Mauritius golf holiday advice

[Tashyboy]

Well Tashyboy gets made redundant next year after 35 years mining man and boy. I have had a few holidays abroad (Mexico and. Cuba) and loved playing golf on me jols. So much so even Missis tash enjoys four hours in the buggy watching me play. Any way I have looked at having one last sworee to Mauritius. I have looked at booking the Constance belle mare plage which has two courses affiliated.

Has anyone been there, played there or has anyone been and played anywhere else. Not interested in the mega expensive places, so any advice greatly appreciated. Also is it worth taking your own clubs or hiring out there.

Cheers Tashyboy

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Isn't a forum member living there ?

 

[Tashyboy]

Hope so, might be the middle of the the night though phil. Kicking off a bit in the Blair thread innit.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Hope so, might be the middle of the the night though phil. Kicking off a bit in the Blair thread innit.

Leaving it to the Fragster

It might be Slab who is on the sun kissed Island

 

[Tashyboy]

Leaving it to the Fragster

It might be Slab who is on the sun kissed Island

Cheers me man, al leave it a day or two if he responds woohoo, if not al pm him.

 

[Slab]

Well Tashyboy gets made redundant next year after 35 years mining man and boy. I have had a few holidays abroad (Mexico and. Cuba) and loved playing golf on me jols. So much so even Missis tash enjoys four hours in the buggy watching me play. Any way I have looked at having one last sworee to Mauritius. I have looked at booking the Constance belle mare plage which has two courses affiliated.

Has anyone been there, played there or has anyone been and played anywhere else. Not interested in the mega expensive places, so any advice greatly appreciated. Also is it worth taking your own clubs or hiring out there.

Cheers Tashyboy

Morning, yeah you're right it was kinda late here when you posted

Ask away & hopefully I'll be able to answer anything

SAPCOR1 came out earlier this year and there was a thread he started that you can look at here for general info

Stayed at Belle Mare and play both Links & Legends courses (Links more so) a few times each season

If staying at Plage your green fees are inclusive for both as a hotel guest but they still ask you to pay for buggy so budget that in (or if you don't mind walking you can get a caddy, cheaper than a buggy!) although depending on time of year walking may be unrealistic due to the heat)

The hotels' website gives a pretty good overview of the golf courses but for me the Links is the better (meaning more enjoyable) both have the best selection of Par 3's from all the courses on the island (the 17th at Legends is just superb)

You can rent clubs at the Plage but if you already have the travel case etc from your other trips then as many airlines normally let you bring your own at no charge so a good idea to bring your own if you plan on playing more than the a single round as opposed to renting (your clubs deserve a holiday too )

Anyway let me know what info you want and feel free to drop a PM if it not golf related


edit: if you are interested in playing any of the other courses then best to play with someone who lives here so that you can get Mauritian residents green fee rates (tourists rates being a bit mental) There's games/groups of us out at some course or another most weekends. SAPCOR1's visit coincided with a club comp day at Anahita which he came along to

 

[Tashyboy]

Many thanks slab for the info, I won't be made redundant til July at the earliest and Missis tash and myself are thinking about leaving our holiday until after then. I looked at the belle mare primarily because of the free green fees whilst staying there and the choice of two courses. I think the holiday came to around 4k all inclusive. So that is the max that I would probably go up to.

very much in its infancy re looking for where to stay so any ideas re hotels and associated golf courses would be greatly appreciated.

up early this morning for a nine hole comp and it's blowing the coconuts off the trees here in Mansfield. Notts. With rain forecast in the next couple of hours. Oh joy of joys.

Many thanks. Tashyboy aka Andy.

 

[Slab]

Many thanks slab for the info, I won't be made redundant til July at the earliest and Missis tash and myself are thinking about leaving our holiday until after then. I looked at the belle mare primarily because of the free green fees whilst staying there and the choice of two courses. I think the holiday came to around 4k all inclusive. So that is the max that I would probably go up to.

very much in its infancy re looking for where to stay so any ideas re hotels and associated golf courses would be greatly appreciated.

up early this morning for a nine hole comp and it's blowing the coconuts off the trees here in Mansfield. Notts. With rain forecast in the next couple of hours. Oh joy of joys.

