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Cyprus
by JAS Mon 21 Mar 2011, 10:35 pm
Evening all, just posted on 606 but posting here as well apologies for the duplication for those who still browse both.
Regulars may have noticed that I've been quiet the past few days (until tonight). Main reason being that I went to "Test Drive" my Villa in Cyprus before the rental season begins in earnest. Just felt I had to go there and play the local courses and do a personal review of each of them. I will compile the reviews proper this week but in summary I played 3 Courses (all within 15 mins of the villa). They were Secret Valley, Elea and Aphrodite Hills.
SV was first under the microscope on The Friday (65 euros), lovely weather and a fantastic setting in a secluded Valley. Plenty of trees and some fairly tight holes. The Secret Valley area is due to have work begin on a 2nd course and to be honest, minds would appear to be on that rather than on the current 18, the greens were worryingly patchy for the time of year. All in all a good warm up round though.
Saturday found me checking out the new Faldo Course at Elea Estate just outside Paphos. Well...think of Faldo and what springs to mind? meticulous attention to detail. This place really does have such a Faldo stamp on it. From the practice area to the Clubhouse restaurant, the place just oozed class. Course wise I'd rate it the best I've played in Europe outside the UK (current internet rate is 95 Euros). I asked how far back I could play, they asked my handicap (6), so they said, go on then if you want to try it off the blacks. I played out my skin (mostly) and was 1 over my handicap. The greens were terrific for 6 months old, so fast and true as well. The views are slightly blighted by an industrial area to the left (as you look from the clubhouse). If you look a bit further right though you have a fantastic vista of fairways peppered with Faldo bunkers, Olive groves and a distant shimmering Mediterranean. Stand out holes for me were 2, 9 and the whole last 4. Of all the courses I've played I'd put it in my top 3 tough finishes. The clubhouse food was also excellent.
Sunday I saved for Aphrodite Hills, the more mature top dog of Cyprus golf. Unfortunately, the weather had stopped playing ball by Sunday. I started in light drizzle and it just got worse (which did help clear the course of the tourists but unfortunately my game decided to seek shelter from the rain too). I really could have done with a bucket and spade on the front 9 where I couldn't work out if it was me or the course designer that was responsible for me and sand becoming such intimate friends. Stand out holes here are 7, 8 & 18 (oh and 3 if you play it off the tips). The greens were fast true and grainy (toward the ocean). The infrastructure is all there at Aphrodite with restaurants and bars onsite
All in all a brilliant trio of courses, there is also Minthis Hills (formerly Tsada) about 20 mins away which I will make a point of trying on a future trip.
I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has played any or all of the courses mentioned and what experiences were, particularly in comparison to other golf destinations.
Regulars may have noticed that I've been quiet the past few days (until tonight). Main reason being that I went to "Test Drive" my Villa in Cyprus before the rental season begins in earnest. Just felt I had to go there and play the local courses and do a personal review of each of them. I will compile the reviews proper this week but in summary I played 3 Courses (all within 15 mins of the villa). They were Secret Valley, Elea and Aphrodite Hills.
SV was first under the microscope on The Friday (65 euros), lovely weather and a fantastic setting in a secluded Valley. Plenty of trees and some fairly tight holes. The Secret Valley area is due to have work begin on a 2nd course and to be honest, minds would appear to be on that rather than on the current 18, the greens were worryingly patchy for the time of year. All in all a good warm up round though.
Saturday found me checking out the new Faldo Course at Elea Estate just outside Paphos. Well...think of Faldo and what springs to mind? meticulous attention to detail. This place really does have such a Faldo stamp on it. From the practice area to the Clubhouse restaurant, the place just oozed class. Course wise I'd rate it the best I've played in Europe outside the UK (current internet rate is 95 Euros). I asked how far back I could play, they asked my handicap (6), so they said, go on then if you want to try it off the blacks. I played out my skin (mostly) and was 1 over my handicap. The greens were terrific for 6 months old, so fast and true as well. The views are slightly blighted by an industrial area to the left (as you look from the clubhouse). If you look a bit further right though you have a fantastic vista of fairways peppered with Faldo bunkers, Olive groves and a distant shimmering Mediterranean. Stand out holes for me were 2, 9 and the whole last 4. Of all the courses I've played I'd put it in my top 3 tough finishes. The clubhouse food was also excellent.
Sunday I saved for Aphrodite Hills, the more mature top dog of Cyprus golf. Unfortunately, the weather had stopped playing ball by Sunday. I started in light drizzle and it just got worse (which did help clear the course of the tourists but unfortunately my game decided to seek shelter from the rain too). I really could have done with a bucket and spade on the front 9 where I couldn't work out if it was me or the course designer that was responsible for me and sand becoming such intimate friends. Stand out holes here are 7, 8 & 18 (oh and 3 if you play it off the tips). The greens were fast true and grainy (toward the ocean). The infrastructure is all there at Aphrodite with restaurants and bars onsite
All in all a brilliant trio of courses, there is also Minthis Hills (formerly Tsada) about 20 mins away which I will make a point of trying on a future trip.
I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has played any or all of the courses mentioned and what experiences were, particularly in comparison to other golf destinations.
JAS- Posts : 5233
Join date : 2011-01-27
Age : 61
Location : Swindon
Re: Cyprus
by 635BMW Tue 22 Mar 2011, 8:17 am
Sounds good - I wouldn't mind a link to your villa rental agent and have a look for next year.
635BMW- Posts : 17
Join date : 2011-01-31
Age : 71
Location : South Lincs
LadyPutt- Posts : 1197
Join date : 2011-01-27
Age : 73
Location : Fife, Scotland
Re: Cyprus
by JAS Tue 22 Mar 2011, 8:04 pm
Hi LadyPutt, yes just read it. Tsada that you played a few years ago has been rebranded as Minthis Hills and would appear to be linked with Secret Valley from a Management point of view, To be honest I thought Secret Valley had the best setting of the 3 courses I played but was failing a bit short of the other 2 in terms of attention to detail although the respective green fees did reflect this a bit. They are however about to start a 2nd course at SV as well as a big waterfront development. Rumours are also circulating that Aphrodite Hills are about to build a 2nd course. So I think the Cypriots have finally twigged that golf tourism is big business.
As I eluded to on my original post I found Elea to be a fantastic experience and I'd put it top of the list of Cypriot courses. if that's the way Cypriot golf is going then I can see Cyprus becoming a serious golf destination. Having said that it does have to compete with the likes of Turkey which isn't easy.
As I eluded to on my original post I found Elea to be a fantastic experience and I'd put it top of the list of Cypriot courses. if that's the way Cypriot golf is going then I can see Cyprus becoming a serious golf destination. Having said that it does have to compete with the likes of Turkey which isn't easy.
JAS- Posts : 5233
Join date : 2011-01-27
Age : 61
Location : Swindon
JAS- Posts : 5233
Join date : 2011-01-27
Age : 61
Location : Swindon
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