New Golf Holiday Destinations

The idea of golfing holidays is not a new one and in fact many destinations have built a healthy tourist trade providing for the needs of the golfer on vacation. Typically it was the resorts of southern Spain and Portugal that held all the cards when it came to attracting golfers but that may be changing with alternative destinations working hard to catch up.

Although still technically part of Spain, the island of Majorca has been slow to provide facilities for the golfer. Perhaps it was the original lack of golf courses on the island, the lack of the timeshare investment revenue that built many of the original Spanish resorts or the perceived lack of transport links to bring in the visitors. Whatever the real reason for Majorca's barren past as a golfing destination that is all changing rapidly.

The island now has several top quality golf courses with more being built all the time. It even has a multi-course complex with is something golfers on holiday appreciate. Having the opportunity to conveniently play more than one course during a stay is a huge advantage, as is the provision of top quality hotel accommodation and accompanying leisure facilities like swimming pools or spas. One of the biggest golf complexes on Mallorca is the Santa Ponsa Golf Club which has three courses, two 18 hole courses and one 9 hole course. Only one of the 18 hole courses is open to the public. It is accepted that the courses here are the best maintained in Mallorca. Another growing golf club is the complex at Sa Vida on the outskirts of Palma, with three courses here owned by Arabella Golf. There are now 20 courses on Mallorca, all within an hour's drive of each other, making the island a perfect destination for a golfing holiday.

Another country working hard to attract the holiday golfer is Egypt. The resorts in Sharm el Sheikh are already well known for their luxury hotels and their mild weather which makes them an ideal year-round holiday destination. Travellers from the UK have been visiting this part of Egypt for a winter sun break for many years and, despite the desert conditions inland from the coast, developers are now starting to add golf as an option to the other attractions already provided for visitors. The Jolie Ville Golf Club and Resort has been the only 18 hole course in Sharm el Sheikh for many years. Lying just south of Hurghada is the holiday resort of Soma Bay which also has an interesting 18 hole golf course at The Cascades Golf Resort to add to the sailing and diving that visitors also enjoy there.

As far as tourism is concerned the resorts on the East Mediterranean coast of Southern Turkey are certainly on the fast track. The assets of the region as far as holidaymakers are concerned are obviously the weather, the attractive coastline and the abundance of history and culture. As the local authorities have slowly got themselves organised and now recognise the potential of tourism for the area, controlled developments are now planned all along the coast and golf resorts are part of those plans.

There are already some courses in the area and there are new hotel complexes that have courses in construction. The area of Belek to the east of Antalya has been recognised as a location for specific development in terms of tourism and new infrastructure, hotels, golf courses and other projects are planned. Other sports like diving, sailing, windsurfing, mountain biking and horse riding are already popular. There are already at least 10 golf courses in the Belek area including the 27 hole championship course at the Cornelia Golf Club which was designed by Nick Faldo. Another British golfer, Colin Montgomerie, was involved in the design of the course at the Papillon Golf Club. Currently the only links course is at the Lykia Links Golf Club. Here there is a 18 hole Championship course and a 9 hole Academy course. Currently more than half of Turkey's gold courses are in the Belek area, but the Turkish Golf Federation has announced that a further 100 courses are planned across the country.