Golfing trips abroad

[CliveW]

If you're talking about Belek, cheap is the last word I'd use to describe it.

Fantastic courses, great all-inclusive hotels providing as much free beer as you want, but cheap? No way.

Depending on who you choose to book with and which hotel/courses you select, it is extremely good value for money in my opinion.

 

[Bamberdele21]

I actually flew to Alicante 3 weeks ago and played in the area of Orihuela. Our nearest beach was La Zenia and Campoamor and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t too far from a place called La Finca which Mel Smooth mentioned.

I played three courses out there.

First was Real Club De Golf Campoamor Resort, second being Roda Golf & Beach Resort and third was Los Ramblas.

Now the only real issue I found / noticed was it was ‘Low Season’ because of the heat yet the golf fees were high in my opinion. I played 3 courses and I will break them down.

Golf and buggy for Campoamor (on my own) was €100

Golf and buggy for two was €130 at roda

Golf and buggy for two was €180 at Los Ramblas…..

I won’t be rushing back at those prices. Not a clue how much they will add on top of those fees for the
‘High Season’ but because it was my first time playing abroad I didn’t mind paying that but if I showed those prices to my lot they wouldn’t be inclined to play abroad.

 

[Mel Smooth]

I actually flew to Alicante 3 weeks ago and played in the area of Orihuela. Our nearest beach was La Zenia and Campoamor and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t too far from a place called La Finca which Mel Smooth mentioned.

I played three courses out there.

First was Real Club De Golf Campoamor Resort, second being Roda Golf & Beach Resort and third was Los Ramblas.

Now the only real issue I found / noticed was it was ‘Low Season’ because of the heat yet the golf fees were high in my opinion. I played 3 courses and I will break them down.

Golf and buggy for Campoamor (on my own) was €100

Golf and buggy for two was €130 at roda

Golf and buggy for two was €180 at Los Ramblas…..

I won’t be rushing back at those prices. Not a clue how much they will add on top of those fees for the
‘High Season’ but because it was my first time playing abroad I didn’t mind paying that but if I showed those prices to my lot they wouldn’t be inclined to play abroad.

Sounds like you've gone directly to the clubs for the green fees, just don't do it, they will charge you top rate, especially if you play in peak times (ie - not twilight).

I use a booking agent here - normally Stray Sod Green fees, who are located just by the entrance to both Campomoar and Las Ramblas, and they would have charged you 78 euros at Campomoar, 125 euros at Roda and 141 euros at Las Ramblas - saving you around 70 euros.

The courses I've mentioned earlier though are significantly cheaper, which is what you were requesting in your original post. For example Font del Llop would have been 100 euros for 2 people and a buggy - this is rated in the top 100 courses in Spain, better than the three you have played (although I think Las Ramblas is a cracking course), and Alicante and El Plantio are both 78 euros for 2 golfers, with a buggy in the summer months - that's excellent value on both courses. Alenda is under 100 euros in low season as well - you won't find green fees abroad much cheaper than that.

 

[cliveb]

Depending on who you choose to book with and which hotel/courses you select, it is extremely good value for money in my opinion.

I didn't say it's not value for money, just that it's not cheap. We generally go there every May and have a great time. The hotels are amazing VFM, but the green fees are stupid expensive. Never go to Belek unless the golf is included in the package.

For example: Sirene (mid level hotel, perfectly acceptable, two great courses) is about £1100 for a week with 6 rounds. Somewhere really classy like the Maxx Royal is more than double that. (Flights not included, BTW)

 

[Bamberdele21]

Sounds like you've gone directly to the clubs for the green fees, just don't do it, they will charge you top rate, especially if you play in peak times (ie - not twilight).

I use a booking agent here - normally Stray Sod Green fees, who are located just by the entrance to both Campomoar and Las Ramblas, and they would have charged you 78 euros at Campomoar, 125 euros at Roda and 141 euros at Las Ramblas - saving you around 70 euros.

The courses I've mentioned earlier though are significantly cheaper, which is what you were requesting in your original post. For example Font del Llop would have been 100 euros for 2 people and a buggy - this is rated in the top 100 courses in Spain, better than the three you have played (although I think Las Ramblas is a cracking course), and Alicante and El Plantio are both 78 euros for 2 golfers, with a buggy in the summer months - that's excellent value on both courses. Alenda is under 100 euros in low season as well - you won't find green fees abroad much cheaper than that.

