Golf Shot

Golfers can hone their putting skills or nail that swing by heading out to the exclusive hideaway of Four Seasons Fairways Quinta Do Lago this winter. With over twenty courses to be played, all a short drive from private residential club Four Seasons Fairways – there is a course to test any level of ability.

All courses offer a golf academy, putting greens, club houses and driving ranges and are maintained to an immaculately high standard having played host to high profile competitions such as the Portuguese Open. Many of the courses were designed to challenge even seasoned golfers. Set in spectacular locations, meandering through Nature Reserves, lakes and woodlands – the most popular courses of Quinta have earned the area an international reputation as a world class golfing haven.

Winter is the ideal time to visit for golfing enthusiasts with guests at Four Seasons Fairways enjoying reduced green fees along with numerous course discounts including free golf buggy hire, breakfast and 18 holes for the cost of 9.

Four Seasons Fairways also arranges popular golfing competitions each week for guests at one of Quinta’s top courses culminating in a prize draw and three course meal at its popular Flor Da Quinta restaurant.

Located at the heart of Quinta Do Lago, Four Seasons Fairways is a collection of luxury villas and apartments nestled into the lush green manicured gardens. Perfect for lazing in after an exhausting day of golf, each villa and apartment offers a real ‘home from home’ experience.

Welcoming guests of all ages and nationalities, the resort offers a selection of membership options including short term holiday stays for weekends or weeks, club shares and flexi-time shares for those that fall in love with the area.

A spacious two bedroom villa with pool starts from £800 for one week’s stay at Four Seasons Fairways.

For further information on Fairways Four Seasons visit www.fourseasonsfairways.com

European Golf Design has made a commitment to involve the Golf Environment Organisation in all forthcoming projects. The decision has been made following the recent establishment of GEO’s technical services arm.

The international non-profit body, which has driven a sustainability movement in golf since 2005, has set up a wholly owned subsidiary company known as GEO Development.

Jonathan Smith, CEO of GEO explains the rationale: “GEO is, and always will be, a non profit ‘developmental’ organization – undertaking non commercial action that improves golf’s social and environmental performance. This is demonstrated by our focus on developing GEO Certification, non-proprietary guidance for management, development and events, sharing knowledge, formulating campaigns and other wide-ranging advocacy and communications. However, we don’t just want to produce guidance. We want to work with projects to showcase sustainability in action. In particular we want to get involved in those golf developments that have the potential, and willingness, to deliver meaningful benefits to people and the planet.”

Jeremy Slessor, Managing Director of European Golf Design explained the importance of the decision to the practice: “We were delighted when GEO decided to become active in the field – in recognition that what we need to see, perhaps more than anything else, are real world exemplars of sustainable golf facility development. “We like the responsible and logical approach they have established – of initially vetting projects, of scoping the sustainability potential, helping to ‘capture the concept’ and of marking out the path to fully integrated solutions. It works for us as a creative and open minded design practice, and we believe their insight will be very constructive during master-planning and down into detailed design.”

The two organisations have already cut their teeth on a project in the Cape Verde Isles. An investor has plans to extend an existing tourist resort into a larger golf, property and leisure complex. GEO have carried out the initial Scoping Report for the scheme, and produced a Sustainability Action Plan for the master-planning and design phases. GEO’s interest in the project lies in the potential it has to regenerate the social and physical landscape of an impoverished and environmentally degraded region. Combining the delivery of a high quality development which also fulfills the targets of national government and international agencies by stimulating a positive multiplier from much needed inward investment.

Jonathan Smith added: “We have not set this mechanism up for commercial reasons. At present the examples of golf developments that have done everything they can do for people and the planet are few and far between. We want to change that, starting now. No kite marks, no smoke and mirrors, no pretence. Just golf developments of the right type in the right place, doing the right thing. EGD share that vision and recognize that this is as much about growing the game and finding the strongest business model for every development, as it is for protecting and enhancing ecosystems.”

