September News...

Dear TSGers, Let's start by congratulating the European Solheim Cup team on the fantastic win last Sunday. We believe this will provide the sport with a great launch pad on which to encourage more women to take up the game. Meanwhile, back at TSG HQ, we are making preparations for the TSG Matchplay Final's Day at Crown Golf's Addington Court GC - this event is open to NON-TSG Pro members to join. In addition, August saw us hit 7K+ unique visitors for the 2nd month in a row!  Til next time...Ian & The TSG Team

TSG EVENT: The Social Golfer MatchPlay Championship 2019...

So, after all the ties have been completed and the matches verified we have our finalists!

Firstly, let's start by thanking everyone that has taken part in this years TSG Matchplay competition in 2019. It's been a great summer full of close matches but as we head to Crown Golf's Addington Court, we now have our two finalists and this year's third-place play-off competitors secured...

Finally, we'd like to thank everyone for their support in this event (now in its 7th year!). Your finalists are Andy King (3rd place 2018), Roger Dickson (Matchplay Champion 2013), Steve Slater (TSG Par 3 2018, TSG Open 2015 and TSG Masters Champion 2016) and
John Barber (TSG Matchplay Champion 2015).

All players will meet on Sunday 29th September at 11am at Addington Court GC...

So, who's your money on?

Want to come and support the event and meet some of your fellows TSGers, click on the link below and add your name to the game page!

This event is eligible for NON-TSG PRO members to join in!

TSG Player of the Month (sponsored by www.2fore1.co.uk)

David Jacobs - Risebridge GC in Essex with a Stableford score = 47. 

Well done to David, this is his FIFTH win on the TSG Leaderboard. And his first since May 2017 when he scored 45 Pts at Stapleford Abbotts in Essex. Welcome to the 2020 TSG Masters DJ!

H'cap change: 19.5 to 16.8 ...nice!                                                            BUY A TSG TOWEL

Golf Travel: Best Golf Courses in Spain...

When it comes to knowing the best golf courses in Spain, there’s no better destination to 'swat up' on, than the most visited golf region in Europe. Lush, rolling fairways, picturesque courses, an enjoyable climate and great cuisine combine to make the ultimate golf destination - and all of this only a few hours from London. But with such a great selection of golf holidays in Spain, how do you choose a destination? To make selecting your next golf break in Spain a breeze, here’s our pick of the eight best golf courses based on quality, value, and of course, player reviews. Without further ado, let’s take a look at Spain’s best golf courses…

#1 Real Club Valderrama, Cadiz

One of the most famed golf courses in Spain, Valderrama famously played host to the 1997 Ryder Cup and is consistently voted among the best courses in Europe. Thanks to the well-considered layout, conditions at Valderrama are perfect all year-round. Valderrama isn’t a course for the faint of heart, with plenty of doglegs to test your planning skills, and tree-lined fairways ready to claim any wayward drives. As of 2019, the course has undergone extensive arborist work, removing many of the low-hanging branches that players had to contend with previously. So if you haven’t visited recently, it’s well worth a return trip.

• Year Built - 1974
• Par - 71
• Difficulty - Hard
• Designer -  Robert Trent Jones
• Walkable?  Yes
• Clubhouse - Yes
• Length -  6390 metres
• Flat or Hilly - Hilly in parts
• Location - Cadiz, Andalucia
• Facilities - Driving range, putting green, golf lessons, pro-shop, clubhouse, parking, bar and restaurant, changing rooms.

#2 Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, Malaga

The first of Robert Trent Jones’ courses, Sotogrande is an undulating course that provides plenty in the way of challenges for the seasoned golfer. With a number of elevated greens and a generous helping of hazards, Sotogrande is a course that will keep you on your toes. Being a decade older than Jones’ Valderrama course, it isn’t as flawless and shows it's age in places, but Sotogrande is a course not to be missed for the golfer who enjoys the thrill of the game.

• Year Built - 1964
• Par - 72
• Difficulty - Medium
• Designer - Robert Trent Jones
• Walkable?  Yes
• Clubhouse -  Yes
• Length - 6224 metres
• Flat or Hilly - Hilly
• Location - Malaga, Andalucia
• Facilities - Driving range, putting green, golf lessons, pro-shop, clubhouse, parking, bar and restaurant, changing rooms

#3 Torrequebrada Golf, Benalmadena

Taking the top spot for our best value golf course in Malaga, Torrequabrada Golf is truly a hidden gem. Once host to the 1977 Spanish Open, this often overlooked course represents great value and is comparable to some of the Costa del Sol’s top golf courses.

The third hole is only 90 metres long end-to-end but provides a good challenge and sets the scene for the remaining course.

An equally enjoyable course for keen amateurs and seasoned professionals, the (admittedly ageing) course of Torrequebrada is a diamond in the rough.

• Year Built - 1976
• Par - 72
• Difficulty - Medium
• Designer - Pepe Cancedo
• Walkable? Yes though buggy advised
• Clubhouse - Yes
• Length - 5,852 Metres
• Flat or Hilly - Flat
• Location - Benalmádena, Malaga
• Facilities - Driving range, putting green, golf academy, group lessons, pro-shop, bar and restaurant, changing rooms

#4 PGA de Catalunya (Stadium), Girona

Only 45 minutes drive from Barcelona, a visit to PGA de Catalunya is a must when visiting the Catalonian capital. This championship course has played host to a number of Opens but is one which will be enjoyed by the amateur golfer too.

This dramatic course features a number of tight holes and plenty of variety. Construction has been underway on and off over the past few years to upgrade areas of the course, but this means it’s likely to be even better each time you visit.

