BLOGS
The ACS Travel and Concierge team take a look at some world-class golf courses around the globe.

Pitch Perfect

American professional golfer Arnold Palmer once said: "What other people may find in poetry or art museums, I find in the flight of a good drive."

And it is true - there is something about being out in an open, lush green space, breathing in the fresh air and focusing on honing your swing that evokes a sense of peace and serenity. Whether it is still there at the end of the round is another matter.

At Air Charter Service, we are well versed in transporting our clients to some of the best golf courses around the world and we can work with you to create the perfect trip. Whether you choose to stay nearby or further afield with helicopter transfers to and from the golf course, we can arrange everything to make your journey as seamless as possible – even if your game is not.

Here are some of our suggestions for a world-class experience, whether you're playing a round or watching the pros at some of the best competitive events on the calendar.

A pioneering new hydrogen-powered project is planned to sit between the isles of Islay and Jura in Scotland's Inner Hebrides. The revolutionary 3MW 'Oran na Mara' project is the brainchild of Edinburgh-based Nova Innovation, a world-leading tidal energy company, which has also partnered with Tesla in the past. Still in the project development stage, it plans to install a series of underwater turbines between Islay and Jura. This will create clean, renewable power generated by the tide that will displace fossil fuels and power local whisky distilleries.

Meanwhile, Bunnahabhain has already paved the way for change with the installation of a new biomass energy centre powered entirely by forest biomass and spent malt known as draff, which is a byproduct of distillation. The new £6.Sm Biomass Energy Centre is expected to save 3,500 tonnes of carbon per year, making the whisky maker the first on Islay to have a net-zero emissions distillation process. Angus Colquhoun, Engineering and Risk Manager at Distell, owners of Bunnahabhain, explains: "The system should integrate into our production processes with little impact. We are confident that we will see a smooth transition to renewable energy."

And then there is Glasgow-based Whyte & Mackay and their four single malt distilleries, including The Dalmore and Jura. In summer 2022, they started work on their first Bio Energy Centre in lnvergordon. Once complete, the centre will allow the generation of sustainable energy using byproducts from the whisky process such as spent-grain, draff and pot ale, while the resulting green biomethane gas will be used to power operations. Furthermore, the new plant will enable its Dalmore distillery to be 100% carbon-neutral by the end of 2023.

TARA ITI GOLF CLUB AND TE ARAI LINKS

Where: Mangawhai, New Zealand
Fly to: Auckland Airport (international) or Parakai Airport (private)
Where to stay: Woodhouse Mountain Lodge at Kourawhero Estate
Other attractions: The Matakana Coast has more than 20 world-class vineyards for you to sample. Take a winery tour, enjoy an afternoon platter amongst the vines or even sit back and relax while watching an evening vineyard concert.

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

Where: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Fly to: Dubai International Airport
Where to stay: Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
Famous for: DP World Tour Championship
Other attractions: Enjoy a unique dining experience at Atmosphere - not only is it one of the best restaurants in Dubai, but it is also the world's highest restaurant from ground level, located on the 122nd floor of the iconic Burj Khalifa.

AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB

Where: Georgia, United States
Fly to: August Regional Airport (for domestic flights) or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (150 miles away)
Where to stay: The Partridge Inn or, for a luxury experience, Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee (80 miles away)
Famous for: The Masters Tournament (commonly known as ‘The Masters’)
Other attractions: Proud to be the oldest museum in America dedicated to the art and artists of the American south, the Morris Museum of Art is on the Riverwalk in downtown Augusta and features a permanent collection of 5,000 unique pieces.

ST. ANDREWS LINKS

Where: Scotland, United Kingdom
Fly to: August Regional Airport (for domestic flights) or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (150 miles away)
Where to stay: Old Course Hotel Golf Resort - why not try the iconic 'Royal & Ancient' Suite, which sits above the 17th Fairway of the Old Course?
Famous for: The Open Championship (often referred to as The Open or the British Open) - the world's oldest golfing tournament and the original major.
Other attractions: St. Andrews food tours visit five different locations to sample the best locally sourced food and drink St. Andrews has to offer. With a guide to share history between restaurants, this tour is sure to be stimulating for both body and mind.

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB

Where: Sentosa, Singapore
Fly to: Singapore Seletar Airport or Singapore Changi Airport
Where to stay: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore – an iconic Singapore hotel, also near the Marina Bay Golf Course.
Famous for: The Singapore Open
Other attractions: Experience an adrenaline boost on the Skyline Luge and Skyride. Speed down one of four trails in your luge before taking the 315-metre long Skyride back to the top to try another trail.

Where: Southampton, Bermuda
Fly to: New Bermuda International Airport
Where to stay: Fairmont Southampton
Other attractions: Ease your golf-weary muscles with a dip in the oh-so-inviting ocean. The nearby Warwick Long Bay is a stunning half-mile of coast perfect for snorkelling.

TURTLE HILL GOLF CLUB

Where: Southampton, Bermuda
Fly to: New Bermuda International Airport
Where to stay: Fairmont Southampton
Other attractions: Ease your golf-weary muscles with a dip in the oh-so-inviting ocean. The nearby Warwick Long Bay is a stunning half-mile of coast perfect for snorkelling.

TO ARRANGE VISITS

To these or any other golf courses around the world, please contact the ACS Travel and Concierge team on +44 (0) 20 83351070 or travel@aircharterservice.com.

Picture credit: Banner/Thumb - Ricky Robinson. Body images 1, 2 - Alamy

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