Sounds like you know this area well. When you mentioned Stray Sod are you referring to the Irish Bar located within all the restaurants just up the road? If so I didn’t notice any golf related stuff in here as we visited that place a couple of times.. must be the same place?

Unfortunately I did book direct with the hotels on their websites. I’m pretty sure most of the rounds here were past 3pm aswell so that must have been a ‘twilight’ fee.

You mentioned Font Del Llop, Alicante and El Plantio. Are these close to eachother and is there some decent bit of nightlife around this area? Also I’m looking for a package where I have my hotel and golf thrown in instead of just paying green fees.

 

[CliveW]

I didn't say it's not value for money, just that it's not cheap. We generally go there every May and have a great time. The hotels are amazing VFM, but the green fees are stupid expensive. Never go to Belek unless the golf is included in the package.

For example: Sirene (mid level hotel, perfectly acceptable, two great courses) is about £1100 for a week with 6 rounds. Somewhere really classy like the Maxx Royal is more than double that. (Flights not included, BTW)

We are booked for Sirene last week in March 2022. Seven nights all inclusive, two rounds Pasha, two rounds Sultan, one round Carya and one round Titanic. Return flights to Edinburgh with extra legroom, 22kg bag allowance plus golf clubs just under £1,200. Can't wait!

 

[Mel Smooth]

Sounds like you know this area well. When you mentioned Stray Sod are you referring to the Irish Bar located within all the restaurants just up the road? If so I didn’t notice any golf related stuff in here as we visited that place a couple of times.. must be the same place?

Unfortunately I did book direct with the hotels on their websites. I’m pretty sure most of the rounds here were past 3pm aswell so that must have been a ‘twilight’ fee.

You mentioned Font Del Llop, Alicante and El Plantio. Are these close to eachother and is there some decent bit of nightlife around this area? Also I’m looking for a package where I have my hotel and golf thrown in instead of just paying green fees.

Yes mate, it's the Irish Bar at La Fuente, they have a seperate office that does green fees and packages etc.
I live about 30 minutes away, but get down there frequently as I have a pal with a place at Lomas de Cabo Roig.
Font del llop, El Plantio, and Alenda are all just off in the mountains which you fly over as you come into Alicante, Alicante Golf itself is in the city - infact as you come off the golf course you can walk literally 50 meters and be spoilt for choice of places to eat and drink. If you wanted to play those courses, Alicante would be the best place to base yourself, and even in January I guess there would be quite a bit going on regards nightlife.

This is the link for the stray sod, they're advertising what looks like a decent package staying at the hotel at campomoar golf, which is obviously not far from La Fuente, and the Stray Sod bar which you've been in.

https://www.straysodgreenfees.com/copy-of-las-colinas-stay-and-play

 

[Bamberdele21]

Yes mate, it's the Irish Bar at La Fuente, they have a seperate office that does green fees and packages etc.
I live about 30 minutes away, but get down there frequently as I have a pal with a place at Lomas de Cabo Roig.
Font del llop, El Plantio, and Alenda are all just off in the mountains which you fly over as you come into Alicante, Alicante Golf itself is in the city - infact as you come off the golf course you can walk literally 50 meters and be spoilt for choice of places to eat and drink. If you wanted to play those courses, Alicante would be the best place to base yourself, and even in January I guess there would be quite a bit going on regards nightlife.

This is the link for the stray sod, they're advertising what looks like a decent package staying at the hotel at campomoar golf, which is obviously not far from La Fuente, and the Stray Sod bar which you've been in.

https://www.straysodgreenfees.com/copy-of-las-colinas-stay-and-play

Nice one. This is the exact thing I was looking for when I was out there and all along was just sat in front of my eyes? I know first hand that hotel is not an all inclusive party palace but it’s very nice that will have everything we need and very reasonably priced.

Really enjoyed the course aswell. This was the first course I ever played abroad and spent 15 minutes looking for my ball on the first tee which ended up in that Bermuda sponge like grass. Really was a welcome to golf in a different country type scenario.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Nice one. This is the exact thing I was looking for when I was out there and all along was just sat in front of my eyes? I know first hand that hotel is not an all inclusive party palace but it’s very nice that will have everything we need and very reasonably priced.

