Six Golf Adventures for 2021

With the mass roll-out of covid-19 vaccines and golf courses (occasionally) one of the few places one can seek refuge from the pandemic, 2021 looks to be a big year for golf travel. No doubt many of us will be desperate to jet off once we get the all-clear, and cant wait to bask in the warm Algarve sun or lose a few balls on a challenging links course in Scotland.   

But what of those of us that want to fledge a little further from the comfort of what we already know? Here are six slightly more adventurous golf trips for your consideration.

1, Bulgaria.

Ok, I can appreciate that Bulgaria is hardly a bucket list country for most golfers but, and hear me out on this, it is cheap. Up to seven nights at the five-star, all-inclusive Lighthouse golf & Spa resort could come in at less than £430. Oh, and did I mention that the price is inclusive of unlimited golf on the outstanding, Lighthouse Signature Course. Offering views of the Black Sea, challenging deep-set bunkers and tricky layout, this Ian Woosnam designed course is one of the most playable in Europe.  But wait, there’s more…. Just up the road, on the very same coastline you can find two Gary Player designed courses; the BlackSeaRama and the Thracian Cliffs, the latter (in my humble opinion) is the prettiest course in Europe. It has a maturity far beyond its nine years of age and has a real shot at becoming one of the world’s top ten golf courses.

Finally, if you need more than just golf on your trip there are two of Bulgaria’s finest seaside towns within an hour drive. Varna boasts restaurants, cafes, beaches, stunning vistas, a museum of retro stuff, historical parks, and all the attractions you would expect from Bulgaria’s third-biggest city; alternatively, the town of Balchik is nearer, smaller, calmer, and altogether more timid, perfect for a few beers in the sun.

2, Island hopping, Scotland.

No, I am not referring to the excellent, but Pirates of the Caribbean [possibly] copyright breaching  Adventure Golf Island but rather any of the 38 courses spread across Scotland’s beautiful 26 islands. From tricky nine-hole par threes to full length 18 hole courses, everything that is great about golf in Scotland can be found surrounded by saltwater.

My ideal island-hopping tour would go as follows;

On the outskirts of Oban, Argyll you can find sheltering amongst the hills of the Glencruitten Estate one of the most wildlife-rich golf courses the UK has to offer. Fairways range from tight and intricate to broad and forgiving, there are par threes that might require a driver off the tee if the conditions are not forgiving and you face the onslaught of a particularly violent headwind. The Glencruitten provides the ideal warm-up before you dive further into an ‘off the beaten track’ Scottish golf adventure and is only a short ferry ride to the Isle of Mull which boasts both the Tobermory Golf club and the Craignure Golf club, both boasting fine courses in their own right.

On the west side of the Isle of Mull, you can find a ferry that will take you to the Isle of Iona. Found a little under a mile up the road from the small ferry port, Iona Golf course is a little gem. Hazards vary from the sea to cowpats, greenkeepers are grazing farm animals and the clubhouse is also the post office, as such the greens are almost indistinguishable from fairways. This is not a bad thing and it adds to the appeal to playing this diamond in the rough (of which there is a lot.) If this is not enough to tempt you to travel to Scotland, board two ferries, hike for 30 mins then consider this; it has is the most charming golf community, the course is maintained by volunteers and is free to play! (Although scorecards cost a quid.) They even host the Iona Open every August, so get your ferries booked to enter!

Finally, I would venture to Islay for a stay at The Machrie for some luxury and 18 holes of rolling fairway perfection. The Hotel itself was renovated and reopened in 2018 and boasts some of the trendiest Scottish furnishings that you could expect from a hotel. Rooms are bright and airy, luxurious without being opulent and boast some of the finest views of the island. The course itself can be a real challenge. Infamous for the number of blind spots (their words not mine,) undulating and open to the elements (my words not theirs,) this course is all about shot placement. There is no advantage for the big hitters here!

The adventure does not stop on the course as just a short jaunt down the road you will find the first of three amazing whisky distilleries, Laphroaig, followed by Lagavulin and finally Ardbeg. All three pack some of the smokiest flavours into the island’s ‘water of life’ and a few drams packed into your golf bag will go far to keep you warm while you face the elements.

3, Malaysia

OK, so we are moving a little further afield now. Malaysia has a climate that is brilliant for golf, that is to say, it is hot, humid, and depending on the time of the year that you go, has rainstorms you can set your watch by. This produces some of the lushest and greenest golf courses and Malaysia hosts some of the finest courses, cut into rainforests, anywhere in the world. The Els Club, Teluk Datai found on the island of Langkawi is just that, and if you were expecting to find well-sculpted, white sanded bunkers you would be wrong, this course has no bunkers, of any kind, anywhere, which comes as a blessed relief to those of us who have flailed wildly at the sand only for it to be blown back into our sweaty faces.

