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La Hacienda Links unveils Heathland course upgrade to launch golf season

11th March 2024
Fresh from undertaking a full renovation of its Links course – named ‘Best Golf Course in Spain’ at the 2023 World Golf Awards – the acclaimed resort in Andalucia has unveiled a series of improvements to its second 18-hole championship layout as the countdown continues to the opening a new Fairmont hotel. As well as carrying out redesign work to enhance the original design by Dave Thomas, with the 13th hole now playing as a par-four and the 18th converted to a par-five with a repositioned new tee, other upgrades include the levelling of the first and 11th fairways to improve the playability of the Heathland course and significant landscaping work taking place from holes two to five and the tenth, 17th and 18th with the planting of mastic trees. In addition, the greenkeeping team at La Hacienda has installed solar panels on the eighth hole, cleaned and refurbished the lakes and bridges on the eighth and ninth holes, and reseeded a number of fairways with grasses that are more sustainable and better suited to the region’s climate. Javier Jimenez Casquet, director general at La Hacienda Links Golf Resort, said: “Having undertaken a major recent renovation of the Links course, it was very important that we made improvements to the Heathland course to bring it up to the standard of the other facilities at the resort. “Some of the changes that we have made were much needed, including moving the tee back on the 18th hole to create a challenging par-five that matches the quality of the rest of the course. Using the best sustainable practices, we now have two outstanding courses that complement each other perfectly, and this is the ideal way to launch an exciting year for the resort as we build towards the opening of our new Fairmont hotel.” The upgrade of the Heathland course is the latest in a series of major investments that La Hacienda Links Golf Resort has made in an ongoing redevelopment project that has seen the venue establish itself as one of the rising stars of European golf. Located in the Cadiz municipality of San Roque close to Sotogrande, the resort’s Links course runs along the beachfront with spectacular views of the Mediterranean, Gibraltar and Africa, and has been one of the biggest course renovation projects to be undertaken in Europe in recent years. As part of the major transformation project to reconfigure and redesign the layout, American architect Kurtis Bowman was appointed to improve the hole layouts, conditioning, scenery and sustainability outcomes. Work undertaken included the remodelling of all tees, greens complexes and bunkers, and the redesign of several holes. In addition La Hacienda has undertaken a series of other upgrades to its golf and leisure amenities including the renovation of its clubhouse, the launch of a new website and the opening of a new halfway house for players on the Links course, while the resort is preparing to launch a new Fairmont hotel and villas in the near future –

Constance Culinary Festival 2024

7th March 2024
This highly anticipated event will once again bring together talented chefs, dedicated hoteliers, and renowned culinary personalities to offer an unforgettable experience to gastronomy enthusiasts. Since its inception, Constance Festival Culnaire has set standards of culinary excellence, and this new edition will be no exception. Festival-goers will have the chance to delight in dishes prepared by renowned chefs who will showcase their ingenuity to create unique and bold dishes. Local influences will blend with international culinary techniques, offering a gastronomic experience rich in flavours and discoveries. This new edition will also feature a significant innovation with the collaboration of Régis Marcon, the famous French chef with three Michelin stars. With forty years of experience at the helm of the illustrious Maison Marcon in Saint-Bonnet-Le-Froid, Régis Marcon, accompanied by his son Jacques, has made their restaurant an iconic culinary destination. Their passion for their profession, their love for their terroir, and fine products have contributed to the success and renown of their cuisine. Driven by his dedication to sharing culinary expertise, Régis Marcon has actively mentored chefs across various skill levels and authored the acclaimed book ‘Défi Gourmand’ from the Bocuse d’Or Academy, focusing on the intricacies of competition cooking. Given his commitment to culinary education and collaboration, it was a seamless fit for him to join forces with the Constance Festival Culinaire, renowned for fostering the talents of Michelin-starred chefs and nurturing the skills of Constance’s culinary team. “Constance Festival Culinaire has become an essential event for lovers of Mauritius and for professionals in the culinary and pastry arts for many years. I am very honoured to chair this event with my friend Pierre Hermé. We will have a special thought for Chef Serge Vieira and his family, who loved this land and its atmosphere so much. We want to perpetuate his spirit of transmission, and I am excited to work with the Constance teams in this friendly and creative atmosphere,” commented Régis Marcon. The festival continues its collaboration with the renowned pastry chef Pierre Hermé since 2016. Globally recognised for his exceptional talent and creativity, he presides over the festival’s pastry competition and brings a sweet and refined touch to the event. It is worth noting that the primary purpose of Constance Festival Culiniare is transmission and sharing. These are manifested through various competitions where Constance Hotels & Resorts’ chefs team up with Michelin-starred chefs. The festival also offers various culinary workshops and other activities, all led and judged by juries composed of exceptional personalities from the gastronomy and sommelier world. Finally, Constance Hotels & Resorts is delighted to once again count on the participation of the prestigious Champagne house Deutz. Since the first editions of the festival in 2006, Deutz has been an unwavering partner. The reputation of this brand, highly appreciated for its exceptional expertise and the quality of its cuvées, speaks for itself. Deutz brings an unparalleled touch of elegance to the exceptional moments of Constance Festival Culinaire. Jean-Jacques Vallet, CEO of Constance Hotels & Resorts,

