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Golf resorts and hotels are extremely popular in England – and provide some of the best entertainment for families and colleagues from office. Whilst the golfers relax by playing a few rounds of golf, the non-golfers can enjoy the perks of a hotel.   This is a great way to keep everyone in your family occupied and happy – your partner and kids can laze about the pool, while you can relax in your own style by playing golf.

The South West of England has several hotels with golf courses, a concept that combines the best of both worlds. Some hotels have their very own golf course on site, whilst others have unique relationships with golf courses nearby. Many of these hotels present a range of golf break options for golfers on all levels, regardless of experience or handicap. A golf break to the South West of England is a great way to treat yourself, as this area is surrounded with stunning scenery that has beautiful seaside views and challenging golf courses.

The South West has a renowned selection of quality golf courses including one  at St Mellion International Resort which will be hosting the 2010 English Open, Dartmouth Golf and Country Club, Carlyon Bay Hotel and Elfordleigh Hotel and Golf Club.

Mellion International Resort – St. Mellion, Cornwall. This offers 36 holes of championship-quality golf. Both the Nicklaus and the Kernow golf courses have recently been renovated to a fantastic standard, and provide an enjoyable and challenging round for all players.

Dartmouth Golf and Country Club – Dartmouth, Devon. This is an ideal location for a golf break or holiday with two exceptional golf courses open all year round. Built to USGA Championship specification, the two courses are surrounded by dramatic landscapes and lovely trees. With a 18 hole par 72 Championship Course, which has hosted the West Region PGA Championships several times for proficient golfers and a simpler 9 hole par 33 course for beginners, this location has something for all.

Carlyon Bay Hotel – near St. Austell, Cornwall. This championship length golf course can be a daunting sight on first viewing, as it is situated upon the cliff-tops of St. Austell Bay. The par 72 track provides an entertaining round of golf as the front nine is located along the cliff edge with the back nine winding through the Cornish parkland.

Elfordleigh Hotel and Golf Club – Plymouth, Devon. This course is extremely scenic – the front nine tests golfers skills in the art of straight driving and the back nine includes three consecutive par threes.

 

 

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Scotland plays host a large number of golf courses, several of which are so renowned that they form part of the golf course rotation for the British Open championship; one of the game’s four major championships.

From its inception in 1860 the British Open was organised by and played at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland but from 1872 the tournament was played according to a rotating course schedule. Initially, the schedule featured three courses – Prestwick, St. Andrews and Musselburgh which were all situated in Scotland. However, in 1893, two additional golf courses were added to the list – both in England. These courses were Royal St. George’s and Royal Liverpool Golf Club, also known as Hoylake. Both these courses feature on the current rotation along with St. Andrews, although Prestwick and Musselburgh are no longer part of the schedule.

Since 1893, other golf courses have been added to the rotation while others have been dropped. In all there are nine golf courses which make up the current list of venues; 5 in Scotland and 4 in England.

In Scotland, the courses which form the Open rotation are the Old Course, St. Andrews; Carnoustie Golf Links; Muirfield; Turnberry Ailsa and Royal Troon. Golfers looking to tackle these and other courses in their immediate area can do so by booking a Scottish golf break which offers the chance for handicap golfers to walk in the footsteps of some of the games most illustrious players, such as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ben Hogan, James Braid, Sandy Lyle and Tiger Woods.

Each of the golf courses on the Scottish rotation are easily accessible from Scotland’s major airports and golf breaks in Scotland normally include travel costs, accommodation and green fees for the course so all you need once you arrive is your golf clubs and afterwards, your wallet in order to slake your thirst at the 19th hole.

Carnoustie is situated in the Angus region of Scotland, and represents a tough test for even the best golfer. It last held the Open in 2007, which was won by Ireland’s Padraig Harrington. Like all courses on the Open list, Carnoustie is a links golf course, and is very difficult when the wind blows!

For St. Andrews, book a golf break in Fife. The Old Course is known as the ‘home of golf’ and is perhaps the most famous golf course in the world and hosts the Open every fifth year and is due to return in 2010. Beware of the infamous ‘Roadhole bunker’!

