03 Aug 2012
Posted by Rory 
While it is certainly frustrating that not all golf courses are open to the public, us golfing fans should count ourselves lucky that we can experience a host of the courses which our golfing idols have taken on. While football fans can only dream of playing at such stadiums as Old Trafford or the Bernabéu, any golfer has the ability to play in the footsteps of all competitors and legends of the game at some of the best courses that the world has to offer.
It is unfortunate that most of America’s top golf courses cannot be enjoyed by the huge number of golfing enthusiasts across the world. However, Pebble Beachis undoubtedly the exception. Since opening in 1919, it has thrilled and challenged some of the best golfers in the world, as well as anyone who has been lucky enough to travel here and take on this famous links. Pebble Beach has, and continues to, play host to a number of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, including the U.S. Open Championship five times. Although not the cheapest green fee in the world, you certainly get your money’s worth at this gorgeous venue. Many feel that Pebble Beach is the home of American golf and Jack Nicklaus famously stated: “If I had only one more round to play, I would choose to play it at Pebble Beach”. Need I say more?
If it’s good enough for the 18-time major champion…
This idyllic creation by Robert Trent Jones Jr. can often be overshadowed by the impressive facilities at the Sandy Lane resort when thinking of Caribbean golf. However it is often argued that Royal Westmoreland provides the more challenging of courses. The course fully utilises the natural environment when it comes to design, including features such as ravines and coral stone quarries. Furthermore, boasting views of the crystal waters of the Caribbean Sea from every green it is not hard to imagine why so many sports stars and celebrities have invested in property surrounding the course. Amongst these is Masters Champion Ian Woosnam, owning a villa overlooking the 18th fairway, who has suggested that the par 3s are some of the best he’s played anywhere in the world.
The 6th green measuring as the smallest green on the course, set in a quarry presents a tough 2nd shot into this par 4.
One of two outstanding courses in New Zealand, Kauri Cliffs offers an experience that is hard to match, with 6 holes played alongside cliffs plunging to the Pacific Ocean. The holes inland are equally magnificent, naturally integrated into the marsh, forest and farmland landscape. The book Golf’s 100 Toughest Holes featured Kauri Cliff’s seventh amongst its choices, and for anyone who has set foot on the tee of this 220 yard par 3, it is clear why. The uphill hole is played from one headland to another and contains a 350 foot drop in between, often with a crosswind coming off the sea to add to the fun! Don’t be put off though as Kauri luckily boasts 5 sets of tees to accommodate all skill levels so that this golfing destination can be an enjoyable test to any who are lucky enough to tackle it.
The magnificent par 3 “Cavalli” 7th.
Designed by legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, Valderrama is one of Europe’s top courses. Located in the Costa del Sol, this course was the first of Ryder Cup Europe’s host venues outside of the UK in 1997. The course proved a worthy host of this prestigious tournament, with Captain Seve Ballesteros leading Europe to victory over their American counterparts. Spanish golf is at the heart of this club, and the old-style Spanish architecture and design creates an atmosphere of tradition and history that is often associated with the likes of St Andrews and Augusta. Don’t be fooled by the beauty of the cork forest as its vast array of trees and water hazards can present a troublesome challenge. With length becoming irrelevant, the course emphasises an importance on shot making, creating a true test for golfers of all levels.
A perfect example of the kind of danger both the water and the trees can create.
Often overlooked when considering golf’s greatest courses, the Monte Rei is a true jewel in the picturesque foothills of the Eastern Algarve. This Jack Nicklaus signature course features an impressive design and attention to detail, making every hole as enjoyable as the next. Players can enjoy views of the Serra do Caldeirã Mountains to the north and the stunning waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the south. However be careful not to get caught up in the beauty of the landscape as the course features an abundance of sculptured bunkers and water hazards that must players must manoeuvre between.
An impressive view of the surrounding mountains and sculptured bunkers.
Let’s face it, the “home of golf” needs no introduction. Pivotal to the development of what we now know as the game of golf, the Old Course at St Andrews to this day still provides a test for the very highest level of competitors. It has played host to the Open Championship twenty eight times, as well as the annual Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Surprisingly, for a course with such a high reputation as this, the Old Course is open to the public. Whether you are eager to take the challenge of this exceptional course head on, or simply relax and enjoy following in the footsteps of a vast number of golfing legends, playing the Old Course at St Andrews is an unregrettable experience.
The unmistakable links traits of the Old Course.
Hosting four Open Championships, The Ailsa has no doubt seen its fair share of remarkable moments in Golf’s great history. Arguably the most compelling of these was the 1977 Open Championship’s ‘Duel in the Sun’. This enticing match was given the nickname that is now the name of a sports bar in the hotel and featured Tom Watson and Jack Nickalus, two of golf’s greatest legends. Watson and Nicklaus matched each other over 3 rounds and were tied right up to the closing holes where Watson hit a sensational 7 iron to 2 feet and sunk the birdie putt to clinch the title. The course offers magnificent coastal scenery and can be particularly demanding when the wind blows off the brooding isle of Ailsa Craig.
The signature 9th hole, “Bruce’s Castle” taking you past the iconic Turnberry Lighthouse.
Praised as much for its beautiful scenery as its challenging layout, Royal County Down’s Championship Links is located against the backdrop of the Mountains of Morne, stretching out across the coast of the Dundrum bay. Measuring at over 7,200 yards the course provides a true links test. Players are forced to manoeuvre their way around narrow fairways surrounded by sand dunes, purple heather and thick gorse. The well placed bunkers are considered some of the best in the world with overhanging lips dressed in heather and red fescue. The Annelsey Links is much shorter but can be equally as challenging and both are generally considered to be amongst the best kept courses in the world.
The 9th hole is one of the most photographed holes in world golf offering a picturesque view of the surrounding mountains and coastline.
Located on the North Coast of Northern Ireland in the picturesque seaside village of Castlerock, this course offers a particularly scenic golfing experience with views of Donegal and the River Bann and, if you’re lucky enough to play on a clear day, the Isle of Islay out towards Scotland. The course displays a lot of the classic links traits and the 4th hole is a favourite for many, a 200 yard par three named “Leg O’Mutton”. The tee shot is played to a raised green and a railway line runs the full length of the hole on the right and a meandering burn runs diagonally from right to left.
“Quarry”, 200 yard par 3.
Situated on the Glamorgan coast between Swansea and Cardiff and overlooking the British Channel, Royal Porthcawl Golf Club boasts spectacular views of the sea from every hole and the changeable wind provides new and varied challenges each time you tackle the course. The 16th hole boasts two 20 foot high cross bunkers at 260 yards from the tee. Tiger Woods famously sailed a 2 iron over these traps during the Walker Cup in 1995, but mere mortal golfers usually find themselves having to lay up to avoid the risk of the sand. The bunkers around the 17th green and the undulating green on the 18th hole, which spectacularly runs downhill to the sea, make par a very good score on both these holes and make the 19th hole hugely welcoming. The historic and atmospheric clubhouse gives the impression that it has been there since the very beginning of golf. The photographs in the clubhouse date back to the 1900s and include pictures of such celebrated players as Frank Stableford, a former member of the club, who devised a method of scoring that has saved many a golfer’s round! Royal Porthcawl’s rich history, combined with its magnificent seaviews, make it a course that is hard to match and the perfect venue to host the Seniors Open Championship in July 2014.
The opening 3 holes taking you along the sea shore before turning inland.
For more information on UK & Ireland Breaks, and Golf Holidays Europe please visit www.yourgolftravel.com or call free on 0800 043 6644.
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