start making plans for what they can do to be even better moving forward. Gleneagles, for me, most definitely falls into the latter camp. I first visited this glorious slice of Perthshire back in 2005 to cover the Grand Final of the Volkswagen Masters, an international event for amateur golfers. I’d read a lot about Gleneagles over the years, starting with my favourite golf book of all time – Play the Best Courses: Great Golf in the…

“The resort’s new name is taken from an ancient Roman road between ocean and mountains” The Atlético Madrid team coach that sits outside the hotel is a good sign. If this is where elite footballers come to relax, then we have to be somewhere special. We are, although the footballers aren’t here to play golf – they’ve come to make use of Camiral’s extensive health and fitness facilities. What a place to relax ahead of a big game. Many golfers will know this spectacular 36-hole resort as PGA Catalunya, its name for more than two decades. Now, though, the DP World Tour-hosting venue has begun a new chapter, and I’m here to sample an array of experiences brought together under one name – Camiral. I’ll get to enjoy personalised healing…

Nothing quite whets the appetite for a game of golf like a good course photograph. I saw a particularly beautiful one last summer, the only problem being that the course was still a work in progress. This was the Dunas course at Terras da Comporta, the first design project in continental Europe by acclaimed course architect, David McLay Kidd. Finally, after many years of stop-start, this wonderful layout, located an hour’s drive to the south of Lisbon close to the beautiful Alentejo coast, is open for business. It’s been quite a journey for McLay Kidd, who first visited Comporta 15 years ago. “Breathtaking” is how he describes this part of Portugal’s coastline – and this coming from a man who has given us Bandon Dunes in Oregon. “If you look…

NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA There are many superlatives you could use to describe New South Wales Golf Club, but the three that would seem most appropriate could be boldest, toughest and most beautiful golf course in Australia. It is improbable to think that this raw and picturesque landscape lies just ten miles as the crow flies from the steps of the Sydney Opera House, which makes this course accessible to anybody visiting the city (if you can somehow negotiate an invite from a member). Alister MacKenzie was famed for building attractive yet demanding courses, and that theme continues here on the craggy and bush-covered shoreline overlooking the entrance to the infamous Botany Bay, where Captain Cook first set foot on Australian ground in 1770. The green sites (in true MacKenzie…

Donald leads Europe to Ryder Cup victory Luke, congratulations on winning back the Ryder Cup. How do you reflect on the week? Not many people gave us a chance after Whistling Straits. We were big underdogs. The US put up a fight on Sunday, but I’m so proud of my 12 guys – we had a strong bond from day one and they gave me everything. I think these guys will be around for a long time and we’re going to put up a great fight in two years. How does this rank in terms of career achievements? This is the best. This is why the Ryder Cup is so special to me and to these guys, because of these moments. We play for each other and we get to…

1989 Rory McIlroy was born, as were Tony Finau, Michelle Wie and 2023 Solheim Cup hero Caroline Hedwall. Marco Simone GC was designed and built. It hosted the Italian Open five years later in 1994. Payne Stewart won his first Major title at the US PGA. He beat Andy Bean, Curtis Strange and Mike Reid by one stroke. Europe retained the Ryder Cup thanks to Christy O’Connor Jnr’s iconic 2-iron on the 18th at The Belfry. ELSEWHERE... The Berlin Wall came down and the Tiananmen Square protests took place in China. Nintendo released the Game Boy in Japan in April and then in North America in July. The first episodes of The Simpsons were shown on TV.…

TaylorMade hasn’t been a stranger to revisiting some of its classic designs. Earlier this year, it launched the Brnr Mini driver, which featured plenty of retro nods to the Ti Bubble driver from the mid-1990s. Delving back not quite as far into its archive this time, the brand has turned to the famous and popular Spider range of putters for its latest reissue. The new Spider Tour Series range includes five models as part of the line-up - Spider Tour, Tour S, Tour V, Tour X and Tour Z. All models boast the same Pure Roll face insert that rose to prominence in the original Spider X and also come with TaylorMade’s TruPath alignment, another recognisable feature that has come to dominate TaylorMade putters of recent memory. New for 2023,…

The summer of 1968 was a glorious one in the playing career of Michael Bonallack. That season, the then 33-year-old completely dominated the domestic amateur game. He won the third of his five Amateur Championships at Royal Troon, his fifth English Amateur title, the Brabazon Trophy and the Silver Medal as leading amateur in The Open Championship at Carnoustie. Some 30 years later, in 1998, Bonallack received the most esteemed of his numerous awards, as he knelt before the Queen and was knighted for his services to golf. Few, if any, had such a wide-ranging and significant life in golf as Sir Michael Bonallack. As a player, administrator, ambassador and captain, the Englishman achieved on many different levels. Born in Chigwell, Essex in 1934, Bonallack first showed an aptitude for…

Held a little earlier in the calendar than its 13 predecessors, the annual charity event arranged by the online Golf Monthly forum took place on a gloriously bright, late summer’s day at Hankley Common on the Surrey/Hampshire border. The course – 30th in our UK&I rankings – was a riot of purple, with the heather still at its most vibrant and dazzling. With four-balls starting on both the 1st and 5th holes, a full field of 80 golfers was able to enjoy this beautiful James Braid/Harry Colt design that has, in recent times, improved yet further under the expert guidance of course architects Mackenzie and Ebert. Following the customary coffee, delicious bacon roll and chance to reacquaint with golfing friends from across the country, there was the opportunity to visit…

How can I strike my chips better? By Top 50 Coach John Howells Golfers often put the ball too far back in their stance when chipping, which reduces the margin for error and causes fat and thin strikes. Instead, move the ball to the middle of your stance and set your weight evenly between your left and right sides at address. This will help shallow out your angle of attack, making it easier to use the club’s bounce through impact and increasing your forgiveness levels in the strike. Finally, hit some balls off a tee in practice to develop the technique and further boost your confidence. Ball position Keep the ball fairly central rather than too far back in your stance to avoid getting too steep through impact. How do…

