Withmy golf bag slungover one shoulderand my other armclutching golf shoes,the lift buttons weretricky to reach.

Thankfully, another hotel guest who got inbehind me spared my contortions, askingwhich floor I wanted and pressing the button.

Recognising the voice, I looked round andsuddenly realised who my lift partner was –just managing to avoid blurting out somethingstupid, like “aren’t you Glenn Hoddle?”

It was just after Hoddle’s tenure as Englandfootball manager some 10 years ago and wewere at La Manga Club, in Spain’s Murciaregion. But star-spotting is nothing new there.

For more than 35 years, the sprawlingleisure complex has not only been a bywordfor holidaying Brits, but has also been a mag-net for celebrities. Many have bought luxuryvillas alongside its golf courses.

A frequent La Manga visitor, I have previ-ously spotted actress Patsy Palmer – Biancafrom Eastenders – sunning herself poolsideand seen former F1 world champion NigelMansell, a villa owner, setting off in a golfbuggy for a leisurely round. Other regularsinclude David Coulthard, Kenny Dalglish, SirCliff Richard andAlan Hansen.

MURCIA, SPAIN

pack your CLUBS

July/August 2009 The Travel & Leisure Magazine 41

Golf with star

Spanish region Murcia issynonymous with Britsfavourite La Manga but,

thanks to an explosion of golffacilities, it is now Spain’s

fastest-growing golfdestination. Peter Ellegardrecently returned to where it

all began…

appealPe

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� Driving off on La Manga’s North Course

� La Manga Club hotel

golfTLjul09v1pp41-44:T&L 20/7/09 11:53 Page 41

Home from homeThe home-from-home feel is hardly surpris-ing; it was owned and run by British institu-tion P&O for a quarter of a century until late2004. To many, La Manga was and is Murcia,and vice versa.

But La Manga no longer has a monopoly.Murcia’s golf facilities have expanded rapidlyin recent years. Now Spain’s fastest-growinggolf destination, it has 17 courses with moreunder construction or planned.

Newcomers have dramatically enhancedMurcia’s golf resort scene.They include the 27-hole MosaTrajectum resort and resort operatorPolaris World, which has linked with golf leg-end Jack Nicklaus to create the Nicklaus GolfTrail – a circuit currently comprising fourcourses and which will eventually boast nine.

Other Murcia courses have designs by thelikes of Dave Thomas and Spain’s own SeveBallesteros.

All of which is bringing more golfing visi-tors to this south-eastern corner of Spain,tucked between the provinces of Alicante andAlmeria. Most courses are along the coastalstrip, known as the Costa Calida. Visitorsarrive via Alicante or Murcia’s tiny San Javierairport, just 20 minutes from La Manga. Thesleepy little airport I recall from early visitsnow bursts at the seams at peak times.

A brand new airport opens next year atCorovera, 20 minutes from the provincial cap-ital, the city ofMurcia, to cope with the influx.

Return to La MangaA recent return to La Manga gave me thechance to see it for the first time since it cameunder Spanish ownership, and since the hacien-da-style former Hyatt Regency hotel becamethe independently-operated La Manga ClubPrincipe Felipe earlier this year.

I was heartened to see the resort waslittle changed from my last visit, adecade ago; if anything, it was better.The hotels rooms were better-appointed than I remembered, andnew facilities had been added.Among them an impressive spaoverlooking the vast resort, fromwhere you can truly appreciate LaManga Club’s scale.

Three times the size of Monaco,it encompasses three 18-hole golfcourses, a golf academy, an 18-holePar 47 pitch and putt course, 28 tenniscourts, football centre with eight pitches,two cricket pitches, rugby and Gaelic footballfacilities, a Junior Club and junior sports acad-

emies, several villa complexes all with theirown pools, over 20 bars and restaurants,shops, banks, a pharmacy and even its ownpetrol station. A private beach in a rocky coveoverlooked by a restaurant is accessed by aroad blasted through the towering sea cliffs.

Top football clubs use its extensive trainingfacilities and many sports stars take part incharity golf tournaments.

La Manga’s three courses are both a joyand a challenge. Easy resort golf it isn’t.

Originally designed in 1971 and remod-elled in 1992 by Arnold Palmer, the champi-onship South Course features wide, palm-fringed fairways and water hazards on 15 ofthe 18 holes, including some new ones addedin a multi-million renovation that I discovered,quite literally, on my recent visit.

The more aesthetically-pleasing but shorterNorth Course is partly laid out on higher ele-vations, with challenges provided by palmtrees, lakes and barrancas – natural storm gul-

lies also found on its siblings – and largegreens with wicked slopes.

The West Course is the prettiest, snakingthrough a more rural setting of hills and pinetrees, to finish with a towering 18th tee givinggrandstand views of La Manga and the Med.With numerous blind shots, it demands target-golf precision.

