Don’t miss these 5 must-play courses in Spain

European golf observers consider El Saler, designed by Javier Arana and opened in 1968, one of the elite courses in Continental Spain.

For all of Spain’s charm and widespread appeal, perhaps golf has received a short shrift from casual observers in discussions covering the nation’s allure. Like a hidden diamond in a showcase of gems, the golf courses are eclectic, entertaining and enjoyable, offering a variety of styles from an outstanding collection of architects.

Later this month, PerryGolf’s cruise to the Iberian Peninsula departs Barcelona as guests board the elegant 690-seat Azamara Journey on a nine-night voyage that includes six rounds of golf. The Iberian Peninsula Golf Cruise (May 29 – June 7) is one of many options offered by PerryGolf aimed toward travelers seeking to explore the golf available in this intriguing region. The incredible beauty, culture and gastronomy in Spain are a given, and the world class golf shall no longer be overlooked. 

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From Ballesteros to Olazabal, Jimenez to Garcia and today’s blossoming star, Jon Rahm, the Spaniards have, for decades, made a significant imprint on professional golf. Without compare, this nation with 46.5 million residents produces fiery champions and colorful characters. Each year it’s also becoming apparent to an international array of guests that the golf courses scattered about the nation are excellent.

The climate, of course, is ideal.

While there are nearly 350 courses sprinkled through Spain, many of the best are concentrated along the Southern coast from Isla Cristina in the west along the Portugal border through Costa del Sol and east to Costa Blanca. Splashed with sun and later sipping sangria, embrace the beauty of the coastline and azure water of the Alboran Sea in pursuit of pars and postcard memories.

Make sure you make a tee time at one of these five Spanish delights.

PGA Catalunya (Stadium)

Located 45 minutes north of the iconic city of Barcelona, the Stadium course at PGA Catalunya is Spain’s answer to the original Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass – known best for its diabolical 17th hole that terrorizes pros each spring during the the PLAYERS.

European PGA Tour veterans Angel Gallardo and Neil Coles collaborated and designed a layout measuring nearly 7,400 yards from the tips but also catered it to golfers across the handicap spectrum by building five sets of tees (the yardage is 5,500 from the forward tees). Large firs and ample water hazards border wide fairways and undulating greens. Expect the trademark semi-island greens surrounded by railroad ties.

PGA Catalyunya golf professional Enric Lopez shares these tips to taming the hearty Stadium course, which can be intimidating from the teeing ground and has been ranked No. 1 in Spain.

Real Club Valderrama 

Tiger Woods made his Ryder Cup debut on this venerable Robert Trent Jones Sr. design in 1997 and the matches produced a unfavorable result for the young professional and his American teammates. Feeding off the passion and purpose of captain Seve Ballesteros and buoyed by phenomenal performance in the foursomes and fourball matches, the Europeans claimed the Cup, 14.5 to 13.5.

The course remains a fixture on the European PGA Tour schedule, serving as host for the Andalucia Valderrama Masters on Oct. 18-21. Sergio Garcia is the defending champion for the event certain to attract yet another strong international field.

The members purchased the club, which includes the par-3 course and clubhouse, last fall for $28 million Euros and there are plans to add another 18-hole championship layout.

El Saler 

With holes reminiscent of a Scottish links and others winding through a Mediterranean forest, variety and beauty are the hallmarks of this short yet challenging design. Located just south of Valencia, overlooking the Balearic Sea, this gem from architect Javier Arana measures nearly 7,000 yards from the championship tees and is guaranteed to test a golfer’s acumen in every area of the game.

Bernhard Langer tamed El Saler in the final round of the 1984 Spanish Open, firing a course-record 10-under 62 to seal the victory. He went on to win the European Tour Order of Merit that year. Langer again won the event on El Saler five years later. Robert Karlsson (2001) and Raphael Jacquelin (2013) also have fond memories of Spanish Open titles at El Saler.