Open Events at London Golf Club in 2024

5th March 2024
For full details and to enter please contact the tournament coordinator on events@londongolf.co.uk. The next event in the schedule is: Winter Open 📆 Sunday 17th March 2024 🏌️‍♂️ 4-Ball Scramble ⛳ International Course Includes a full English breakfast with tea and coffee upon arrival, 18 holes of golf on the International course, and a two-course meal after golf with prize presentation. Upcoming events: Spring Open Date: Sunday 28th April 2024 Format: 4-Ball Scramble Course: International course Summer Open Date: Tuesday 18th June 2024 Format: 4-Ball Scramble Course: International course PGA Summer Pro-Am 2024 Date: Monday 29 July 2024 Format: PGA Stableford Course: Heritage Course Junior Open Date: Tuesday 27th August 2024 Format: Stableford Course: International Course Autumn Open Date: Tuesday 15th October 2024 Format: 4-Ball Scramble Course: International Course Festive Open Date: Sunday 8th December 2024 Format: 4-Ball Scramble Course: International Course

Monthly Blog – February

27th February 2024
Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort in France will be celebrating their 20th anniversary, marking the occasion with several events across the year. There’ll be a Pro-Am plus gala dinner in April followed by an exclusive members-only event in June just to name a few. The venue located in Provence is a five-star resort, with a stunning hotel, luxury spa, Championship golf courses, real estate opportunities and many food and beverage options, including the Michelin star restaurant Le Faventia. To keep up to date with all the latest special offers Terre Blanche are launching for their 20th year, click here. Camiral Golf & Wellness, formerly known as PGA Catalunya, will be celebrating 25 years in 2024, one that cements their position within Europe’s top resorts. Again, a series of events will take place to commemorate the occasion, highlighting their spectacular two 18-hole courses, wellness centre and gastronomic options – Camiral Golf & Wellness should be on everyone’s golfing bucket list. Boasting a rich tournament history, most recently the Catalunya Championship in 2022, you can follow in the footsteps of the pros and enjoy this sensational resort with a range of offers available – click here. Next on the list to celebrate their 25-year anniversary is Diamond Country Club in Austria. Since opening in August 1999, the venue has hosted 11 DP World Tour events and developed into Austria’s premier golf resort. In the last few years, Diamond Country Club has invested significantly into their culinary offerings, with their Clubhouse serving traditional Austrian cuisine and the Boathouse has established itself as a regional fine-dining restaurant. In addition to their Championship course and broad culinary offering, there are two further resort courses and a boutique hotel, all operating in perfect harmony and enabling them to attract golfers from around Europe. There are many celebrations planned with members, employees, associates and regular guests across the year to showcase the rich history Diamond Country Club have. The final venue celebrating a milestone in 2024 is London Golf Club in England, where it has been 30 years since Jack Nicklaus, the Heritage course designer, opened the course in a charity skins match against Seve Ballesteros. London Golf Club has evolved in every aspect since 1994 with a strong emphasis on growing their membership and casual golfer offerings, with ambitious expansion plans for both hotel and real estate for the future. With a host of events taking place this year, London Golf Club certainly know how to celebrate. You can find out what’s going on over the course of the year in their latest edition of the London Magazine here.