Nicklaus Golf TrailCreated by Polaris World with golf legendJack Nicklaus, the Nicklaus Golf Trail is aunique circuit of courses bearing the stamp ofthe Golden Bear. Of the four courses alreadyopen, three are 18-hole layouts. Two morecourses are under construction and work willsoon start on the other three.

The trail courses open so far are:La Torre Best Golf: a short 18-hole, par 68

course with wide fairways, suitable for inter-mediate or high handicappers.

El Valle Best Golf: a desert-style, 18-hole,par 71 course featuring lakes, waterfalls andclusters of bunkers set amid rocks and abun-dant native vegetation.

Hacienda Riquelme Best Golf: this largerthan average 18-hole, par 72 course enjoysa Mediterranean setting surrounded byolive trees with several large lakes.

MarMenor Best Golf: a nine-holecourse currently being extended to18 holes, its wide fairways andlarge bunkers are ideal for begin-ners and learners.

Trail courses still to openinclude: the 18-hole, par 72 LasTerrazas de La Torre, a desert-stylecourse with dunes encasing greens;the Condado de Alhama, a signature

course designed by Jack Nicklaus him-self with sharp elevations; and the Bear’s

Best I and II 18-hole duo, with differingstyles reminiscent of Florida and the Arizona

42 The Travel & Leisure Magazine July/August 2009

Off courseMurcia’s coastal stretch, the Costa Calida, offers

unspoilt white sandy beaches, picturesque towns, fishingports where you can dine on tasty local catches, natural

beauty spots, and two seas offering water sports galore – theMediterranean and the enclosed Mar Menor, protected by a longfinger of land edged by beaches.This is La Manga strip, a favouriteholiday spot for the Spanish with hotels, apartments, shops, bars andrestaurants.The city of Murcia, the regional capital, claims to have more festivalsthan any other Spanish city. September’s Moors and Christiansparade sees an effigy of theVirgin Mary carried to a mountainshrine and bull fights in the city arena.While Romanstronghold Cartegena – where Hannibal grew up –

holds a 10-day Carthaginians and Romans Festivaleach September,with camps, battle re-

enactments and chariot races.

Pola

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� Nicklaus Golf Trail course El Valle

golfTLjul09v1pp41-44:T&L 20/7/09 11:54 Page 42

July/August 2009 The Travel & Leisure Magazine 43

desert but both featuring replica holes fromsome of the 240 Nicklaus Design courses.Polaris World offers extensive self-catering

accommodation as well as two five-starInterContinental hotels, overlooking the MarMenor and LaTorre courses.

Eco-golfThree nine-hole layouts (Stone, Olive andPine) giving three 18-hole combinations areon offer at Mosa Trajectum Golf – Murcia.Each nine is different in character. The resortalso has a nine-hole, par 3 Challenge Course.Mosa Trajectum claims to be Spain’s firstcompletely-ecological golf course, with adrainage system which collects all rain andwaste water and diverts it to the resort’s ownpurification plant.Of Murcia’s other courses, Dave Thomas

designed Roda Golf Course, part of the DeVere Hotels-managed Roda Golf and BeachResort where a hotel opens in 2010, the semi-privateAltorreal set on hills aboveMurcia city,and Hacienda del Alamo. Surrounded by cit-rus, olive and almond groves, a second courseis planned there.Wildlife is a key feature of Seve Ballesteros-

designed Peraleja, which opened in 2007.Morethan 60% of the resort’s 780-acre area is pro-tected, with resident bird species includingBonelli eagles, red kites and eagle owls.A five-star hotel and spa opens soon.Future openings feature several big-name golf

designers. Among them are: two Greg Norman-designed courses at the 3 Molinos Golf Resort;the Jose Maria Olazabal-designed Corvera Golf& Country Club course opening in 2010, whichwill become thewinterHQ and overseas base forthe PGAs of Europe; and Novo Carthago, aresort alongside the Mar Menor featuring twoRobertTrent Jones Jr courses.One thing is certain; I won’t leave it anoth-

er 10 years before I go back to Murcia.

Murcia GOLF facts

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Tourist informationFor information about Murcia and its golf courses, visit the Murcia TouristBoard website,www.murciaturistica.es/PORTAL/

WeatherMurcia’s semi-arid, sub-tropical climate is ideal for golf year-round, with anaverage temperature of 21ºC and more than 300 sunny days a year.

Getting thereMany flights by charter airlines, scheduled airlines and low-cost carriers goto Murcia’s San Javier airport and nearby Alicante. Monarch(www.monarch.co.uk) serves both, with flights to Alicante from airportsincluding Gatwick and Luton, and flights to Murcia from Gatwick and otherregional airports. Fares start from £46.50 one-way (£76.99 return) toAlicante and £52.99 (£88.50) to Murcia.

Golf packagesTour operators offering Murcia golf packages includeYour Golf Travel (0800043, 6644,www.yourgolftravel.com). La Manga prices start at £295 perperson for three nights’ bed and breakfast at the Hotel La Manga ClubPrincipe Felipe, with three rounds of golf, or £229 on the same basis at theLas LomasVillage apartments or townhouses.Three nights’ self-catering atPolarisWorld with three rounds of golf on the Nicklaus Golf Trail costfrom £130 per person. Prices exclude flights.

