Friday, May 17: Golf & The Mediterranean under Sun and Sail

PerryGolf’s 2013 voyage onboard the luxury tall masted yacht LE PONANT gets underway today with embarkation in Nice, France.  Watch out for posts along the way as she visits Italy, Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily before concluding in Valetta, Malta.  Five beautiful but hard to reach golf courses and a day at sea under sail.  What a trip!

Monday, May 20: LE PONANT now in Bonifacio, Corsica

The PerryGolf voyage onboard LE PONANT has this morning arrived into the medieval port of Bonifacio, Corsica where our guests are today playing Sperone GC with its spectacular sea views.  Enjoy a few images from our first two days of golf at Punta Ala GC Italy on Saturday, and Pevero GC Sardinia on Sunday.

Tuesday, May 21: LE PONANT guests playing at Sperone GC, Corsica

PerryGolf guests yesterday enjoyed a visit to Sperone GC which sits just outside the medieval port of Bonifacio Corsica.  The day began with an early morning arrival on our tall masted yacht into one of the world’s most dramatic harbours, and continued with golf at a stunning venue, the final few holes at Sperone GC being positively Pebble Beach esque in nature.  Enjoy a few more images (-:

Wednesday, May 22: PerryGolf at sea

PerryGolf guests onboard LE PONANT yesterday enjoyed a fabulous day at sea between Corsica, France and Sicily, Italy.  All under blue skies with full sails up.  Very relaxing.  A leisurely morning, prelunch drinks, a wonderful seafood lunch washed down with some suitably chilled rose wine.  Afternoon relaxing on the sun deck, followed by a 5pm putting contest (-: Finally a nice dinner and early night ready for tomorrow’s golf at Verdura GC, Sicily.

Thursday, May 23: LE PONANT now in Verdura

PerryGolf guests onboard LE PONANT yesterday enjoyed the beautiful East Course at Verdura Golf Resort on the south west coast of Sicily. Verdura was designed by Kyle Phillips of Kingsbarns fame and hosted the 2012 and 2013 Sicilian Opens on the European Tour on a composite course from the East and West. Today the group will play the West Course so all Sicilian Open holes covered!

Friday, May 24: LE PONANT docks in Valetta, Malta

PerryGolf guests onboard LE PONANT  on our Golf and the Mediterranean under Sun & Sail voyage docked in Valetta, Malta this morning, under blue skies, and with sparkling waters. A number of guests have chosen to spend one or two days on this beautiful and historic island before heading home.  A great trip was had by all, five fine golf courses played, and many new friends made. Look out for our soon to be announced future schedule on Le Ponant including a rerun of this particular Nice to Malta itinerary in June 2014. Consider marking the date(s) in you diary (-:

Below is a video taken from the bridge of LE PONANT sails into the beautiful harbour of Valetta, Malta at the conclusion if her 7 day PeryGolf voyage.

We know, this has to be good. It’s a long way to Australia.

Fair enough; have a look below at “The Best of Australia 2014 (Escorted)”. If you like your vacation golf chosen from the upper echelon of world 100 clubs, and combined with fully escorted luxury itinerary that includes an equally impressive schedule of sightseeing, wine touring and spectacular natural beauty, we suspect you’ll agree this experience stands out.

You’ll play two of Dr. Alister MacKenzie’s most important four layouts; Royal Melbourne which is GOLF Magazine’s world 13 and New South Wales ranked 34 (pictured left). You’ll play the club that put Tom Doak on the map, in Tasmanian, at Barnbougle Dunes ranked 41.  Next door at Barnbougle Lost Farm we’ve got world 82 by Coore & Crenshaw.  Royal Melbourne neighbor Yarra Yarra is a founding member of the famed Sandbelt clubs whose design was shaped heavily by Dr. MacKenzie. We’ll see Doak’s work again at St Andrews Beach found in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula’s Cups Country.

