1 - The Masters, Augusta National
The 'can't believe your eyes' 10th Green at Augusta National where Bubba Watson's miracle shot played out at the 2012 Masters.
We’ve been taking clients out to Augusta National to experience The Masters since 2008, and it’s always one of the highlights of my golfing (and working) calendar. Augusta is the world’s most famous course for a reason and it really is a truly special place to watch the likes of DJ, Rory and Jordan Spieth compete for the Green Jacket.
The ultimate way to experience the golf at Augusta is with hospitality at Berckmans Place which is one of the most luxurious hospitality facilities in all of golf. The food and drink served here is world class and its location alongside the 5th fairway makes coming and going from the course very easy indeed.
Even away from Augusta, The Masters experience is a memorable one and you can tick some wonderful golf courses off your list during your time in the States. Sage Valley is the best course in South Carolina and is just 15 miles from Augusta, while Peachtree in Georgia is probably as close to a game at Augusta National as you can get.
A little further afield, you can play at places like the legendary Pinehurst Resort which is home to nine golf courses, as well as Kiawah Island. Both resorts are true five star establishments and boast major championship golf courses. West Lake and East Lake are also courses that deliver every time.
Of course, we try to make our Masters clients’ time at Augusta as memorable as possible so we often rope in the help of our Brand Ambassadors and other golf celebrities. I'm looking forward to seeing all our customers in the YGT hospitality arena, which is set to be the best yet. Head to Augusta with us in 2018 or start planning your dream trip for 2019 to see if you can out- drive Long John Daly!
Check out our packages and download our comprehensive Masters Guide here: https://www.yourgolftravel.com/us-masters
2- Celebrity Invitational, PGA Catalunya, Spain
Throughout the years at Your Golf Travel, we’ve been lucky to have met, hosted and made friends with a number of celebrities and sporting figures who have a mutual interest in golf.
This year we’re taking the Pro-Am format to a different level by replacing our pros with sporting celebrities and moving overseas to host a special event at PGA Catalunya in Spain.
Stars of sport will join us and our clients at what is one of the best golf resorts not just in Spain but in the whole of Europe. Situated within easy reach of Barcelona, PGA Catalunya boasts excellent accommodation and facilities, as well as two championship golf courses.
There are a few spots left for you to join us in Spain, from 26th -28th February, where you can form a team of golfers featuring your very own celebrity guest to compete in a friendly (but fiercely competitive) competition on one of Spain’s best golf courses. The Stadium Course hosts the final stage of the European Tour’s Qualifying School and I’ve loved every visit I've taken there.
The event is proudly sponsored by our partners including Taylormade & Under Armour so there will be some excellent prizes up for grabs too.
Contact Ellen Topley for more information ellen.topley@yourgolftravel.com or visit https://www.yourgolftravel.com/events/celeb-am
3 - Old Head of Kinsale Invitational, County Cork, Ireland
Old Head, situated on it's spectacular peninsula on the South coast of Ireland.
Someone recently asked me what was the best course I’d played in over the last year and I just had to go with Old Head down in Cork. This is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular golf courses in the world and, as well as an exhilarating day on the fairways, the overall experience from the journey into the club along a narrow pass with cliffs on either side, to the levels of service and quality of facilities throughout the club is is exemplary.
The food is superb too, both in the De Courcey Restaurant and out on the course at The Turn halfway house. There aren’t many courses in the world, let alone one in such a jaw-dropping location where you can enjoy oysters and champagne before heading back out for the back nine!
We’re looking forward to hosting our invitational at Old Head in 2018 and we’re sure our guests will be blown away by the experience.
Contact Barry Ross at YGT Select for further information barryr@yourgolftravel.com
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/old-head
4 - The Open Championship, Carnoustie, Scotland
Carnoustie - Host of the 2018 Open Championship.
It goes without saying that The Open is a highlight of our golfing calendar here at YGT. We’re always pleased to give our clients the opportunity to see the world’s best players competing for arguably the most important trophy in golf on some of the world’s most historic courses.
Carnoustie always produces memorable moments, from Van de Velde’s unfortunately infamous finish in 1999 to Padraig Harrington’s emotional playoff win against Sergio in 2007, and we’re sure 2018 will be no exception.
