Destination Golf - December 2012

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2 Destination Golf TRAVEL

CCoonntteennttss aanndd rreeffeerreennccee gguuiiddeeSSPPRRIINNGG LLAAKKEE CCIITTYY RREESSOORRTTChinawww.springcityresort.comPPaaggee 44--55

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MMEENNAAGGGGIIOO GGOOLLFF CCLLUUBBItalywww.menaggio.itPPaaggee 1166--1177

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CCOOOOLL GGOOLLFFAndrew Marshall checks outsnow golf in ChilePPaaggee 2288--3333

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AALL HHAAMMRRAA GGOOLLFF CCLLUUBBUnited Arab Emirateswww.alhamragolf.comPPaaggee 4444--4477

FFeeaattuurreess

2 3Destination Golf TRAVEL Volume 1 • Issue 2

Anew year is upon us, and with it the chanceto arrange your travel plans for 2013. Asever, we’re here to inspire you – whether

you plan on packing your bags and making the trip,or if you simply want to gaze at what’s on offer anddream away your lunch break!

First, we head to the delights of China – a countrythat is witnessing a huge boom in golf terms. We alsoturn our attentions closer to home in Europe, lookingat some of the beautiful courses in Italy. Then it’s off tothe Southern Hemisphere and some of the delights onoffer in Australia and Fiji.

Regular contributor, Andrew Marshall,dons the thermals and reports back onhis trip to the Snow GolfChampionships in Chile, where theball is orange and the ‘greens’ are‘whites’.

Our resort features focus onthe Dominican Republic andSpain, and the UAE is thelocation for our golf coursefeature.

Enjoy the trip!

New year, new travel plans...Destination Golf

Media Ltd184 Charlesland WoodGreystonesCo. WicklowIreland

[email protected]

� PUBLISHERDermot Synnott

� EDITORKarl Doyle

� CONTRIBUTORSAndrew MarshallPaul Marshall

� DIRECTORVincent Synnott

� FINANCIALCONTROLLERDarren Maguire

� CREDIT CONTROLLERMallory Courell

� UK OPERATIONSPeter Barnes

� OFFICE ADMINISTRATORHelen Duggan

� INTERNATIONAL SALESGianni AttanasioDavid CooneyAlbert Ferrer I Lahoz

FRONT COVERLa Parva Ski Resort,Chile(Photo: Paul Marshall)

Facebook: facebook.com/DestinationGolfTwitter: twitter.com/Dest_Golf

LinkedIn: ie.linkedin.com/in/dermotsynnottYouTube: www.youtube.com/user/destinationgolf

DermotSynnott

EditorialDirector

AndrewMarshall

Golf TravelWriter

PaulMarshall

Golf TravelPhotographer

Follow Us!

Karl [email protected]


Spring Lake City ResortYunnan, China


Stoneforest International ClubKunming, China


Sun Valley Sanya ResortYalong Bay, China


Yalong Bay Golf ClubSanya, China


Sanya, China


Argentario Golf Resort


Argentario Golf ResortPorto Ercole, Italy


Is Aerenas GolfNarbolia, Italy


Menaggio Golf Course

Lake Como, Italy


Palazzo Argaza Golf CourseLake Garda, Italy


Palazzo Argaza Golf Course


Hamilton Island Golf CourseGreat Barrier Reef, Australia


Hamilton Island Golf Course


Paradise PalmsCountry ClubCairns, Australia


Peninsula Country ClubVictoria, Australia


Natadola Bay Golf CourseNatadola Bay, Fiji


Words: Andrew Marshall

Photos: Paul Marshall

Cool golf...

Continued over...

IN RECENT years, snow golf has become‘cool’, as evidenced by the increasing

number of tournaments and events thattake place in areas better suited tosnowshoes and skis than golf spikes. One ofthese is the Chivas Snow Golf Championship,which tees it up each year in the ski resortof La Parva, (located 50kms from Santiagode Chile) and stands at 2,700 metres abovesea level.

The tournament routinely attracts over 250competitors from Canada, the Caribbean, SouthAmerica and Europe. Played on a 9-hole coursedesigned by ex-Danish pro Henrik Bergqvist (aspecialist snow golf course builder) and set in abreathtaking backdrop of the Andes mountainrange, snow golf is played on fairways which aremade of compacted snow, the greens - whichare 'whites' - consisting of frozen snow, and theballs used are a fluorescent amber colour.

Unlike grass golf, the flags are left in the holes(which are around 30cm in diameter) at alltimes, as they are frozen in! Players arepermitted to re-tee every shot (using a tee orpyramid of snow) apart from the putts on the'whites.' Cool golf anyone?

CHILE’S snow-covered peaks are perfect for a growing trendin extreme golf that takes those who dare to the Artic Circle,inner cities and desert sands. ANDREW MARSHALL reports.


Cool golf... TRAVEL

FEATURE

CHILE’S snow-covered peaks are perfect for a growing trendin extreme golf that takes those who dare to the Artic Circle,inner cities and desert sands. ANDREW MARSHALL reports.


HISTORY OF SNOW GOLFIce Golf has its beginnings way back in the 17thcentury. A painting by the Dutch painter Aert vander Neer (1603-1677) shows players with a clubin their hands attempting to get a ball into a holein the ice covering a frozen canal in Holland. Atthat time the game was called kolven.

Legend has it that Rudyard Kipling was the firstperson to experiment with snow golf, when, onone winter's day back in 1893, he painted somegolf balls red and whacked them around hisestate in Vermont.

