Blog
Blog
One of the best ways to see what Africa has to offer is to experience the extravagant elegance of rail travel on one of the most luxurious trains in the world – Rovos Rail . Their unique trains travel through the heart of Africa combining some of the most magnificent scenery with the glamour and excitement of the golden age of rail travel. These beautifully rebuilt trains offer accommodation of the highest standard, combing the opulence of a bygone era with subtle modern innovations. South Africa – to travel to or journey through? I first visited South Africa some twenty five years ago and instantly fell in love with the country and its people, and knew I had to go back. And have done so – many times, exploring more widely every time. Travel to a country often means visiting one location and visiting local sites but South Africa is so immense that you really need to immerse yourself and journey instead. You may not be a ‘road trip’ sort of person, living out of a suitcase, which is where Rovos Rail can bridge the gap – you unpack once and they take you on your journey. Rovos Golf Safari - A few times each year Rovos offer a 9 day fully inclusive rail journey playing some of the top golf courses in the north-east of the country (and Eswatini). Activities are arranged for non-golfing partners. The experience starts as soon as you arrive at Rovos Rail’s own station in Pretoria, where you hand your golf clubs to the Golf Pro (who tutors you as necessary), in return for a glass of local fizz, walking the red carpet into the lounge to meet Rohan Vos, the owner and your fellow guests. Just before boarding you’ll meet your train manager and host who takes you to your accommodation – a luxurious, surprisingly spacious and well equipped Edwardian wood panelled suite – to settle in, before exploring the train. The train’s facilities include a lounge car with bar, an outside viewing deck and elegant dining cars, where beautifully presented meals are served, all (well, bar breakfast) with paired superb South African wines. Dress is golf casual during the day but more formal at dinner, apart from a couple of themed evenings after which the lounge car rocks into life until the early hours. The Golf Safari’s routing takes you to the world famous Kruger Park, into Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), down the Indian Ocean coast to Durban, inland to the incredible Drakensberg Mountains and finally to Sun City before returning to Pretoria. Or vice versa. Your itinerary will see you playing five superb golf courses each with their own special character and challenges. Leopard Creek – the No. 1 course in South Africa with lightning fast greens but take care on the 18th, Royal Swazi – my personal favourite but look out for the 10thand 18th,Durban Country Club – an eclectic and testing mix of dune and parkland but beware the Par 3 12th, Champagne Sports Resort in the Drakensberg – it bites from the start but what a setting and finally Lost City Golf Course in Sun City – care with the wildlife on the 13thand your tee shot on the 14th. On returning to Pretoria, your fellow guests and the train staff will be your friends, you’ll have memories in abundance and (tall) stories to tell of putts made and 300 yard (+) drives. You’ll also have covered several thousand kilometres of one of the most amazing countries in Africa – if not the world. And have unpacked just once. The choice of where to go next is up to you – back to Johannesburg to fly home or as I did, taking an internal flight to Cape Town for a few days of relaxation and/or activity. Western Cape - I’m really not a city person and wanted to be away from busy locations so stayed in Somerset West – the smallest of the Cape wine regions, about a 45 minute drive away from central Cape Town; an easy hop for a ‘touristy’ day at sites such as the V&A Waterfront, Robben Island and Table Mountain. The Somerset West area offers great beach walks just a short drive away at the small town of Strand, but it’s real advantage is that it puts you within a 15 minute drive of some superb golf courses. My favourite being DeZalze, situated on the road to Stellenbosch it’s the only course whose greens were so perfect that my group considered taking their shoes off! Try to tee off early as it’ll give you a chance to have lunch at Rust en Vreda and afterwards enjoy a visit to Ernie Els’s winery; his trophy room is incredible! If you’re already ‘golfed’ out then a visit to Dylan Lewis’s Sculpture Garden is a little hidden gem with the most incredible works; but you’ll need to pre-book. An alternative, if you’re up for a real challenge then go to Pearl Valley, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course close to the wine town of Franschhoek, an easy 40 minute drive from Somerset West. There’s loads of water and well placed bunkers, which can be found far too easily. Again try for an early tee-off and then pop along to La Petite Ferme for lunch on the Franschhoek Pass road; the food is superb, the wine is made on site and the setting is just incredible with the whole of the Franschhoek Valley laid out below you. If this is your first visit to South Africa.............I’ll wager that you’ll be back.