Really enjoyed the course aswell. This was the first course I ever played abroad and spent 15 minutes looking for my ball on the first tee which ended up in that Bermuda sponge like grass. Really was a welcome to golf in a different country type scenario.

The bermuda grass still gets me on the short chip shots around the green, always use too much loft, and always go straight under the ball.
Just over the back of campomoar you have Las Colinas golf as well, now it will be expensive there but it has been rated as one of the top courses in the country - I've yet to play it as I'm a tight yorkshireman but it is supposed to be good.

 

[Bamberdele21]

The bermuda grass still gets me on the short chip shots around the green, always use too much loft, and always go straight under the ball.
Just over the back of campomoar you have Las Colinas golf as well, now it will be expensive there but it has been rated as one of the top courses in the country - I've yet to play it as I'm a tight yorkshireman but it is supposed to be good.

I stayed 5 mins away in Villamartin. Sounds like the area we stayed was excellent for golf. This is what has given me the bug. I’ll be sure to email the stray sod. Our Villa cost us £60 a night and could potentially sleep 6 so it could be the way forward. Maybe we won’t be getting value in an all inclusive hotel if we are out on a golf course for 6+ hours a day …

 

[Mel Smooth]

I stayed 5 mins away in Villamartin. Sounds like the area we stayed was excellent for golf. This is what has given me the bug. I’ll be sure to email the stray sod. Our Villa cost us £60 a night and could potentially sleep 6 so it could be the way forward. Maybe we won’t be getting value in an all inclusive hotel if we are out on a golf course for 6+ hours a day …

Yeah, you are right in the heart of 4 good courses there mate, ten minutes to them all by car.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

If you're talking about Belek, cheap is the last word I'd use to describe it.

Fantastic courses, great all-inclusive hotels providing as much free beer as you want, but cheap? No way.

7 rounds of golf, all inclusive, for under £1500. That's not cheap?

 

[Bamberdele21]

People have talked about Turkey and Belek which I’ve had a look at. I can get a flight in January to Trabzon from London for £150 return and I’ve seen a few offers about that have confused me. Can someone explain the picture attached in this post as I don’t quite understand how a unlimited golf works out £100+ cheaper than package with only 3 rounds of golf.

Thanks

 

[Captainron]

I’m off to Portugal at the end of the month for the first time ever to play golf there. Will let you know what it’s like.

 

[cliveb]

People have talked about Turkey and Belek which I’ve had a look at. I can get a flight in January to Trabzon from London for £150 return and I’ve seen a few offers about that have confused me. Can someone explain the picture attached in this post as I don’t quite understand how a unlimited golf works out £100+ cheaper than package with only 3 rounds of golf.

Trabzon (on Turkey's north coast) is about 1200km from Belek (on Turkey's south coast). Unless you're planning to get an internal flight onwards, it doesn't make much sense. For Belek, you want to fly to Antalya.

As for the deals you show, I note that they are "from <price>". My guess would be that if you drill into them, you'll find the cheaper deal for unlimited golf might only be for inconvenient dates.

There isn't a bad course in Belek (that I know of), but if the Kaya Palazzo is what used to be called Kaya Eagles, then it's one of the less prestigious ones. I wouldn't go out of my way to play it again.

 

[Bamberdele21]

Trabzon (on Turkey's north coast) is about 1200km from Belek (on Turkey's south coast). Unless you're planning to get an internal flight onwards, it doesn't make much sense. For Belek, you want to fly to Antalya.

As for the deals you show, I note that they are "from <price>". My guess would be that if you drill into them, you'll find the cheaper deal for unlimited golf might only be for inconvenient dates.

There isn't a bad course in Belek (that I know of), but if the Kaya Palazzo is what used to be called Kaya Eagles, then it's one of the less prestigious ones. I wouldn't go out of my way to play it again.

This would make perfect sense to be honest ?

 

[CliveW]

People have talked about Turkey and Belek which I’ve had a look at. I can get a flight in January to Trabzon from London for £150 return and I’ve seen a few offers about that have confused me. Can someone explain the picture attached in this post as I don’t quite understand how a unlimited golf works out £100+ cheaper than package with only 3 rounds of golf.

Thanks

We use Bilyana Golf Holidays to arrange our holiday and book flights direct with Jet2. Their website shows this...
https://www.bilyanagolf.com/hotel-details/turkey/belek-antalya/kaya-palazzo-golf-resort The course is only 5,781 yards off the whites!