Arana designed 10 courses in his career, starting in 1946 until his passing in 1975. He considered El Saler the masterpiece due to the unspoiled land and intricate green complexes. Learn more about Arana in this excellent profile from 2009.

Not fond of earthmoving, probably due to the associated cost, Arana held that 80 per cent of the course was nature and that man should only be responsible for 20 per cent of the final design … Good routing and usage of available land was one of his main strengths: in flatter seaside property, he excelled at minimizing green-to-tee walks

Finca Cortesin

With a healthy 7,500 yards from the championship tees and more than 100 bunkers, this three-time host of the Volvo World Match Play Championship (2009, 2011, 2012) underwent a significant upgrade and renovation in the summer of 2017. The greens were the centerpiece of this project and the reviews since have been positive for this Cabell B. Robinson design.

Robinson, an American, received a bachelor’s degree from Princeton in the late 1960s and attended graduate school in design at Harvard. He went to work for legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1971 and led his European department until 1987 when he started his own firm. Robinson has courses throughout Europe but none are held in higher regard than Finca Cortesin, slightly inland from the Mediterranean, routed through a valley. There are many unforgettable holes, thanks to the lack of residential development on the property.

Real Golf Club Sotogrande

When a man as esteemed in his field as Robert Trent Jones Sr., claiming 500 courses designed or renovated, proclaims a course as ranking among his five favorites then it’s wise to heed the words – and better yet, procure a tee time, with alacrity.

The course was RTJ’s first in Europe, opening in 1964. It surely opened the doors for him to spread his genius across the continent. Any smart developers or landowners who were anxious to contribute to Europe’s rapid golf course growth at the time hoped to lure Trent Jones to design their layout.

Click here to watch a flyover video of the course.

Better still, the course enjoyed a significant renovation, completed in July 2016 and engineered by the team of Rulewich & Fleury that included the installation of 419 Bermudagrass fairways.

Ballesteros won the Spanish Professional Championship at Sotogrande in 1987, holing a greenside bunker shot on the 16th hole in the final round. The members probably still talk about that one in the 19th Hole.

 

 

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Enjoy these 5 must-see attractions in Rome

Opened in 80 AD, the Colosseum had a capacity of 80,000 spectators, making it the largest amphitheatre ever built. The ruins still stand and are a certain stop on any tour of Rome.

 

Rome is a city beyond compare, combining a blend of romance, culture, history and beauty to create an ideal destination for any traveler possessing a keen sense of adventure and intellectual curiosity about previous eras.

Millions of guests from around the globe visit Italy’s capital each year, mingling with the city’s 2.8 million residents amid relics and structures that date back two thousand years. While many visitors indulge in exquisite dining and fine wines in the evening, they perhaps walk the avenues the next day to observe the architecture, parks, gardens, monuments and museums, burning calories while enjoying the scenery.

PerryGolf offers a 14 night Escorted Tour to Italy in late August / early September which wraps up in Rome where guests are pampered at the 5-star Hotel Bernini Bristol, a historical palace built in the late 1800s that offers an abundance of modern amenities and an ideal location in the heart of the city in the shadow of Piazza Barberini.

The golf is fantastic and diverse in Italy as guests on a PerryGolf Escorted Tour enjoy six rounds, including one at Marco Simone, located 10 miles from the center of Rome and sharing the grounds of an 11th century castle. Marco Simone is the site of the 2022 Ryder Cup and from several holes offers a view of St. Peter’s Dome, which was designed by Michelangelo. The brilliant Italian fashion designer Laura Biagiotti (“The Queen of Cashmere”) and future husband Gianni Cigna bought the property in the late 1970s and commissioned American architect Jim Fazio in 1989 to carve out the outstanding 27-hole golf course.

PerryGolf also offers an array of Custom Tours to fit your schedule and desires as well, for groups large and small. Whatever your preferred route, plan or party size, be sure to visit these five places on your visit to Rome.

The Colosseum

If your travels to Rome allowed you only one sight to see, this would surely be it. Then again, you’ll hardly face that problem on a PerryGolf Escorted Tour as there is ample time allotted for each sight to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. And this architectural wonder deserves to be savored and explored.