Many thanks. Tashyboy aka Andy.

No worries, just ask away as you start to plan things

Belle Mare is a cool place to stay but I don't do it often as its one of the closer courses to where I live
(as an example of how far they take the level of service how about crushed ice in the urinals in the locker room!)

Cost wise they can all be pricey but Anahita probably the 'worst' so an all-inclusive is a good choice of holiday/accommodation (the other option being staying away from the luxury hotels altogether as there's no end of smaller places or rentals)
I even went 'glamping' the other week and it was ridiculously cheap compared to the 5* places

Best value is when a group of us rent a course side villa for the weekend at Heritage GC & their Hotel is pretty special too (I think Heritage GC do a reciprocal deal with Paradis & Tamarina courses but would need to check)

I said in the other thread that for one game only le touessrok is special as a holiday golf experience & again their hotel guests get green fees covered (I'm playing there this Saturday after some course changes so it'll be interesting to see what they've done) but any hotel with its own course will do the same re green fees

My current fav is Heritage Bel Ombre though, the course has just been added to the European Tour (next May) so its a chance to play a Tour venue course and the coastline down there is spectacular & used for surfing a fair bit

As you say you've plenty time so just ask as things occur to you, its tough to pick a bad venue & part of your decision should be based on how much golf you plan to play, if just a round or two then you don't really need to stay at a golf resort, more than two rounds then definitely quids in to pick a golf resort



Not golf but the new airport terminal is fully open now so you no longer feel like you've traveled back 40 years when you arrive

 

[SAPCOR1]

.

Morning, yeah you're right it was kinda late here when you posted

Ask away & hopefully I'll be able to answer anything

SAPCOR1 came out earlier this year and there was a thread he started that you can look at here for general info

Stayed at Belle Mare and play both Links & Legends courses (Links more so) a few times each season

If staying at Plage your green fees are inclusive for both as a hotel guest but they still ask you to pay for buggy so budget that in (or if you don't mind walking you can get a caddy, cheaper than a buggy!) although depending on time of year walking may be unrealistic due to the heat)

The hotels' website gives a pretty good overview of the golf courses but for me the Links is the better (meaning more enjoyable) both have the best selection of Par 3's from all the courses on the island (the 17th at Legends is just superb)

You can rent clubs at the Plage but if you already have the travel case etc from your other trips then as many airlines normally let you bring your own at no charge so a good idea to bring your own if you plan on playing more than the a single round as opposed to renting (your clubs deserve a holiday too )

Anyway let me know what info you want and feel free to drop a PM if it not golf related


edit: if you are interested in playing any of the other courses then best to play with someone who lives here so that you can get Mauritian residents green fee rates (tourists rates being a bit mental) There's games/groups of us out at some course or another most weekends. SAPCOR1's visit coincided with a club comp day at Anahita which he came along to

Anahita was a fantastic day out and the info SLAB provided was invaluable. Lovely island with great people and I'm sure you will enjoy it

 

[Tashyboy]

Well ave booked me two weeks in Mauritius.

initially I was going to the Heritage Awali, cost £2,500 pp
i eventually booked at Ambre at Belle Mare for a saving of £850 per person on the initial costs.

My thoughts were to lay the heritage corse twice and then pay for two other course.
But saving £1700 meant a lot more money to play courses I would not have looked at previously.

Tashygirl has read somewhere that staying at Ambre gets you admission to two other courses. Al have to check up on that one ASAP.

now am up in that part of the world, I really do fancy the Bernard Langer designed course. not sure if I have enough balls in the garage though.

 

[Slab]

Ambre’s a pretty new one, only been open a couple of years, my wife and her parents stayed there just after opening & she reckoned it has some of the best outdoor areas of any place she’s stayed on the island (pools, bars, restaurants) etc

From memory the Ambre affiliate is with Ile Aux Cerf GC (formally Le Touessrok) Bernard Langer did Ile Aux Cerf and Ambre lay on a shuttle service etc to take you to the jetty (about 15 minutes) to get the water taxi for 10 minutes boat ride (golf buggy picks you up on the other jetty for the quick ride to clubhouse) As I mentioned before be prepared for a charge for your golf buggy even though green fees are complimentary, it’s not a course you see walkers on. It’s more playable now than it was three years ago and even I’ve made it round with the same ball on occasion!

