search.noResults

search.searching

note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
GOLF GUIDE


REST OF CENTR AL AMERIC A


W


hile Mexico leads the pack when it comes to golfing holidays in Central America, repeat visitors


may well be tempted to venture off the beaten track. Costa Rica is a superb choice for


adventurous travellers, offering pristine rainforest adventures and idyllic tropical islands to bookend a memorable golfing escape. While there are a handful of courses in and around the capital of San Jose, the finest courses are strung out along the drop- dead gorgeous coastal regions. A standout track to start with is the Four


Seasons Peninsula Papagayo, a par-72 championship layout by Arnold Palmer. Wrap-around views of the Bahía de Culebra are a key feature of the course, with sea views coming into play on 14 of the 18 holes. The most memorable of these is the signature 6th, a long par-four with a tee box planted high above the fairway below, and the green perched on an ocean-facing cliff beyond. Another must-play is the Reserva


Conchal Golf Club on Costa Rica’s Gold Coast. Fairways here meander between natural lakes and banyan trees, creating a course that encapsulates both the remarkable forests and coastline of Costa Rica. Don’t be distracted by the views though: this course plays up to 7,000 yards from the back markers, and the closing holes pose a particular challenge, with twin par- fives bracketing a challenging par-three: the 212-yard 17th requires a sturdy tee shot to carry safely to the water-protected green. Last, but certainly not least, is the


Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course. Blending dramatic mountain and ocean views, the course takes players past towering matapalo


Guacalito Golf Course 224 ABTA Golf 2018


trees, while toucans, iguanas and monkeys are oſten spoted along the course. Golf tourism lags behind in neighbouring


Nicaragua, but the handful of courses offer a similar golfing experience to Costa Rica, blending lush jungles with dramatic sea views. The must-play course in the country


is Guacalito Golf Course, at the upscale Mukul Resort on Nicaragua’s Emerald Coast. Laid out alongside the sparkling sands of Playa Manzanillo, towering indigenous trees and challenging arroyos are a hallmark of the course by Scotish architect David McLay Kidd. Looking to combine blowing bubbles


with some time avoiding the bunkers? The Honduran island of Roatán has long been famous for its world-class scuba diving, but the Black Pearl Golf Course at Pristine Bay resort adds a new dimension to this Caribbean escape. Grassed over with eco-friendly Seashore


Paspalum, the layout by designer Pete Dye takes full advantage of the dramatic seaside seting, with 18 holes offering a round that is both entertaining and challenging. Keep a camera ready for the signature 11th, a tricky par-three that plays from an elevated tee- box to an island green.


ESSENTIALS


Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Green fees from £180 fourseasons.com/costarica/ services_and_amenities/golf/ course/


Reserva Conchal Golf Resort, Costa Rica Green fees from £125 (guests) reservaconchal.com


Hacienda Pinilla, Costa Rica Green fees from £58 haciendapinilla.com


Guacalito Golf Course, Nicaragua Green fees from £130 mukulresort.com


Black Pearl Golf Course, Honduras Green fees from £40 pristinebayresort.com/golf


IMAGES: PIXABAY


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208  |  Page 209  |  Page 210  |  Page 211  |  Page 212  |  Page 213  |  Page 214  |  Page 215  |  Page 216  |  Page 217  |  Page 218  |  Page 219  |  Page 220  |  Page 221  |  Page 222  |  Page 223  |  Page 224  |  Page 225  |  Page 226  |  Page 227  |  Page 228  |  Page 229  |  Page 230  |  Page 231  |  Page 232  |  Page 233  |  Page 234  |  Page 235  |  Page 236