World Cup of Golf Finds a New Home in China

April 10, 2010March 17, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The World Cup of Golf has been moved from the Mission Hills Resort in Shenzhen, to a new home in Southern China. From 2011, it’s going to be held at the fantastic new Mission Hills resort in Hainan Island, which boasts a remarkable 22 courses. The event, will take place biennially – on the Blackstone Course -meaning it won’t clash with golf at the Olympics, which makes its long awaited return in 2016 when the Games are held in Rio De Janeiro.

The switching of the venue to Hainan Island is set to enhance Mission Hills’s plan for global domination, as it wouldn’t surprise me to see one of the World Golf Championships – the WGC-HSBC Champions – moved from Shanghai to Shenzhen in the next few years. Watch this space…

Click here for further information.

By Keith Baird. Keith has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our agents responsible for our China programmes.

The Irish Tourist Economy

March 22, 2010March 21, 2010 Mhairi

Our UK PerryGolf office may be based in Scotland, but as Ireland is another of the world’s most popular golfing destinations, we are constantly in contact with our suppliers over there.

St. Patrick's Day Celebrations in New York City

With the presence of St. Patrick’s Day (and festive ‘tourist drive’ parades being held in New York and Los Angeles), we are always reminded of the Irish culture and it was very interesting to read a recent report on the present economic stance of the country.

With the realization that Ireland is now perceived as a very expensive country to visit, many of the higher-end accommodations are looking to lower their rates quite markedly alongside the special offers in place for customers. With this proactive approach, and Ireland making a concerted effort to promote the country once again, hopefully golfers will not feel they have to miss out on some of the best courses in the world.

For further reading, click here.

Killarney Town

March 8, 2010February 16, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The South West of Ireland has some spectacular golf courses and when scheduling a golf vacation that includes Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville, the schedule must include a stay in Killarney. It is a great location and a fantastic base to play the well-known courses while the town itself is full of charm, excellent food and traditional Irish pubs.

The accommodation is not a disappointment with the 5 star Killarney Park Hotel and other great hotels…you can’t go wrong. There are over 40 bars in Killarney, which offer live traditional Irish music throughout the season. Killarney is also the starting point of the drive around the Iveragh Peninsula; a dramatically scenic route commonly known as the Ring of Kerry. The complete route is about 100 miles long, definitely an unmissable experience. There are also many excellent restaurants in the area and seafood is a big influence; I recommend Gaby’s Seafood Restaurant in the main street while staying in Killarney…here seafood is served at its best. If steak is your preferred option then Foley’s Seafood & Steak Restaurant is ideal.

Killarney is quaint and colourful with a vibrant town centre – a great place to relax during your golf vacation!

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is a member of the admin team.

Golf & Cycling in the South of France

March 5, 2010February 16, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The best way to spend an afternoon and get some exercise…cycling from Gallician to Aigues-Mortes! While onboard Le Phenicien on a trip to the South of France, I discovered that the 18-passenger luxury barge has a selection of bikes on board; whenever the barge is docked, you can take a bike and tour round the various towns and, of course, stop for a rose wine en route! During the trip I was able to cycle ahead of the barge, leaving from Gallician and arriving in front of the Le Phenicien at Aigues-Mortes. The cycle – with a stop for lunch – took me just around 1 hour and 45 minutes; such a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. I travelled along the canal path, which was very easy to follow and the scenery was so picturesque. On arrival at Aigues-Mortes, I could watch the arrival of Le Phenicien as I had left earlier than the barge and arrived in advance of its mooring.

One late afternoon on the trip I also cycled and explored the town of Arles; a fantastic small town with many exciting places to visit and delicious food to sample. Arles has some impressive Roman monuments, of which the earliest – the arena, the Roman theatre and the cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) – date back to the 1st century B.C. I visited The Thermae of Constantine, the remains are part of a vast group of buildings dating from the 4th century. Simply spectacular to visit and using the bikes onboard is the easiest way to see everything in these small historic towns – and allows you to burn off some of the calories consumed during your trip!

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our team members who handles our South Pacific programs.

Le Phenicien ~ French Barge Trip

February 24, 2010February 6, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Having never been to the south of France, I was delighted that I was able to travel on our Provence River Cruise program onboard the 18-passenger luxury barge Le Phenicien. It is certainly THE way to travel; the food is outstanding and the service is second to none…a real home from home.

One of the highlights on the program was a trip to a local manade; a typical ranch, where the gardians à cheval (the local authentic cowboys) showed us how they tend the herds of bulls on their white horses. The ranch is located in Camargue, a short distance from when Le Phenicien was docked. On arrival we were greeted by the family who owned the range and the tour began with a display of bull herding out in the open – the weather was perfect and the display was not disappointing. On returning to the ranch, it was of great interest to learn of the history of the horses, bulls and the ranch.

Tasty snacks and excellent wine (amongst other delights) were supplied during the tour. It was fascinating to discover that the family spend every day in the traditional gardians à cheval clothing – an excellent part of the program – and the family could not have been more welcoming to their visitors. It was certainly a memorable and special experience.

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our team members responsible for the South Pacific programs.

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