As you can imagine, we have a fair few golf enthusiasts knocking around the Your Golf Travel offices and like you guys, we all have our golf bucketlists, packed full of courses and destinations we’re dreaming of playing one day.

We had a running discussion in the office this week about where we’re all planning to head for our golf holidays in 2016 and from the windswept coastlines of Northern Ireland and Scotland, to the sunny Algarve and beyond, there was plenty of variety proving very much so that beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder!

Here’s what’s on the agenda for us all next year…


Oliver Gunning, YGT Marketing wants to go to The Old Course at St Andrews

For me, it doesn’t get much better than playing The Old Course at St Andrews. Whilst the course evokes some great memories of past championships and moments in golf, it is the “golfiness” of the town that really makes it for me (I’m a self-confessed golf geek).


st-andrews-old-course


Things like walking into Number 1 Golf Place or The Jigger Inn with your golf clubs in tow all adds to a trip to the Auld Grey Toon.

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON OLD COURSE TEE TIMES >>


Andrew Zammit Manduca, YGT Marketing wants to go to Celtic Manor Resort 5*

Celtic Manor has the Ryder Cup history attached to which would make a round on the Twenty Ten that bit more special. Together with beautiful scenery of the surrounding countryside and a 5* hotel, this would be right up my street.


celtic-manor


The other courses (Montgomerie and Roman Road) look superb too and in general the place looks very tranquil and relaxed which would be a good fit for me as a relative beginner. I might even take up the option of booking a tuition break!

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON CELTIC MANOR GOLF BREAKS >>


Callum Forbes, YGT Product wants to go to Royal County Down

After watching most of the Irish Open back in May, I immediately added Royal County Down to my bucketlist of must play golf courses.


royal-county-down


Irish hospitality is legendary and that mixed with arguably one of the best golf courses in the world sounds like a perfect golfing holiday to me…as long as the conditions are a little easier than what we saw at The Irish Open that is!

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON ROYAL COUNTY DOWN PACKAGES >>


Tom Macfarlane, YGT Product wants to go to Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo in the Algarve

I’ve been to this part of Portugal many a time but I just love it so a return trip is definitely on the cards for me in 2016. When you arrive at The Hotel Dona Filipa in Vale do Lobo, you immediately know you’re in for a good time, with a heavenly sea view from the hotel putting you in that relaxing holiday mode right away. To have immediate access to the beach and with the Piazza (Praca) only yards from the hotel is just priceless.


san-lorenzo


What’s more, you are spoiled enough to gain access to one of the best golf course layouts in Europe, San Lorenzo. My favourite holes are definitely the 6th, 7th, 17th and 18th, as all 4 boast the stunning Ria Formosa as a backdrop. With the water playing on your mind and the beauty of the place acting as a distraction, you’d take four 4’s on these holes any day of the week!

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON DONA FILIPA AND SAN LORENZO GOLF HOLIDAYS >>


Joel Williams, YGT Product Manager wants to go to Northern Ireland and play Royal County Down & Royal Portrush

Following this year’s Irish Open, I have been itching to get over to Northern Ireland and sample some of not only Ireland’s, but the world’s greatest links courses! Following a round at Royal County Down, I’d have to make the drive west to pop over and play our Darren’s favourite course – the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush.


northern-ireland-links-golf


There’s a reason why these two courses are ranked by pretty much every publication among the best in the world and as a lover of links golf, I can’t wait to have a crack at them. Northern Ireland really is heaven sent for links golf.

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON NORTHERN IRELAND GOLF TOURS >>


Euan Gillon, YGT Marketing wants to go to Le Golf National in France

2016’s hit list for me includes South West Ireland and North Wales but my number one priority is to play the Albatross Course at Le Golf National when it reopens after a prep project readying it to stage The 2018 Ryder Cup.


le-golf-national


The work will only improve what’s already a phenomenal championship experience – it’s a proper stadium layout and I’m excited to give it the once over before USA and Europe do battle in 2018.

<< CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PLAYING AT THE 2018 RYDER CUP VENUE >>


Tommy Eatenton, YGT Sales wants to go to Gleneagles

For unrivalled Customer Service and hospitality Gleneagles is rightly up there as one of the finest hotels in the world. In fact, in terms of an all round golf resort; Gleneagles is very tough to beat. The service, accommodation and off-course activities are all fantastic, and the golf courses are only topped by an evening meal at the Andrew Fairlie Restaurant!


gleneagles-golf


I treated myself and my wife to a tasting menu here during a trip on which I popped the big question and it was an unforgettable dining experience and one I’m going to have to sample again in the future.

I’d also love to get a look at the PGA Centenary Course since all the Ryder Cup changes…I played it before they started working on remodelling it and loved it so would be intrigued to see how it’s changed.

