New golf courses are being developed throughout Egypt
Egypt’s love affair with golf continues to spur growth, with plans for more courses from the Mediterranean to Cairo and the Red Sea. Planned new Cairo courses include a signature 27-hole Nick Faldo design at new development Katameya Dunes to fully open
by winter 2009/10 and courses by Greg Norman and Nicklaus Design, the design company of golfing legend Jack Nicklaus. Dubai property company Emaar is constructing a Peter Harradine course at its huge $2.1 billion Uptown Cairo project, while its $1.74 billion, 2,500-acre Marassi tourist resort on the Mediterranean coast near El
Alamein will have golf plus 3,000 hotel rooms, a marina, hospital and 5,300 residential units. Add projects like the two Tim Lobb courses at New Giza and El Ein, near Red Sea resort Ain Sukhna, the nearby Porto Sokhna project, second courses at Sharm el-Sheikh and El Gouna, and up to eight courses at new Red Sea resort Sahl
Hasheesh and the future looks very rosy.
Showing posts with label golf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label golf. Show all posts
Desert excursions
The Sinai is home to many Bedouin people, and visits to their camps where you can take tea or coffee or enjoy a meal under the stars are among the most popular trips available from Sharm el-Sheikh and
Taba Heights. Excursions and longer tours lasting several days can also be undertaken which include visits to Bedouin settlements for camel treks or hikes through scenic canyons. Overnight accommodation is in Bedouin tents. For more thrills, go on a dunebashing trip in a four-wheeled-drive vehicle or take
the controls of a quad bike to race across the Sinai’s desert dunes.
Taba Heights. Excursions and longer tours lasting several days can also be undertaken which include visits to Bedouin settlements for camel treks or hikes through scenic canyons. Overnight accommodation is in Bedouin tents. For more thrills, go on a dunebashing trip in a four-wheeled-drive vehicle or take
the controls of a quad bike to race across the Sinai’s desert dunes.
Shopping
From its days as a haunt for holidaying divers on a budget, Sharm el-Sheikh has blossomed into a chic destination with lots of shopping. The most stylish place to shop is Na’ama Bay’s shopping mall, which has stores specialising in items including silk and Egyptian cotton clothing, gold and silver jewellery and onyx. Try the Sharm el-Sheikh Old Market (actually a new market in Old Sharm), where you can buy everything from local handcrafts such as handmade rugs to perfumes, herbs and spices
Diving and water sports
Sharm el-Sheikh was Egypt’s first diving resort and continues to be popular for its clear waters and coral-festooned reefs. Key attractions include the world-famous Ras Mohammed National Park, off the Sinai Peninsula tip, and nearby Nabq National Park – rated among the world’s best by Jacques Cousteau. Boat excursions to more distant reefs and wrecks are also popular. Taba Heights also offers excellent diving and snorkelling, notably at Pharaoh’s Island. The Red Sea is now a major centre for windsurfing and kite surfing because of the strong and reliable off-shore sea breezes
18 man-made lakes
That they should have chosen this location at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula is easily understood when you venture out onto the 6,587-yard course. The rugged Sinai Mountains provide a memorable backdrop, especially when they turn rose-pink from late afternoon on. Indeed, the natural assets of the course make as much of an impression on you as the layout. Hardly surprising, given that some 5,000 trees and shrubs were planted and 18 man-made lakes, 16 ofthem salt water, were created. The greenery is maturing
nicely now and, together with the abundant water, the vegetation has helped to attract many birds. Of 15 migrating bird species now found on the course, nine are listed as endangered.
nicely now and, together with the abundant water, the vegetation has helped to attract many birds. Of 15 migrating bird species now found on the course, nine are listed as endangered.
First course on the Red Sea Riviera
Barely a decade ago, The Maritim Jolie Ville course opened on the outskirts of Sharm el-Sheikh to become the first golf facility on Egypt’s Red Sea Riviera. It has since been followed by a host of other courses with more in the pipeline. In its 10 years the Maritim Jolie Ville has made its presence felt internationally. It hosted a European Challenge Toursanctioned event, the Al Ahram-Maritim Jolie Ville Sharm el- Sheikh Challenge, in 2004 and followed it up the next year by hosting the Maritim Jolie Ville Sharm el-Sheikh Seniors Open under the auspices of the European Seniors Tour.
Sinai What to do off-course?