Impressive Catalan Villa for Sale Designed by Lagula Arquitectes at Camiral Golf & Wellness

23rd February 2024
Designed by award-winning Lagula Architects in 2022, the home has been designed around a central courtyard, which is created to give the feeling of living in a forest amidst a canopy of trees. To truly open itself up to the surrounding views, Selva 25 has an open-plan patio. The 3-bedroom and 3-bathroom property has a unique ovoid shape and takes inspiration from the sun in a bid to frame the surrounding landscape perfectly. La Selva project pays tribute to the surrounding landscape, with each distinct villa constructed to reflect its local topography. Lagula Arquitectes notes that Selva 25 was “an exciting challenge” and they “found harmony between the circular shape of the building and the floor plan to create something that felt cohesive for its owner.” Spread across three levels, the ground floor is home to central areas; the living spaces and kitchen, the upper floor houses the bedrooms, and the basement provides a sanctuary to create a multi-purpose space dependent on the owner’s needs.” Selva 25 embodies the essence of a home: a cozy ambiance, a seamless layout, and yet, there’s an unmistakable, truly remarkable quality about this property. It is also fused together with a central bespoke staircase which connects all the different areas of the house. Just one hour from Barcelona, and situated within over 1,300 acres of pristine, landscaped hills and Mediterranean forest, the resort is within easy reach of two international airports as well as the wild Costa Brava – with extensive leisure activities available at 5-star Hotel Camiral nearby. The resort is home to two world-class golf courses – recently ranked the best golf course in Spain, tennis courts, walking trails, as well as a 1,000m² Wellness Centre: a modern, results-driven sanctuary combining holistic treatments with state-of-the-art technology to garner results catering to personal needs. Since its venture into Real Estate in 2010, Camiral Golf & Wellness has embraced low-density, sustainable and biophilic design throughout its contemporary properties, incorporating principles of wellbeing to equip residents with a sense of ecological belonging and natural immersion. More broadly, the resort is recognised for its commitment to its surrounding environment, featuring an organic garden, 12-acre vineyard and 18 beehives hosting a million endangered honeybees, from which it produces around 50kg of honey each year. In-house biologist Oriol Dalmau oversees the parkland while leading a variety of educational, nature-based programmes and activities on-site. Recent investments include a renovation of all central air conditioning units in the 5-star hotel and Wellness Centre reducing energy consumption by 50%, the installation of a 900 square-metre photovoltaic power station reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 51 tonnes per year and the golf courses irrigation using 100% recycled water. For more property information on La Selva, please click here.

Costa Navarino awarded International sustainable golf distinction

23rd February 2024
The certification is overseen and managed by the international GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation.  Certification Manager Carole Kerrey commented: “Sustainability is a clear priority for Costa Navarino with evidence across planning and operations at the Bay and Dunes courses; not only satisfying the certification criteria but also going beyond with some innovative projects.  We look forward to seeing more to come.” David Ashington, General Manager at Costa Navarino Golf, said: “We are delighted to achieve GEO Certified® status for The Dunes Course and The Bay Course. This international certification acknowledges our long-standing commitment to sustainable golf development. Since the launch of Costa Navarino – and even before, during construction – several  ground-breaking initiatives were introduced, to ensure sustainable performance across the golf courses and the destination. We work hard to continue improving these practices and to ensure that all our golfers and guests can enjoy the best possible experience in these spectacular natural surroundings.” Costa Navarino is the first multiple-course destination in the Eastern Mediterranean to achieve this international distinction. Some sustainability highlights from Costa Navarino’s Bay and Dunes golf facilities include: Sophisticated water management: Several years before the courses were launched, extensive studies for the availability of water resources in the region, formed the basis for a sustainable water management system. Water reservoirs were specifically designed and constructed, fully integrated into the surrounding landscape, and filled by less than one per cent of the excess run-off from local rivers. This water, together with highly treated recycled water is more than enough to cover the irrigation needs Additionally, a series of water-saving measures are constantly applied, based on best available practices that focus on consumption monitoring (e.g. leak control, improved efficiency). The total irrigated grassed area on the Bay and Dunes courses has been reduced by five per cent and ten per cent respectively during 2023, by using native plants and recycled olive tree wood branches. Extensive work is still being carried out in 2024 to further reduce the total irrigated grass areas on both golf courses. Climate action: Since 2009, Costa Navarino has joined forces with Stockholm University and the Academy of Athens to establish the Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO), which has been at the forefront of research and education about climate change and the environment in the Eastern Mediterranean region for the past 15 years. The biggest olive tree-transplanting programme in Europe: More than 7,000 trees are replanted so far across all areas at Costa Navarino. The Bay Clubhouse is one of the first earth-sheltered clubhouses, ensuring it harmoniously blends into the natural landscape, with a total of 27,500 plants and trees both around the clubhouse and on its rooftop. An on-going, extensive recycling program for paper, plastics, glass, used oil, batteries and organic waste. Positive wider economic impact in Messinia, through contribution with 11 per cent to the region’s GDP over the years (2006-2022), while generating another 80 distinct services in the wider area. Environmental protection remains a key focus for Costa Navarino which was chosen as “Best