Also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, The Colosseum was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD and his son, Titus, opened it with a bang eight years later, presenting 100 consecutive days of games – which included gladiators battling and wild animals fighting. After four centuries, the arena fell into neglect and only one-third of the original structure remains today. Nearly four million visitors tour the grounds each year.

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Pantheon

Perhaps Michelangelo himself best described this former temple the first time he gazed upon it, saying it looked more like the work of angels than the work of humans. The best preserved Roman Monument, it was built in 120 AD by Emperor Hadrian, who collaborated with Apollodorus of Damascus on its design. The building became a church in the 7th century and features the world’s largest unsupported dome, measuring 142 feet in diameter – nearly 50 feet larger than than the dome on the U.S. Capitol. Supporting the building are 16 massive Corinthian columns weighing 60 tons apiece. During construction each column traveled down the Nile River during spring flooding and onward across the Mediterranean Sea before arriving in the heart of Rome.

Vatican City

Located inside the city of Rome is the world’s smallest fully independent city-state which serves as headquarters to the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican City gained its current status on the 11th of February, 1929,  signed into existence by the Italian leader Benito Mussolini. St. Peter’s Basilica, built between 1477 and 1480, is a featured building while inside the Vatican Palace the Sistine Chapel features the renaissance art of Michelangelo, including his remarkable paintings on the ceiling, which have been fully restored in recent years and are vibrant and clear today. A central point to the ceiling art is nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, including The Creation of Adam, a work without compare in the High Renaissance world. The majority of Vatican City’s 600 residents live abroad, although it remains, of course, the residence of Pope Francis.

Roman Forum

The center of ancient Rome, the Forum ruins give a glimpse of the temples, basilicas and vibrant public spaces that beginning in the 7th century served as host to religious and secular events. Rectangular in shape, it was once the home to battles between gladiators, general elections, public speeches, criminal trials and also functioned as the centerpiece of Roman commerce. It developed and transformed over many centuries under different rulers and was eventually replaced by nearby buildings constructed under the rule of Julius Caesar among others. Augustus Caesar gave the Forum its final configuration.

Trevi Fountain

As legend has it, toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain and ensure your return to Rome. Millions of liras and euros have no doubt plummeted to the fountain floor in this pursuit. Dating to the earliest Roman times, the fountain served as a display of an ancient Roman aqueduct. Built mostly of travertine stone, the Trevi Fountain is 85 feet high and spills 2.8 million cubic feet of water daily. The theme of the fountain is the ‘taming of the power of water.’ The muscular, majestic form of Neptune (16 feet in height) is the primary figure among the intricate carvings, which include his two steeds and their tritons as well as Abundance, holding the horn of plenty and Health, drinking from a serpent filled cup. Pope Nicholas V ordered a restoration in 1453 and the fountain has enhanced its reputation as Italy’s most beautiful in the centuries since.

 

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3 Championship Courses and the Final Round of the Masters await in 2019

Another thrilling Masters Tournament is in the books and Patrick Reed became the latest golfer to earn admission to an exclusive club (and the Tuesday Champions’ Dinner). The former Augusta State golfer shot 15-under par to claim the green jacket and a one-shot victory over Rickie Fowler.

Regardless the outcome and eventual champion, Augusta National Golf Club always delivers a dramatic finale each April. Officials set up the course in the final round Sunday to provide a palate for the world’s best players to put their incredible skills on display. This year alone, we watched as three golfers – Webb Simpson, Paul Casey and Jordan Spieth – scorched the Alister MacKenzie layout early and threatened the course record of 63 (held by Nick Price and Greg Norman) only to falter late as the ghosts of Masters past surely crept into their mind, one by one.

Obtaining a badge to attend the final round of the Masters has been called the toughest ticket in sports. Patrons pass them down to family members or perhaps loan them to friends and most who don’t know the right someone are usually out of luck.