We’ll be rooting for our Brand Ambassador Lee Westwood to win the Claret Jug of course as he’s a top class player and deserves a major championship. I’ve got a feeling we might see a British winner this year with the likes of Tyrell Hatton, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood all in great form as well. Rory looked great on his comeback in Abu Dhabi so I’m sure if he stays fit he’ll challenge too.
As well as watching the golf at Carnoustie we also offer the chance for clients to play some golf of their own and around Carnoustie where there are some wonderful courses.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/openchampionship
5- Pine Valley, New Jersey, USA
Pine Valley has often been ranked as the world’s best golf course since it officially opened for play in 1919, and I’m lucky enough to have enjoyed a round there. It’s not for the faint of heart as it’s a supremely challenging course but if you leave any notions of playing to your handicap at the door, you can’t help but enjoy the ride.
Robert Trent Jones once wrote,
“Pine Valley fills you with dread and delight...it takes your breath away...it’s a monster, but it’s beautiful.”
That pretty much sums the experience up. It’s rare that things that receive so much hype exceed your expectations when you actually get to experience them but I’m glad to say Pine Valley did just that.
If this has whet your appetite to play here Barry Ross is the man to help make those dreams a reality, email him at barryr@yourgolftravel.com to find out more.
6 - The Ryder Cup, Le Golf National
Join Team Europe in Paris at Le Golf National for the most electric event in golf.
You had to give the American side all the credit for their win in Hazeltine in 2016 as their whole team performed brilliantly. I’m obviously hoping Team Europe get back to winning ways in Paris and with so many Europeans in the Top 20 of the world rankings at the moment the teams look pretty evenly matched as it stands.
Having spoken to Lee Westwood about it, I’m sure Le Golf National will be a superb host course and we’ll be doing our best to send as many golf fans as possible to help the locals cheer on Team Europe.
European crowds are always fantastic so the atmosphere is sure to be electric in and around Paris in September and we can’t wait to be there to lend our support to the boys.
We will have former Captains hosting our clients as Europe fight hard to get back the trophy. We still have some packages available if you haven't yet secured your spot to cheer on Team Europe.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/ryder-cup
7- Monte Rei Invitational, Algarve, Portugal
Monte Rei in it's spectacular Portuguese countryside setting.
The Algarve has been such an important part of the success of Your Golf Travel so I always enjoy heading back out there for some golf in the sun. It’s a world class golf destination with countless top end courses and hotels, as well as superb weather, great nightlife and excellent restaurants.
Monte Rei is arguably among the finest resorts in the region and our good friend Darren Griffiths, Director of Golf and his team are amazing hosts so we’re looking forward to welcoming guests for a long weekend of golf on the best course in Portugal, where they’re sure to enjoy plenty of laughs along the way.
There aren’t many Jack Nicklaus Signature courses in Europe and Monte Rei is one if his best. It’s not just the course that makes Monte Rei so good though. The levels of service are unrivalled in the Algarve so our guests will be really spoiled during their visit to Portugal.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/monte-rei-resort
8 - British Masters Event, RAC Club
Join YGT ambassador Lee Westwood at the RAC club for a preview of the 2018 British Masters.
It’s been great to see The British Masters reinvigorate over the last few years and we were really proud of Lee Westwood’s efforts as host last year at Close House. How Lee managed to play so well with all that he had on his plate that week is beyond me but it’s testament to how good of a player he really is.
In the build up to Justin Rose hosting the event at Walton Heath in 2018, we’ll be hosting an event alongside Lee at the RAC Club in Surrey where he will be meeting and greeting YGT customers and giving us insider tips on the upcoming event. The RAC Club is a brilliant venue and it’ll be interesting to get Lee’s insights into what it’s like to host what has become one of the standout events on the European Tour only a couple of days before the event gets underway at Walton Heath.
Check our events page regularly for updates and further information on the event: https://www.yourgolftravel.com/events
9 - Urban Golf Evening with Paul McGinley
By and large golf is seen as a very traditional sport but more and more, we’re seeing developments that bring a refreshingly modern twist to the game. Urban Golf is just such a development and provides a great way to get a pretty realistic golf experience for those who live and work in the city, as well as when the weather over here in the UK isn’t quite as golf friendly as it can be in the summer months!
Enjoy all the comforts of a club smoking room (without the smoke) and all the golf.
