The recent opening of two additional golf courses in the heart of Tuscany create additional opportunities for travelers to combine golf and a visit to one of the most iconic lifestyle destinations in the world.
Villa La Massa in Florence
Less than 15km’s from the medevil city of Siena is Borgo La Bagnaia, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design which is the central feature of this new development. The course undulates through the Tuscan countryside with an attractive, playable feel. It only opened in September, 2011 and is moving quickly through the maturation phase. This five star resort also offers and extensive spa and multiple dining options, including a Pizzeria which is noted as one of the finest in the area, on the night we were there it was very busy with locals….always a good indication!. The nearby city of Siena, famous for it horse race through the city’s main Piazza, the Palio happens twice annually in July and August.
About 50 minutes to the south of Siena and in a more remote location is the Tom Wieskopf designed layout at Castiglion del Bosco. Part of a 4,500 acre development in the finest Tuscan tradition, CdB offers travelers the option of staying in one of the 9 luxuriously appointed villas dotted around the estate or in one of the 23 suites in the Borgo which sits atop a hill and is the centre of activity with a spa, swimming pool and dining options. The accommodations at CdB are very possibly the finest, with an attention to detail of construction and design I recall seeing anywhere in the world. I should also mention that in terms of food quality and wine, CdB delivers a fabulous experience, it was consistently outstanding. A visit and tour of the onsite vineyard is a must for any visitor. The golf course opened in July 2011 and access is limited to members and guests of the estate.
While it does not have an onsite golf course, the sister property of Villa D’Este on Lake Como, is the more intimate Villa La Massa on the outskirts of Florence, one of the most beautiful cities in the world….Villa La Massa is only 10 minutes from Ugolino and a similar distance from the Chianati region famous for it’s wines. Villa La Massa is perched on the edge of the Arno River which runs through Florence and deliver impeccable service in a comfortable setting.
All in all, Tuscany can deliver a golf travel experience which touches so many of the senses, it is a destination worthy of serious consideration for your next trip.
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
We at PerryGolf are asked regularly by our clients to suggest hidden gem courses and courses that hark back to golf as it was played in the past as well as the new modern layouts. I have read with interest plans to restore Taymouth Castle near Gleneagles back to its original James Braid design. The course currently is ideal for a nice relaxing round in some stunning scenery so with the addition of the new improvements -including 2 holes along the banks of the River Tay – it promises to be a great layout and should be ready right on time for the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014. You can see full details by clicking here.
By Alastair Niven. Alastair has been with PerryGolf for over 11 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
In 2008, Aberdeenshire Council approved the development of a Jack Nicklaus design championship course, a luxury hotel and 230 houses at Ury Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland; however the development was shelved in 2009 when Edinburgh based FM Developments put seven of their subsidiaries into administration, including the department looking after this project.
At the time they claimed they were still firmly committed to the project and intended to follow through with the development, however it is only recently that we’ve seen proof of this commitment as the estate has been sold to a new company FM Ury, which has been established by a former director of FM Developments. The aim is now to move forward and continue with the developments in the hope they ‘create a memorable golf experience that will hopefully add to the storied golf heritage of Scotland’. Watch this space for further updates on the project’s progress.
By Keith Baird. Keith has been with PerryGolf for over 11years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
Turnberry Resort has become the very first hotel in Scotland to introduce iPad wine and beverage menus into their dining experience. The growing popularity of the tablet computer in the US has also been incorporated by Gordon Ramsay into his London “Maze Restaurant”.
Turnberry has invested in ten iPads which offer guests a colourful and interactive choice of beer, wine, cocktails and whiskies in their 1906 restaurant and The Ailsa Bar & Lounge.
The news of the upgraded menus at Turnberry comes after their launch of a range of well-known golfers’ wines; including the personal selection from John Daly, Retief Goosen and Arnold Palmer. These will be featured on the new menus.
Any developments at Gleneagles are viewed with interest, especially with them due to host the Ryder Cup on its return to Europe in 2014. From this article, it looks like they have found a solution (for greens anyway) of maintaining great course conditions in spite of difficult environmental factors. I wonder how long it will be before we see this technology in more widespread use.
By Alastair Niven. Alastair has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