Rob Smith is a Contributing Editor for Golf Monthly magazine who specializes in courses and golf travel. Here he describes one of his all-time favourite destinations…. There are few countries in Europe, or indeed the world, with a greater depth of history and wealth of culture than Greece. Generally acknowledged as the birthplace of western civilisation and even democracy, it was home to many of the earliest and most influential philosophers, writers and academics. Surrounded by islands, it sits in the Mediterranean Sea in southern Europe and is blessed with a wonderful climate that makes it a year-round draw. At its extreme south-western corner, the Messinia region dates back more than 4,5000 years and is home to Neolithic settlements, Mycenaean palaces, classical temples, Byzantine churches and medieval castles. This is the home of Costa Navarino, an expansive ambitious and extremely lovely development that is far more than just another resort. Costa Navarino itself opened to great acclaim a decade ago, since then it has been carefully and tenderly grown into one of the finest destinations in Europe. There is a local airport at Kalamata that offers direct access with a 30-40 minute transfer, or you can drive over from Athens through the mountains on a fabulous new highway that offers spectacular views all the way and takes around three hours. A bonus of this route is the chance to stop off for a look at the Corinth Canal. As the founder of the Olympic Games, Greece has sport in its blood. At the heart of the destination are currently two terrific courses, the Dunes and the Bay. More are on their way soon and each would be a draw on its own. Together with the hotels and other facilities, they offer something very special, something for everyone. Navarino Dunes was the first golf course to open here and it was designed by former two-time Masters champion, Bernhard Langer. Langer is known for creating courses that offer far more than mere holiday golf; they are proper tests and this par 71 delight is no exception. Its strength is that rather than signature holes, it is consistently strong from start to finish. Each hole is a new and fresh challenge with demanding par 4s such as the first and fourth, attractive short holes such as the tenth and fourteenth, and sweeping par 5s such as the uphill seventh and lovely finishing hole that plays up to a beautifully-sited green below the welcoming clubhouse. Adjacent to the course are two neighbouring but surprisingly different hotels, which border the Mediterranean. The Westin Costa Navarino has more than 400 rooms and suites and its design was inspired by old Messinian mansions. Most of the accommodation has unobstructed views of the Ionian Sea with almost all of the ground-floor units having individual infinity pools and a mixture of garden, golf and swimming pool views. Next-door is The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, which has 321 airy rooms, suites and villas. Both delightful hotels open out into the Agora, an authentically recreated village centre where there are bars, restaurants, entertainment areas and shops. The second course to open is a short drive to the south and provides a fabulous contrast running over more undulating land and designed by Robert Trent Jones Junior. The Bay Course has spectacular views out over historic Navarino Bay from many holes and is to my mind even more photogenic, offering breath-taking views from pretty much every hole. Rather than an absence of a signature hole, it arguably has eighteen. Two holes run right alongside the beach before the course heads up and down through the hills on a thrilling rollercoaster ride. There is risk and reward every inch of the way and the six-pack of short holes will each live long in the memory. As a combination of golfing test and scenic delight, the Bay Course is seriously hard to beat. Aside from the golf, and for those who quite naturally want to spend more time in paradise, Costa Navarino is offering Navarino Residences, a limited collection of environmentally friendly villas, each with its own pool. Some are right on the beach, others are perched on the hillside surrounded by olive trees, and all offer sea views from their gardens that are guaranteed forever. This magnificent destination is continuing to expand with work progressing well on the Navarino Hills development near the village of Kynigos, just minutes from Navarino Bay. When complete, it will be a true ‘eco-deluxe’ site adhering to the concept of giving guests and owners the best that is possible but at the same time as taking the environment, ecology and sustainability into account. There will be fabulous views of the town of Pylos, Navarino Dunes and Bay, and Sfaktiria Island beyond which guards the bay. It will be the only hillside location at Costa Navarino and not one but two 18-hole signature golf courses are already being built. The site will also feature boutique hotels and the very finest facilities. Guests at Costa Navarino can engage with every aspect of local history and culture through ‘Messinian Authenticity’, a comprehensive programme that includes activities such as philosophy walks, olive and wine harvesting, local cookery lessons and excursions to historic sites. As you would expect at such a perfect destination, all manner of sports are on offer such as tennis, biking, water-skiing, sailing and kite surfing. Despite all the development, due to the huge area involved and a completely sympathetic construction approach, it remains remarkably unspoilt. The pristine coastline is lined with dreamy, sandy beaches and peaceful lagoons, olive groves, waterfalls, and an absolute wealth of flora and fauna. Taking their time in order to reflect and even improve on everything that is already done so well, the team at Costa Navarino have ensured that what is already a substantial and very engaging destination will continue to grow both in terms of what is on offer, and in its worldwide renown. It really is one of a kind and a credit to everyone involved.