Later this year, we will be joined by Paul McGinley for a few shots at Urban Golf in London, as well as perhaps a drink or two before heading out for steaks, red wine and cocktails at Gaucho. Urban Golf offers the chance to try your hand at some of the world’s greatest courses including the likes of Pebble Beach so this will be a unique opportunity to enjoy hitting a few shots and picking the brain of the 2014 Ryder Cup winning Captain.
More details to be announced soon: https://www.yourgolftravel.com/events
10 - Desert Swing, Dubai
The impeccable Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club with views of the towers beyond.
November and January are always big months for golf in Dubai and the UAE in general. The European Tour season culminates at Jumeirah Golf Estates each year, while in January, following the Abu Dhabi Golf Championships so impressively won this year by Tommy Fleetwood, you’ve got the Dubai Desert Classic.
This event and the host course, the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club had a huge part to play in putting golf on the map in the Middle East and the event always attracts the biggest names in the game, with past champions including the likes of Seve, Monty, Tiger and, more recently, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia.
Since golfers first teed it up at The Emirates Golf Club, Dubai has kept plugging away and now boasts a whole host of world class courses which, as you can imagine, are complemented by some of the world’s best clubhouses, dining and leisure facilities.
And then there’s Dubai City itself...there’s no secret behind Dubai becoming one of the world’s best golf holiday destinations. It just has it all.
Check out our array of venues and courses here for more inspiration: https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-holidays/dubai
11 - Sandy Lane, Barbados
Relax by the pool after a round at Royal Westmoreland.
Barbados is one of my all-time favourite holiday destinations and you can’t go wrong with a stay at either Royal Westmoreland or Sandy Lane, both of which are among the best resorts I’ve ever visited.
The golf offering at Sandy Lane is a little more extensive with 45 holes on offer including the world famous Green Monkey course, which is arguably the best in the Caribbean. But the two resorts are less than 10 minutes apart so there’s nothing stopping you from sampling all the courses in the area.
No matter which combination of holes you elect to play, a stay at either resort guarantees the utmost luxury, where fine dining and rum cocktails meet sunny skies and sandy beaches. If you’re in need of a little escapism there’s no better place in the world than the Caribbean.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-holidays/caribbean-barbados
12 - Turnberry Invitational, Ayrshire, Scotland
Turnberry with the world famous Ayres rock and lighthouse.
Turnberry has always been one of the best resorts in the UK, and since it first hosted The Open in 1977, when “The Duel in The Sun” between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson became one of the most legendary majors ever contested, the Ailsa Course in particular has been recognised as one of the very best in golfing world.
In a bold move though, the course was closed to reshape and reinvigorate the original layout, and while some thought it was risky to tamper with one of the most loved courses in the game, the “new” Ailsa has received nothing but thunderous applause since it reopened and I, from a personal perspective, think the changes have made it more spectacular and enjoyable than it has ever been.
I love visiting Turnberry, where we hosted a fantastic invitational late last year. I am really looking forward to seeing the new King Robert The Bruce Course which has taken the place of the original Kintyre Course. If that project is anywhere near as successful as the Ailsa refurb, I’m sure it will be a brilliant course.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/turnberry-resort
13 - Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, 2020 Ryder Cup host
Whistling Straits
As I’ve mentioned above, The 2018 Ryder Cup will be hosted in Paris, but I’m already looking ahead to the 2020 edition of golf’s greatest show and Whistling Straits.
Don’t get me wrong, I cannot wait for Le Golf National this September, but I’ve loved the look of the Straits Course ever since it first hosted the PGA Championship back in 2004, and again in 2010 and more recently when Jason Day won in 2015.
The course looks so unique as far as golf in America goes and I’ve heard from various sources that the resort on the whole is just world class. This is definitely on my list of venues I want to play this year as I’d love to have played the course by the time The 2020 Ryder Cup rolls around.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-holidays/usa-wisconsin
14 - The Players Championship, TPC Sawgrass, Florida
The iconic 17th green at Sawgrass
While our main focus as far as Tournament Experiences go is usually on The Masters and Ryder Cup, we do work hard behind the scenes to offer our clients access to other prestigious tournaments too.
Outside of the majors, The Players Championship is arguably the biggest golf tournament in the world and the host course, Sawgrass is easily one of the most iconic and popular in the world.
Of course, Florida is one of the world’s leading golf travel destinations, with superb hotels, attractions and countless amazing golf courses all combining with excellent weather to offer a golf holiday experience that’s hard to beat.