PerryGolf is here to help, however. Next year, you could be one of the patrons watching a critical eagle on 13, awaiting an ace at 16 or cheering the champion as he makes the long climb up the 18th fairway to the green. Attending the final round is an option available to guests on our 2019 Charleston & Bermuda Golf Cruise, an 11-Night round trip out of New York City on the outstanding Azamara Journey.

Of course, you will do more than watch golf on this cruise, which is ideal for golf-loving couples and for golfers with spouses who don’t play golf. The cruise includes rounds at excellent courses bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Here’s what you need to know about the layouts you’ll enjoy on the cruise.

Kiawah Island Ocean Course

American architect Pete Dye crafted this gem for the 1991 Ryder Cup, which reached a thrilling conclusion when Bernhard Langer’s par putt on 18 slipped past the lip sending the U.S. team to a 14.5 to 13.5 victory.

Several players who competed in those matches returned 16 years later to battle the Ocean Course in the 68th Senior PGA Championship, won by the South African pro Denis Watson with a 279 total.

Then, in 2012 Rory McIlroy, the young superstar from Northern Ireland, enhanced his blossoming future, blistering the Ocean Course in 13-under and blitzing the PGA Championship field by eight shots to secure his second major championship.

With 10 holes running alongside the Atlantic Ocean, handling the wind is one key ingredient to taming this monster. In addition, the course is one of only a few in North America that features the saltwater tolerant Paspalum grass on its fairways and greens. It can be tricky to read – and present a devilish rough.

“There’s no other course in the Northern Hemisphere that has as many seaside holes,” – Ocean Course architect Pete Dye

Along those lines, don’t forget to pack an extra sleeve of balls – or three – before tackling the Ocean Course.

Mid-Ocean Club

Charles Blair MacDonald was a pioneer in American golf course architecture, crafting gems such as the New York triumvirate of National Golf Links, Sleepy Hollow CC and Piping Rock Club in the early 20th century. Also in this era, he designed a gem on Bermuda, the small island in the Atlantic Ocean, 880 miles east of Charleston, SC.

Opened in 1921, Mid-Ocean features not only stunning panoramic views of the ocean, but also incredibly intricate strategic gems such as the par-4 No. 5, which provides the ultimate in risk & reward, tempting golfers to challenge the water hazard and carry as much of it as they can.

The course measures only 6,540 yards from the championship tees but the always present strong wind and intensive bunkering creates a stiff test for golfers of any skill level.

Port Royal Golf Club 

Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed this beauty in 1970, giving golfers on Bermuda another championship layout on which to test their skills and enjoy the abundant scenery.

RTJ Sr. was a prolific golf course architect with more than 400 courses to his credit in the United States and throughout the world. His sons, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees Jones have carried on his legacy.

Measuring 6,842 yards from the championship tees, Port Royal is the longest course on Bermuda and presented a terrific test for the reigning major champions when it played host to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2009 and 2010.

The 16th hole at Port Royal is a magnificent par-3, a stout 235 yards from the tips with only the glorious blue water of the Atlantic Ocean between the golfer and the green. Proper club selection and impeccable execution are imperative to solve this daunting riddle from any set of tees.

 

 

 

 

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Discover These 3 Ideal Destinations for Golf-Loving Couples

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence is one of many memorable attractions in Italy made readily available on a PerryGolf Escorted Tour, catering to couples.

From the banks of Venice to the shores of Sydney, whether observing the flightless Kiwi or simply gazing out upon the beautiful water of Lake Como, PerryGolf offers myriad destinations for couples who seek to combine their passions of travel and golf.

Enrich your mind and replenish your soul while pursuing those pesky pars, making lasting friendships along the way with similar minded folks who walk alongside on a unforgettable journey. Each of PerryGolf’s Cruises, Custom Tours and Escorted Tours provides not only a host of activities, sightseeing, dining and, of course world class golf on amazing courses, but also ample time for relaxing, recharging and enjoying a vacation certain to create indelible memories.

