Golf expeditions for the connoisseur

Words: John Botha. Article from the Compleat Golfer Magazine May 2015.

John Botha narrows down four top international destinations for golfers who take their game a little more seriously, and who wish to escape from the typical package tour.

There are more golf tour operators than you could shake your wedge at, and everywhere the game is played, some company will offer intrepid golfers amazing discounts on travel, golf and accommodation, claiming expert knowledge of the area, and be happy for taking money for arranging that ‘golfing trip of a lifetime’.

It would seem that many golfers are content to buy into these frantic, cut-price odysseys, constantly be reminded that the bus is about to leave, and then once they’re on the bus, wait for their exasperated tour guide to locate someone’s luggage or to find the people who always seem to get lost.

Good advice for any independent tourist is to avoid trying to do and see too much in the time allotted, and experienced globetrotters will agree that it is better to take your time and have an itinerary that allows for some adjustments. With our rand being so weak, we must accept that while some money can be saved by diligent research and some astute planning, the privilege of playing premier golf courses anywhere is not going to come cheap.

What I would suggest is that unless you and your travelling companions have generous budgets, rather avoid the upmarket accommodation and spend more money on playing quality courses. As a real golfer, a great experience on the course will be more memorable than that plush hotel room with big-screen television and 24- hour bar service.

I have chosen these experiences not just because of their exceptional quality, but because there are other great courses within easy reach, and because there are also many other non-golfing pursuits in the vicinities.

Georgia/Alabama, USA

The United States has a number of areas with superb facilities, all of which are geared for golf tourism and, because of the culture of service that has existed there for many years, no matter where you go, you will be likely not be disappointed. The West Coast and its famous Carmel peninsula (Pebble Beach), Arizona (Scottsdale) and the Bandon Dunes resort in Oregon, with its four exceptional courses, are all highly recommended.

For good weather, standard of golf courses and value for money, however, it doesn’t come much better than the Georgia and Alabama regions. After landing at Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta, heading off in almost any direction will reveal some exceptional golfing destinations. Hiring a car (or a minibus if there are four of you) is the most convenient option, and depending on your time constraints, within easy driving distance is a plethora of truly excellent facilities. To the west is the Robert Trent Jones (RTJ) Trail in Alabama, to the north, the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains, and south-east, Savannah. You can look forward to some world-class, accessible golf courses on almost all points of the compass.

A good place to start (or end) your trip would be at Reynolds Plantation, a little more than an hour’s drive from Atlanta near the town of Greensboro on the way to Augusta. There are no fewer than six courses at this Ritz-Carlton resort, and although I have played only two of them, I drove around the others in a golf cart and was blown away by the quality of design and pristine conditioning.

Besides the RTJ Trail, Bent Tree Golf Club in northern Georgia is a must-play, and if you plan to visit Savannah (one of the most beautiful cities in the US) you just have to experience the Chateau Elan and Sea Island Resort on the southern tip of St Simons Island. You will soon understand why so many US Tour players live here – it’s golfing heaven.

Southeast Asia

During the1990S and 2000s there was a boom in golf course construction in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam, but the sad truth is that some of these estates, resorts and private facilities (that did allow visitors) have not been able to maintain the high standards they originally set.

The good news is that some have managed to, and they still offer great value. There’s a lot to be said for golf in this region, but if you want to experience something completely different, head to Borneo via Kuala Lumpur. A short flight across the South China Sea takes you to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah province. If the trip to this exotic location (a part of Malaysia) was to play just one course – the Sabah Golf and Country Club – it would be worthwhile, but there a few others well worth playing.

Travelling halfway around the world, most golfers obviously want to experience some of the other attractions of the region, and this part of Borneo has many – from pristine rainforests and fascinating wildlife to unspoiled beaches and dive sites that are some of the best on the planet. Of all my favourite golf destinations, this one offers the best value for accommodation and golf, and the locals (despite the fact that some tribes have acquired the worrying reputation of being head- hunters) are very friendly.

The Sabah Golf and Country Club’s course may be known for being the toughest layout in all of Southeast Asia (which is probably why Vijay Singh spent some time here preparing for the US Tour), but it is arguably the finest test of golf without being impossible. It was designed by Robert Muir Graves and opened in 1976, and the layout is nothing short of a masterpiece.

There are more than a dozen other courses to play in the area, such as the Jack Nicklaus-designed Borneo Golf & Country Club, and the Sutera Harbour 27-hole facility, which is the work of Graham Marsh, but the single-figure handicapper will always yearn for another crack at the best.

Ireland

The Emerald Ilse may well have some of the finest golf courses, but for me (and many more respected golf people), Ballybunion in County Kerry is simply the best links course in the world. The most knowledgeable golf writers and some of the greatest champions (including Tom Watson), agree that the Ballybunion’s Old Course simply has no peer, and if a golfer has not played this course, there is a gaping chasm in their education.

It is not known who actually designed the course (there are unsubstantiated theories that it could have been Old Tom Morris or James Braid), but it did open in 1893, and besides some minor changes, it remains as it has for a century. Ballybunion’s other course, The Cashen, was added only in 1982 (a product of Robert Trent Jones’ drawing-board) and while The Old Course will always be considered superior, The Cashen is also quite spectacular and probably a few shots tougher.

The beauty of travelling in Ireland is that it is easy to get around, the locals are extremely friendly and helpful, and wherever you may be, you are always surrounded by myriad courses that are all magnificent. If your time is limited, it is suggested that once you land in Dublin, you play the historic Portmarnock (if only to experience one of the greatest five-hole finishes in all of golf). Then make haste to Kerry and, based there, you will have access to a dozen courses – including Ballybunion – that are all unforgettable treats.

Scotland

It goes without saying that every golfer should play the famous Old Course at St Andrews at least once – this is, after all, the ‘Home of Golf and if walking these fairways does not stir your blood, I suggest you rather stay at home and beat balls at your local driving range…

It’s difficult to get onto the Old Course, but not impossible. Forget about trying to play during July or August (particularly during a year such as this when The Open is being played here), and although 50 percent of the tee times are made available via the ballot system, none of these times are for weekends. There is also a two-course policy here, so you cannot play only the Old Course, but you will have to book (and pay in advance) to play one of the other courses in the St Andrews cluster. They are all brilliant and well worth the money.

But assuming that many avid golfers have already played St Andrews, as well as some of the other famous Open Championship venues, I suggest that you head into the Highlands to play the course many consider to be the best in Scotland – Royal Dornoch. This wild, desolate, but beautiful countryside overlooking the Firth of Dornoch was made for golf, and both the Championship Course and the Struie Course will infuriate, frustrate and enchant you.

My second choice is unquestionably Turnberry, and besides the famous Ailsa Course, the site of the unforgettable Nicklaus/ Watson duel, and where the latter almost won The Open years later, there is also the Kintyre and the Arran, both very special golf experiences. I have not visited this upmarket resort since Donald Trump bought the place, but I can imagine that the magnificent hotel has been further improved, although when I was there this hardly seemed possible.

If walking these fairways doesn’t stir your blood, I suggest you rather stay at home.

In short

It was difficult to leave places like Australia, France, Italy, the Iberian Peninsula and even Zimbabwe off my list, but they can wait for another time. My final bit of advice is this: if you haven’t played South Africa’s top courses, at least the top 100 or so, it might be an idea to do this before travelling abroad. By the time you’ve experienced

the best your own country has to offer, the rand may even have strengthened…