PAUL GALLAGHERfinds that long haul destinations are suffering with shorter trips abroad doing well

THERE IS no doubt the golf travel industry has taken a hammering during these difficult times of recession. The situation is compounded by the punters’ ability to completely bypass agents and create their own DIY holidays by booking directly with hotels, golf courses and low cost airlines over the internet.

Travel agents are definitely swimming against a strong tide at present, but those who have stayed afloat remain optimistic and firmly believe they still have a role to play when booking the next golf trip abroad.

Demand for golf abroad remains high, though the traditional week in the sun with golf clubs in tow has changed with reduced 3 to 4-day trips coming to the fore as greater emphasis is placed on price. This also means the demand for long haul packages has dipped as they are more difficult to justify when factoring into a domestic budget.

“The bottom line is a (golf) holiday is still seen as a luxury and in the same category as buying yourself something nice. It tends to be the first thing people cut back on,” explains Jonathan Millar, director at Bryan Somers Travel in Saintfield, several miles from Belfast.

“Business has been tough, no doubt, but we are still getting a lot of inquiries, though taking the plunge to make the actual booking is taking longer. Much of this is also because the whole business model has changed due to the presence of low-cost flights.

“It used to be a case where a £50 (€54) deposit was adequate but now it’s more like £250 (€272) because flight costs need to be booked and covered up front,” adds Millar, who generates most of their business from the North.

That said the story is no different in the South where travel agents are experiencing the same changes. “The (Irish) golf groups are still travelling but not in the same numbers,” says Neal Cassidy, from Cassidy Golf in Dublin. “Where we would have had a lot of 20 to 24 groups or more we find they are down to 12 to 16 or less – smaller numbers but the hardcore golfers are still travelling. This year we have noticed a drop in the long-haul packages and greater pick up in short haul trips to Europe.”

Stuart Walsh from Lee Travel in Cork said: “We have found a new trend where a group of lads who would have gone away for week’s golf holiday are now going for say four nights and that tends to be what we are focusing on.”

The traditional haunts of Portugal and Spain remain strong with the Irish golf fraternity, while emerging markets such as Turkey, France and Madeira have come onto the golfing radar. Really it all boils down to perceived value and while there is a desire to play golf abroad there will always be a deal to be struck.

ESTABLISHED DESTINATIONS

PORTUGAL

Capital: Lisbon

Time Difference: Same

Currency: Euro

IT’S A close call between Spain and Portugal for the most popular European golfing destination for Irish golfers with the latter seemingly holding the edge at this time. “Portugal has certainly taken over the Spain market for us,” noted Jonathan Millar from Bryan Somers Travel.

A primary reason for Portugal’s popularity is undoubtedly all-year round climate and ease of access, with flights into the capital Lisbon or the main hub of Faro Airport on the Algarve where there is an abundance of quality golf courses and accommodation to choose from. In this region alone there are some 36 courses to play.

Vilamoura has long been touted as the primary golf destination and with good reason due to the many varied courses on your doorstep. The Arnold Palmer-designed Oceanico Victoria Course, where the Portugal Masters will take place next week, is one of the standout venues in this area.

SPAIN

Capital: Madrid

Time Difference: plus one hour

Currency: Euro

SPAIN is similar to Portugal as it enjoys a favourable climate all year round and is easily accessible from Ireland. At one time Spain would have been the primary player in the European golf market, but it faces new competition with each passing year. Those in the industry suggest certain Spanish venues need to be careful otherwise they risk pricing themselves out of the market during these challenging economic times.

That said, a lot of Irish investors still own property in Spain and so long as that continues the link to Spain will remain. For years La Manga Resort in the south east has been the standard bearer for golf resorts, not only in Spain but across Europe. The self-contained resort is where the top soccer clubs used to descend for pre-season training camps and top rugby teams are now adopting the same approach.

Flights into Murcia or Alicante are the best options from Ireland.

SCOTLAND/ENGLAND

Capitals: Edinburgh/ London

Time Difference: Same

Currency: Sterling

A RECENT TRIP to Ayrshire afforded us the opportunity to indulge in all things links golf. This part of Scotland is easily accessible with Ryanair flying into Prestwick from Dublin and Belfast plus the ferry options.

