Golfers the world over are
constantly yearning to find
that one elusive thing –
the perfect golfing holiday
destination.
You work hard all year, and sometimes that focus
on a little jaunt with pals to kick back and enjoy
the game in sunny climes is the only thing that
keeps things ticking over, keeps us sane.
But that promise of a variety of challenging
layouts coupled with ideal temperatures – you
know, not too hot, not too cold, almost NEVER
raining – often appears slippery and uncatchable.
Throw in the fact that you might also be
searching for somewhere with excellent food
options, decent infrastructure to help you get
around and a place that is easily accessible and
it becomes very rare indeed – almost like a Holy
Grail for golfers, in fact.
Which is where a golfing pilgrimage to the
Spanish city of Valencia comes in – which, as it
happens, is where the real Holy Grail is purported
to reside (more of which anon).
The climate here, we were reliably informed by
almost everyone we met on our visit, is almost
perfect all year round. Spring and summer? Sure,
it IS Spain after all – but November through to
March too? Apparently so – although you ‘might
need a light jumper in the throes of January’s
coldest days’, we were warned.
Being Irish, I could scarcely believe this was
the worst that the winter weather could bring!
Valencia is the country’s third largest city, and
it somehow seems to like it that way. It’s as if
Barcelona and Madrid are too big, too showy, too
well known – and Valencia prides itself on being a
little bit more cool and hip.
With good reason, it would seem. Later in the
article I’ll talk about what the golf product on
offer here is like, but you simply can’t mention
the Valencia region without taking into account
Volume 4 • Issue 43
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