The British Isles is a varied, surprising and quite extraordinary playground for the golfer!Whether you prefer playing through sandy dunes, purple heather, magnificent pines or lush parkland, it is all here in abundance.

Although Links courses are much revered, the wonderful coastline also has some excellent cliff top courses, and the Bug has discovered one that can only be described as heavenly. At the risk of incurring the wrath of the members, who would prefer that their hidden gem remains a secret, the Bug is prepared to share the experience of playing at Thurlestone Golf Club in South Devon.

Situated at the end of the road, drive any further and you would end up in the sea, Thurlestone is tucked away around the corner from Salcombe. The course is a Harry Colt designed wonder, skirting along stunning cliffs, coves and beaches, providing views that are quite simply awe inspiring. Peter Allis when once commentating on the US Open at Pebble Beach mused that we had something more spectacular than the Americans finest in the UK; he was referring to Thurlestone!

The Par 71 course is quirky; three par 3’s in the first six holes, and three par 5’s in the last five, but it all seems so right. The condition in March after a harsh winter was excellent, and whilst it is neither long or particularly difficult by modern standards it is nonetheless a very good test for all parts of your game.

What sets the course apart though is the scenery; Turlestone is a place of outstanding natural beauty, where the views in almost any direction will take your breath away.

Playing a round of golf at Thurlestone is a tranquil experience; how you might expect golf in heaven to be!

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On a recent family holiday, the Bug found himself landing at San Jose airport with his family in the Murcia region on the eastern coast of Spain after booking fairly late in the day. Heading for a De Vere development called Roda Golf & Beach Resort, it started dawning on me that I had done very little research on anything other than the resort itself, which as a Dave Thomas designed golf course and a PGA approved academy, and that it was not far away from the much better known, La Manga resort.

As I trooped off the plane it soon became apparent that golf was a big part of what the region had to offer. My family and I walked through, first an elaborate promotion for golf properties at a resort called Hacienda de Alamo, which I had seen before at the London Golf Show, and then past one for Polaris World. Now I had certainly heard of Polaris World, as I was familiar with the advertising campaign featuring Jack Nicklaus, but without having any idea where the resort was or what it was all about. All good news though, because, despite the predicted temperatures, golf was very much part of what we wanted to do on holiday.

Well it did not take long to discover that there were some 25 golf courses within a a 20 mile drive of Roda. It was not long ago that La Manga was pretty much on its own in the area, but it seemed that now everyone wants to build a golf course in Murcia. Seve, Greg, Jose, Trent Jones all had there names on golf course property developments, but one man is still way ahead in the numbers game, Jack Nicklaus. The Polaris world advert actually relates to nine Nicklaus designed courses with Polaris World property developments around them. And by developments, I mean thousands…yes thousands of properties overlooking the Nicklaus creations. You can even follow the ‘Nicklaus Trail’ , and play them all during your stay.

The Bug played two of the Nicklaus courses, La Torre and El Valle, and both were in great condition and ideal holiday golf, with El Valle in particular being a very good test of golf. We also played the excellent La Peralaja, designed by Seve, as well as Roda, which was great fun. The golf in general was fine, and the condition of the courses good, but the overwhelming feeling about the area was how on earth the developers were going to sell all the property that has been built up on what was initially a very uninspiring part of the world.

Sure the temperature is good nearly all year round, and the resorts are working to a tried and tested formula of sun, pool, restaurants and golf; but there will undoubtedly be casualties along the way. Most of the resorts, with the notable exceptions of Roda and La Manga are quite a way inland, and the region is miles behind the Costa del Sol in terms of infrastructure and atmosphere.

In time, investment in the region will probably be profitable; a new international airport at Murcia is being built, prices are generally not as inflated as more established destinations, and you will have plenty of decent golf to choose from, but as always, the old adage of location, location, location will apply.

However, should you be looking for a second home in the Murcia sunshine, I would suggest that Jack’s advice in the Polaris TV ad of ‘good tomorrow, better today’ was probably more appropriate when the world economy and Spanish housing market was a little more buoyant.

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Trevose Golf Course, situated in Cornwall, was stage to the annual Brabazon Trophy this weekend. The field was made up of 90 event exempt golfers as well as an astonishing 250 entrants who still needed to qualify for the final day which would be played over 36 holes.

