No trip to the Highlands is complete without visiting Dornoch; a small historic town with spectacular architecture and steeped in history. Most famous recently for Madonna’s wedding and her son’s Christening in late 2000. It’s easy to see why this was her chosen venue; with Dornoch Cathedral a stunning center piece to the town.
I have visited Dornoch several times and never tire of browsing around the small antique shops not to mention the great walks that the town hosts in the Sutherland Hills. Part of the town’s magical history involves witchcraft as Dornoch is home to the last execution in Scotland for witchcraft.
The town is ideal for both golfers and non golfers, with Brora Golf Cluband Royal Dornoch located close by…it’s the ideal place to spend time during your golf trip.
By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is member of our admin team.
One of the advantages of having a partner who was born just outside of Cardiff (and is a very keen golfer) is that we get away to my favourite hotel, Celtic Manor, whenever possible; Wales playing at home in the Millennium Stadium, a family birthday or anniversary is all the excuse we need.
Celtic Manor
Although the main hotel looks somewhat formidable on approach – from the huge wooden dragon sleeping in the foyer, to the menus in the restaurants – it is a delightfully Welsh experience.
My partner always enjoys a lesson with the Pro which then continues onto one of the courses while I hit the Spa! The staff all over the hotel are extremely helpful and welcoming without being obtrusive and no less so at the Spa where you can chat about your treatment, choose your products and generally get into the mood for relaxation in the sunny conservatory.
There are five restaurants in the resort…and believe me, we have tried them all! My favourite is Rafters in the 2010 Clubhouse for superb food in an informal atmosphere. But for a real treat, and if we are being joined by family, the Taste of Wales experience in The Crown Restaurant makes for a memorable evening. Designed for a table of four or more to share, this is a taster menu with suggested wines and it is a lot of fun. The intention is that you will spend the entire evening with them; from pre-dinner drinks to a nightcap… and you are in no hurry to leave!
By Yvonne Shaw. Yvonne has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is a member of our admin team.
Golfers will forever enjoy the sensation of discovering that “new golf destination”. A recent trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic provided that experience for me. Situated on the eastern tip of the D.R., Punta Cana Resort & Club is entirely master planned. In recent years it has become popular as a destination of choice for many of the “all inclusive” resorts. These resorts, for the most part are situated to the north of the Punta Cana airport and offer various levels of service and price points.
For golfers however, the Punta Cana Resort & Club is the jewel to be discovered. When you scratch below the surface there are a multitude of fascinating storylines that emerge; the purchase of 30 square miles of jungle in 1969 with no road access, the commitment of the owners to improve their country through tourism, the sustainable tourism plans they have adopted, the rerouting of an international airport runway to enhance a golf experience, an airport arrival and departure process which is far from the ordinary, and a hotel experience at the very highest level.
The airport is owned by the same company who own the new Tom Fazio course, Corales and the Tortuga Bay hotel. They seamlessly blend together their businesses to ultimately deliver a memorable and unique product. The Punta Cana airport is the third busiest in the Caribbean and enjoys scheduled service from most major East Coast U.S. cities plus London, Frankfurt, Moscow, etc. As a guest of Tortuga Bay, as you deplane you are met by a hotel representative and whisked thru the arrival formalities via VIP lanes. Luggage is delivered and you are quickly sitting in a hotel vehicle for the 5 minute ride to the hotel. Tortuga Bay has only 30 suites in 13 villas alongside the beach. It is charming and comfortable with a superb staff.
The original golf course is La Cana, built by P.B. Dye in 2000. It has three holes played directly alongside the beach and is a very enjoyable course. Officially opened this month, the Corales course by Tom Fazio is a solid Fazio design. It can be safely discussed in the same conversation with Eagle Point, Calusa Pines or Caves Valley. Tom has delivered a fine course to the owners. From a conditioning standpoint, it is equal to his U.S. projects and given the commitment of the ownership, I believe that shall remain true over time. P.B. Dye is in the process of building the Hacienda course across the street from La Cana and it is scheduled to open either late 2010 or more likely 2011. I drove 9 holes with P.B. this past weekend and it certainly appears that it will be a fine test of golf. The current plan calls for the original La Cana course to be refurbished once Hacienda is open. Therefore, some time in 2012 they should have 3 very strong courses within 5 mins of a world class hotel and 5 minutes from a superior airport. A golfers dream!
Away from golf, they have a Six Senses Spa (the first in North America) with staff from Thailand. My wife, as a bit of a spa junkie and connoisseur was thoroughly impressed with the experience.
The departure experience at the airport was equally special, with VIP lines, lounges and for icing on the cake, a golf cart to the steps of your scheduled aircraft. It did not go unnoticed that they are re-routing the airport runway by what looked like 30 degrees to avoid overflight of the new Fazio Course and adjacent homesites…that is impressive!
If you are seeking a warm weather destination that is luxurious yet unpretentious, with excellent golf, spa and dining opportunities, I think you will not be disappointed in Tortuga Bay. I know I shall be returning and hope to see you there!
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
If you happen to be staying in the Loch Lomond area or are playing at the Carrick Golf Course, might I suggest you stop by the Cameron House Hotel for lunch or dinner. With 4 different dining areas to decide from, you’re bound to find an experience to suit your mood or occasion.
Boathouse at Cameron House Hotel
Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond opened in 2008 and is the hotel’s fine dining restaurant which offers a classic, chic setting in which to enjoy the fine food on offer. TheBoathouse is a New England style restaurant placed in a picturesque position by the water’s edge while The Cameron Grill is a more informal dining experience set in a contemporary atmosphere and showcases an open feature kitchen and walk-in wine cellar. Finally, The Claret Jug; this is the golf club house, but do not be put off by this, it is a stylish and relaxed eating area which presents local, timeless fare. So now all you have to do is decide which restaurant to go for –whichever you choose, you will not be disappointed!
Scotland is home to many of the world’s finest courses. In addition to the many Open Championship venues and bigger name courses, it is also home to some great courses which many people may not be aware of. I would consider Western Gailes to be one of the best ‘hidden gems’ around; situated about 10 minutes from Troon, the course is a true test of links golf and one which I consider to be a ‘must play’ if you spend any time in the Ayrshire area. Turnberry, Troon and Prestwick are all within striking distance of the course.
Normally I struggle to enjoy a golf course if I play badly, but Western Gailes is one of the few exceptions to my rule. I remember being 6 over par and 3 balls lighter after 4 holes when I played, I also managed to break my pull cart (not through anger!) yet still managed to enjoy my round. My fingers are crossed for another chance to play there this year and I will definitely be putting in some hours on the range to iron out my erratic driving.