History and nature
Excursions to historic St Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai operate from both Taba Heights and Sharm el-Sheikh. A favourite option is to climb at night to witness dawn from the top of the mountain, where Moses was given the Ten Commandments, then descend to visit the monastery, built in the 6th century
around a chapel housing the biblical Burning Bush. Among natural attractions is the mountainous Abu Galum natural reserve, between Taba and Sharm, where wildlife includes Nubian ibex, hyrax and striped hyena. Other natural wonders in the Sinai include thebrightly-hued sandstone formations of the Coloured
Canyon, the White Canyon and several oases.
Excursions to historic St Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai operate from both Taba Heights and Sharm el-Sheikh. A favourite option is to climb at night to witness dawn from the top of the mountain, where Moses was given the Ten Commandments, then descend to visit the monastery, built in the 6th century
around a chapel housing the biblical Burning Bush. Among natural attractions is the mountainous Abu Galum natural reserve, between Taba and Sharm, where wildlife includes Nubian ibex, hyrax and striped hyena. Other natural wonders in the Sinai include thebrightly-hued sandstone formations of the Coloured
Canyon, the White Canyon and several oases.
Egypt’s biggest water theme park
The Maritim Jolie Ville accommodates golfers from beginner to pro, and features four tee positions for players to choose from. The water hazards come into play on a number of the holes, including on the most challenging hole, the dogleg par-4 12th, where a lake guards the green for the approach shot into the prevailing wind. But the course is a delight to play and never an unfair challenge. For golfers with young families, the adjacent five-star Maritim Jolie Ville offers leisure facilities including Egypt’s biggest water theme park.
SINAI SHARM EL-SHEIKH MARITIM JOLIE VILLE GOLF & RESORT
18 HOLES
PAR 72
6,587 YARDS / 6,023 METRES
RATING 72
ARCHITECT:
SANFORD ASSOCIATES
DATE OF OPENING: 1998
Who can play?
Members, residents and non-residents, tourist groups.
Tuition & practice facilities:
PGA golf pros, single and group lessons, floodlit doubleended driving range, putting
green, 3-hole short game practice area.
The clubhouse:
Bar and restaurant, terrace, pro shop, changing and locker rooms with showers, golf bag
storage, club cleaning.
Services:
Caddies, buggies, trolleys, club rental, on-course beverage cart service,
halfway-house refreshments.
Other facilities:
The course is adjacent to the 418-room Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort hotel, which features 9 restaurants and bars, tennis, water theme park with water slides and lazy river, terraced beach, children’s club, health club, dive centre, conference facilities and camel and quad bike desert safaris
The Health Club
includes a high-tech work out room, aerobics, sauna, steam
room, hydrotherapy, exercise equipment and Thai massage
treatments.
PAR 72
6,587 YARDS / 6,023 METRES
RATING 72
ARCHITECT:
SANFORD ASSOCIATES
DATE OF OPENING: 1998
Who can play?
Members, residents and non-residents, tourist groups.
Tuition & practice facilities:
PGA golf pros, single and group lessons, floodlit doubleended driving range, putting
green, 3-hole short game practice area.
The clubhouse:
Bar and restaurant, terrace, pro shop, changing and locker rooms with showers, golf bag
storage, club cleaning.
Services:
Caddies, buggies, trolleys, club rental, on-course beverage cart service,
halfway-house refreshments.
Other facilities:
The course is adjacent to the 418-room Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort hotel, which features 9 restaurants and bars, tennis, water theme park with water slides and lazy river, terraced beach, children’s club, health club, dive centre, conference facilities and camel and quad bike desert safaris
The Health Club
includes a high-tech work out room, aerobics, sauna, steam
room, hydrotherapy, exercise equipment and Thai massage
treatments.
Buggies are complimentary
The John Sanford Design, which fully opened in 2007, is the central core of the new resort. With five tee positions to suit all ability levels, it offers lots of target golf for shotmakers. Approach shots to greens, some heavily defended, have to be fired over water, bunkers, desert waste areas and flood canals. Holes clamber up a slope towards the mountains before dropping back to the sea, the 17th green and 18th tee nestling close to the water’s edge. Because of the elevation changes, walking is not allowed. Buggies are
mandatory and are included in the green fee. The hardest
hole on the course, the 620-yard, par-5 14th, is also its longest
– and one of the longest in Egypt
mandatory and are included in the green fee. The hardest
hole on the course, the 620-yard, par-5 14th, is also its longest
– and one of the longest in Egypt
Kaleidoscope of colour
You stand over your final putt, sizing it up when a glint of colour catches your eye. Lifting your gaze, you see the azure waters of the Red Sea stretch out before you to distant mountains now tinged with pink from the setting sun. Directly behind you, the hunched shoulders of the Sinai Mountains have turned crimson, while all around the pastel shades of the stylish resort hotels are dissolving into a kaleidoscope of colour in the failing light levels. This is Taba Heights, one of Egypt’s newest courses which has already carved out quite a name for itself, thanks in part to its dramatic setting at the top of the Gulf of Aqaba, looking across the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel. It feels more like golf in paradise.