The qualifying handicap cut-off was  scratch, with a reserve contingent of fourteen players all with a handicap of 1. The championship was first played in 1947 and overtime has become a launching platform for many of the world’s finest golfers amateur golfers into the world of professional golf. Sandy Lyle, won the amateur championships in Hollinwell in 1975 and at Royal Liverpool in1977, later  went on to establish an extremely successful professional career with wins at the Open Championship and a Green Jacket at the U.S. Masters at Augusta National in 1988.

This years event was played in the traditional format, which consisted of 36 holes played over three days at the end of last week. The leading 30 competitors and those tied for 30th place then qualified for the final 36 holes to be played on the final day.

Under the direction of head green-keeper Neil Taylor the practice facilities have been given a re-vamp and twelve of the courses tee boxes had been extended. The course is now a daunting 6962 yards with a par rating of 72! The golf course has been extensively re-modelled with the signature par 5 fourth hole which now boasts five brand new bunkers. This obviously had very little effect on Frenchman David Antonelli who fired a course record equalling first round of 64 which included two eagles and four birdies!

It was however one Steven Uzzell who took the title of Brabazon Trophy Campion for 2008. Uzzell shot final round scores of 64 and 67 for an aggregate of 197, 19 under par, to win by four strokes over Benjamin Hebert, who is the current European Amateur Champion.

The views of the Trevose Golf Course are in a word – Breathtaking. The Bug would highly recommend a short trip down to play this course, during which you would be easily forgiven for describing your round as playing in a golfing paradise!

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Its not what you are thinking; the Bug has not given up golf to meditate with Tibetan monks in the Himalayas. In fact, he has just returned from a wondrous journey through some of the most spectacular golfing country in the world; the Ayrshire coast in the West of Scotland!

The home of golf is always regarded as St Andrews, but the original home of the Open Championship was, in actual fact, Prestwick. To visit this magnificent historical venue and follow in the footsteps of Old Tom Morris and Harry Vardon, is a golfing pilgrimige that is every bit as important and rewarding as any adventure a true lover of the game will ever make. The Bug was expecting a quirky, relatively short and somewhat dated course, but with the exception of the hugely enjoyable, but blind Par 3 5th, and Par 4 17th, as well as the tricky (but again immensely enjoyable) 1st hole, the course has stood the test of time exceptionally well. It is a tough Championship challenge with great variety! However, it is the atmosphere of the place, the Clubhouse, the friendliness of the people, that really set Prestwick apart. What a joy!

The Bug’s tour also included visits to Turnberry (the venue for the 2009 Open), Irvine Bogside, and Kilmarnock Barassie. Turnberry is quite simply outstanding in every way. Whilst not having the depth of history that Prestwick has, it more that makes up for in sheer beauty with the spectacular Ailsa Craig jutting majestically out of the sea apparently some 11 miles away. The Club has staged three Open championships, and each time it was won by the number one player in the world at the time, Watson, Norman and Price. The Watson victory was of course ‘the duel in the sun’, where Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus staged the most astonishing head to head shootout in Major history. Again, an absolute must!

Given that Irvine and Kilmarnock, are two more excellent venues which host Open qualifiers and are courses that you would never tire of playing made this trip very special. There was not the time to play other excellent tracks such as Troon, Western Gailles, and Dundonald, as well as a host of others, and the Bug left feeling that he should return again soon to experience that special Ayrshire magic!

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You don’t have to be a member of a club to enjoy regular golf – quality pay-and-play centres with driving ranges and family-friendly facilities offer a great deal for golfers of all ages and abilities.

There was a time when to play golf you needed to be a member of a club. While that was fine for those who could afford the entrance fees and annual subscriptions, it was never going to make golf a sport for all.

Unfortunately, for those who did want to play, but couldn’t commit to a club membership, the alternatives weren’t great – scruffy public golf courses or dilapidated driving ranges were very much second-class golf.

But with the broadening appeal and growth of golf, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, a new breed of quality pay-and-play golf centre began to emerge, opening up the game to more people, including families and children.

Burhill Golf & Leisure, one of the UK’s largest and most successful golf course owners and operators, opened Hoebridge Golf Centre, Surrey, in 1982. Hoebridge’s quality 18-hole golf course, short course, driving range, welcoming clubhouse and health club has proved a winning combination, making it one of the most popular pay-and-play golf centres in the South East.

“We’ve invested heavily in ensuring that all our golf courses are maintained to the highest standards,” says Colin Mayes, Chief Executive of the Burhill Golf & Leisure Group, which now has a portfolio of 10 golf courses. “It used to be the case that pay-and-play golf courses were of an inferior standard to private members’ clubs, but our golf courses are generally admired for being the best maintained in their locality.