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON GLENEAGLES GOLF BREAKS >>


Tom Francis, YGT Sales wants to go to Whistling Straits

If I could play anywhere in 2016 it would be a trip to Whistling Straits. Seeing it host the PGA Championship twice shows just how good the course is.


whistling-straits-golf


The Irish Course and American Club compliment it perfectly. This could easily be linked up with a visit to Erin Hills (host of 2017 US Open) en route and then a few nights in Chicago to top of what would be a fantastic week.

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON WHISTLING STRAITS GOLF HOLIDAYS >>


Barry Ross, YGT Sales wants to go on a Kent Coastline Golf Tour

The Kent Coast in my mind is as good as it gets in England for links golf in the UK and although I’ve already been and ticked off the likes of Royal St George’s, Royal Cinque Ports and Littlestone off my bucketlist, I’d love to experience them all again and maybe chuck a round at Princes GC in the mix too.


kent-golf-tours


While I would no doubt love to do something on a grander scale, a links tour in Kent is, for me, the Ultimate Golfing Experience.

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO BOOK YOUR KENT GOLF TOUR >>


John McGuffie, YGT Sales wants to go to YAS Links in Abu Dhabi

Yas Links reminds me of another of my favourite courses, Kingsbarns in Scotland, only it’s even better! They were designed by the same person so I clearly have a taste for Kyle Phillips’ work and while I was sceptical about the concept of a “links” course being “built” in Abu Dhabi, it looks and feels like the genuine article.


yas-island-links


I’ve been and played Yas before but if I was choosing my dream trip for next year, I’d have to go back and have another crack at it…it’s that good! Abu Dhabi on the whole offers an amazing holiday experience too and the flight inclusive packages offer great value for money.

<< CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ABU DHABI GOLF HOLIDAY >>


Moray Tuach, YGT Sales wants to go to Royal Dornoch

My ideal golf trip in 2016 would be a northern Scotland Tour, taking in Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, along with the fabulous Royal Aberdeen of course, with a couple of nights in Aberdeen itself to enjoy a well deserved drink or two!


scotland-golf-tour;


I’d then head up to Inverness for about three nights and play the championship courses of Nairn, Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch and Skibo Castle. This area of Scotland is stunning and it doesn’t get as busy as the likes of St Andrews & Ayr, meaning I’d have a good chance of enjoying some millionaire’s golf!

<< CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SCOTLAND GOLF TOUR INCLUDING A ROUND AT ROYAL DORNOCH >>


Aaron Taylor, YGT Marketing wants to go to La Manga

After just a short flight to Murcia and 20 minute drive, you arrive at La Manga Golf resort where dependable weather, 3 championship courses in great condition and a great choice of bars to sip a cold beer in the sun all await.


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Two forgiving courses, The South & North, allow you unleash the big stick whilst the West course, situated in the hills with stunning views, tests the shorter clubs and your concentration to the maximum. If you have time to sneak in another round there are dozens of courses within a short drive including Las Colinas which is well worth a visit.

<< CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON LA MANGA GOLF HOLIDAYS >>


Paul Gartland, YGT Sales wants to go to The Masters at Augusta National

Having spent a long time (well…most of my life as a golfer really!) thinking about going to the Masters, I’m determined to make 2016 the year. £2149 to stay at the Hotel Indigo in Athens, 4 nights bed and breakfast, two rounds of golf locally, flights, car hire and Saturday tickets to the greatest show in golf will be a dream come true.


la-manga-golf;


Friends who have been in the past tell me TV does not do Augusta National justice and I would love to see it firsthand.

<< CLICK HERE IF YOU TOO WANT TO GO TO THE 2016 MASTERS AT AUGUSTA >>


Rory Anderson, YGT Marketing wants to go to Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria

You might not normally associate Bulgaria with world class golf but one look at the photo below and I think we’ll all agree Thracian Cliffs justifies a trip out there!


thracian-cliffs-golf


The course is absolutely stunning and while I would normally go for some of the courses in South Africa for the next place I want to tick off my bucketlist, I happen to be going later this year so thought I’d pick something else…this cliff-top beauty seems like a sensible place to start!

<< CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THRACIAN CLIFFS >>

Rory

Rory

The resident golf geek at Your Golf Travel. Have been lucky enough to have travelled far and wide playing golf and if I’m not writing about it at work, you will probably find me hacking it around my local course. Owner of 2 holes in one and some of the most crooked drives you have ever seen!

What's in my bag?
Srixon ZX5 Driver
Srixon ZX7 irons
Srixon ZX 2 iron
Cleveland RTX Zipcore 52 & 56
Cleveland Fullface 60
Odyssey O Works Red #7 putter

www.yourgolftravel.com/ygt-rory

One Comment

  • Barry says:

    Like the comments on San Lorenzo, I look forward to playing for the first time in feb with both Vale do Lobo courses thrown in and my personal Algarve favourite Vilamoura Old to round things off.

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