Poland's only signature golf course to celebrate in 2019

MODRY LAS Golf Club has rounded off an impressive record-breaking season that has laid the groundwork for a special anniversary year in 2019. With bookings up and new facilities taking shape, the Gary Player-designed course will celebrate its 10th anniversary in style. 

The Polish resort, which was officially opened by Player in 2009, has collected a host of international awards during its first decade in operation. Now in its ninth year, Poland’s only signature course recorded a 20% increase in associated accommodation bookings and a similar hike in stay-and-play packages.

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Lake Victoria expands to 18 holes

LAKE Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa in Uganda launched its newly extended 18-Hole golf course in October 2018 during the Serena Open. Designed by Golf Plan USA, it boasts sweeping views of the lake with a rare finishing hole on an Island green. It is Uganda’s first Clubhouse with a fully-fledged Pro Shop. 

Serena also holds 2 sports camps for children to nurture the sport. Non-golfers can opt instead for nature walks, picnic cruises on Lake Victoria, visits to the neighbouring Chimpanzee Island - or simply relax at the Maisha Spa where a range of different massage and beauty treatments can be enjoyed. The 45,070 m² Marina can accommodate up to 24 boats, each with a service station for electricity and water.

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Hit the Links in France

WITH interest in this year’s Ryder Cup at an all-time high, the biannual event is raising the profile of France as a golfing destination, says European Waterways. Scheduled for L'Albatros Course in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, just 20 miles from Paris, the #RyderCup pits the best of European golfers against top American players. It is being held in #France for only the second time in history, bringing new appreciation for the country’s many world-class golf courses. 

A number of vessels cruise just hours from the site of this year’s Ryder Cup, allowing guests to “hit the links” in regions that include Burgundy and the Canal du Midi, as well as neighboring courses in the Loire Valley. Between rounds of golf, guests can also participate in culinary excursions, wine tastings and exclusive tours of castles and stately chateaux.


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Final swing in the Seychelles

PREVIOUSLY the European Senior Tour, the 2018 Staysure Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. The MCB Tour Championship will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

The Seychelles Tourism Board has announced that the 2018 Staysure Tour season will end in the island of Praslin at Constance Lemuria, one of Seychelles’ most exquisite golf courses. Staysure Tour members will compete for almost £600K (US$800K) in prize money at the MCB Tour Championship from 14 to 16 December.

This is the first time the #Seychelles will host a #golf tournament of such calibre, and the archipelago is bound to impress. Stunning natural surroundings, year-round sunshine and warm weather, welcoming hospitality and world-class golf courses make the Seychelles a golfer’s dream.


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Lucky thirteen

THIRTEEN Australian golf courses are featured in the Golf Digest’s latest list of the greatest international golf courses, a combination of the influential publication’s combined ‘America's 100 Greatest’ and ‘World 100’ lists.

Royal Melbourne West was the highest ranked Australian course on the list, coming in at number five.

Ten of the courses named are members of Great #Golf Courses of #Australia, a collaborative partnership between Australia’s golf courses, Tourism Australia and State tourism boards.

According to the Australian Golf Industry Council, in 2016-17 golf tourism contributed $477 million to the Australian economy.

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Temples to Tees

THE South East Asian nation of Cambodia is becoming increasingly popular with foreign tourists, attracting more than five million visitors in 2016 and with around seven million expected by 2020.

#Golf tourism is still very much in its infancy, however. There are currently nine golf courses in #Cambodia: four in capital Phnom Penh including the country’s oldest course, Cambodia Golf & Country Club, which opened in 1996, the Grand Phnom Penh Golf Club course by Nicklaus Design and the IMG-managed Garden City Golf Club, which opened in 2013; three in Siem Reap, including Angkor Golf Resort’s Nick Faldo-designed course which opened in 2007 and former Asian Tour venue Phokeethra Country Club; and two courses on the coast at Dara Sakor Golf Club, forming the first part of a project by a Chinese developer in Koh Kong province.

A further two Faldo Design courses are set to open soon at Vattanac Golf Resort, a development 15km from the centre of Phnom Penh which is being built by international construction group Arup. The first course at the resort is due to open for play by late 2018.

Cambodia’s lure for golfers is underpinned by its appeal as a tourist destination, with the main attraction being the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site temple complex near Siem Reap that includes Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. It was named the world’s top UNESCO heritage site by review website TripAdvisor in November.

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147th Open at Carnoustie

AS anticipation grows for The 147th Open at #Carnoustie, a new website has been unveiled by Carnoustie Country as an online hub for the region’s 34 outstanding golf courses and accommodation providers. With preparations underway for the world’s oldest Major, Carnoustie Country has also unveiled a new legendary marketing campaign intended to underpin its reputation as a world-class #golfing destination boasting a golfing legacy stretching back over 450 years.

