Summer'2018

A recent Australian Golf Digest edition has rated Perth, Western Australia as one of the leading golfing destinations in Australia. The quality of the public-access and private golf clubs combined with superb weather, al fresco dining and a vibrant bar scene make Perth a “must visit” city for a relaxed and enjoyable golfing holiday.

I recently hosted a group of 14 male golfers for a 4-night exclusive golf trip to Perth and the Peel District. The group arrived on the Monday morning from Melbourne, and we transferred directly to Meadow Springs Country Club (#20) in Mandurah for their first golf round at this impressive Robert Trent-Jones Jnr layout. Following rounds were at The Cut (#35); Links, Kennedy Bay (#23) and Joondalup Country Club (#17) … that’s 4 Perth courses rated in the top 40 in Australia. Group leader, Neil Cullen stated “our group travel away every year on a golf trip, and our visit to Perth was one of the best we have ever had. International Golf Specialists did a fantastic job in arranging all elements of the trip, from the golf, accommodation, private transfers and even recommended restaurants … we will definitely be using Gary and the team at IGS again!”

IGS has preferred accommodation and golf rates and tee times with all the leading Perth courses and can tailor a golf package to suit your golfing requirements and budget. Just contact us and we will show you that International Golf Specialists creates “great golfing experiences”!

IGS arranged a golf tour for a group of 5 golfing couples from Perth visiting Northern Tasmania in November for a short golf trip together. The group leader had requested International Golf Specialists to put together a golf tour, but ensure there are other touring aspects to trip. The group arrived into Launceston on the Sunday and transferred to Country Club Tasmania for a couple of nights at this 5-star international resort. The resort has a Peter Thomson designed international-standard golf course, together with many entertainment and recreational facilities that are all a part of the offerings at this exceptional and unique Australian resort.

After Launceston, it was off to the amazing Barnbougle Links Resort located 80 kilometres north east of Launceston, just near the seaside fishing village of Bridport. This is an incredible golfing destination … two purpose-built links courses, the older Dunes course and the newer Lost Farm course. Both are constructed within and around the sand dunes of the Forrester River, and sit adjacent to Bass Strait. Both courses have famous American designers, Tom Doak (Dunes) and Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (Lost Farm) and are designed on the lines of the famous British and Irish links courses. The Dunes is only 15 years old, but looks like it has been around for a hundred years. The Dunes course is Australian Golf Digest #2 rated Public Access course in Australia … Lost Farm is #3!

Apart from the golf, the group did some wine tasting along the Tamar Valley Wine Trail and delighting in the local seafood of the Bass Strait directly from the Fishermen’s Co-operative of Bridport.

Northern Tasmania (and Barnbougle Links Resort in particular) is one of my favourite golfing destinations and is unique in natural beauty and challenging golf. If you have not visited Tasmania before for a golf holiday … then you should!

We have a regular golf client group travelling to New Zealand next week for a week of golf in Queenstown and then driving to Christchurch via the Alpine Way through Otago and Canterbury. Queenstown is an all-year round tourist destination where Winter sports combine with other outdoor activities such as golf during the warmer months. The group will be playing exciting golf courses such as Jack’s Point, Millbrook and Queenstown Golf Club. Jack’s Point, situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and with a backdrop to the slopes of the spectacular mountain range, The Remarkables, the scenery is so visually stunning that golfers could be forgiven for losing focus on the game at hand. Millbrook has just recently hosted the New Zealand Open to rave reviews and Queenstown Golf Club is a golfing perennial favourite due to its peninsula location with Lake Wakatipu on three sides of the layout. The group will also be experiencing the ShotOver speed boat; a lake cruise to Walter’s Peak, a working farm on the other side of Lake Wakatipu and wine-tasting at some of Otago’s best wineries.

International Golf Specialists can take you to Jacks Point and other great golf courses around the Queenstown and Otago region of New Zealand on one of its exclusive golf tours. Talk to Gary about the many possibilities of “great golfing experiences” provided by International Golf Specialists.