“We put a premium on high quality facilities and a friendly welcome, so it is satisfying to see golfers of all abilities and ages coming into our centres and enjoying the game.”

In April 2008, there were public open days at Burhill Golf & Leisure’s seven centres and three clubs, offering free lessons and fun activities to families and beginners.

So what’s the buzz at your local Burhill Golf & Leisure golf course?

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The Bug is pioneering by nature, so last week flew out to the Johnnie Walker Classic, which marked just the second European Tour event to be staged in India (the first being the Indian Masters only three weeks beforehand).

Europe’s double visitation to India is no doubt a signal of intent for what is the world’s second most populous country (estimates are at around the 1.12 billion mark) which is currently going an economic boom, some say explosion. Alongside this, the country that brought us Bollywood is experiencing a surge in the size of the middle classes, traditionally a hotbed of the growth of the game of golf….

The Bug, who has travelled far and wide and enjoyed golf events around the globe, thought it would be interesting for our viewers to gain a bit of an insight into the game’s biggest emerging market.

Sadly what made the most impact was the need for the presence of Bollywood actresses to attract the interest of media and the public to the event… word had it that the presence of a top Bollywood actor at the prize presentation of the Indian Masters had the entire press entourage stampede across the green for interviews and photos whilst local champion, SSP Chowrasia, posed for his winning poses with just a handful of international media to smile for.

Whilst nothing quite so marked occurred at the Johnnie Walker Classic, there were quite a few gorgeous looking ladies present at almost every photocall. However one must I guess take the point of view that if it gives the country more exposure to golf, then well and good and eventually the public will turn up to see the likes of Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie and Ian Poulter – all stars at the Johnnie Walker Classic – on their own merit rather than because they’re decorated with a bit of local arm candy!

Encouragingly, the DLF Golf & Country Club – though perhaps not as manicured as the US and even some of the European courses – stood up well to the test of giving the pros a championship challenge despite a couple of “funky holes” which is how Poulter described it.

Nor did the golfers have much to complain about as far as the official hotel was concerned. The newly-built Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon – a reasonable 20 minutes from the course – was as good as any five star hotel anywhere in the world and its ‘Fire Alive’ restaurant comes highly recommended … unless like me you’d rather survive on the local (delicious) curries than feast on a Brazilian meat fest!

What the staging of the Johnnie Walker Classic in India did prove was that the country is more than capable of hosting top international tournaments. Whilst the abundance of labour does not seem to necessarily mean that you’ll get the job done twice, three times, four times faster than you would envisage, it does actually eventually get done. And that I guess is the main thing. They’ll have to sharpen up their act a little for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in 2010 and certainly for the arrival of Bernie and his F1 circus but they’re well on the road to it for sure.

What India lacks in infrastructure and the Western expectation of getting things done and getting things done NOW, it has in spades a wealth of culture that is both totally different, dynamic and incredibly exciting to the Western eye.

A fashion show, themed “The Great Big Indian Wedding” by renowned local designer, Tarun Tahiliani, showcased an exclusive collection specially made for the Johnnie Walker Classic at the Welcome Dinner hosted by the deluxe Scotch whisky wowed the audience with its sophisticated style, sumptuous textiles and vibrant colours. Then at the Gala Evening on Saturday night, Bollywood star Isha Koppikar and her troupe of dancers performed some of the most popular songs from some of Bollywood’s best films. Her energetic and exotic dancing got everyone in the mood for a party so once Shirley Bassey-lookalike Maxine Barrie had strutted her stuff on stage with renditions of ‘Goldfinger’ and ‘Diamonds are Forever’, the audience made their way to the Johnnie Walker Gold Lounge. Here one of India’s hottest music performers, DJ Akhtar, ensured that guests danced the night away to the hottest sounds around, wrapping up a golden week of entertainment at the Johnnie Walker Classic.

The overall impression of taking the Johnnie Walker Classic, which is a touring event that is played all over Asia Pacific, was ultimately an extremely positive one given the relatively naivety of the market to hosting international golf events. The Bug was definitely excited to witness the occasion and looks forward to its next visit to India.

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Cameron Diaz loves it. Catherine Zeta Jones and her husband Michael Douglas can’t get enough of it. Justin Timberlake uses it to relax. For many of the hottest superstars, golf is one of the best ways to shape up and stay fit.