Linna Golf has completed a real estate transaction with the city of Hämeenlinna

22nd February 2024
“Our goal is to enhance the vitality of the entire Vanajanlinna area and build a unique new residential environment in the midst of Finland’s premier golf course. The area will attract people from other regions to move to Hämeenlinna, as there will be a completely new and appealing plot offering in the area,” says Hannu Mäntyharju, Chairman of the Board of Linna Golf. The reserved area is within fairways 4-8, predominantly opening towards the southwest and west. There will be 30-40 new houses, with the design inspired by modern Finnish wooden architecture. The average size of the houses will be approximately 150 sqm and all houses will be heated by ecological ground heating with the help of solar panels on the roof. Jari Koskinen, Chairman of the Hämeenlinna City Council, is pleased that a mutual agreement on land transactions was reached, stating “hopefully, the zoning and development of the area will now proceed swiftly. The land deal was beneficial for both parties: the city received the additional revenue whilst getting a fair price for the land. From Linna Golf’s perspective, it’s good that the land is in owned by them.” “Real estate development plays such a crucial role in the financing of entire areas on many golf courses worldwide that when building the course, the interaction between the course and the real estate must be taken into account. This was also done with Linna Golf many years ago,” confirms CEO Esa Honkalehto. “The zoned area at Linna is surrounded by a total of five golf holes, all of which are positioned to the left of the direction of play. This is a good thing for the safety of the buildings” describes Honkalehto. To find out more about Linna Golf, please click here.

Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort awarded Green Key Certification

12th February 2024
The distinction recognises the resort’s commitment to the preservation of its environment over the past two decades. Present on five continents, the Green Key certificate is the leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operations within the tourism industry. Based on demanding specifications, led by the Foundation for Environmental Education, the Green Key certifies destinations that hold strong values focused on eco-responsible commitments. Reviewed every four years, the distinction supports new and sustainable methods of operation and use of technology in a bid to reduce the overall environmental footprint through lower use of energy, water, and waste. Under the supervision of the Foundation for Environmental Education internationally and Teragir in France, this initiative guarantees compliance with environmental standards for hotel establishments daily. The criteria allow destinations to reduce their ecological footprint while actively committing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. The certification is based on seven main themes: • Environmental policy • Environmental awareness • Water management • Waste management • Energy management • Responsible purchasing • Living environment As part of this approach, Terre Blanche: • Has an environmental charter and an action plan listing its environmental objectives and projects for the coming years. • Has defined a sustainable purchasing policy through a supplier charter, favouring French products, short circuits and above all “homemade” including its breads and pastries. • Has established active collaborations with associations and stakeholders in the territory to support local projects for the protection of fauna and flora. • Has implemented high-performance energy management devices and water flow reducers on all its taps. • Selectively sorts and recycles all its organic waste by dehydrating it and creating compost that is then used on its 301 hectares. • Has eliminated plastic from its hospitality products. • Banned the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers for the maintenance of its green spaces. Terre Blanche’s chief executive officer, Marc Delauné says, , ““We feel immense pride in this recognition. Since its inception two decades ago, Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort***** has consistently been at the forefront of eco-friendly and environmental preservation initiatives among European resorts. We work tirelessly to bring this identity to the heart of everything we do every day. This award is a testament to the dedication of all our employees and our ongoing commitment to the values we uphold every day.”
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