Head east inland and you might be able to find Kelab Golf Universiti Utara Malaysia, a nearly new and far more affordable 18-hole course with a rainforest backdrop. Expect to see tropical birds and monitor lizards patrolling the fairways of this hard to find but non-exclusive course. This course can get sun-scorched in the dry season, but we can forgive this as it is part of one of the best open campuses in Asia, where members of the public and tourists can also enjoy among many other attractions; a go-kart track, fishing lakes, tennis courts, picnic areas, stunning vistas, a night market, jungle trekking, and two deer parks!

4, Mongolia.

Yes, Mongolia!

Unsurprisingly, Golf hasn’t really found its niche in the landlocked country of Mongolia, however, fly into Ulaanbaatar and you can relax in the countries only Golf and Ski resort. The Mt Bogd Golf Club boasts a championship standard course designed by David Dale and blends seamlessly into its vast grassy surroundings. Perhaps the most arresting thing about the course is not its fine links layout or its challenging distance of 7,316 yards but rather its height above sea level. I was always led to believe that Mongolia was a flat and desolate grassland however at 4400 ft above sea-level Mt Bogd provides the most unbelievable view of Ulaanbaatar, which is the real star of this adventure.

Ulaanbaatar feels like one of the last great emerging cities trying to make its way in the world where traditional culture is starting to clash with its modernisation, for example, you can enjoy some traditional throat singing in a cafe followed by cocktails and a pub quiz. Ulaanbaatar is a massive sprawling city that grew off the back of the countries mining industry and now, with the need to modernise to stay economically competitive it feels more inviting to tourists than ever.

If you are feeling even more adventurous you could chuck your clubs in the back of a car and drive there via 10,000 or so miles of deserts, mountains and steppe! 

5, North Korea

As a former communist state, Mongolia has a surprisingly good relationship with North Korea, so if you did want to extend your adventure into the secretive Asian state, logistically it should not be too difficult. There are a handful of tours that can arrange the relevant visas, hotels, transport, and amazingly, a trip to North Koreas 18-hole, par 72 Golf Resort. Aside from Kim Jong-Il, who allegedly shot a 34, the course record is credited to German player Claudio Consul who shot a 1-under par, so any decent players who do venture on to the course do have a chance claiming a course record.     

Details about the course are somewhat hard to find however what we do know is this; It is located about 30 mins drive from Pyongyang and the roads to get there may not be quite finished so expect a bumpy ride. Two official guides, a caddy and a scorekeeper will most likely accompany you, so you better be okay playing with an audience. You will be unlikely to have to wait for slower players, as in a country of over 25 million people only a handful of people play the course daily. Accommodation is some of the most luxurious in North Korea, though still only feels functional by the standard of the rest of the world. And fred114 on trip advisor was “Shocked to see Obama playing there! Playing with some short Korean guy in a trench coat.”

I could find no reliable sources that talk about how the course actually plays, but recent pictures of it look respectable. It has well surfaced, treelined fairways and carefully maintained greens and the overhead picture on the scorecard indicates the layout is a decent test for any golfer.

6, Nepal

Nepal is a real ‘Bucket List Country,’ its beauty is unsurpassed, its people are warm and welcoming, its culture among the richest in the world, and its golf courses are as beautiful and challenging as they are obscure. The Gokarna Forest golf resort is a luxurious oasis of calm located not far outside of Kathmandu (which is the exact opposite.) The course itself is suitably challenging and obviously very well maintained and serves as the ideal warm-up before you venture further afield to the Himalayan Golf Course, Pokhara.

I always considered walking as the best way to experience the game however and I would consider it wise to invest in some sturdy golf shoes or some out and out hiking boots before you make a start on the Himalayan. Awe-inspiring is the only way you can describe it, developed along a riverbed that cuts through a prehistoric canyon the course comes in at almost 7000 yards and has everything you would expect from the best courses in the world. Raised greens, split fairways, raised tee boxes, sheep, the world’s only island green on a natural river and the most wonderful views of the most beautiful country. Even if you hate golf, it is worth a visit as it will constantly take your breath away as it combines all the best parts of all the previously mentioned courses and packages it neatly into a perfect golf adventure.   

Obviously, if your anything like me, every swing is a new adventure.