Tenerife is an unbeatable year-round golf destination. The statistics speak for themselves - over 300 days of sunshine each year and an average temperature of 23C. It's perpetual Springtime on this spectacular volcanic outcrop just 200 miles off the African coast. Dominated by the huge snow-capped edifice of Mount Teide and with a highly developed tourist infrastructure and some truly wonderful golf courses, the island is a sophisticated and stunning destination. The Tenerife Golf organisation features nine top-class courses, several of which have staged major tournaments. For a start there's Costa Adeje where Ashington's Kenneth Ferrie won his debut European Tour victory back in 2003 with a remarkable 22 under par effort. But wile Costa Adeje is probably Tenerife's best known course, there are several others that are right up there with it in terms of quality, playability, position and drama. The latest star in the Tenerife golfing firmament is Abama, which staged a European ladies tour event this year and is situated just up the south-west coast from Adeje. This incredible track was designed by Newcastle-born Dave Thomas and must rank as one of his most dramatic lay-outs. The course drops steeply downhill towards the blue sea and the theatrical, desert pink towers of the Moroccan-styled luxury hotel. The rolling lush-green course with its bone-white bunkers and 90,000 palm trees also boasts a huge amount of water with lakes, rivers, waterfalls and streams coming into play on just about every hole. But beware; Abama's greatest hazard is its views. You will constantly be in awe as your gaze sweeps across the course, the hotel, the Atlantic and the brooding outline of the island of La Gomera across the bay. With a par of 72 and measuring 6,792 yards, you will probably want to take a buggy here. The emphasis is on luxury, elegance and exclusivity here. The arabesque hotel and its magnicent spa, is set in tropical gardens and if you fancy something a little more isolated you could always opt for one of the 152 villas. A little further to the south, you'll find some of the oldest courses on the island, notably Golf Las Americas and Golf del Sur. Playa de Las Américas is probably the most famous holiday resort on Tenerife and Golf Las Américas is right in the centre of town - situated in a fantastic location in a natural amphitheatre facing the sea with superb ocean views of La Gomera. The designer, John Jacobs, gave priority to the obstacles on this 18 hole, par 72 course, which covers a total of 6,039 metres. Over on the other side of the resort, near to the Tenerife South airport, Golf del Sur opened for play in 1987 with a major professional tournament that would mark the start of a signicant track record in sporting events. Pepe Gancedo created an unusual design at this coastal course that was later remodelled by Manuel Piñero. This 27-hole course boasts three sets of quite different nines and is set among ravines, featuring attractive native plants and þowers including cacti, palm trees and other colourful species. Like several of Tenerife's courses, Golf del Sur also has large black sand bunkers that are both striking and demanding. Moving further up the west coast, Buenavista Golf is another stunning course. Located on striking cliffs and þanked by the impressive Teno Country Park, this Seve Ballesteros-designed track is right on the stunning coastline. On several of the greens it feels like you are hitting the ball into the ocean. On the front nine, the most demanding holes are the par fours while the inward half is built around two incredible par threes that are both on the edge of a cliff. A large central lake in front of the clubhouse between the 9th and 18th holes and a waterfall are obstacles that lend a fresh feel to this unusual and panoramic course. The spectacular theme continues across on La Gomera, which is just 40 minutes away on the ferry from Los Cristianos. Campo Tecina Golf is perched on a cliff looking back towards Tenerife and boasts the sort of scenery you dream aabout a tropical golf destination offering. The Donald Steel-designed 18-hole track is both impressive and remote. The native vegetation in the upper areas becomes more and more exuberant as the course slopes down to the sea until it reaches a beauty spot full of tropical and fruit trees. You have to drive the ball over a ravine to play one of the most spectacular holes, the 4th, while the tee on the par four 10th is all of 45 metres above the level of the green. If you'd like to spend a little longer here than the time a day trip affords, you can always stay at the nearby Hotel Jardin Tecina, which is a real away-from-it-all spot with four-star facilities. However, it's quite easy to schedule in a day trip from Tenerife and a great base from which to explore all of the isand's natural wonders and great golf courses is the Hotel Jardin Tropical on the Adeje coast. The four-star hotel is built in the style of a beautiful Moorish palace and white-washed to spectacular effect. There are lovely gardens and two large pools, the lower saltwater one built right on the edge of the cliff. This is a great place for a family break too, as the facilities are ideal for children and there's a state-of-the-art spa. The hotel specialises in golf breaks and can book tee times at all the Tenerife Golf courses (though it has preferential reservations at Abama) and can arrange transportation. All in all, Tenerife is a wonderful holiday destination. It's just as good for families as it is for golf breaks with your mates or, say, two couples where none-golf options are wide and varied. The courses are certainly comparable and probably more spectacular than anything you'll find in southern Spain or the Algarve, while the hotels and natural surroundings are world-class. And it's easy to get to; long-haul weather at just four hours away. --------------------------------------------------------- For more information about golf on Tenerife visit: www.tenerifegolf.es
For more information on Tenerife visit: www.webtenerife.com
For reservations at the Jardin Tropical call 0034 922 74 60 00 or visit www.jardin-tropical.com Low cost airline Monarch offers year round daily flights from Manchester to Tenerife. Fares, including taxes, start from £61.99 one way (£109.99 return) and include complimentary daily newspapers, a refreshing hot towel service and require no additional payment for checking-in baggage; also available is a unique range of tasty hot and cold meals with prices from £3. Seats can be pre-booked at £5 per one-way flight to avoid the last minute free-for-all, or for only £20, why not try one of the 48 extra-legroom seats, which offer up to six inches of extra space? Regular travellers are rewarded too, with a range of benefits through the airline's loyalty scheme, Vantage Club. Book at www.flymonarch.com or Tel: 08700 40 63 00. Web bookings include a £10 discount per return flight (£5 per one-way flight). | 
Golfing Destinations
