3 of Europe’s favourite golf courses

Thanks to the internet booking golfing holidays has never been easier. There are plenty of short breaks and golfing packages available online and there are hundreds of websites that offer accommodation within a commutable distance to courses. With so many golf courses across Europe, it’s not easy to pick out the one most suitable for you, and it doesn’t help that many lay claim to the title of being the number one course in Europe at some stage. Here’s a quick look at three of the top courses on this side of the Atlantic – one from the UK, one from Spain, and one from France.

Saint Andrews (Fife, Scotland)

The Saint Andrews Links contains the oldest course in the world, and it also houses one of the world’s oldest golf clubs – the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews, which is one of two law making bodies in golf. It is such a prestigious and traditional venue that it holds the mantle of ‘the home of golf.’ The Old Course is generally considered to be one of the world’s best, as well as the most traditional, with records of its existence dating back to as far as 1574. Because the Links has a total of seven courses, there are varying prices throughout the year to play here. However, a round on the Old Course during the High Season will cost £130, but other courses are very affordable. See the website for more details.

Valderrama (Prov de Cadiz, Spain)

The Costa del Sol has become such a popular destination for golfers over the last twenty or so years that many enthusiasts have labelled it the ‘Costa del Golf.’ Certainly the region has glorious weather all year round, and with some 340 calm days of sunshine a year it’s not difficult to see why it’s become a haven for golfers. Amongst the top courses in the region, and indeed the rest of Europe, is Valderrama. Having opened in 1974, the club has a single eighteen hole course that played host to the 1997 Ryder Cup. This was the first club ever on mainland Europe to host the tournament. Green fees are 275 Euros up until September 2008. Getting a flight to Malaga would be the easiest way to get there from the UK, see Cheapflights.co.uk for
cheap flights to Malaga.

Les Bordes (Saint Laurent Nouan, France)

Not far from the medieval city of Orleans and around 90 miles to the south of Paris is Les Bordes, which is generally regarded as the top golf course in France. Having first opened in 1987 the course was voted number 2 in Europe by the Peugeot Golf Guide 2004/2005 and was the winner of Golfjournal's 2001 Travel Oscar for Best European Golf Course. At 7,062 yards, the course is notoriously tough, with the course record only being one stroke under par, set by Jean Van de Velde. The course has a hotel and restaurant, although pricing comes as significantly cheaper than the other two mentioned above. Green fees are 150 Euros on a weekend for those not staying at the hotel, and 100 Euros for hotel residents.