Welcome to the Fourth Edition of the Ascot Golf Newsletter.
These newsletters are proving very popular and I would like
to thank all of you that have commented. I am writing this newsletter
in the last 20 minutes before I rush off to the airport for
my flight to Australia, so it’ not going to be a long
one. This second edition covers the following topics:
1) Heard on the golf courses around the country.
2) News about Gary Player Golf Course
3) Barry writes a regular column
4) Familiarization trip
5) Scheduled Tours have been released
6) March Madness proving very popular
7) Self-catering specials on the beach
8) Ascot Golf Tours website comments
9) Outlook for the coming season
1. Heard on the golf courses around the country 
Not a lot has happened in the last month. Everyone is still
talking about Retief Goosens win in the US Open. It certainly
helps golf in South Africa when we have two players in the top
10 in the world and one pushing to take Tiger off the number
one spot. My only other news is that I have been invited
to talk to the golf club managers from all the courses in
the Western Cape and Garden Route regions at their annual
meeting in Knysna in August. They have asked me to talk about
the golf courses and tourism and how they need to work together
with us. In saying this a number of the courses have made
a complete turn around on policies regarding international
tourists which is making life far easier for us, but I will
tell you more about this in the next letter after the above
meeting.
2. News about the Gary player Golf Course
The Gary Player Golf Course at Sun City, South Africa’s
No-1-ranked course has been re-opened after being closed for
more than three months for a complete overhaul of the layouts
famed putting surfaces. The greens are now back to their best.
Visitors to Sun City in the next few months will also notice
a few other changes to the GPCC layout: the bunkers around
the 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 11th greens have been re-shaped, new
fairway bunkers have been constructed on the 2nd and the bunker
on the right of the 18th fairway has been extended.
Most of these changes will only effect the pro’s when
they come out for the Nedbank Challenge in December but for
those gallant enough to try the back markers, you will be
in for a huge test of golf.
3. Barry’s regular column
Early in May this year I accepted an invitation from Malcolm
Simpson of Champion Golf Tours, Adelaide, Australia ( www.champion.com.au)
to experience golf and travel in Australia. With Malcolm
personally accompanying us, a small group of IAGTO Tour Operators
spent 3 nights in each of Sydney, Sunshine and Gold Coast,
Melbourne, and finally Adelaide.
Lodging was in a variety of 4/5 star hotels and evening meals
and some lunches were hosted by various hotels, restaurants
and tourism organizations.
Golf was played on 5 of the top 10 courses in Australia (all
private member courses) including the number 1 rated Royal
Melbourne (many times host to the Australian Open and Heineken
Tournament) as well as Royal Adelaide and New South Wales
courses.
Malcolm had his ‘fair dinkum’ Aussie mate Ian,
assisting us with arrangements and also kicking our butts
on the golf courses, as he was a real good golfer , even allowing
for his 69 years experience.
After being with us a few days , Ian then made the unforgettable
mistake of asking this group of IAGTO Operators how we were
enjoying our holiday as Ian could not believe that we were
actually working and not on a free golf/site seeing visit
to Australia.
As explained to him, which sane person would fly 20000 km’s
and pay to go on a holiday where for 8 nights in a row you
would be wined and dined at the finest restaurants available,
finally getting into bed about 12 pm every night, only to
receive a wake up call at 5.30 am next morning to ensure that
you were ready for the 6.30 group departure to your early
morning tee time or to make your flight connection, and miss
breakfast as well?
Then, after a round of golf on really demanding championship
courses, especially if you are distance challenged like myself,
and a drink or two (5 or 6) in the club house whilst we discussed
our game and settled our bets , this working party of Tour
Operators were transferred back to yet another different hotel
with hotel site inspection scheduled for 1 hour later and
then followed by yet another evening of gourmet food and fine
vintage wine, before this exhausting cycle started all over
again for 8 days in a row.
Yes Ian, we really were working hard and it was tough, but
also extremely enjoyable, and we survived the ordeal and somebody
had to do it, so why not us?
Will I ever attempt to do this strenuous work and travel
schedule again? Dead right mate, I cant wait for another opportunity
so, Malcolm please keep sending out the invites and well done
for organizing a truly great fam trip to Australia!
South Africa and Australia have had a sporting rivalry for
many years. The Wallabies have recently been far too good
for us in cricket, rugby, hockey and just about every other
sport and it is only in the top level of Professional Golf
thanks to Ernie and Retief Goosen that South Africa has had
the superiority.
South Africa and Australia are similar in so many ways that
I found it often very difficult to differentiate between them.
SIMILARITIES AND COMMENTS
WEATHER May month being Autumn in the southern hemisphere,
with day temperatures of +_22C, little or no rain, and 11
hours of daylight
LANGUAGE, TV, NEWSPAPERS English
DRIVING On left side of road, long distances between major
cities on excellent roads with strict adherence to the speed
limit and drink and drive laws. (unlike in South Africa)
FOOD AND DRINK Large Asian influence but seafood and continental
European cuisine available in food halls and excellent restaurants
in cities and hotels.
Beer and fantastic wines. (I found the Shiraz and some red
wine blends outstanding)
HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION Many and various options from basic
to excellent well positioned 4/5 Star Hotels in the cities.