The game has evolved into a sport which nowboasts two international tournaments each year– one in St Moritz, Switzerland, and the other inUmanaaq, Greenland. The sport is exactly thesame as golf except it is, needless to say, playedon snow. On ‘whites,’ an orange ball is morepractical than a white one and, depending on localrules, after the tee shot you place the ball eitheron a tee or a matt for subsequent shots. Puttingon ice can be very tricky, but this is somewhatoffset by larger holes compared to standard golf.

Continued over...

From previous page

GOLF VS SNOW GOLF� The greens are ‘white’ and are

fashioned from flattened ice.� The ball is fluorescent orange.� The holes are twice the size of a normal

golf hole.� Steel-shafted clubs are recommended,

because of the low temperatures.� Trolleys are not permitted as they can

ruin the course.� The ball may be dropped within 15cm

of where it landed, without a penalty.� The ball can also be teed up on a plastic

peg or a shaped pyramid of snow


TIPS FROM THE PROSTip 1: Wear Warm ClothesSnow golf requires warm clothes, which will notrestrict your swing. It’s best to go for manylayers and ensure that you can rotate your backand torso muscles, bend your knees andproperly grip the club. Boots suitable forwearing for prolonged periods in the snow andcold are a must (no golf shoes), and don’t forgetyour sunglasses and sun block!

Tip 2: Higher and FurtherThe ball rolls less on snow-covered fairways, soit’s imperative to play lower clubs than younormally would, and also to hit your shotshigher. You do this by allowing the club head toovertake the arc of your hands at the point ofimpact. The club head angle of inclinationincreases and the ball flies higher.

Tip 3: Better PuttingTo help with aligning putts, draw a straight linearound the centre of the ball. Line up this linewith the hole and the line marked on mostputters. If the line stays visible on the rolling ball,you have hit the putt well.

Tip 4: Bring a TowelThe rules in snow golf allow for the ball to belifted and cleaned prior to each shot and thenplaced either directly on the snow or on aplastic peg. It is also important to carefully cleanany snow off the club head so that the clubstrikes the ball cleanly.

For more information email

[email protected] or see

www.thisisthelife.comwww.chivas.com

From previous page

Catalonia Bavaro

36 37

Punta CanaDominican Republic

Destination Golf TRAVEL Volume 1 • Issue 2

Catalonia Bavaro

36 37

Punta CanaDominican Republic

Destination Golf TRAVEL Volume 1 • Issue 2

RESORT

FEATURE

Catalonia Bavaro


Dominicanparadise

The All-Inclusive Catalonia BávaroBeach Resort in Punta Cana,

Dominican Republic, brings you the bestof the Caribbean.

Adjacent to the famous Bavaro Beach– with its distinctive white sand andturquoise waters – the hotel issurrounded by a tropical paradise oflakes, and coconut and palm plantations.

Activities at the resort are plentiful,throughout the day or night. The 18-hole,par 72-course or the 9-hole executivecourses are a welcome on-site activity forthe golfers, while the live beachentertainment, thrilling Casino and rangeof bars occupy the night.

There is a plethora of themedrestaurants, which take your taste-budson culinary journeys around the world.Taste the delights of the Far East withTeppanyaki cuisine, Mediterraneanseafood at the Italian restaurant with itsMediterranean influences, or take on ahearty steak meal in the all-Americaninspired restaurant.

For more information seewww.cataloniapuntacana.com



Almerimar ResortAlmeria, Spain


Almerimar ResortAlmeria, Spain

RESORT

FEATURE


Almerimar Resort

Accessibleluxury

Our European Hotel feature for thismonth is the fabulous Hotel Almerimar,

situated in the heart of the Costa de Almeriain the South East of Spain, only 1-hour fromAlmeria Airport.

This is one of the warmest areas inEurope, with over 3,000 hours of sunshine ayear, and an average temperature of 20º C

This four-star hotel benefits from aprivileged located in the impressive touristresort of Almerimar – a regular haunt forfamilies and golf groups alike. It’s exceptionalMediterranean location is right on thebeachfront, and is a mere 5km from El Ejidotown.

The majority of the 278 rooms boastexceptional views of the sea or golf course,and a full range of facilities –including 2outdoor swimming pools, gym, fitnesscentre, Turkish bath and more – areavailable. The entertainment programmealways proves popular with family holidays.

Almerimar Golf is the adjacent golf course.Designed by Ron Kirby and Gary Player, thiscourse integrates wide fairways with naturalwater and palm tree features, making it apleasant course in scenic surroundings.

For more information see

www.hotelalmerimar.com



Al HamraRas Al KhaimahUnited Arab Emirates


GOLF

CLUBFEATURE


Al Hamra Golf Club


Golf underthe stars

Al Hamra Golf Club is a popular choice forthe travelling golfer in the Arabian Gulf.

It’s interesting design and strict levels ofmaintenance provide a truly polished coursein a fantastic part of the United ArabEmirates.

The course was designed by HarradineGolf, who are responsible for five courses inthe Emirates and over 160 projectsworldwide. Originally planned to be built onthe salt flats bordering the water edge,some five million cubic meters of sand,combined with expert shaping, have cometogether to create gentle elevation changesas the terrain moves around the lagoons.

The end result is a Championship layoutthat sprawls out across 7,325 yards fromthe back tees, but golfers of all levels arecatered for with various tee box choices.

The unique flood-lit 9-hole course at AlHamra provides the perfect option for thebusiness person after work, or for the truegolf enthusiast who wants to experience golfunder the stars. Lastly, the course is alsocomplemented by a full range of facilitiessuch as a Golf Academy, Gym, Pro Shop andrestaurant.

For more information see

www.alhamragolf.com

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