From our base at the recently refurbished Old Loans Inn, near Troon we played Prestwick, birthplace of the British Open, Western Gailes, where Ireland won the 2007 European Championships, and Dundonald Links, one of the pre-qualifying venues for this year’s Open at Turnberry.

Due to winter rates our two night’s stay at the Old Loans Inn with three rounds of golf cost from as little as €293.

If it’s links golf you’re after Cassidy Golf also brings our attention to a “Three Royals” trip in England where you can stay in Southport and play the three British Open venues of Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham and St Anne’s and Royal Liverpool. This five-star trip starts around €1,000.

SELECTED OFFERS

PORTUGAL

Algarve

Dunas Douradas Beach Club.

Return flights Dublin-Faro.

Four nights, five-star resort BB. Quinta Do Lago Resort (one complimentary dinner) plus three rounds of golf – North Course, South Course, Laranjal Course. Transfer to golf courses. From €720 pps inclusive of all relevant taxes charges

Source: Carr Golf

Lisbon Coast

Flights and transfers. Seven Nights BB at four-star Villa Gale Cascais plus three rounds of golf. From €675 plus tax €60

Source: Killester Travel

SPAIN

Murcia

Valid October. Flights and transfers, seven nights five-star La Manga Resort, 2-bed townhouse based on four sharing. Self-catering plus three rounds of golf from €650 plus tax €60

Source: Killester Travel

Canary Islands - Gran Canaria

Valid 25/11/09 - 24/12/09

Maspalomas. Seven nights at five-star Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort Spa BB based on two sharing plus two rounds at Salobre, one at Meloneras and one at Maspalomas. From €1,065 per person. Flights not included.

Source: Bryan Somers Travel NI

SCOTLAND - AYRSHIRE

Two nights BB Old Loans Inn, Troon plus three rounds – Prestwick, Western Gailes, Dundonald Links. From €293. Flights/Ferry not included.

Source: Old Loans Inn

England

Three Royals Trip. Overnight accommodation Southport. Three rounds of golf – Royal Brikdale, Royal Lytham, Royal Liverpool. From €1,000

Source: Cassidy Golf

EMERGING DESTINATIONS

TURKEY

Capital: Ankara

Time Difference: plus two hours

Currency: Turkish Lira (Euro widely accepted)

TURKEY is one of the emerging European golf destinations with Belek the on the Mediterranean coast the main hub with almost 20 championship courses to choose from. The first Turkish golf course was founded in 1895 (Instanbul Golf Club) but the first course in Belek only opened in 1994. A recent trip took us to the five-star Kempinksi Hotel The Dome to play the David Jones-designed PGA Sultan and Pasha courses on site, with the Sultan the stronger of the two courses.

Turkey appears to place great emphasis on hotel standards and that was definitely the case at The Dome. The only downside was getting there as the only way to get from Dublin to Belek at present is through Istanbul (once daily) then an internal flight (one hour) to Antalya, the closest airport to Belek (25km approx).

FRANCE

Capital: Paris

Time Difference: plus one hour

Currency: Euro

FRANCE is not the first country to spring to mind for a golf holiday abroad but according to Michael Doorley at Shandon Travel in Cork it should be considered. “France in my opinion is the undiscovered golf destination in Europe,” he says. “It is very easy to bring a car over on the ferry and take in Brittany. Last year we did a trip into Cherbourg and back out of Roscoff and played three superb links courses around the headland.” Doorley suggests you could also fly into Paris (Charles de Gaulle) and then stay somewhere like Chantilly which is little over 30 minutes away and there are a handful of courses to choose from.

“Best of all though, for me, is the Biarritz area where you can play courses like Seignosse, which in my opinion is nearly as good as Valderrama, but for a fraction of the price. Another is Hossegor Golf Club, Jean van de Velde’s course,” added Doorley.

MADEIRA

Capital: Funchal

Time Difference: Same

Currency: Euro

THERE IS a consensus among the travel agents contacted that the island retreat of Madeira is proving popular with Irish golfers, particularly those of a certain vintage.

Ireland’s Des Smyth became the oldest winner of a European Tour event when he won the Madeira Open, aged 48, at Santo de Serra Golf Club in 2001.