Providing insider knowledge about playing golf and staying in the east of #Scotland as well as detailing the very latest offers, the new Carnoustie Country website has been written and designed with the visiting golfer in mind. Featuring a chronological history of The Open at Carnoustie along with dedicated sections on links and inland courses – many of which were designed by legendary architects such as Old Tom Morris, Willie Park Jr and James Braid – the new website is brimming with information about golf in Angus, Perthshire and Fife.

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Tee it up with the stars

Star-struck golfers need to tee it up at one of three courses in #California, including two that comprise the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am, which draws celebs like Justin Timberlake, Josh Duhamel, Bill Murray and Jake Owen every February. 

Pebble Beach Golf Links, the number one public course in America, and Spyglass Hill, one of the toughest in the world, lets #golfers play like the celebs do. Add in The Links at Spanish Bay and there is a trifecta of amazing courses where Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan have all teed off. Bunker down at The Lodge’s new Fairway One, a collection of one- and two-bedroom cottages featuring luxurious appointments and views of the fairway. The on-property Forbes Five-Star spa is the perfect antidote to the sore muscles from a tough round.

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Glorious views and golf

THE countdown to the 2nd Messinia Pro-Am tournament at Costa Navarino has now begun. Taking place February 21-24 it has already received extensive interest globally, counting participants from 14 countries.

This year has seen a much higher interest from golfers; so far, more than 35 teams have registered. Each of the 50 teams will consist of one professional and three amateur golfers who will compete in three rounds at the two 18-hole signature golf courses. The Dunes Course and The Bay Course are set amidst the eternal olive trees overlooking the stunning views of the Ionian Sea and the Bay of Navarino.

Costa Navarino is a prime, sustainable destination in the Mediterranean, located in the Greek region of Messinia in the southwest Peloponnese. One of the most unspoiled and breathtaking seaside Mediterranean landscapes, this area has been shaped by 4,500 years of history. Its philosophy is driven by a genuine desire to promote Messinia, while protecting and preserving its natural beauty and heritage.

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World class courses attract international putters

GOLF tourism to New Zealand is seeing significant growth with golf visitors playing 33,000 rounds at marquee courses alone up 17%. The growth rate is among one of the highest being experienced worldwide.

Over the last few years there has been significant investment in new and existing courses resulting in New Zealand offering a range of uncrowded internationally ranked courses that are proving very attractive.

#NewZealand has around 400 #golf courses and offers incredible variety, from ocean front subtropical courses in the north to alpine settings in the south. Golfers can easily travel to a range of courses while in New Zealand sampling what each region has to offer on their way and this is a huge draw card.

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Partner up in Panama

#PANAMA, having recently launched their new golf tourism program, announces the corresponding website Panama Golf Destination is now live and accepting golf travel bookings. Packages for all inclusive golf, accommodations and meals/beverages can be custom tailored upon request.

The following courses are included in the new destination for golf program; Mantarraya Golf Club, Buenaventura Golf Club, Coronado Golf Club and Vista Mar Golf Club (Beaches), Santa Maria, Tucan Golf and Country Club, Summit Golf Club and Club de Golf de Panama (City) and Lucero Country Club (Mountains).


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Italy seeing significant increase in golf visitors

ITALY has enjoyed a significant increase in the number of #golf visitors in recent times, with international bookings having risen by an impressive 25% over the last two years of growth.

With Italy Golf & More, the first pan-Italian international promotional golf project, providing the driving force, latest figures show that the number of rounds played by international golfers in the country has gone up by around a quarter since 2015.

Green fee bookings rose by around 15 per cent in 2016 and have increased by a further 10 per cent so far this year, with a rise in numbers reported in regions across the north and south of #Italy.

The likes of Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto and Sicily have all seen international numbers rise in the last 12 months, while the number of foreign golfers playing rounds in the regions of Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia has almost doubled during the same period.

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Golf Trail Turns 25

THE Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is that which is understood best by numbers. 

Opened in 1992, golfers have played nearly 12 million rounds of golf on the RTJ #Golf Trail. 

11 locations throughout the state of #Alabama are comprised of 26 golf courses and a massive 468 holes of golf. 

On average, more than 500,000 individuals play the courses each year. 

Typically, players come from all 50 states and more than 20 different countries to play to courses annually. 

To date, nearly 12 million rounds of golf have been played. 

Since reaching fruition in 1992, The Trail helped create a tourism industry valued at$1.9 billion. In 2015, that number had ballooned to a staggering $13 billion. 

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Driving towards another record year for Golf in the Algarve

WITH a staggering 43 nine or 18-hole layouts that can be played all-year-round, it’s no wonder the #Algarve draws hundreds of thousands of golfers to its fairways each year.  The Algarve is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, and more than half of its courses decorate the 150-mile coastline, which also boasts spectacular beaches, picturesque rocky coves, quaint fishing villages and a rich cultural heritage.

The Algarve continues to exceed #golf visitor records after a flying start to 2017, while it has also retained its place as the best value #holiday destination for UK tourists.