(Also, keep in mind that if you book a PerryGolf cruise by March 31st, your better half saves HALF, and you will also receive free internet while on board select Azamara cruises).

While PerryGolf can take you from the British Isles to South Africa and many points in between, learn more about these three destinations which are ideal for golfing couples:

Italy

If ever there was a country suited for traveling couples, it’s this European destination which is famously shaped like a boot.

Milan. Venice. Rome.

Shopping. History. Food & Wine.

Whatever you prefer – or why not a taste of each? – Italy caters to couples, allowing ample opportunity to indulge and inhale each scene and delight. Inquire about PerryGolf’s Best of Italy Escorted 2018, which begins Aug. 25 and spans two weeks, traveling from bustling city streets to quiet countryside. Admire Michelangelo’s amazing painted ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, feel in awe while gazing deep into Da Vinci’s Last Supper and you never know which A-List celebrity you may bump shoulders with while strolling about Lake Como.

The golf is stellar. Marco Simone will be the site of the 2022 Ryder Cup and is certain to present a daunting challenge to the finest professionals from Europe and the United States. Located 10 miles from the center of Rome and meandering around an 11th century castle, Marco Simone combines a creative mixture of challenge, beauty, risk and reward, designed by noted American architect Jim Fazio. The par-5 16th hole, measuring 550 yards from the championship tees with its green defended by a menacing stream is certain to snare the attention of each man or woman who passes through.

The quaint, beautiful towns of Sorrento and Positano sit perched high upon steep cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean.

A major shipping hub and port in the 18th century, Positano today is a sophisticated resort gazing down over the gorgeous central Amalfi Coast in Italy. Explore along steep flights of steps, if you wish. The town’s origin is traced to the ninth century and its nucleus centered around a Benedictine Abbey.

John Steinbeck, Pablo Picasso and Liz Taylor are among those who have fallen hard for the charm of Positano.

 

New Zealand

Sparse in population, rich in beauty and abundant in local hospitality, New Zealand demands at least one visit from any adventurous traveling couple.

From Taupo to Queenstown and every interesting point in between, PerryGolf delivers a unforgettable experience in New Zealand, offering both an Escorted Tour which begins Nov. 5th and a delightful cruise which departs in January, 2019 in addition to Custom Tours of your preference.

Let’s start with the golf, which in recent years has increased in quantity and quality. The incredible landscapes, rocky cliffs and vistas of sparkling blue water provide the perfect canvas, enabling talented course designers to craft masterpieces worthy of the trip required to experience them.

Along those lines, Cape Kidnappers receives all the headlines – and rightfully so. This Tom Doak masterpiece makes Pebble Beach look mundane, demanding shots over trees to targets in slivers of land nestled 500 feet above the glorious Hawke’s Bay. Equally enjoyable is Royal Wellington – the first in New Zealand to receive the Royal designation – and a regular host of the New Zealand Open – most recently in 2014.

Away from the links, Hawke’s Bay and its world-renowned wineries will make any wine connoisseur feel warm and fuzzy. It’s the nation’s oldest wine producing region in New Zealand is known for its full-bodied red wines and complex Chardonnays.

Lake Taupo is a destination beyond description. Called “Nature’s Ultimate Playground,” the brilliant scenery from Huka Falls to Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings must be explored and PerryGolf provides ample time for just this on the journey.

 

Australia

Dates haven’t been finalized for the Best of Australia Escorted Tour 2019, but expect it to begin in January or February – and expect it to fill up quickly. The array of quality golf, interesting cities and warm people make Down Under a special landing spot. Then again, the warm climate awaiting when most Northern Hemisphere residents battle nip and chill of winter doesn’t hurt Australia’s seasonal popularity, either.

The golf is stunning in this grand sporting nation. We’ll discuss, momentarily, the world renowned layouts and immaculate conditions. But first, consider the wealth of attractions to realize in Sydney, Melbourne and beyond.