Where better to play the best courses in the world than Scotland – the Home of Golf? To help celebrities choose which courses to play in Scotland, VisitScotland are sending their new free 2008 golf brochure, to Dougray Scott, Justin Timberlake, Samuel L Jackson and many other well known celebrities. The guide provides details of all the golf courses in Scotland. For those of you planning your own golf break in Scotland, you have everything you need from hotels and courses through to the very important 19^th hole!

This year Scotland once again saw Hollywood stars such as Dennis Hopper, Kyle MacLachlan, Hugh Grant and Bill Murray play golf in Scotland. For some it is a pilgrimage to the Home of Golf. For others it is a firm part of their fitness regime. In 2008 with great competitions like the Dunhill Links Championship, Scotland will once again be filled with the great and the good.

You can pick up your free guide to golf in Scotland at www.visitscotland.com/golf. Golf in Scotland gets more popular each year, and the Bug is looking forward to going back, with the celebs from tinsel town, to the home of golf in 2008.

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Tiger news again!

Mr Woods has dealt a blow to the European Tour after confirming that he will not become a full member of the Tour again next year thus being ineligible to play in their lucrative new £4.8million Dubai World Championship. He will be playing in some of the tour’s events, however not enough to be part of the new addition in Dubai.

Woods stated “I’ve always been one or two short of keeping my status over there, and there’s really no way I can keep up the commitment level that I have by playing that much golf on both sides of the continent and all the things that I have to deal with at a venue. It tends to wear you out a little bit.”

He will be missed at the event but the bug agrees, who needs the chance to win a cool £1.8 million for playing a spot of golf for four days in the exotic surroundings of Dubai in the searing heat with the best golfers in the world watched by millions all around the world…….not us!

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The Bug has just got back from the World Travel Market, a huge gathering of the travel industry; tourist boards, travel agents, resorts and so on. Of course, many countries in the world have long recognised the importance and value of golf to their tourism, but it seems the sport is continuing to spread to new remote locations, and even the established countries are looking to expand their offering to the golf traveller. New courses are springing up in places as diverse as Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Iceland, the Azores, the west region of Portugal, and Tunisia, to name a few. It’s all good news for the adventurous golfer, and for Golf Bug TV.

GOLF IN ICELAND

We have really started to focus on building our video directory of courses and resorts around the world, so look out for some spectacular images of places you will really want to play in our destinations section.

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When you are located only a few miles away from many of the world’s most revered golf courses in Surrey, England, such as Wentworth, Sunningdale and St Georges Hill, it is difficult to build a reputation as a golfing heavyweight, but that is exactly what Silvermere Golf Club has achieved.

There are many reasons why Silvermere has become one of the most popular pay and play venues in the region; it has 18 challenging holes, a well equipped driving range with an army of top teaching pros, and an Aladdins cave of all the latest golf equipment on the market.

But what really sets Silvermere apart is the last two holes, which curve around a big lake. The 17th off the back tees is a nerve racking 180 yards carry over water, and is an excellent par three. Hit your tee shot in any way poorly and your round will begin to crumble, but such is the beauty of the hole you are more likely to be inspired and hit a decent shot into a generous green that slopes from back to front inviting a well struck shot.

However, there is nothing inviting about the 18th. The tee shot runs along the far side of the lake, which is concealed by a line of trees running for about 200 yards. Once you have hit your tee shot down a narrow funnel, the trees stop and your next shot, a sharp dog leg, is revealed. Depending on the accuracy of your drive you will be left with a shot of anything between 70 and 100 yards. Not a problem in normal circumstances but again the lake comes into play and your second shot is directly over water, this time to an island green with no reprieve right or left for an errant shot.  If this wasn’t already a particularly intimidating way to finish your round, Silvermere has positioned its very busy restuarant (Inn on the Lake, click here to visit the site) complete with open air terrace just yards away from the green thereby ensuring that you will be playing a half wedge shot in front of an expectant gallery!!

The Bug arranged a club testing day at Silvermere recently with some local golfers and we used the two finishing holes for our filming, so you can see the holes for yourself on www.golfbug.tv . They look very pretty, but the Bug would recommend that you give the course a try and once you have experienced the excitement of the last two holes, settle down to see how everybody else does! Its amazing what some water can do to a golfers mind!!

The Bug

PS    Please let us know about any other scary (not long) shots you encounter at your course.

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