The viewing deck from the ferry gave us as an amazing glimpse of the scale of La Gomera, the sun glinting off the Atlantic Ocean then the stark and imposing volcanic landmass, rising 1500 meters from sea level. Dotted sparsely with lush forest then interspersed with rocky and barren gorges. We had chosen to hire a car at Tenerife South Airport and driven to Los Cristianos port but taxis are easily available at the airport or at both ends of the ferry journey to enable you to get to the hotel. Once docked in the port of San Sebastian, the Hotel Jardin Tecina & Tecina Golf is approximately 40 minutes drive toward the small town of Playa de Santiago. A bit of a roller-coaster ride, with spectacular views through deep ravines tiered with palm trees and almost lunar expanses of rocky plateau. Accommodation - Hotel Jardin Tecina perches on a high cliff above the small town of Playa de Santiago, charmingly traditional in style, the reception, bars, restaurants and pools are at the highest point of the resort with rooms then arranged on terraces to ensure every room has a view, either of the beautiful gardens or the Atlantic below. Our room (superior sea view) was decorated in a modest traditional style with a comfortable king size bed, and functional rather than luxurious bathroom, the highlight was the balcony overlooking the sea and it is definitely worth paying that little extra to get that view. The lateral rather than vertical arrangement of accommodation and facilities does mean there is a fair degree of walking to reach the restaurants, bars and the beach area but the advantage for golfers is the proximity of the golf club, probably only a 6 minute walk through banana groves. A quirky lift carved within the rock takes you down to the beach area where giant beach pebbles and the imposing black cliff rising above, give a Jurassic feel. The Beach Club Laurel pool and bar is a relaxing place for spending the afternoon after a morning of golf and a cocktail until the sun disappears behind the cliffs. You can move easily from the bar to the Trattoria Club Laurel for pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven, or a more formal dinner at El Laurel for meat and fresh fish cooked on a grill. The main hotel restaurant offers a buffet, more functional than finesse but something to suit every taste, but for more gastronomic experiences try Tasca Fandango where typical Spanish foods are served with a Canary Islands slant or Gara Restaurant, which focuses on local foods and the best wines from the Canary Islands. Golf Course - As the golf club mini bus drove us up, up and up again to the first tee I began to doubt the wisdom of choosing to walk with a trolley rather than use a buggy, however, my concerns were misplaced. The course is built on a former banana plantation and is unique in that Hole 1 is a couple of hundred meters up the hillside and you play down to the clubhouse. The course is the result of an inspired vision by renowned course designer Donald Steel (in 2003) to see a course in the terrain that went only down (the only one in the world to do so). The course involves descending different terraces, and initially the terrain is sparse and barren with gorse and cacti filled rough. Notable on the front nine is the tough par 3, 4th hole which requires a shot over the Tapahuga ravine from the back tee, and the difficult but spectacular 10th par 4 which appears to be floating in the air next to the ravine while the fairway is divided by a rough area of cacti 67 meters from the green, making you think carefully about your approach shot. After the 10th the terrain changes and as you progress further down the slop the vegetation increases and becomes gentler with wider fairways fringed by trees. In summary Tecina Golf will offer a challenge for all levels of golfers, with spectacular views from all the holes, the warm Canary Island air, downwards slop and beautiful manicured fairways, it will be hard not to enjoy your round.