This is one of only two courses on the island along with Palheiro Golf Club but there is a third course, Porto Santo, where you have to “fly or get a ferry across to it” according to Neal Cassidy at Cassidy Golf.

“This is a great destination and the quality of product is there but it’s probably not going to suit a bunch of lads looking to get away. We find it suits older clients or retired couples,” adds Cassidy.

There are also direct flights to Madeira from Dublin.

SELECTED OFFERS

TURKEY

Belek (Antalya)

Seven Nights BB five-star Kempinski Dome Hotel (Superior room). Buffet dinner each evening plus four rounds of golf - 2x PGA Sultan, 2x Pasha. Free access to health and fitness facilities. From €840. Fights not included.

Source: Kempinski Group

FRANCE

Biarritz

Valid October

Flights and transfers, seven nights BB at four-star Radisson Blu Hotel and five rounds of golf from €950 plus tax €60

Source: Killester Travel

MADEIRA

Funchal

Return flights and transfers. Seven nights and two rounds of golf – Madeira and Santo Island Tour of Porto Santo. Free entrance to sights (Tropical Botanical Gardens)

From €1,200 (based on two people sharing)

Source: Shandon Travel

LONG HAUL

UNITED STATES

Capital: Washington

Time Difference: Five hours behind Currency: US Dollar

WHEN the question was asked regarding golf in the United States, a small pause was simply followed by the line: “Where do you want to start, golf in the States is a completely open book.” It’s true and places like Florida still appear to capture the imagination for discerning Irish golfers keen on a trip across the Atlantic.

Drilling down further and Sawgrass, where the Players’ Championship is staged every year, appears to hold sway with a number of Irish travel agents – Cassidy Golf, Carr Golf and Bryan Somers Travel all sell into Sawgrass.

Sawgrass is a Marriott Group Resort and Spa and boasts the famous Pete Dye Stadium Course with the treacherous par three 17th island green.

SOUTH AFRICA

Capital: Cape Town (legislative)

Time Difference: Plus one hour

Currency: South African Rand

A COUPLE of years ago a small group of us made a three-week golfing trip to South Africa; it was undoubtedly one of the best we’ve been on.

At the time a chartered flight took us direct from Dublin to Cape Town and from there it was simply a matter choosing one great golf venue after another.

From our base in beach resort of Camp’s Bay there was ample opportunity to take in the typical sights of Table Mountain or Robben Island, while we played the likes of Royal Cape and Mowbray Golf Club.

The latter part of the trip was spent along the famous Garden Route, via the wine regions, where highpoints came with playing the stunning Fancourt and the more traditional George and Goose Valley Golf Clubs.

VIETNAM

Capital: Hanoi

Time Difference: Plus six hours

Currency: Dong

THIS LONG-haul option may appear somewhat out of left field but friends and colleagues maintain it is one of the best options for golf in a faraway place.

So too does Michael Doorley from Shandon Travel, who took a group to Vietnam last year.

If you can cope with the humidity and the 12 to 13-hour flight then Doorley recommends the trip.

A typical 12-14 day trip would take golfers to places like the Saigon, Dalat and Phan Tiet and includes, flights, five-star accommodation and up to five rounds of golf from around €2,500 depending on the time of booking.

SELECTED OFFERS

US

Sawgrass Golf Resort and Spa

Five nights and four rounds of golf – including two on TPC Stadium Course. From €795 per person sharing. Flights and transfers not included.

Source: Carr Golf

VIETNAM

Twelve-day trip, return International flights plus domestic flights and transfers. Five-star hotel and four rounds of golf – including caddies.

Sightseeing opportunities.

From €2,500 plus taxes

Source: Shandon Travel

WHO TO CONTACT

Cassidy Golf (Dublin) T: 0818 332 535. W: www.cassidygolf.com

Killester Travel. T: (01) 833 6935 W: www.killestertravel.com

Carr Golf (Dublin) T: (01) 822 6662 W: www.carrgolf.com

Shandon Travel (Cork) T: (021) 490 7578 W: www.travel247.ie

Lee Travel (Cork) T: (021) 427 3275 W: www.leetravel.ie

Bryan Somers Travel. T: (048) 97 511 232 W: www.bryansomers.co.uk

Simpsinns, Scot. T: +44 (0)1292 315976. W: www.oldloansinn.co.uk