All banana...
There is no doubt that bananas are healthy. Golfers in particular value them for their high magnesium content, which prevents muscle cramps on a seven-kilometer round of golf. It is also said to contain large amounts of dopamine, which has a mood-enhancing effect. Although this effect seems to fail in some species.
Be that as it may, the banana is definitely the perfect snack for any hunger pangs that arise during the round. A golf trip to the Canary Island of Tenerife also brings this to light. "Everything banana" is the motto here: bananas on terraces, bananas on steep mountain slopes, bananas on fields that slope gently down to the sea - banana plantations to die for.
And right in the middle of it all is a golf course that beats all other Canary Islands courses with a green fee of 150 euros - the Abama! Anyone who has ever played it will never forget it. This is thanks to the magnificent layout by golf designer Dave Thomas on the one hand and around 300 subtropical plant species and 20,000 palm trees on the other. Aside from the fantastic views of the sea, Mount Teide and the island of La Gomera opposite, this course also has no shortage of real challenges: 22 lakes, waterfalls, small streams, narrow fairways, undulating greens... A real championship course that sometimes takes the breath away from even the best players.
We actually manage quite well with straight shots - even better on the second 9, as these fall downhill, while the first 9 are played uphill over a hill. Of course, this results in the best views on top, such as on the 10th, "El Oasis", where the hotel with sea views and La Gomera come into play. There are also three lakes to play around - past the bunkers to a narrow green. You should also stop here for a while and enjoy the freshly harvested bananas that the friendly pro has put in your buggy - with a name tag on them, by the way.
But that was by no means the only pampering experience: the 5-star lifestyle resort The Ritz Carlton Abama, which contrasts beautifully with the green tones of the fairways like a pueblo village in soft red, offers the perfect treatment after the game: the traditional Abama spa ritual with volcanic peeling, wrap and massage - all with bananas, of course.
More information about the luxury hotel: www.ritzcarlton.com