Canouan Estate & Golf Course - What a dramatic first impression we get of the Island of Canouan as we descend in the small private jet that whisked us from Barbados Grantley Adams Airport only 25 minutes earlier. We burst through hazy cloud and see below us a vibrant green lush verdant interior of dense forest and long expanses of white sand beaches, set against crystal-clear aquamarine and turquoise waters, and then, cut into the hilly forests swathes of manicured areas that can only be the golf course fairways. We are greeted warmly at the charming, cool, thatch roofed airport, reminiscent of old style colonial charm before being whisked off by air conditioned car to the Canouan Estate, passing through the local village, vibrant with colourful buildings, and hustle and bustle of a fishing community. A small, barely five-square-mile nation in the southern edge of the Caribbean archipelago of St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Canouan has a noteworthy coral reef that runs for a mile and a half along the Atlantic side of the island, cushioning white sandy beaches from harsh waves and creating clear, pool-like waters ideal for snorkeling and swimming. Canouan Island has seen in the last 18 months a flurry of luxury hotel activity. Alongside the more established and larger Canouan Estate, last year, the Mandarin Oriental made its Caribbean debut also on the eastern side of the Island, and the Soho House brand opens its first hotel also in the Caribbean on the West coast later in 2020. It’s to the larger and more established Canouan Estate that we visit with its impressive Jim Fazio designed golf course, 3 floodlit tennis courts, water sports, snorkeling and diving, boat excursions, hiking, fully equipped air conditioned gym, impressive Kids clubs, use of the Mandarin Oriental spa and even a 17th-century church. Both resorts, Canouan Estate and Mandarin Oriental, sit together on the 1,200-acre Grenadine Estate, and operate a smooth reciprocal arrangement for mutual guests to use all facilities, whilst also giving guests the choice of bar and restaurants. Accommodation and Dining - After a short airport transfer to the resort, about 15 minutes, our Butler, Anthony, a local with a smiling and helpful disposition, meets us. He takes us into the one bedroom suite that is to be our home for two nights. The one bedroom suite is spacious with high vaulted ceilings, marble floors and contemporary colonial style of decoration that gives a cool and Zen like ambiance to the space. A generous lounge area complete with mini bar and Italian coffee maker all hidden behind sleek walnut doors, leads to large full height glass doors that open to a plunge pool and sun lounge area, and although our suite does not have sea views, (as most of the 2 bedroom suites do) we have views over the gardens and the 17th century church in the distance. The master bedroom which also opens to the patio has a large king four poster bed, beautiful and practical, as mosquito nets pull over at night to protect us from being bitten whilst we sleep. A dressing room with his and hers wardrobes and two full size bathrooms both with baths and showers complete the accommodation. Every detail has been thought through from the Italian coffee pods, luxury Aqua de Palma bath products, fluffy bathrobes and slippers, to plug adaptors to suit appliances you have brought with you from your home country. There is a range of accommodation to suit whatever party size you might have, from one and two bedroom suites, some with sea views, to privately owned Villas, that can sleep up to 12 guests. Each Villa is unique in its style and decoration but what they all have in common will be an impressive sea view and the highest quality of Italian influenced decor and fittings, both inside and out. Small and easily navigated—golf carts replace cars here and Anthony leaves us with our own room numbered golf cart to use to reach the facilities. Restaurants and bars have an Italian tone reflecting the heritage of the estate, and are either at the resort center which is a short buggy drive from our room and provides for al fresco breakfast at Bellini’s Bar and Bistro with either vies towards the sea or the beautiful 17th century church (the only surviving building after the island most destructive hurricane in 1921), or look inland to the golf course. For dinner ‘La Piazza ‘ offers a truly Italian experience. We visited Shell Beach Bar and Grill, a 10-minute buggy drive winding across the golf course and down to the serene and sheltered bay with amazing views of the reef and the calm pools of crystal clear waters. We ate fresh catch of the day (barracuda) but the choices were varied dishes such as jerk chicken and roti a Caribbean staple, fresh lobster, along with burgers, salads and wraps