• View the Barnbougle Dunes VIDEO.
• View the Barnbougle Lost Farm VIDEO

Our tour begins officially with the Welcome Cocktail Party and Dinner on the day of arrival.  Sightseeing on Day 2 includes the famous Sydney Harbor Cruise (pictured top right) plus a guided tour of the spectacular Opera House.  Both are included in the price of the tour, along with four (4) additional sightseeing excursions.   Welcome and Farewell dinners plus six (6) additional “choice of menu” evening meals are included as well.  You’ll spend 11 nights in first class hotels like Tasmania’s The Lodge at Lost Farm, Melbourne’s Park Hyatt Hotel (pictured below), and Sydney’s Radisson Plaza Hotel.

Click here for the Detailed Itinerary.

Whether you’re a gourmet chef, wine guru, or cheese connoisseur – or simply love to sit back, relax, and indulge yourself in this refined type of cuisine while an aficionado in each area shares his expertise, you’ll find that dining aboard a hotel barge is right up your alley.  Take a few minutes to read through this article, watch the video, and get a better understanding of how upscale dining aboard a hotel barge is when you travel with PerryGolf.

The classic traditions of French and International cuisine are an unforgettable highlight of our hotel barge cruises.  Each morning you’ll wake up to newly baked breads, buttery croissants, and a variety of fresh pastries from the local patisserie.  Together with the aroma of fresh coffee brewing, enjoying your breakfast on deck is the perfect way to begin you day.

Luncheon, often enjoyed on the sun deck, will be a colorful arrangement of salads, pâtes, savory quiches and of course, a selection of cheeses, all accompanied by an excellent choice of wines from the barge cellar.

Dinner is the culinary highlight of each day. Served by candlelight, each course is a delicious creation, complemented by fine wines. Your chef will use the freshest ingredients, bought from the wonderful local markets, and pick herbs from the small on-board herb garden to produce wonderful regional and national dishes that are full of flavor.

Our hotel barge trips are not only fun, relaxing, and romantic, but are also educational.  Whether this is a new experience or not, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the cuisine, wines, and area from your Chef, Captain, and Tour Guide.  The epicurean cuisine and overall experience will of course vary, depending on the trip.

For example, in the French experience regional specialties range from a Filet d’Agneau au Basilic to Magret de Canard to Poulet à L’Estragon.  For the wine gurus out there, the wine cellar offers a very impressive selection – to name just a few: Chateau de la Saule 2005, Domaine Corsin, Pouilly Fuisse, Domaine Laroche, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue.  Don’t forget the cheeses – there’s no better way to complement an excellent, aged bottle of wine with a variety such as these: Aisy Cendré, Bouton de Culotte, Epoisses, and Ami du Chambertin.

On the other hand, in the British Isles experience you’ll see regional specialties varying from a Munro of marinated Salmon to Pheasant breast with Horseradish sauce to Navarin of Lamb with fine herbs.  Expect an equally impressive selection of wines, but also an assortment of single malt whiskies and 80 Shilling Ales.  Be sure to pair these with Scottish Brie, Whisky Chase, Stratdown Blue, or Orkney smoked!

To see more about these gastronomic experiences, please watch the video produced by our valued business partner European Waterways:

Dining aboard a Hotel Barge – Gastronomic Cuisine, Fine Wines and Delicious Cheeses

A travel partner of PerryGolf, European Waterways have been involved in all aspects of the hotel barge and travel industry for over 35 years including designing, building, owning and operating their fleet of luxury hotel barges.  We at PerryGolf are pleased to have partnered with them to provide these spectacular barge cruises.

It is our particular pleasure to present the hotel golf barges of PerryGolf.  Seven utterly charming vessels are offered for exclusive-use arrangements that will accommodate 8-18 Guests who enjoy the camaraderie of a supremely relaxing and localized experience in the Scottish Highlands, the suburbs of London, the Burgundy and Provence regions of France.

Now officially registered with the Scottish Golf Union (SGU), Eriskay Whisky Galore Golf Club is once again trading after losing their own course 16 years ago.

The club’s history is really quite extraordinary; from the origination of the club’s name to the distance members have to travel to play the course.  It certainly shows the dedication and devotion that some players have to the game.

To read more on the story of the course, click here.

From the Golf Channel, Jason Deegan writes, “”What distinguishes New Zealand golf from the U.S. is the courses are not part of the housing,” he said. “You can see the hills, the water, the mountains. The physical beauty of the courses is amplified by the surroundings. It’s a unique experience.”