For Royal Troon and Turnberry Ailsa, look for a golf break in Ayrshire. The Ayrshire coast has many other golf courses besides and Turnberry Ailsa will be the scene of the 2009 British Open. Some of the most memorable Open finales have been played on Ayrshire’s Open venues, including the 1977 ‘Duel in the Sun’ at Turnberry, where Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus went head-to-head for the championship.

Murfield is situated in the town of Gullane, to the east of Edinburgh and is one of the oldest golf courses in the UK. Muirfield is considered to be the fairest test of all the Open venues, although it is far from being an easy course to play. Two circuits of nine holes rotate in opposite directions with the back nine looping inside the front nine, meaning no two consecutive holes are played in the same wind direction. Golfers looking to take on Muirfield’s challenge should Explore Edinburgh golf breaks and in particular the East Lothian region for a Muirfield golf tour, but be aware that the club only allows a certain number of visitors during the week so if Muirfield is on your list of courses to play, it’s always best to check beforehand that you will have the chance.

Whichever Open course you want to play, Scottish golf breaks can give you the chance to follow in the footsteps of some of golf’s greatest names and can provide a golfing experience you’ll never forget!

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Winter is a frustrating time for us golfers. Most of the courses in Britain are in “switch-off” mode and jetting off to the Southern Hemisphere is not on the cards. So where do you head to in order to work on your game around Christmas time?

For my money, a golf break in France is an excellent winter option. Even the north of France, with its sandy subsoil and reputation for presenting golf courses in impeccable condition, is a serious temptation. However, the southern half of France – just a 90 minute flight away – will put a spring in your step and keep you away from the crowds of Portugal and Spain. Here are some of the courses in the south of France which you must consider visiting this winter:

Barbaroux

Pete Dye Junior and Senior combined to make this absolute gem. Rated among the World Top 100, Barbaroux presents a stern test and each of the 18 holes presents an entirely different set of challenges. You’ll need to be at home with every club in your bag to score well here, and it might be prudent to forget about the scorecard and just have fun out there – even if you’re doing badly, the scenery is outstanding. A superb course for your winter golf break in France.

Royal Mougins

Rated in the European Top 50 and with a stunning, and brand-new, hotel and spa on site, this is becoming the talk of the golfing town. Designed by Robert von Hagge and past host to the European Tour, the course is outlandish and brilliant with every type of hazard on offer. It’s not particularly long but you need to be a clever player to score well. For after the round, there’s great food and the hotel’s bedrooms are massive and beautifully-appointed.

Nimes Campagne

You’ll need your golfer’s intuition to be on top form for this course – knowing when to aim big and when to scale things down is all important here. It’s a great course though, host to several European Tour events and definitely one of the highlights of a French golf holiday. It’s a parkland affair lovingly created with beautiful trees, cunning greens and just a splash of water.

Chiberta

This is, to me, one of the best links courses in the whole of Europe. A Tom Simpson design, the course offers fabulous Atlantic Ocean views as well as subtle and enjoyable golf that weaves through woodland forcing you to adapt, or watch your scorecard struggle! The clubhouse is lovely and has always offered a delightfully warm welcome. A must-play when visiting the south on a golf holiday in France.

Medoc Les Chateaux

As a regular host of the European Tour and with an impressive 36 holes, you can be sure you’re getting a full day’s entertainment at Medoc Les Chateaux. Watch out though – it’s deceptively tough (gorse and heather and ditches catch many wayward balls) and you need to plan for every hole. The greens and fairways are large but the borders and water hazards are hugely unforgiving. Even at its most frustrating, it’s hard to be angry with a course that looks as beautiful as this. With a lovely four-star hotel on site and wine-tasting every where you look, Medoc “ticks the boxes” for many a fair golfer.

Seignosse

You’ll need to keep your wits about you to do well at Seignosse – the beautiful Robert von Hagge designed course. Concentrate and you’ll find the course quite a fair one and pick up a fair few pars. Olazabal played here before the Masters so similar is the challenge and it’s deservedly rated in the World Top 100. Very easy on the eye and great to play. A must play on a French golf holiday.

With all these quality courses, a golf holiday in France’s south is worth considering all year round but is an even more enticing proposition when it’s only a quick flight from blighty. Of course, from October to March, France offers low-season prices so there’s no excuse not to go. Add to this, the delightful culture and splendid gourmet treats and you’ll have to agree that a south of France golf break is an outstanding choice.

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