Unrivalled Christmas marketing extravaganza is set to further expand the reach of Imagine Golf Club – the first online golf community that unites people and places.

Social Networking has been the most successful Internet phenomenon of the decade. Finally Driving Ranges can benefit from this new marketing platform courtesy of Imagine Sports’ golf social networking website. Already proclaimed as a “breath of fresh air” by industry leaders, ImagineGolfClub.com is leading the way with its innovative marketing opportunities that are designed to grow the golf industry.

As the name suggests, ImagineGolfClub.com, is an online golf club that offers golfers all the information and news that they need in one location. Members can create their own profile, communicate simply and effectively with all of their golfing friends, as well as getting all the latest golf news, views, advice, tips and drills – ALL FOR FREE.

The great news for Driving Ranges is that ImagineGolfClub.com is not just a great place for golfers to keep up to date with friends. It also offers search functions that allow members to locate thousands of driving ranges, Professionals, clubs and other golfing destinations all around the world.

Imagine Golf Club offers Driving Ranges their own free micro-sites to promote their services to a worldwide golf community. As well as having this online profile, they can send automated newsletters and earn additional income from online advertising shown on their pages. 3,000 Driving Ranges have already signed up to this service and it is increasing their business because the number of golfers subscribed to the site is very impressive.

Thanks to its social and business networking capability the Imagine Golf Club community already unites over 128,000 golf people and places across the world:

• 90,000 Imagine Golf Club Members
• 3,000 Driving Ranges
• 15,000 Golf Professionals
• 18,000 Golf Clubs
• 1,200 Golf Resorts
• 1,000 Golf Societies

The company’s seasonal marketing campaign includes a competition extravaganza, with prizes worth in excess of £400,000. Visit www.imaginegolfclub.com/competition/xmas.htm to enter. Its Three Wise Men Bearing (Golf) Gifts email promotion also offers members some exclusive prizes and promotions from a range of leading brands including Direct Golf UK, Nike, TrendyGolf.com, Spherical Blade, Asbri Golf and Kevin Murray Golf Photography.

Construction has begun on European Golf Design’s first course in Russia. Appointed by OPIN, the Russian real estate investment and development group, The “PGA National Russia” course at Zavidovo Lake Resort will form part of the new exclusive Zavidovo Resort community. Located 130 km north west of Moscow, Zavidovo is a well known resort location among Russians and especially Muscovites.

There will be an 18 hole 7,400 yard golf course, together with a further 9 hole course to be built alongside a PGA National Golf Academy which will include an integrated short game range, practice bays, numerous practice greens, swing studios and teaching facility.

Constantin Zabrodin, CEO of Zavidovo Lake Resort Development, says: “The expectations and ambition for this project are high. Zavidovo Lake Resort golf course is going to become one of Russia’s top courses of an extremely high standard, built with the purpose of hosting major golf tournament events and further promoting the game in this country with the emphasis to juniors, elite amateurs and future professionals. Branded as PGA National, Russia, it is going to become not just an advanced training centre, but a head-quarters of Russian professional golf”.

As well as golf, 5000 residential dwellings, 2 Marinas and a vibrant town centre will also form part of Zavidovo Lake Resort.

Local company, Geokam, will be building the course under the construction management of UK company Braemar Golf. The first 18 holes are due to open in July 2011.

Zavidovo Lake Resort is the first European Golf Design project in Russia to reach the construction stage, two other projects are currently in detailed design.

European Golf Design is the joint venture design company of the European Tour and IMG . Established in 1992, European Golf Design has won design commissions throughout Europe and beyond to Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Asia. Projects currently under design and construction include those in Croatia, The Caribbean, Denmark, Egypt, Holland, Greece, Spain and South Africa.

Three of our courses have received the honour of being named ‘Best New Course in Europe’ by Golf World magazine. The Twenty Ten Ryder Cup Course at Celtic Manor is also a European Golf Design course.