Mallorca: The Ticket to the Ultimate Sports 2008 Golf Vacation

If you're planning a European vacation and you also happen to be a golf enthusiast, then Mallorca, Spain should be on your itinerary is an absolute "must do." Festive night life, year-round sunshine and great shopping aside, Mallorca has made a name for itself in the tourism industry as a "paradise for golf enthusiasts." So just what is it about Mallorca that makes it the perfect European golf vacation?

Alcudia, Mallorca is home to Pula, one of the world's finest golf resorts. Founded in 1995, Pula has become an internationally acclaimed golf course. Thanks to a world-class upgrade which began in 2005, Pula is now ranked number one in Alcudia out of 14 golf courses, boasting the longest and most demanding links and a par 70. Nestled at the foot of a majestic mountain range, golfers of all skill levels will get a thrill out of playing the scenic course at Pula. Pula also features a stunning driving range and two putting greens for golfers who want to fine tune their skills at one of the world's most astounding golf courses.

The upgrades that were made in 2005 were undertaken in part to bring Pula up to professional golf standards and now Pula has been put on the map for one more reason: the Mallorca Classic. The last of the European PGA tour stops on the circuit before the Volvo Masters, The Mallorca Classic draws the best PGA players from Europe every October. In fact, the Mallorca Classic at Pula is the last chance for PGA players to make the top 115 on the Order of Merit and hold onto their spot for the next season's tour.

The 2007 Mallorca classic wrapped up in October and those who were lucky enough to hold a ticket were able to see Gregory Bourdy of France win his first Mallorca Classic title. It appeared as though Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands would edge Bourdy out the few days. Perhaps the fact that play was suspended for several days in a row due to uncharacteristically inclement weather threw Derksen's game off. Bourdy managed to slip ahead for a 3-under par win, becoming the 18th first time winner on the tour and setting a new record for the European PGA for the most maiden tournament winners in a single season.

Bourdy's maiden win at the Mallorca Classic in October only served to boost the image of Pula even more. Golfers from Europe and elsewhere can count themselves in an elitist class when they make a round at Pula a part of their vacation itinerary. While in Mallorca, tourists would also do well to take in as many of the other thirteen local golf resorts as they can, too. Although many of them have not had the exposure of Pula, they are still well worth including in a European golf vacation.

Golf aside; there are many other reasons to visit Mallorca. Mallorca is rich with cultural heritage, rife with top-notch night clubs and restaurants and has plenty of family-oriented destinations for those who are traveling with kids. However, for the avid golfer, nothing could make a European vacation finer than playing the links at the world-renowned Pula Club.