When discussing iconic images, the Sydney Opera House takes center stage. Located on the glorious Sydney Harbour and perhaps the most easily recognized structure in all of Australia, it welcomes seven million visitors annually. Take a guided tour or better yet – enjoy one of the 1,500 performances the Opera House holds each year.

For deluxe accommodations, the Langham Melbourne is an exquisite 5-star hotel on the banks of the Yarra River. Calm your body, mind and soul as East meets West in the Chuan Spa, which is considered among Australia’s finest.

Vue de Monde is simply one of many elite dining options available in downtown Melbourne. Be sure to save room for the rest and enjoy the view from 55 stories above the city, gazing across the skyline.

In Queensland be certain to visit one of these restaurants. We can almost taste the Patagonian Toothfish and Sydney Rock Oysters.

There are so many of the world’s best golf courses from which to choose. New South Wales (right) opened in 1928 after the Scottish architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie unveiled his brilliant vision. Abutting the Tasman Sea and Botany Bay, the layout is routinely ranked within the top five in Australia. Over on the northeast coast of Tasmania, the two courses at Barnbougle Dunes – The Dunes and The Lost Farm send scribes scrambling to the online thesaurus seeking other ways to say spectacular.

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PerryGolf Destination: Australia

Royal Melbourne West is the prize of the Sandbelt. The Alister MacKenzie masterpiece is a consensus top 10 in the World layout. PerryGolf can take you there on a Custom Tour or Escorted Tour. 

As summer turns to fall in Australia, one of the nation’s most beloved and respected champion golfers returned home and played the two courses he considers his favorite in the world.

Ian Baker-Finch, the 1991 Open Champion, and a veteran member of the CBS Sports broadcast team, took advantage of the network’s coverage break in advance of The Masters and headed Down Under to play Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

IBF posted this beautiful aerial shot of Kingston Heath (and additional photos from his trip) to his Instagram account earlier this week, making it easy to understand why he has such strong affection for the layout, which was ranked No. 20 in Golf Magazine’s 2017-18 Top 100 Courses in the World.

 

 

Via Custom Tours or Escorted Tours, PerryGolf brings golf enthusiasts from around the globe to the glorious Melbourne Sandbelt – and beyond – each year during the Southern Hemisphere’s ideal weather months (October – March).

For example, The Best Golf of Sydney and Melbourne features seven rounds in nine days.

Kingston Heath was originally designed in 1925 by the Australian professional Dan Soutar. The renowned Scottish architect Alister MacKenzie (Cypress Point, Augusta National) visited three years later and raved about Soutar’s routing. MacKenzie added the layout’s characteristic bunkering, the identifiable feature of his gems in the Sandbelt region.

None other than Greg Norman described the course’s four par 3s as the best set in the world. And while they deserve every breath of praise, it’s the short par-4 No. 3 – measuring only 295 yards from the back tees – that earns the respect of another Champion Golfer of the Year from Australia, the great Peter Thomson, who won the Open Championship five times between 1954 and 1965.

“Holes of this length are not built any more – a pity. This one is a gem,” Thomson said. “In this day and age it can be driven, although the possibility must be ten or more to one against. For this reason the penalties for missing the target should be more severe, this enhancing the challenge.”

Thomson, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, also designed dozens of courses around the globe in an architectural career spanning 50 years.

Soren Kjeldsen and Thorbjorn Olesen found Kingston Heath to their liking in the 2016 World Cup of Golf, shooting 20-under-par for 72 holes to bring the trophy home to Denmark.

The journey Down Under to play Kingston Heath, Royal Melbourne and the many, many other courses which are among the world’s best, is a special and unique offering. When you go, be certain to take advantage of this tax break, offered to tourists on certain items. To learn more about the majestic courses in Tasmania and on King Island, enjoy these stunning photos and observations from Gordon Dalgleish, the PerryGolf Co-Founding Director and President. 

Dates and details should be finalized soon for PerryGolf’s extremely popular, The Best of Australia Escorted 2019. If you’re interested in playing these delightful gems and learning more about the trip, be sure to contact us.

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