Contemporary architectural styling
Developed by Orascom Hotels & Development, the same company behind El Gouna, Taba Heights’ five upscale hotels display similar off-beat, contemporary architectural styling as those of its sister resort El Gouna. They offer a wide range of leisure and recreation facilities including spas, and the resort also has a 5km beach and a marina, resort-wide transportation, dine-around, 5-star water sports and diving centre.
SINAI TABA TABA HEIGHTS GOLF RESORT
18 HOLES
PAR 72
7,093 YARDS /6,486 METRES
ARCHITECT: JOHN SANFORD
DATE OF OPENING: 2006/2007
Who can play?
Members, residents, non-residents and tourists.
Tuition & practice facilities:
PGA golf pros, single and group lessons, driving range and short game practice area, Tee Off Experience introduction to golf for newcomers.
The clubhouse:
Bar and snack restaurant, terrace, pro shop, changing and shower facilities, locker rooms, golf bag storage.
Services:
Caddies, buggies (complimentary – included in green fee), club and shoe rental.
Other facilities:
Dedicated shuttle service from Taba Heights Resort hotels. Extensive leisure facilities at hotels including swimming pools, water sports and diving, tennis, camel safaris, children’s clubs, gyms, squash, shops, restaurants and banks
PAR 72
7,093 YARDS /6,486 METRES
ARCHITECT: JOHN SANFORD
DATE OF OPENING: 2006/2007
Who can play?
Members, residents, non-residents and tourists.
Tuition & practice facilities:
PGA golf pros, single and group lessons, driving range and short game practice area, Tee Off Experience introduction to golf for newcomers.
The clubhouse:
Bar and snack restaurant, terrace, pro shop, changing and shower facilities, locker rooms, golf bag storage.
Services:
Caddies, buggies (complimentary – included in green fee), club and shoe rental.
Other facilities:
Dedicated shuttle service from Taba Heights Resort hotels. Extensive leisure facilities at hotels including swimming pools, water sports and diving, tennis, camel safaris, children’s clubs, gyms, squash, shops, restaurants and banks
Island hopping
Take a cruise to one of the Red Sea’s many offshore islands on a day trip or evening sunset and barbecue cruise. Watch out for dolphins on the way. From Hurghada, boat trips go to islands including Giftun, a beautiful national park island group and set passengers down on a secluded, sandy beach to spend the day lazing, swimming and snorkelling. For a more romantic touch, you can board a sailing boat in El Gouna and search out coves and unspoilt islands. From Soma Bay, Tobia Island is a small, sandy
island which is popular for tourist boat trips.
island which is popular for tourist boat trips.
Eastern Desert monasteries
Ain Sukhna is an ideal base from which to explore the Eastern Desert and visit its historic monasteries. While not as well-known as St Catherine’s in the Sinai, they are just as fascinating and historically significant. Just 90 minutes from Ain Sukhna, St Anthony’s was founded in 356AD and is the world’s oldest active
monastery. Nearby is St Paul’s Monastery, is thought to date back to the 5th century. Both are grand, fortified complexes set in the Red Sea mountains near Za’farana, to the south. A day trip could also include a visit to the Suez Canal.
monastery. Nearby is St Paul’s Monastery, is thought to date back to the 5th century. Both are grand, fortified complexes set in the Red Sea mountains near Za’farana, to the south. A day trip could also include a visit to the Suez Canal.
Red Sea What to do off-course?
Dive the Red Sea
The Red Sea is one of the most spectacular dive locations in the world, and its west coast resorts offer a huge choice of sites and experiences. El Gouna alone has well over 30 diving sites including wrecks and coral reefs. It is the closest resort to the celebrated Thistlegorm wreck. Around Hurghada you can find underwater coral gardens and giant gorgonians as well as coral reef islands offshore.
Marine life you may encounter on a dive could include huge Napoleon fish, turtles, moray eels, reef sharks, groupers, rainbow wrasse and butterfly fish.