Ball in or on movable obstruction There was an interesting scenario at a recent PGA Tour Champions event, as Jin-Woo Kim, assistant director – Rules (Asia Pacific) at The R&A, explains... Movable obstructions are artificial objects that can be moved with reasonable effort and without damaging the object or the course. They’re not treated as part of the challenge of playing the course, so you are normally allowed to remove them from anywhere on or off the course and may do so in any way. If your ball moves while removing a movable obstruction, there is no penalty, and the ball must be replaced on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated). While removing a movable obstruction would be one of the simplest Rules situations you may…

Looks The hints of offset, slightly thicker topline and wider sole will appeal to a wide range of golfers when setting the club down behind the ball at address. GM verdict One of the most notable growth areas in recent years has been in the players’ performance category of irons. Favoured by those seeking maximum help and playability and wrapped up stealthily in a classic, tourshaped disguise, models like the Ping i230 and the Titleist T150 have proved to be some of the best clubs of this type. With the introduction of the 2024 Apex Pro iron, Callaway has added another contender in this space. This iron is part of a wider, revamped Apex series of irons that includes new CB, MB and utility models, with the Apex Pro the…

SHOWSTOPPER Mullion I was delighted to finally play Mullion this summer, even on a day when a four- to five-club wind, in the wrong direction, saw its friendly members raising their eyebrows at this madman and his friends heading out to play two rounds. The UK’s most southerly course enjoys a beautiful clifftop location, and it’s the middle section that impresses the most. The 6th is an eye-catching, precipitous short par 4, the 7th an excellent two-shotter out towards scenic Gunwalloe Church and the 8th a lovely par 3 parallel to the beach. The 10th is a cracker, back down the slope before skirting a perilous pit on the right, while the 149-yard 11th required driver for us all in the afternoon! There are fine holes before and after these,…

After all the stuff that had gone before, especially the irritating LIV bits, what a month September was. The three big competitions over four weeks offered much of what Rory McIlroy rightly called ‘pure golf’ to savour and enjoy. “The Wee Man is the highly anticipated climax to the Elliott family golf season” There was a pleasant, refreshing breeze about these rumbles, with no big cheques handed over – unless you count the $200,000 each member of the USA Ryder Cup team received for the charity of their choice. Instead, it was get up, stand up and play up for yourself, your country/continent/team-mates/family/friends and, yes, the fans, who laid out hardearned dosh to make the trip to Spain, Italy or, indeed, Surrey. What’s that I hear you cry, Surrey? What’s…

Few locations on earth are blessed with as many high-quality golf courses as the Emerald Isle. From Royal County Down and Royal Portrush on Northern Ireland’s north coast, right down to Old Head Golf Links and 2027 Ryder Cup venue Adare Manor in south-west Ireland, travelling golfers are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing their next great golf location to explore. Perhaps no part of the country, however, has as large a concentration of world-class courses within such a small area as the north Dublin golfing coast. It’s here you’ll find a renowned resort which is home to a newly remodelled championship golf course that provides the ultimate base for exploring this great stretch. Just a 30-minute taxi ride from the heart of Ireland’s capital, Portmarnock Resort &…

A region blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, and which enjoys a temperate climate in winter and very warm temperatures in summer, is always going to prove a hit with holidaymakers and sunseekers. The Costa del Sol in the south of Spain has been popular with tourists for a long time now, but it was also continental Europe’s first real golfing go-to place when the game really took hold here back in the 1950s and ’60s. That perfect year-round climate plus great accessibility make it the ideal short-haul getaway. Located almost at the point where Europe is at its closest to Morocco in Africa, Sotogrande is a peaceful and relaxed alternative to the more bustling attractions just up the coast in Marbella. At the heart of…

A few days spent at Infinitum will certainly replenish your golfing soul as this resort on the Costa Dorada continues to add to what was already an outstanding resumé. In recent times it has opened a Callaway Performance Centre with full club-fitting facilities, and construction has now begun on an extensive real estate project which will bring 119 new homes. Later this year, the DP World Tour will again return to what is an ideal venue for the finale of its Qualifying School. If you’re unfamiliar with the name, the resort was rebranded from Lumine to Infinitum in the middle of 2021. Just over an hour’s drive south of Barcelona, it was always regarded as one of the very best in Europe and the vision now is to cement that…

I have been lucky enough to travel to Italy for golf trips before, to the excellent Verdura Resort in Sicily, as well as the secluded Argentario Golf Resort in Tuscany. Both did a significant job in changing how I viewed the country as a viable golf trip destination. So you can imagine my excitement when I received an invitation to go to Italy again to play 2023 Ryder Cup host venue, Marco Simone Golf and Country Club... A real test of your game The main course, designed by Jim Fazio, is a par 72 with several tees to suit different abilities. I played off the whites, measuring 6,234 metres, but did sneak back to play a few holes from the markedly longer Ryder Cup tees! The course benefits greatly from…

I couldn’t quite believe it when the offer to travel to Cape Town, South Africa to play some golf arrived in my inbox. Was this really happening? Yes, there it was in black and white – the chance to play golf somewhere quite incredible. Due to some surgery, it had been quite a while since I had last picked up a golf club, so I made it my personal mission to make sure that I could swing well by the time the trip came round. I also gave the old golf travel bag a good dusting off. This golf getaway involved playing four courses. Four top-quality courses at that: Clovelly, Erinvale, Arabella and Pearl Valley. After 12 hours on the big bird, I touched down in Cape Town and was…