New Golf Destination for 2009

As most of you know we started with Australia and NZ as our two golf destinations seven years ago. We expanded to add the sport of bowls about three years later. Last year we added Fiji as a stop over destination and expanded Australia to include Adelaide.

Fiji has proven popular with a number of golfers taking 1, 2 or 3 days for a stop in Nadi. We use the very nice, 4.5 star, Golf Terrace Apartments at the marina in Nadi. The golf course is very good and every one enjoys their stay. Some have taken the one day Captain Cook Cruise to the outer islands for snorkeling and exploring.

We have only had two couples try our Adelaide portion of Australia and they found the golf and wine tasting just excellent. 

During the last couple of years we  explored parts of China and Vietnam looking for other golf destinations. Unfortunately we have did not find what we were looking for in either of these two countries. China is just too expensive when it comes to golf and Vietnam did not have infrastructure for a low cost, long stay golf program.

Beth and I have completed our plans to check out two more countries for a possible winter golf destination for Canadians. We will be in Malaga Spain for the last two weeks of June. There are about 40 golf courses in the area and the area has a lot to offer golfers when they are not on the course. The other important factor is there are plenty of holiday rentals that do not get used during the winter as Europeans find it a little cool for them. However if you are in Edmonton and having 2 or 3 weeks of temperatures around -30 then +21 looks and sounds very nice.

We hope to locate enough apartments, find a car rental company and locate a number of quality golf courses that will give us some decent green fees.

After Spain we will spend three weeks in the Cardiff Wales area. Once again there are plenty of courses. If this area works out then we will be able to offer a summer destination as Wales is not that attractive in the winter.

I will also be reminding you about the Global Resorts Network, over the next few blogs, Beth and I joined last May. We believe it offers excellent value and permits you to stay at top resorts around the world and have some money left over to pay for your green fees. You can check out my site at www.surfsandandsea.com for more details.

We will be staying in resorts booked through GRN in Cairns, Surfers and Malaga over the next 6 months. Watch for pictures and text about our experiences at these resorts.

It is just a little over a week before Beth and I head down under once again. We can hardly wait to get out of here. The last 3 weeks has been very cold with a good deal of snow. Walking bare foot on the beach in 29 degree weather not that far away.

During January we will be on the Sunshine Coast working. Yes I have to golf all the good courses up that way and write up the reviews for www.golfincanada.ca . If you have not visited the Golf In Canada dot CA site please do so as it has lot of good information about golf in Canada and around the world.

First week of February we will visit Cairns in northern Queensland. This will be just to check out the area as it has been 40 years since we were last there. Then two weeks at Surfs Paradise and then we move back to Mermaid Beach where we have stayed on two other occasions. We are looking forward to Surfers as we have never really walked around it, explored it or spent much time there. Yes it is only a little way from where we have stayed the past 6 years but it never held much attraction for us.  We only stopped there may be once or twice a year and then only spent about 1 or 2 hours. Living there will get us out and about on foot and let us explore the streets a little more closely.

As tonight is Christmas Eve Beth and I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.