The Red Sea is one of the most spectacular dive locations in the world, and its west coast resorts offer a huge choice of sites and experiences. El Gouna alone has well over 30 diving sites including wrecks and coral reefs. It is the closest resort to the celebrated Thistlegorm wreck. Around Hurghada you can find underwater coral gardens and giant gorgonians as well as coral reef islands offshore.
Marine life you may encounter on a dive could include huge Napoleon fish, turtles, moray eels, reef sharks, groupers, rainbow wrasse and butterfly fish.
Desert activities
The vast expanses of desert behind the Red Sea are an action-packed adventure zone just waiting to be explored. From Hurghada, Makadi Bay, Soma Bay, El Gouna and other resorts you can take half-day or day-trip excursions into the desert to try camel or horse riding, quad biking, sand sailing, take a 4x4 desert safari, visit a Bedouin village, smoke a traditional hookah water pipe and have a barbeque dinner under the stars after watching the sun go down. It is also possible to cross the desert to visit Luxor in one
day.
day.
Second course opening in 2009
Undoubtedly the most unusual hole is the par-4 12th, featuring twin fairways surrounded by desert which pose a puzzling dilemma when you tee off. A driving range, ninehole par-3 course, which includes an island green, and golf academy complement the course. Among the five hotels in Soma Bay, two of them open from early 2008, luxury hotel La Residence des Cascades is surrounded by the course and houses one of the region’s largest thalasso therapy spas, Les Thermes Marins des Cascades. One of the latest hotels is a 160-room, moderately-priced diving and surfing lodge, situated next to the dive centre. A second 18-hole course is due to open in 2009.
RED SEA SOMA BAY THE CASCADES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
18 HOLES
PAR 72
6,991 YARDS / 6,393 METRES
RATING 74
9 HOLES
PAR 27
1,229 YARDS / 1,124 METRES
ARCHITECT: GARY PLAYER
DATE OF OPENING: 1998
Who can play?
Members, hotel residents and non-residents, daily fee golfers.
Tuition & practice facilities:
Golf academy, PGA pros, single and group lessons, video clinics, free introduction to golf for all Soma Bay hotel guests, driving range, par-3 Challenge Course for beginners, 2 pitching and 2 putting greens.
The clubhouse:
Restaurant, bar, terrace, pro shop, locker rooms, showers and La Residence des Cascades featuring Les Thermes Marins des Cascades thalasso spa.
Services:
Caddies, trolleys, buggies, club rental.
Other facilities:
Free shuttle bus from all Soma Bay hotels. Extensive leisure facilities available at Soma Bay Resort hotels including swimming pools, tennis, squash, gyms, marina, water sports and diving.
The Kempinski Hotel has its own health club and spa.
Les Thermes Marins features thalasso treatments and facilities including an Aquatonic Pool, hydrotherapy treatments, seaweed wraps, underwater massages, and beauty and wellness
treatments.
PAR 72
6,991 YARDS / 6,393 METRES
RATING 74
9 HOLES
PAR 27
1,229 YARDS / 1,124 METRES
ARCHITECT: GARY PLAYER
DATE OF OPENING: 1998
Who can play?
Members, hotel residents and non-residents, daily fee golfers.
Tuition & practice facilities:
Golf academy, PGA pros, single and group lessons, video clinics, free introduction to golf for all Soma Bay hotel guests, driving range, par-3 Challenge Course for beginners, 2 pitching and 2 putting greens.
The clubhouse:
Restaurant, bar, terrace, pro shop, locker rooms, showers and La Residence des Cascades featuring Les Thermes Marins des Cascades thalasso spa.
Services:
Caddies, trolleys, buggies, club rental.
Other facilities:
Free shuttle bus from all Soma Bay hotels. Extensive leisure facilities available at Soma Bay Resort hotels including swimming pools, tennis, squash, gyms, marina, water sports and diving.
The Kempinski Hotel has its own health club and spa.
Les Thermes Marins features thalasso treatments and facilities including an Aquatonic Pool, hydrotherapy treatments, seaweed wraps, underwater massages, and beauty and wellness
treatments.
Floodlit golf
Eco-friendly Seashore Paspalum grass, which is salt-tolerant and can be irrigated with brackish water, has been used on fairways and greens. Sandy waste areas mark the fairway boundaries and there are six bunkers, while the lake provides a sinuous hazard throughout the course and requires carries over it on three holes. Fairways, greens and surrounding areas have also been contoured. There is a 10-bay aqua driving range with practice green and two practice nets. The course is also floodlit, so it can be played day or night