The region is widely-regarded as Europe’s number one golf destination with 43 fabulous courses and hit an all-time high for golf visitors numbers in 2016 with almost 1.3m rounds throughout the year – an increase of more than 10 per cent on its previous record in 2015.

But the surge has continued into 2017 and the sights are now set on another new record after nearly 328,000 rounds were played in the first quarter of the year – another six per cent rise on last year’s figures.

Aside from the quality of the golf courses, the hospitality and the fabulous climate, golfers also know they can expect exceptional value for money as, according to the recent Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer, the Algarve is the best value holiday destination throughout the eurozone once again for 2017.

The Algarve was one of 14 beach resorts in the eurozone surveyed by the Post Office for price checks on meals, drinks and other holiday essentials, coming out on top of the pile for British holidaymakers on a budget.

Visitors know that prices for meals and drinks – one of the biggest costs for tourists – do not come any cheaper than along the stunning Algarve coastline, which can make a huge difference to holiday costs.

Maria Manuel Delgado e Silva, ATA golf product manager, said: “Last year was a hugely successful year for everyone associated with our golf tourism industry but it’s fantastic to see this continue into 2017.

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Dubai launches new website to boost golf tourism

#DUBAI has unveiled a new website to enhance awareness of the world-leading, premium #golf destination that convenes - for the first time in one place - everything visitors and tour operators need to know about experiencing golf in the city.

Launched at the Asia Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC) in Danang, Vietnam, golfindubai.com provides information on the first-class courses designed by legends including Ernie Els, Sir Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Greg Norman, as well as details on leisure and practice facilities and wider hospitality offers.

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Championship Cyprus

THE #Cyprus Amateur Men's Open is a counting event for World Amateur #Golf Rankings (WAGR). For 2017 the event will be hosted by Aphrodite Hills Golf Course and will be played between May 19 - 21 (Registration and Practice day on May 18).

The Championship will be decided by Stroke Play in a 3-day event over 54 holes, and the player with the lowest gross score over 54 holes will be the Cyprus Amateur Men’s Open Champion. Entries will be accepted from gentlemen players who conform in all respects to the current Amateur Status Rules of the R&A and hold a current handicap under the handicap system adopted by the recognised authority controlling golf in their country.

The award-winning 5-star Aphrodite Hills Resort set on a 234-hectare Resort is magnificently positioned on two plateaux with breathtaking sea views of the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. The first of its kind in Cyprus, Aphrodite Hills is a Resort for both families and couples alike and the first ever leisure and golf development of its kind in Cyprus, #AphroditeHills Golf Resort is home to a magnificent 18-hole championship golf course.

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Swiss golf region joins the Open Golf Club

ANDERMATT #Golf Region, established in 2016, is the first Swiss golf region to join the Open Golf Club, the leading association of premium golf clubs in Europe. With this membership, the golf destination Andermatt has become even more attractive to both domestic and international markets.

Thanks to the association with the Open Golf Club, members of the golf clubs comprising the Andermatt Golf Region receive a green fee reduction of 25 percent on all Open Golf Club courses throughout Europe. 

Open Golf Club incorporates over 55 of the most beautiful golf courses in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal and Italy. With the Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course, one of the most attractive golf courses in #Switzerland now belongs to this prestigious association.

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Golf tourism on the rise in New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND'S unique golf courses, many created within landscapes forged by nature are proving a draw card for international visitors.

Golf visitors are up a record 31% annually, with a 16% increase in average spend per visitor. It is estimated that over 61,000 international visitors played golf in #NewZealand last year contributing around $329 million to the economy.

And the world is taking notice, helped by the country securing a range of major international events that will give New Zealand’s course exposure the world over like never before.

2017 looks to be remembered as the year of #golf with major events taking place including the first Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour event to be held in New Zealand.

The MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open will take place at the end of September at the country’s newest course, Windross Farm in Ardmore.

The year of golf teed off last week with the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open at Queenstown’s renowned courses Millbrook Resort and The Hills. The tier one event is part of the Professional Golf Association Tour of Australasia.

Rounding off the year, the Royal Wellington Golf Club will host the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in October. The event will bring 120 top players from the Asia-Pacific region to the capital.

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Tee Off in Iceland

POPULAR as a short-break destination, #Iceland is now wowing overseas golfers. There are 65 golf courses spread around the volcanic island – 16 offering 18 holes and two with 27 holes – and #golf is second only to football as its most popular sport.

Foreign golfers are increasingly being attracted by its green fairways. Almost 4,000 visitors played golf in 2016, a big increase on 2015, and while half of them played only one round 27% played five or more rounds.

Despite its proximity to the Arctic Circle, Iceland’s golf season lasts six months on average, and seven months in the south. Some courses near the coast can be played most of the year and there was even a golf tournament in northern city Akureyri, the world’s most northerly 18-hole golf course, in the middle of December!

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