Played Ile Aux Cerf 10 days ago & they’re still making some changes but only one temp green just now as they remodel it to make it a bit easier (impossible to hold the raised green on the 9th) but the course was in great condition as usual (definitely take a camera for pics) The 18th is a ‘beauty & the beast’ hole and deserves its index one. Being an island on its own it’s not unusual to see locals on the beaches at the weekends as some of the holes run right up to the sand (it also has a couple of huge 100 meter bunkers to play in)


18th at Ile Aux cerf

Heritage (where the Tour played this year) remains my number one pick and I have two games booked there in the next three weeks (I just prefer the wider variety of hole designs over Anahita) but I doubt you’ll get an affiliate deal from the Ambre for this course as they’re on opposite sides of the island


18th at Heritage


Anahita (Ernie Ells course) is just across the water from Ile Aux Cerf & a bit special and the Euro Tour will be there in May 2016 so they’ve already started preparations, shaving bunkers etc & building some more villas on a few holes but the work doesn’t spoil things. Played there 4 times in the last 8 weeks and playing there again this Saturday

Opposite direction from your hotel are the two Belle Mare courses again about 15 minutes (If you decide to play one of these make it Links over the Legends)

Anyway just shout for questions etc and I’ll help as best I can and happy to sign you in if we’ve any comps on when you’re out so that you get a preferential rate if you’re interested

 

[Tashyboy]

Cheers slab and many thanks for the advice. In essence I think you have answered some of my questions when me and my beloved were talking quiet pillow talk last Night ( 2 yr old grandson stopped last night and woke ME up at 05.30 this morning)

i was was on about emailing the hotel and asking if it would be better to book courses through the hotel or use companies in the UK as advised when I was in Portugal earlier this year. Looks like using the hotels when there will be the better option.

slab what's car hire/ roads like for driving in Mauritius for tourists like . Thinking of driving down to Heritage and touring the island.

many thanks for the advice.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Cheers slab and many thanks for the advice. In essence I think you have answered some of my questions when me and my beloved were talking quiet pillow talk last Night ( 2 yr old grandson stopped last night and woke ME up at 05.30 this morning)

i was was on about emailing the hotel and asking if it would be better to book courses through the hotel or use companies in the UK as advised when I was in Portugal earlier this year. Looks like using the hotels when there will be the better option.

slab what's car hire/ roads like for driving in Mauritius for tourists like . Thinking of driving down to Heritage and touring the island.

many thanks for the advice.

Driving is straightforward. We hired a car while spending the second half if out honeymoon there. They drive on the left.

The only thing to watch out for is their propensity to overtake, a lot. When in Rome.....

 

[Tashyboy]

Driving is straightforward. We hired a car while spending the second half if out honeymoon there. They drive on the left.

The only thing to watch out for is their propensity to overtake, a lot. When in Rome.....

Canary did you hire the car whilst out there ( through hotel ) or pre book in UK.

Cheers.

 

[Slab]

Cheers slab and many thanks for the advice. In essence I think you have answered some of my questions when me and my beloved were talking quiet pillow talk last Night ( 2 yr old grandson stopped last night and woke ME up at 05.30 this morning) i was was on about emailing the hotel and asking if it would be better to book courses through the hotel or use companies in the UK as advised when I was in Portugal earlier this year. Looks like using the hotels when there will be the better option. slab what's car hire/ roads like for driving in Mauritius for tourists like . Thinking of driving down to Heritage and touring the island. many thanks for the advice.

