My Top 18 Golf Hotels

The golf hotels for your tick-list

Golf Hotels are pretty much Heaven sent for golfers – we’ve got at least 18 holes of fairways on our doorstep, we can eat, drink and relax and don’t need to spend any time in the car. But there are golf hotels and there are Golf Hotels!..

Here are my Top 12 from around the world, gathered from personal experience. Sometimes I’ve travelled alone, other times with golfing friends and other times with family. Every Golf Hotel listed has delivered more than promised and I would happily go back again and again – in fact, I often have! Some of the Golf Hotels are relatively simple when it comes to comfort but the overall ambience, location, food, service and memories have all been five-star plus.

UK

Trump Turnberry

There’s no denying that Mr Trump puts his money where his Twitter is. And it’s usually money well-spent if you’re a golfer.   Turnberry has never looked better and the two courses are now astonishingly good. The hotel has got back it’s Scottish atmosphere after a rather erratic period under Qatari ownership.   Easy to get to, fabulous views, great food and brilliant golf.

Bovey Castle, Devon

A relatively simple but pretty golf course, Bovey Castle is ideal for families with its great variety of accommodations and range of facilities. The food is excellent and countryside and real “get away from it all” is perfect.

USA
Sea Island, Georgia

This is Davis Love and Bobby Jones country. Three fabulous courses and two more a short drive away, Sea Island offers apartments, villas and hotel and countless leisure facilities all to the highest standards I’ve experienced. Superb and a great excuse to do a Hilton Head or Kiawah Island two-centre extravaganza.

Cordevalle, California

I enjoy Robert Trent Jones courses but Cordevalle must be his most enjoyable. The scenery is outstanding and it helps that the hotel, food and service is just as memorable.   Not too far inland from San Francisco, you can pair up Cordevalle with Pebble Beach and/or Napa Valley.

The Boulders, Arizona

For a winter sunshine escape, it’s hard to beat The Boulders just outside Scottsdale. The setting is ethereal and surrounded by some of the most sacred Native American grounds. The two courses are breathtakingly beautiful and the quality of the accommodation is top-class. The food and spa and general “feel-good” are the finishing touches.

France

Le Manoir, Le Touquet

Only a three-star hotel but with 45 holes, a rather impressive clubhouse, a new-look restaurant and lounge and comfortable bedrooms, Le Manoir ticks all the boxes and is only 45 minutes from Calais. Of the three courses, La Mer is the best and one of the very best in France.

Terre Blanche, Provence

More keenly-priced than many would believe, Terre Blanche is not cheap but it is very, very good. It’s also just 45 minutes from Nice Airport so is ideal even for a short luxury break. The accent is, at this former Four Seasons property, definitely upscale with huge bedrooms, a myriad of dining options, one of the finest spas in Europe and two multi-award winning golf courses. There’s also a Golf Academy used by several European Tour Players. If “best of the best” is what you’re after, Terre Blanche in Provence is your answer.

Les Bordes, Loire Valley

The almost-mythical Les Bordes near Orleans is uber-private but I have two ways to get you there. The golf course is arguably Robert von Hagge’s very best but he actually designed 36 holes with the owner, Baron Bich, choosing the toughest 18. He built it to test the best amateurs and Pro’s in France.   Over the last 35 years, it’s tested pretty much everyone who has played it. But they all want to come back!   The accommodation is rustic, the food is tasty and the lounges ooze golfer’s charm.

Chateau de Taulane, Provence

I like the fairness of Gary Player courses but Taulane comes with added benefits: exceptional scenery, brilliant cuisine and good bedrooms (it’s worth upgrading to the Deluxe category for the views alone). About 75 minutes up in the hills from the Cote d’Azure, Taulane is a place to escape to, sit back and breathe deeply.

Chateau d’Augerville, near Fontainebleau

I like Augerville because it improves every year. Whether it’s the golf course, the dining, the spa, the renovation of yet more ancient buildings, you see a well-thought out, steady flow of investment and it reaps dividends. In the countryside south of Paris, the golf course is good enough to play every day and the simple lunch-time menu contrasts with the traditional French fare in the evening (and why not an afternoon tea from the hotel’s own chocolate “factory”.

Rest of Europe

Royal Resort Evian, near Geneva

Owned by Danone, this is a no-expense spared resort with two hotels, a course that hosts the Ladies Fifth Major, two spas, eight restaurants and a huge amount of style. Hotel Royal lives up to its name but I prefer staying at the lower-key four-star Ermitage and then walking the 250 yards to the Royal for an aperitif on the terrace. The golf course is more pretty than brilliant but the Golf Academy is the best I’ve seen anywhere. There’s also a three-star hotel on the Academy so you can really get into your game.

Abama, Tenerife

The Ritz-Carlton Abama is an easy solution when you’re looking for an all-in-one five-star resort. The food is good too since they’ve upgraded the restaurants over the last two years. Abama is a big resort with a dozen choices of accommodation and six restaurants.   Just four hours from London, Tenerife has year-round ideal weather and the value, away from the peak periods, is terrific value.

Costa Navarino, Greece

The only thing I don’t like about Costa Navarino is the lack of flights during the winter. Otherwise, it’s perfect with two stunning golf courses and all the facilities all the family will ever need. On the south-west Kalamata coast, the weather is perfect year-round and the food, often grown and reared organically, on the resort’s own Estate, is fresh, simple and delicious.

Africa and Indian Ocean

Mazagan, near Casablanca

I’ve been here for three consecutive years with some French golfing buddies. The highest handicap is five, we play off the back tees and we get beaten up by the course every time. Yet we keep on coming back…The course is fun and it’s fair – until you get to the greens where you need the touch of Ballesteros, Crenshaw and Sam Snead all rolled into one. Mazagan is huge but the space is very generous. There are five restaurants and the superb beach and massive pool are mighty post-golf attractions.

Fancourt, George, South Africa

Throughout South Africa, you can sense the glory of the country. And Fancourt is a great example.   The three accommodation options (115 bedroom hotel, a boutique hotel and self-catering) are matched by the three excellent courses. My favourite is the Montagu for it’s a thorough challenge and you know you deserve a glass or two of the Estate wine before heading into one of the three restaurants.

Belle Mare Plage, Mauritius

There are more luxurious golf resorts on Mauritius with the Four Seasons, Le Touessrok, Anahita and Le Telfair Heritage all fighting for the No. 1 spot but Belle Mare Plage has a couple of USP’s…It has two golf courses and a relaxed but upmarket ambience.   The Penny Farthing restaurant is one of the very best and the Cristal All Inclusive is very generous indeed.   Plus, the Concierge can drive you to Le Prince Maurice for dinner at no extra charge. Not only is Belle Mare Plage is the oldest golf hotel on Mauritius, it’s also changed and improved with the times.