Combine all that with a chance to see the world’s best players compete for “Golf’s 5th Major” and you’ve got a pretty special golf holiday on the cards…
Thankfully, as a Preferred Partner of British Airways, we can offer our clients Free Club Carriage as part of any Players Championship / Florida holiday too!
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-holidays/usa-florida
15 - Northern Ireland Links Tour
Having played the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush a number of times over the last few years, I’m really excited to be edging nearer to The Open heading back there for the first time since 1951.
Royal Portrush is one of my favourite places to play golf and I know a lot of hard work has gone into making some changes to the course for next year’s showpiece event so I’m hoping to be able to get a round in there this year. We hope to be able to announce a hosted event with a familiar face for our VIP clients showcasing the amazing changes in the course for the 2019 Open. Watch this space....
Birdseye view of Portstewart. Northern Ireland is home to some of the world's best links courses.
Nearby you’ve also got courses like Castlerock and Portstewart which hosted last year’s Irish Open, and both are top class courses in their own right. If your travel arrangements suit, a round at Royal County Down, the world’s top ranked golf course according to many is a must as well.
Not only is Portrush such a great course, the town is a brilliant place to head out for an evening meal and a few drinks. I absolutely love The Ramore which has a number of excellent restaurants and bars so definitely check it out once you’ve finished up on the golf course for the day.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/portrush-golf-tours
16 - Extreme 19th, Legend Golf & Safari Resort, South Africa
Lots of the world’s best golf destinations are about so much more than just world class golf courses and that’s particularly true in South Africa.
The Western Cape & Garden Route feature some of Africa’s best courses like the Fancourt Links Course, Pinnacle Point and Arabella, and you can experience some amazing attractions like Table Mountain and Robben Island while you’re in the region. Of course the food and wine in Franschhoek is legendary and further North, where you have resorts like Sun City and Legend Golf & Safari Resort, you can also head out into the bush to try and track down The Big Five.
A jeep safari in South Africa I’m sure is on almost everyone’s bucketlist, but from a golf perspective, I’d love to try my hand at the Extreme 19th hole. The green is in the shape of the African continent and to get to the tee which sits some 400m above the level of the green, you have to take a helicopter, which also returns you to the green to complete the hole!
I’ve heard from a couple of the guys in the Your Golf Travel office who have played it that it’s one of the most exhilarating golf experiences imaginable so it’s definitely something I’d love to do the next time I visit South Africa.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-holidays/south-africa
17 - Italy
Sicily's Verdura Golf resort.
Having spent the day playing golf with Edoardo Molinari at The British Masters Pro-Am at Close House and spent time there on my honeymoon in 2016 I am now fully sold on an Italian Golf Holiday in 2018.
Italy might not be as synonymous with golf as other European destinations like Portugal and Spain, but there are some wonderful courses, particularly in the Piedmont Region in the North, as well as further South in Sicily where five star resorts like Verdura and Donnafugata offer a comprehensive stay and play experience. The Costa Smeralda is another notable luxury golfing destination with the Pevero Golf Club on the Island of Sardinia being truly exceptional.
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-holidays/italy-sardinia
Of course, the Italian culture is a huge plus point too so when you’re not playing golf, visiting one of Italy’s iconic cities such as Rome, Venice or Florence and sampling the sights and sounds, not to mention some of the best food and wine in the world, makes Italy all the more appealing.
The Italian Lakes such as Como, Garda and Maggiore are amazing too, so I (my wife) just needs to decide where to go first!
https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-holidays/italy
18 - The World’s Largest Golf Resort, Mission Hills, China
As Your Golf Travel has grown rapidly over the years, new and exciting destinations and avenues have opened up for us and one such place that has always caught my eye is the Mission Hills Resort in China.
China is a huge growth market for golf and I’m sure we’ll see many more courses arrive on the scene in the coming years but when you visit Mission Hills, trust me when I say there is plenty of golf available on site…
Home to twelve 18 hole championship courses designed by a number of the most prominent names in golf including Sir Nick Faldo, Pete Dye and Annika Sorenstam, this resort is almost a country within a country! As well as amazing golf courses, there are a number of luxury hotels and arguably the most comprehensive facilities of any resort in the world.
I can’t quite get my head around a golf operation of such scale so I’d really love to see it for myself and China has always been a country that has fascinated me as a tourist destination too.
One of many (many) golf courses at Mission Hills in the Shenzhen region of China.