golf, golfnotes, where to play, what to see, where to stay, information

Golfnotes

2005 BEST GOLF DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD

Sam Torrance, charismatic Captain of the European Team winner of the Ryder Cup 2002, and Peter Alliss, BBC TV’s voice of golf, were the prestigious presenters of the guests and winners of the 5th annual IAGTO (International Golf Travel Market) Awards 2005. Sponsored by Hertz, the ceremony took place on December at the Estoril Casino (largest in Europe) in the Estoril & Sintra Golf Coast in Portugal during Reed Travel Exhibition's International Golf Travel Market which gathered thousand of golf travel professionals and writers.

After the presentations, Peter and Sam were joined on stage by golf course designer, Robert Trent Jones Jr, for "An Audience With" question and answer session. Trent Jones flew half way around the world to be presented with an Honorary Award for his contribution to the golf tourism industry.

Best destinations of the year

Golf tour operators from across the globe vote annually in these prestigious, golf travel industry "Oscars" and they named
- Scotland as Established Golf Destination 2005
- Las Vegas. as Emerging Golf Destination of the Year
- Austria was named Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year by the members of the Golf Travel Writers Association.

Best golf resorts

Peter Alliss accepted the award from guest presenter Sam Torrance on behalf of exotic Belle Mare Plage Resort in Mauritius where he contributed to the design of the Links golf course. The resort was named Golf Resort of the Year - Rest of the World for 2005.
The remaining two Golf Resort of the Year Awards 2005 were presented to Druid’s Glen Golf Resort in Ireland for Europe
and the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation, Georgia for North America.

IAGTO Chief Executive, Peter Walton commented: "The annual golf holiday is the highlight of the golfing year for many of the world’s 50 million players. With this in mind, the IAGTO Awards were established in 2000 to reward a few exceptional contributions to this world of golf travel. There is certainly never any shortage of candidates worthy of recognition, with many destinations and golf resorts excelling every year in delivering a great golfing experience."

The IAGTO awards ceremony was the pin point of the International Golf Travel Market organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions ) in December 2004 at the Estoril Convention Centre near Lisbon (Portugal. With about thousand people representing 47 countries, IGTM 2004 was undoubtedly the largest in the events seven year history. 328 booths , 214 buyers dedicated to meetings and incentive industry, 600 exhibiting personel and a number of new countries: Austria, Columbia, India, Latvia, Mauritius and Russia. New products on the showcase proposed by Relais Margaux (France), Florida’s First Coast of Golf and Las Vegas Convention & Visitor Authority (USA).“IGTM in Estoril & Sintra has proved to be a very successful partnership this year with record registration” said Mark Malsh, Event manager IGTM adding “IGTM has gone from strength to strength each year”.

The next IGTM will take place at Maspalomas Convention Centre, Gran Canaria, from 5-8 December 2005.

Rob Trent Jones Jr., Bridget Portman (Hertz Europe), Sam Torrance, Peter Walton (IAGTO Chief Executive), Ben Hall (Public Affairs, Hertz Europe)

Kingbarns (Scotland

The winners

Left to right front row: Stephen Freund (General Manager, Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation), Julian Dugas (Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority), Robert Trent Jones Jr., Peter Walton (Chief Executive, IAGTO), Leo Bauernberger (Managing Director, Salzburg Province Tourist Board), Oskar Hinteregger (Director UK & Ireland, Austrian National Tourist Office).
Left to right back row: Bridget Portman (Hertz Europe), Peter Alliss, Sam Torrance, Anne Harper (President, Golf Travel Writers Association), Philip Riddle (Chief Executive, VisitScotland), Dan Poppers (President-Elect, GTWA), Hans Ruisz (Managing Director, Golf in Austria), Denis Kane (Director, Druids Glen Golf Resort)