Reasonably priced
SITE SEEING AND TOURIST ACTIVITIES Excellent with beaches,
scenic drives, wine lands, and outback/desert experiences.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT Very good. Taxis are always available, trains
and buses and ferries
PRICING This is one area where South Africa has the advantage,
mainly due to its more favorable exchange rate to European
currencies. Meals and drinks cost approximately double for
the equivalent in South Africa, but for Hotels and car hire
the difference is not as much. In Australia tipping for service
is not expected ( unlike South Africa where +_10% is customary
for good service in restaurants)
PLAYING GOLF IN AUSTRALIA
There are over 1500 golf courses in Australia with about
90% being public access courses offering green fees of between
R100 to R300/round
The top rated courses are mainly old established member only
courses but they do welcome International visitors especially
if booked through tour operators at green fees of approximately
R1000 to R1500 excluding buggy which are about R400/buggy/round
At the moment golf tourism is mostly confined to local golfers
with the Asian market such as Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong
golfers supplying the bulk of international visitors and this
growing market is being strongly targeted with the recent
development of a number of new courses designed by Greg Norman,
Jack Nicklaus, Peter Thomson and a few prominent Japanese
golf personalities.
Victoria Tourism have recognized the value of golf tourism
to their area and are actively promoting Melbourne and the
Mornington Peninsula , and this area because of all the new
developments plus the old established courses (Royal Melbourne
and 3/4 others) built on the sand belt within 25 minutes of
the city center, has the potential to be a fantastic golf
destination, because of the wide variety of different types
of courses available.
Most Australian golf clubs have pro shops and club houses
with bar /eating facilities and play is continuous (no stopping
for meals after 9 holes as per South Africa). Caddies are
not available but most allow buggies
I personally enjoyed playing the New South Wales Golf Course
which has magnificent views of Sydney as well as the Ocean
and Harbour. Besides the outstanding views, this private members
course has some of the finest links golf holes I have ever
played on. Yes , I have played on all the famous links courses
in Scotland , Ireland and Wales but none of these had the
variety or number of dog legs, raises and falls in elevation
of 30 meters on 2 par fives in particular that I will never
forget, blind shots, seriously sloping fast greens, and unplayable
bush/rough, that reduced my individual score to a miserable
15 stableford points, and yet I never felt like I was playing
that badly
The possible only negative about Australia is the distance
and cost in getting there as well as the inevitable jet lag
suffered both on arrival and when you get home (time difference
approximately 8 hrs to Europe)
Australia is a great country to visit and play golf (so is
South Africa) and well worth a visit.
Till next month
Cheers and good golfing
Barry
PS HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE DOCTOR ????
4. Familiarization Trip
The Fam trip this year has proved to be a sell out and we only
have one place left. We are taking it a lot easier than in Australia
but will still cover one of the best golfing routes in South
Africa and of course enjoy the safaris (which Australia doesn’t
have). This final spot is up for grabs and can be secured
with the R2000 payment.
5. Scheduled Tours
The dates and rates for the scheduled tours have been released
and you should all have them now. We have included only 4 trips
this year and have started on the 4 star range. We would of
course like to see these full and have to put on more trips
and on the success of this seasons packages we will add more
next year. If you haven’t received the scheduled tours
please let me know and I will re-send them to you.
6. March Madness
WOW, March madness is what the pros have been looking for. Fancourt
has definitely come to the party with us here and we have had
an amazing response to the promotion. I have had to request
a further allocation at Fancourt as the rooms we held where
all sold out. I now have extra rooms so if you have a pro that
can get together a group of 7 golfers, please give them the
March Madness Special. If you have pros that cannot make March,
let me know and I will see if I can extend the package to their
desired dates. Unfortunately we cannot bring it forward into
Feb or Jan.
7. Self Catering Specials
Most of you, at one stage or another have tried to book accommodation
in Cape Towns Camps Bay area in Feb and March and have found
it fully booked up or selling at ridiculous prices. This area
is extremely popular due to the famous beach all the accommodation
looks out on, as well as the numerous world class restaurants
on the beach front. Over this period a room at the 5 star Bay
Hotel would cost R1915 per person per night. We have
managed to secure a one bedroom apartment and a two bedroom
apartment in the luxurious Place on the Bay Apartments, situated
right on the beach. The accommodation is self-catering and
is only available for 7 night stays checking in and out on
a Friday, but is going to be sold at a rate far lower than
what has ever been available.
The rate will be an all inclusive rate including car hire
and golf and so look out for the e-mail which will detail
the offer in the next few days.
8. Ascot Tours Website
Our fantastic new website will go live at the end of the month
and we need your comments about the pricing on the site.
As all of you are aware Ascot does not approach the international
market directly and deals exclusively through tour operators
such as yourself. An internet presence though is a necessity
in this day and age and although the site will offer packages
it will also be very informative.
We realize that a lot of you will refer your clients to the
website to get information and will of course be concerned
that the clients will book directly through the site, and
we want to smooth over these fears by offering rates on the
website which are inflated to protect you the tour operator.
What I need is some advice from you all on what mark-up would
be fair on the website so that the client is not scared off,
but comes back to the tour operator to book. Please let me
know what you think would be a suitable amount for this mark-up.
9. Outlook for the coming season
It seems that international tourists have realized that two
years ago, when the Rand was so under valued they got better
than excellent value for money when visiting. Now that the Rand
has stabilized and the suppliers have held their rates for the
next season, the interest in our country is back at a high.
The new season is looking far rosier than last season and
this forecast is just for the period prior to the Christmas
Break. As the new airlines start to fly into South Africa
and more pressure is put on SAA to offer more seats, so access
to this country will become easier and more people can enjoy
what we have to offer.
There is a down side to this in that the top hotels are booked
up months in advance and tee-times get harder and harder to
get. Obviously the sooner clients book the more chance of
getting their first choice hotel/tee-time and we at Ascot
will always try our hardest to get everyone’s first
choice but please make your clients aware that they need to
book ASAP to not avoid disappointment, especially in Cape
Town.
That’s all for this month now I hope I don’t
miss my flight….
Yours in Golf
Scott Edkins and the Ascot Golf Team. |