• Year Built - 1998
• Par - 72
• Difficulty - Medium
• Designer - Neil Coles, Angel Gallardo
• Walkable? Yes
• Clubhouse - Yes
• Length - 6226 metres
• Flat or Hilly - Flat
• Location - Girona, Costa Brava
• Facilities - Driving range, putting green, golf academy, group lessons, pro-shop, bar and restaurant, changing rooms, massage, gym, pool, sauna

#5 Santana Golf, Malaga

As well as being one of the newer golf courses in the area, Santana is widely considered to be one of the best golf courses in the Costa del Sol, particularly when factoring in its low price-point.

Santana Golf isn’t a championship course, but that is part of what makes it so enjoyable to a wide range of golfers. The generously wide fairways make for a forgiving course, while the hospitality adds to the laidback experience.

• Year Built - 2003
• Par - 72
• Difficulty - Difficult
• Designer - Cabell B. Robinson
• Walkable? Yes
• Clubhouse - Yes
• Length - 6,207 metres
• Flat or Hilly - Flat
• Location - Malaga, Costa del Sol
• Facilities - Clubhouse, golf school, pro-shop, putting green, chipping green, pitching green, practice bunker

NEW GOLF GEAR: TSG brings you the latest kit on the market...

Titleist Irons: Powered by new breakthrough Max Impact technology the T300 has a more forgiving head profile. Delivering true ball speed performance and high launch for long towering distance. Max Impact technology delivers a balance of power and performance, unlike anything Titleist has ever made. It coverts near misses into almost perfect shots and provides a superior sound and feel... READ MORE

Honma Irons:  Leading Japanese golf brand HONMA has added a new range of clubs to its renowned T//WORLD Series. They are aimed at golfers looking for confidence-inspiring game improving performance, as well as having stylish design features and top-quality build. Designed and engineered by Master Craftsmen at the brand’s Sakata factory in Japan who have produced the clubs used on Tour by Justin Rose, the beautifully crafted T//WORLD XP-1 range of high-performance clubs includes complementary drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons for both men and women... READ MORE

For further details email us at info@golf-escapes.com or click on the link below. Or CALL a member of the team on 01342 811 777

DONT FORGET EVERY TSG PRO MEMBER GETS A FREE £25 voucher with Golf Escapes!

(mention at time of booking to qualify!)

Course Review of the Month: Golf d'Hardelot, Northern France.

"One of the best I've played..." 

Golf d'Hardelot is a two-course golf resort on the Cote d'Opale (Opal Coast), Northern France, Near Boulogne & Le Touquet. The Les Pins course at Hardelot golf resort is the older, i.e. the original of the two courses. 

Opened in 1931, it was designed by Tom Simpson. A renovation was undertaken in 2016 by architects Frank Pont and Patrice Boissonas, to restore the Les Pins to the original Simpson design concept. The course is a par 71, comprising of 5 par 3s, 9 par 4s and 4 par 5s.  Both men and ladies play off the same handicap indexes. Each of the tees has its own SSS and Slope indexes, e.g. 71.5/129 white, 69.4/121 yellow, 72.7/125 blue and 70.1/118 red respectively.

So, the course meanders among a highly mature forest of pine trees and is bounded by an array of stunning modern and older classic houses. Heaven! The course fairways, tee boxes and greens are fully watered and are in lush green condition. The fairways are as perfect as can be. The greens are generally large, raised, undulating multi-layered, firm, well guarded by bunkers, moderately paced and very tricky to read. I had 38 total putts for my round, including 3 x 3 putts and only one single putt!. 

The Par 3s: the par 3s are a beautiful mix of short and medium-range challenges but the windy conditions made club selection difficult. 

The Par 4s: the par 4s are a good mix of short and longer range holes, well-bunkered, elevation changes and doglegs. The 9th hole is visually the most intimidating off the tee, with a carry required over a range of high faced bunkers to a blind left dogleg and an uncertain landing fairway width; followed by a tight uphill approach up to an un-bunkered green. A well-struck tee shot should comfortably make the carry but unfortunately, and unexpectedly for me, this was my first ball-striking error and I managed to hit under the ball and sky it into the bunker! While I subsequently made an excellent exit from the bunker I failed to make the carry up to the green! The dilemma on this hole is that the safer wider line to the right of the bunkers leaves a very long and blocked path to the green! A true index 1 hole!

The Par 5s: the 4 par 5s are a good mix of challenges. The opening 1st is a tight looking hole, the 6th and 13th are the more difficult at indexes 5 and 6 respectively, while the 10th, which runs parallel to the 1st, is a fairly straight index 14. Collectively I scored +6 on the par 5s, which was +3 too many given my shots situation. Finding the first fairway bunker with a mis-hit tee shot on the 13th followed by a 3 putt accounted for +2 of the excess! 

This was only my 2nd game on the continent of Europe, after Wimereux the previous day but what a joy to get to play Les Pins, a course rated in the top 10 courses in France, and in the top 100 on continental Europe. The revision was rated on the Top 100 Golf Courses of the World website as one of the most successful programmes ever seen on Continental Europe... I've played less than 20 of the top 100 courses in England and yet Les Pins would be in my top 5 courses played. A stunner!

There is a moderately sized Proshop but note, prices are expensive in comparison to the UK! The club is very much geared up to the British golf tourist and most staff spoke good English. Finally, the clubhouse bar has a wall covered by scorecards from courses played by visitors; mostly English! Many of the scorecards were from courses I have played. Alas, whilst I didn't have a spare Cherry Lodge scorecard with me, I left a Surrey Downs scorecard as my contribution to the decor! 

Michael Hanley - SW London/Surrey (H'cap 13)