Idyllic Oceanside location, great golf: help me out

[Scott Warren]

Help me out here, brothers.


My parents have agreed to babysit for my wife and I for up to 10 days for our 10th wedding anniversary next September (2020).


My wife wants an idyllic ocean holiday — unspoilt sandy beaches, impossibly blue water, the sun blazing in clear skies.


This has led her to suggest the Maldives.


One major problem the way I see it: Maldives hasn’t got any golf.


Where can I deliver my beloved the holiday she wants, but with some golf I would want to play?


I thought of Cabo — friends told us it’s not worth the haul from Sydney as the main event.


Big Island Hawaii? She doesn’t want to do Oahu or Maui cos we do that with the kids, but this could be a good shout.


Caribbean is gonna be too far for the time we have.


Where else? Help me out.

[Nicolas Joakimides]

https://www.velaaprivateisland.com/


Scott,


Check this private island...

[Jon Wiggett]

Dornoch ticks all the boxes on your list but I doubt your wife would thank you for it 

[Jeff Schley]

Scott congrats on your first decade!
Mauritius I think fits for you very well. We have numerous expats here in Saudi Arabia that fly down there for the beach alone and the husband brings his clubs.  They have about 10 courses I think, my favorite is Bernard Langer's course Ile aux Cerfs, not sure if he actually designed it.
The good thing about Mauritius is that it is cheaper than the Seychelles and Maldives by quite a bit. I think the Seychelles may have a course as well, not sure, but Mauritius has wonderful beaches at about 1/2 price of Maldives.  Granted they don't have the numerous private island resorts with overwater bungalows, but their beach resorts are great.

It isn't cheap necessarily, but it is compared to Maldives and much of Seychelles, plus it has golf where the others lack.  Mauritius is a hidden gem for many because Maldives gets so much business because most people can't go to all three so they pick Maldives for the once in a lifetime/honeymoon destination.
 

[Steve Kline]

Laucala, Fiji


It is private island. The course is designed by David McKlay Kidd. You will probably have the course to yourself, or almost to yourself.


From what I remember, it is not as expensive as you think. And, coming from Australia, you won't have the massive flight costs that we do from the states to get there.


https://www.laucala.com/golf

[Marty Bonnar]

I quite enjoyed Hualalai on big island. The course is enough fun and it’s quite cool playing amongst the lava. Can’t speak for the accoms, but it’s a Four Seasons and everything else was very classy, so they should be good.


Aloha!
F.

[Steve Kline]

I just did a quick google map tour of Mauritius. Some of the courses look like they could have some really interesting holes. Some have some good looking ocean holes. Others have quite a few centerline hazards. Now I'm curious about taking a vacation there some day.

[Tommy Williamsen]

You can't go wrong choosing the Big Island. Four Seasons at Hualalai is super expensive and the course one of the big disappointments. Mauna Kea has a great beach, good accomodations, and a great golf. Its sister hotel is the Westin Hapuna, which also has a great beach. Hapuna golf is across the street and has reduced rates at Mauna Kea.
This is a photo essay I did on Hawaiian golf.


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,66373.0.html

[Adam Lawrence]

https://www.velaaprivateisland.com/

Scott,

Check this private island...

I've been to Velaa, and while it is a truly amazing place, the golf ‘course’ is a practice area of about two acres in size, with half a dozen greens so you can play a par three routing around the property. It isn’t going to keep a serious golfer happy for ten days.


Staying in one of the villas on the island also costs USD 5,000 a night MINIMUM

[David_Tepper]

What are the golf resort options in Vietnam these days?

[Mike Nuzzo]

I'd rather go to the Maldives
Happy Anniversary

[Tom_Doak]

What are the golf resort options in Vietnam these days?

The Bluffs Ho Tram and FLC Quy Nhon both have the combo of beach and golf.  But they are pretty big hotels, and often packed with Asian golfers, so, not so romantic.  Plus "getting there" in Vietnam always comes with a certain amount of stress.


I have not been to Mauritius yet - it's one of the places I want to get to for The Confidential Guide Volume 4 - but from what I've heard of it, that might be your best option.  The resorts will definitely make your wife happy, and there is a fair variety of golf.  It's definitely an anniversary-trip kind of place.

[Mark Pearce]

Dornoch ticks all the boxes on your list but I doubt your wife would thank you for it 

I was going to point out that Bamburgh had all the things Scott's looking for....

[Kalen Braley]

i'm thinking Queensland, Austrialia.  Between the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast there is plenty of both!

[Mark Pearce]

i'm thinking Queensland, Austrialia.  Between the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast there is plenty of both!

Great golf?  Anyway, as Scott lives in Sydney I doubt Queensland ticks is likely to be their choice!

[Kalen Braley]

i'm thinking Queensland, Austrialia.  Between the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast there is plenty of both!

Great golf?  Anyway, as Scott lives in Sydney I doubt Queensland ticks is likely to be their choice!

Sure Royal Queensland is right near Brisbane and there are a few other decent ones near the Sunshine Coast.

And if you go to an warm Island locale, other than a few exceptions like Hawaii or Dominican, you're only going to have one or two good ones anyways. 

P.S.  And he'd save a ton of money by staying in country, only a 8-9 hour drive. 

[MLevesque]

Consider Nantucket, Massachusetts. September weather is fantastic and the island is far less crowded.  A few nice golfing venues with great beaches, lodging, shopping and restaurants.  If you don't fly directly to Nantucke, you can fly into Boston or Providence.  Many wonderful golfing options as you drive to the ferry on Cape Cod.

[Ian Galbraith]

Play the long game, forget the golf, focus on having a great time together with your mrs for 10 days and cash in the credits later.

[Mark Pearce]

Play the long game, forget the golf, focus on having a great time together with your mrs for 10 days and cash in the credits later.

This is the voice of a man of experience.....

[Matt_Cohn]

Laucala, Fiji


It is private island. The course is designed by David McKlay Kidd. You will probably have the course to yourself, or almost to yourself.


From what I remember, it is not as expensive as you think. And, coming from Australia, you won't have the massive flight costs that we do from the states to get there.


https://www.laucala.com/golf

That place looks awesome

[Thomas Dai]

Sometimes the grass isn’t greener on the other side of the ocean (hill) ........... but if you insist on travelling then there is always Askernish.
Atb

[Tim Gallant]

Play the long game, forget the golf, focus on having a great time together with your mrs for 10 days and cash in the credits later.

This is the voice of a man of experience.....

I can confirm, Ian is a wise, wise man.

[James Bennett]

Scottt
My niece went to Mauritius on one of her honeymoons.Apparently the surf is excellent.Sounds like a good option - better than Maldives?
James B

[mike_beene]

I really like the Big Island and there is a lot of good golf, but don't expect a lush tropical look. It is barren ranch land on the dry side where the good stuff is. The Four Seasons is a fabulous place.

[Doug_Feeney]

If you go with Hawaii I would definitely spend some time on Lanai.  The resort and service are incredible and the golf (just one course now) is pretty spectacular.  The nice part is that course has been nearly empty when I have been there so you can get around very quickly.  They had an all inclusive activity package last year that was great!  Included golf, horseback tours, sporting clays, atv's, sail and snorkel trips.