Since I posted I had a look at Ambre's website and depending what kind of package you booked how much golf is included so prob best to drop them a mail to see whats included for you. They do have a pack that covers both Ile Aux Cerf & Anahita green fees at certain times of the year

Not much danger of any kids waking you early as I think this is a couples only hotel

Getting the hotel to book the golf (even doing it before you arrive) is probably better than using a UK firm Definitely recommend taking time to see more of the island. We drive on the same side of the road and plenty car hire places (not so many on your hotel doorstep though as that coast has lots of all inclusive hotels so lots of crazy people never leave the resort) Car hire costs not too different to the UK and petrol a bit cheaper. Your Uk license is fine and no extra paperwork needed (but you should carry it at all times)

There's some great stretches of coastal road heading to the Heritage course and since the islands ringed by a coral reef the waters usually calm except for the surfers beaches Roads are fine for the most part with a dual carriageway heading north to south and main roads in good order, the country roads are like 'C' roads in Uk

When walking/driving around you'll realise they don't really do pavements out here so care needed on many roads (also if driving at dusk some tend to gamble on how long they can leave it before switching their lights on esp bikes) The islands British connections has meant we benefit from speed bumps and speed cameras in the last couple of years not all fully signposted but no reason not to explore the place

Different routes you can take from the hotel to heritage either going coastal or head across the island and join the coast further round

Back on golf Ile Aux Cerf will drain much faster then Heritage if it does rain (some months very little and others quite heavy) but any course can go from bone dry to flooded in 30 minutes and clear again an hour later (doesn't rain that heavy very often though but I had a round cancelled 6 weeks ago for that very reason as we sat on 1st tee)

 

[Tashyboy]

Slab pardon me for being thick but what does &#39 mean.

PS flying out to Mauritius on 22nd Nov direct from Gatwick.
PPS, if you need any English goodies bringing out what you miss, Chocolate, ketchup etc etc let me know.

 

[wuuki456]

I've just got back from staying at the heritage awali, the course there was brilliant. I thoroughly recommend playing it. Loads of interesting holes and no two holes the same. I played it once at 9:30 and once at 7:30 a few days later the 7:30 round I was first out. It's a really picturesque course. My mrs came round with me on the second round, she's never set foot on a course and she really enjoyed it just for how nice it looked.
I took loads of photos when I played as well.

 

[Slab]

Slab pardon me for being thick but what does ' mean.

PS flying out to Mauritius on 22nd Nov direct from Gatwick.
PPS, if you need any English goodies bringing out what you miss, Chocolate, ketchup etc etc let me know.

Yeah seems the site had an issue with apostrophes yesterday and turned them into gobbledegook on a number of posts

Thats a good time to come out just at the start of peak season. It will be hot but not stupid hot. Technically cyclone season will have started but there is very little chance of having one so early

Appreciate you and Tashygirl will probably just want to chill and do your own thing on your hols but I can PM my number if you think you will need any info etc when you're here

 

[Tashyboy]

Yeah seems the site had an issue with apostrophes yesterday and turned them into gobbledegook on a number of posts

Thats a good time to come out just at the start of peak season. It will be hot but not stupid hot. Technically cyclone season will have started but there is very little chance of having one so early

Appreciate you and Tashygirl will probably just want to chill and do your own thing on your hols but I can PM my number if you think you will need any info etc when you're here

Cheers slab, when I play out there I will play my golf with Lady T as my caddy in the same way that wuuuKI456 did. last T loves going round the courses with me as we have seen some stunning sights ( with more to come). Also makes it easier when booking holidays with golf courses.😀

 

[cliveb]

I've just got back from staying at the heritage awali, the course there was brilliant. I thoroughly recommend playing it.

When people talk about the "Heritage course", is that Chateau du Golf? I ask because when my wife and I stayed at the Awali four years ago, that was the course we played (and there was no "Heritage course" AFAIK).

I agree that Chateau du Golf is a nice course, but it was always very wet. And since the soil is sandy, you end up getting sprayed with loose wet sand and having to clean your club after every shot. And it's not like we were there in the rainy season - we went in June, which is supposed to be the driest part of the year, but there was still usually a heavy downpour every other day.

As for the Heritage Awali itself: what a fabulous hotel. We got the best customer service I've ever experienced anywhere. Nothing was too much trouble.

While you're in the area, be sure to try out snorkeling over the coral. It was a magical experience. There was one particular species of fish - small dark grey (almost black), about 4 inches long, that seemed very curious and would come right up to you and check you out. A trip to the coloured earths is also worth it if you have the time - really weird, almost like an alien landscape.