CoursesLa Manga Clubwww.lamangaclub.com

Nicklaus Golf Trailwww.nicklausgolftrail.es

Mosa Trajectum Golf – Murciawww.thekey.es

Peraleja Golfwww.peralejagolf.com

Roda Golf & Beach Resortwww.rodagolf.com

Hacienda del Alamowww.clubdegolfhda.com

Altorreal Golfwww.golfaltorreal.es

HotelsHotel La Manga Club Principe Felipewww.lamangaclub.com

Hotel Intercontinental Mar Menor Golf Resortwww.intercontinental.com/marmenor

Hotel InterContinental La Torre Golf Resort Murciawww.intercontinental.com/latorre

Pola

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� La Manga’s South Course

� Hacienda del Alamo

� The Nicklaus Trail will have nine courses� Wildlife abounds at Peraleja

golfTLjul09v1pp41-44:T&L 20/7/09 11:54 Page 43

With Florida propertyprices at their low-est for years and

the dollar still good value,British golfers might not have abetter opportunity to buy ahome there with top-notchcourses on the doorstep.One of south-west Florida’s

most prestigious country clubsis aiming to attract more over-seas members, particularly fromthe UK.Grey Oaks Country Club, in

Naples, already has severalBritish members. Director ofmembership Ann Marie Ashlinebelieves its beautiful setting,home-away-from-home atmos-phere and extensive facilities –which include three golf cours-es, one by top architect BobCupp – particularly appeal to theBritish. Other facilities includetwo clubhouses, two drivingranges, tennis, social events anda fitness centre.Many members have homes

at Grey Oaks, where three-bed-room villas sell from around$800,000, but it also offers equi-ty golf membership for non-res-idents. That costs $175,000(Grey Oaks property owners pay$150,000) plus annual dues of$11,400, giving full use of all

facilities. Members get 80% ofthe current equity value back ifthey resign.Interested British golfers are

welcome to try out Grey Oaks’golf as guests. Call 00 1 239 2625550. More information:www.greyoakscc.com

Europe’s fastest-growinggolf travel company haslaunched its first

brochure. More than 180resorts, hotels and golf coursesin 19 destinations around theworld are featured in the inau-gural 2009 brochure from YourGolf Travel, which was previ-ously online only.As well as UK and Ireland

breaks, the brochure offers holi-days in European golfinghotspots France, Portugal,Spain, Turkey and Cyprus.Further afield, it offers SouthAfrica, Morocco, Tunisia,Egypt, Mauritius, the Caribbean,the US and China.Among notable courses fea-

tured are China’s Mission Hills,the world’s biggest golf complexwith 12 courses, PlayersChampionship venue Sawgrassin Florida, 2010 Ryder Cup hostCeltic Manor in Wales and 2014host Gleneagles in Scotland.UK breaks start at £36 per

person for one night’s bed and

breakfast with two rounds ofgolf at Belmont Lodge Hotel &Golf Club in Hereford. Overseasholidays cost from £115 per per-son for three nights in an apart-ment on Portugal’s Algarve,with three rounds.Your Golf Travel managing

director Andrew Harding said:“We wanted to build on the phe-nomenal growth the companyhas enjoyed since its inceptionin 2005 and launching thisbrochure is the best way to dothat.”For a copy of the brochure,

call 0800 043 6644, and for moreinformation, visit the website(www.yourgolftravel.com),which has over 1,500 venues.

44 The Travel & Leisure Magazine July/August 2009

golf NEWS

GOLF CLIPSThe K Club, Ireland’s 2006Ryder Cup host resort, iscelebrating its 18th birthdaywith some special offers.Theyinclude bed and breakfast in asuperior room for £180, with18 holes of golf or 180minutes of spa treatments.The offer is valid all year. Call00 353 1 601 7200 or visitwww.kclub.com

Dubai’s Majlis Course hasbeen voted the top golfcourse in the Middle East byleading US golf publication

Golf Digest. Designed by KarlLitten and opened in 1988,the course is part of theEmirates Golf Club and hoststhe PGA European Tour-sanctioned Dubai DesertClassic, won this year byRory McIlroy.www.dubaigolf.com

A new rooftop deck hasbeen added at the OldCourse Hotel, Golf Resort &Spa in St Andrews.The terracecompletes the luxurious

fourth floor of the hotel andguests can enjoy a drink ormeal while looking out overthe Old Course,West Sandsand Firth of Forth.www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk

First brochure

Join the club

� Your Golf Travel offers Celtic Manor breaks Pete

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� Grey Oaks’ Palm Course

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� 8th hole on the Majlis

� The Old Course Hotel’s rooftop deck

golfTLjul09v1pp41-44:T&L 20/7/09 11:55 Page 44

T&L Ads July/August09:Layout 1 24/7/09 09:24 Page 45