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| The K Club hotel (from the Smurfit Course) |
Irish golf was always going to be rewarded at the inaugural World Golf
Awards, held in the Algarve this week.
The two big winners were Waterville – awarded the title of country’s best golf course for 2014 – and the K Club, which received the award for Ireland best golf hotel. In Northern Ireland, Royal County Down received the best course, while Lough Erne collected the best golf hotel award.
I have been fortunate to have played Waterville a number of times and it is one of the most beautifully, elegant and relaxing rounds of links golf you will ever play. When you play through the dunes of the 11th hole – named ‘Tranquility’ – it is as peaceful a few moments as you could ever expect on a links course.
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| Down in the dip on the 11th hole at Waterville |
The K Club is a superb hotel. I have stayed only once – it is not cheap
– and words such as luxurious and elegant describe it perfectly. The meal in
the Byerley Turk remains one of the best meals I have eaten, and the overall
experience is similarly unforgettable.
These new World Golf Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate
excellence in the global golf hospitality industry. Other winners included St
Andrews Old course (World’s Best Golf Course) and The Els Club, Teluk Datai
(World’s Best New Course).
Peter Alliss received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to the Golf Industry, and Paul McGinley was awarded – not surprisingly – Golf Personality of the Year.
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| Waterville's famous par 3 12th - known as Mass Hole |
One further winner was Haversham & Baker Golfing Expeditions, who
received the World’s Best Golf Tour Operator award. I follow them on Twitter…
if you’re on that particular social media channel, I recommend you do the same. Twitter:
Two other ‘Irish’ awards went to Golf
Vacations Ireland (Ireland’s Best Inbound Golf Tour Operator)
and BMI Sports (Ireland’s Best Outbound Golf Tour Operator), which focuses on
Spain and Portugal.
For the full list of World Golf Awards - click here.
For the full list of World Golf Awards - click here.
Why don't they one for best golf blog?
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