Destination Golf Global Guide - Autumn 2018 Autumn 2018 | Page 45

Golf Bendinat golf, and one of the best golf complexes in Europe. On their visit, they also got to play Club de Golf Alcanada on the north coast of the Island. The course itself is set to the stunning backdrop of the Bay of Alcudia, this top-notch Robert Trent Jr-designed track will take your breath away, offering fabulous sea views from 16 of its 18 holes. The 458-metre, par-5 1st is an excellent strategic opening hole of the risk-reward variety and a taste of things to come. Be sure to also savour the views of the Alcanada Lighthouse Island from holes 11 and 13 in particular. The last of the rounds was a trip to Son Gual which opened up over 10 years ago but has quickly gained a reputation as not only a Mallorca ‘must play’ but also one of Europe’s top golf destinations. What was once 156 hectares of flat non-descript agricultural land on the outskirts of Palma, has been transformed by three-time German Amateur Champion and course designer Thomas Himmel, into a polished layout that winds its way through a landscape of gently rolling hills, 1000 mature olive trees, fields of wild flowers, pockets of vineyards and water features all overlooked by an early 20th- century Mallorcan manor house. Adding to the club’s growing reputation is the fact that Son Gual has hosted a European Seniors Tour event, the 2009 Mallorca PGA Seniors Open, when former Ryder Cup captain Mark James defeated Irishman Eamonn Darcy in a play-off to claim the title. Plans are already in place to return to this stunning golf destination in 2019. Top of the “must play” course lists are: Golf Bendinat, Santa Ponsa Golf, and Son Servera Golf. Volume 4 • Issue 45 45