Golf in the Seychelles
Morning in Moscow. Snowflakes slowly circling the window, peacefully falling on the windowsill outside. A golfer sits in a work chair, sadly casting a glance at the wall calendar with a note on November 1. The beginning of the "beloved" month. Rain, snow, slush, gray, traffic jams. The equipment must be cleaned before the next season... The golf season is closed and it will be a long time.
Evening in Vienna. A European golfer's mood is not much better. A smoking cup of tea on a table on a gloomy rainy evening. No snow yet, but the maximum mark of air temperature is 9 degrees, in combination with rain, which does not inspire much optimism. In this weather, he does not even want to go out on the street, let alone the golf course. On the monitor for the third hour, google maps hang and the question is acute: where to go in the winter, so that you can play golf every day for 5-6 hours and swim in the warm sea? Such a simple and ordinary desire, but finding a solution is not so easy!
In Europe it's cold everywhere until the spring. Perhaps, Tenerife is an interesting option: 20 degrees in January, but one thing is bad: the water in the Atlantic never warms up to the desired 27 degress even in the summer, let alone the winter. In the direction of America, for example, Miami, looks curious, but he absolutely does not want to radically change the time zone. After all, golfing, unfortunately, must be supplemented by controlling work processes, and all business is concentrated in Europe. In Asia, for a few years he liked Thailand, but how many years can he go to the same place? And where there is a golf course that he likes, the beach is there, but not suitable for swimming: waves, muddy water, jellyfish. He does now want to swim in the pool.
India and Africa - definitely not, from the mere thought of the impending vaccinations of a golfer, the appetite disappears. Emirates? Not cheap, a lover of walks in the Vienna Wood wants more greenery and natural surroundings, skyscrapers - not exactly on the "Wishlist". Also, you cannot drink a beer peacefully wherever you want. No.
And then he remembers that recently in the news a headline flashed about the fact that Austrian Airlines opened a direct flight from Vienna to the Seychelles.
Surely it is not cheap in all senses. In addition, the Seychelles is not the place where golf has become especially popular, but the photos look really beautiful, the season is year round, there is always a comfortable temperature, there is no heat and yet the warm ocean.
So, let's start sorting out in order. Seychelles has set up two golf courses. The most famous is the course on the island of Praslin, located on the territory of the 5 * hotel Lemuria. This is an 18-hole field with panoramic views and lots of natural obstacles.
The golf course on the main island of Mahe appeared in 1980 on the site of a former coconut plantation in the southeastern part of the island, a 10-minute drive from the international airport.
Earlier here was also one of the first hotels in Mahe - Le Reef Hotel & Golf Club. In 2003, the World Travel Awards awarded the hotel the title of the leading golf hotel in the Indian Ocean.
The field covers 4,992 yards with 9 holes and par 68. The holes can be repeated in the opposite direction from different 'tee-boxes' played on the same green and pin-positions. 17 holes - branded. Some of the fairways are very narrow and are bounded by Takamaka trees, coconut palms, and mangrove swamps. Golf courses in the Seychelles on Mahe and Praslin are themselves natural reserves.
To play golf here, you do not need to become a member of the Seychelles club, each visitor can participate in local tournaments, presenting a valid certificate from his club with an acceptable handicap.
The club offers golf carts for rent.
There is no need to make an advance booking, except on Thursday and Saturday, which are reserved for sponsors' games.
Details:
Green Fee (9 holes) - 300 Seychelles Rupees (approximately 18 Euros).
18 holes - 500 rupees (31 euros).
Equipment rental: 200 rupees (12 euros).
Where to stay? Around the golf course on Mahe there is a large choice of accommodation options. If you are flying for several weeks, a choice of apartments, chalets, houses, from 100 euros per night for two. Nearby is the 4 * Hilton Allamanda hotel. If you rent a house for 1-2 months, then you can agree on a special price.
And what about the golf course of the Hotel Lemuria in the north-western part of Praslin Island? Just 5 minutes from the airport, it's convenient. By the way, in this case, it is not necessary to stay at the hotel. It is possible to rent a house nearby in the Anse Kerlan area or in any other place you like on Praslin and come to play.
The championship golf course in Constance Lemuria Resort with par 70 and 18 holes is breathtaking and enters the top 10 of the most beautiful courses! It has attracted players since 2000, being considered one of the best in Africa and on the islands of the Indian Ocean. 5556m of subtle nuances were developed by architect Rodney Wright, with the participation of French champion Marc-Antoine Farry.
The 6105-yard golf course leads the game along the shoreline against the azure ocean waters, cutting through a tropical, wooded terrain. The fields offer players stunning panoramic views of as many as three beaches (big and small Kerlan and the beach-pearl of the island - Anse Georgette).
The first 12 holes are located among the palms, and then the green fields with bunkers and water hazards extend into the slopes of a steep hill. In the proprietary 15-hole players must play from the rocky ridge with a view of Anse Georgette.
The course is ideal for both professionals and amateurs.
For hotel guests of Lemuria Resort, green fee is free of charge. A buggy rental is required - 55 euros for 18 holes and 40 euros for 9 holes. For non-residents of the hotel, green fee (9 holes) - 75 euros, green fee (18 holes) - 120 euros (buggy rental included).
A golfer can spend one part of their time playing on Mahe, and the second on Praslin. In this case, the impressions will be several times larger. And the damage to the wallet is less!
Well, it's about the Seychelles. What can be more enjoyable than, after a full day of golf, plunging into the azure warm water, from which you do not want to get out for hours?