Golf courses such as Cape Kidnappers, Kauri Cliffs, and Jack’s Point (seen above) are reason enough to make New Zealand one of the most attractive destinations in the world.  The natural beauty and picturesque views the courses offer are truly exquisite.

New Zealand has so much to offer in addition to these amazing views, natural beauty, and world-renounced golf courses.  You can read the original article here and about some of PerryGolf ‘s experiences and insights in New Zealand by browsing through PerryGolf’s Blog.

After the original article and browsing our blog, how incredible does a trip to New Zealand sound now?  What about the one PerryGolf is currently offering:

• New Zealand’s Best 2013: Golf, Wine, & Fishing on the North & South Islands
• 6 rounds including Cape Kidnappers, fully escorted by Golf Tour Leader
• 11 Nights of Accommodations in the Heritage Hotel, Millennium Manuels Resort, Crown Hotel, & Millbrook Resort
• Breakfast and Dinner daily
• Thursday, October 31 – Wednesday, November 13, 2013

View the complete itinerary here!

Hello again from Colin Dalgleish in South East Asia where my visit continues with a stop in Siem Reap Cambodia. This country reopened its doors to visitors just 20 years ago, after suffering decades of civil war and international isolation. It has now established as one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. The ancient lost temples of Angkor Watt here just outside Siem Reap have rapidly moved onto the must-visit list for many international travellers. The area is now also home to three excellent golf courses. It’s mix of modern golf, fascinating history, and wonderful hospitality makes it a perfect three or four night stop on any south east Asian tour, exactly as we have scheduled for our February 2014 fully escorted tour to the region. By the way, a piece of trivia for you, Cambodia is the only country in the world to feature a building (Angkor Watt) as a part of its national flag. Take a look at the National Geographic video of the history of Angkor Watt

Blairgowrie is set to host the Junior Ryder Cup the week before The Ryder Cup next year; and the club are already counting down to the event!  They hosted the ‘500 Days To Go Open’ on Saturday with an entry fee of £20.14 and various other events and competitions will be planned to highlight the event over the coming months.  The Junior Ryder Cup aims to showcase golf’s next generation of golfers and notable past players include Rory McIlroy, Matteo Manassero, and Hunter Mahan.

By Gary Sheppard.  Gary is one of PerryGolf’s Golf Travel Specialists.

Hello from South East Asia. This is Colin Dalgleish of PerryGolf visiting Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand for a final preview of our upcoming February 2014 escorted tour to the region. Today I have been in Bangkok which we are offering as a three day precursor to the main tour. A quick visit to meet General Manager John Blanch at the prestigious Thai Country Club, an outstanding facility with a strong pedigree coupled to exceptional service. Next up is dinner and overnight at the Anantara Resort and Spa which sits right on the river and provides an oasis of green in the very heart of Bangkok city. Tomorrow sees me fly to Siem Reap Cambodia for the Lost City of Angkor Watt and some of the great golf which is nearby it.

The world renowned Royal Scotsman has presented a new dining cabin; the first newly-built carriage on the exclusive train since 1996.

The Royal Scotsman has been operating since 1985 and is the only train of its kind; taking passengers on a luxury tour of the Scottish Highlands.  For more details on the new addition, click here.

PerryGolf offer a unique opportunity to combine accommodation onboard the Royal Scotsman with golf at Scotland’s top Highland courses.

A new ferry service between Ardrosson and Campbeltown was recently announced for the summer months this year.  This is a huge boost for the local community and more importantly for PerryGolf clients.  It offers easier access to Machrihanish and Machrihanish Dunes.  Through an ongoing partnership with the Kintyre Express, PerryGolf have been sending golfers to the Kintyre peninsula by sea for years.

However, the new ferry service, which will allow passengers to take their cars with them, gives our clients more options and better access to 2 of Scotland’s best links courses.  The drive from Glasgow to Campbeltown is simply too much; and we always recommend against this option.  My recommendation would be to stay near the golf courses for 1 or 2 nights, play both courses, and then return to Ayrshire for an extension in another part of Scotland.

Click here for more details.