were all on the menu. An alternative to Shell Beach is the L’Ance Guyac Beach club, a semicircle of tropical paradise: powder-fine white sand, crystal-clear azure water, a handful of thatch umbrellas over lounge chairs, it has a laid-back beach vibe. But at night it really comes into its own. Torches light the narrow stone path down to the beach, where the sound of the water lapping is the perfect soundtrack for a pre-dinner cocktail in the tented lounge on the sand. Across all the dining options service was attentive and helpful. Visitors of the Estate also have the choice of the restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental. If you are in Canouan to celebrate a special occasion then the view from the 13th hole at sunset is the place to be, a 360 degree view of the ocean and the islands, ideally with a picnic or selection of canapés, champagne or sundowner cocktails all provided on request by the estates dining team. Golf Course - Adam Hedges, director of golf, points the buggy up the steep and windy cart path as we begin the climb up to the 13th hole. He wants to show us the highest point of the course and then the dramatic descent down through the holes that make up the back 9 in advance of our round planned for the following day. Dodging tortoises as we go (the island’s name derives from a local word for land turtle or tortoise) who number more than residents and range in size from your average pet to those that are giants. We are slightly awed into silence and can only wonder at the foresight of Jim Fazio to see a course at all in this terrain. The following morning after a brief warm up, we are ready to begin. The front 9 present a more gentle start and are characterized by fairly wide fairways, gentle glimpse of the sea and no real hazards other than some ups and downs to the greens. The exception is the long par 5 6th hole, which is less forgiving for a wayward shot and has an incline that hints at what is to come. Hole 9 brings you conveniently back to the clubhouse. The course has effectively two types of terrain the first 10 holes and the 18th are situated within an amphitheater and more protected from the elements, as the wind can become quite a factor. From the 11th to the 17th the terrain becomes much more spectacular and vulnerable to the winds, and is built around Mount Royal which reaches 877 feet. The highest and most dramatic hole is the par 5 13th, perched on a ridge with stunning panoramic 360-degree views and of the islands. Long and intimidating it takes both concentration and resolve not to be distracted by the stunning views and sheer scale of the terrain. What goes up must come down and the 14th, a challenging par 3 drops 100 feet from tee to putting green, followed by the 16th, one of the longest par 3 in the world at 305 yards, from back tees, with a massive 200 feet drop. With relief we return to the gentler final hole, which ends with a generous fairly flat fairway. This course is one of the most spectacular courses in the Caribbean and is set to improve further with Adam at the helm, the greens can be on the slow side for those used to championship standard courses and Adam is working hard to improve this. The out of bounds and rough areas have been thoughtfully developed to challenge but not hold up the game. Other Facilities - Whilst golf will be for many visitors the main activity there are plenty of options for rest days or non-golfers. At breakfast a whole posse of self-satisfied hikers appeared after their sun rise hike to the island’s highest peak, Mount Royal, from where it’s possible to see for miles across the St Vincent and The Grenadines archipelago. Boats of all sorts could be seen under sail between the island whilst powerboats were off on fishing trips or to the Tobago Cays Marine Park. Those keen on fitness actives are spoilt for choice with a large well-equipped air-conditioned gym and flood lit tennis courts with tennis pro on hand. The coral reef on the east coast, the Atlantic side, creates a perfect natural swimming area calm and safe and also provides for snorkeling and diving. If it is pampering you are looking for the Mandarin Oriental spa offers a full range of treatments, with ESPA products. Final Word - Canouan Estate was a delight to visit not least because most of the staff, more often than not locals who seem to smile continually and there is a genuine desire to welcome tourism to the Island. The owner and developer of Canouan Estates has been very keen to take a philanthropic stance in the relationship with the local population and has contributed to the infrastructure of the Island by building roads, installed electricity to the island and residents houses and provided desalinated water for the first time and more recently built the islands first secondary school.