Golf in Mauritius - who is the most beautiful in the country?
There are not many golf destinations where clichés correspond so clearly to reality as in Mauritius. Even if you visit this dream island in the Indian Ocean for the umpteenth time, you will always be impressed by the high quality of the hotels, the culinary diversity of the rainbow cultures that have characterized this island since the 16th century and the top-class range of the 14 golf courses here. La Réserve, a links course that has been awarded the title of "World's Best New Golf Course" from a standing start, is right at the top of the list.
Stay & Play!
The Heritage Resorts have taken up this motto and put together attractive hotel and golf packages: The Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Spa, a member of the "Small Luxury Hotels of the World" and the Heritage Awali Golf & Spa Resort. Wherever you look, the former exudes a delicate, all-white colonial charm that you succumb to from the very first hour. Atmospheric lamps, cozy rattan armchairs, four-poster beds and free-standing bathtubs also ensure this. The fabrics made of linen, raw silk or raffia, which shine in soft, warm tones, look very elegant. Small bay windows, terraces or front gardens bring the variety of plants into the room and offer additional opportunities to relax. The heart of the resort can be seen as soon as you enter this nostalgic colonial world - Cavendish-Bari: furnished in typical English style with an ornate ceiling and fine wood, it is the focal point of the resort. Whether for small snacks, cocktails, live music in the evening or special events. The Seven Colours SPA is located slightly off to the side in a luxurious ambience with babbling fountains, fragrant flower arrangements and atmospherically designed relaxation rooms. The surroundings in which the 20 villas are nestled can also be classified as something between a Garden of Eden and a rainforest thanks to the many plants. A picturesque river runs between them, ending in the sea and dividing the resort into two parts - including an "adults only" wing, where the only sound is the twittering of birds and a butler reads your every wish. But no matter where you stay here - with a terrace or balcony, the Mediterranean ambience in the rooms and suites immediately gives you a special feeling of well-being.
Cooking with the chef
The main restaurant Annabella's offers an international buffet, Gin'Jas serves Asian dishes, Le Palmier on the beach offers romantic dinner ceremonies and the Beach Club serves light cuisine. The highlight of the culinary scene here is the fine dining restaurant Chateau de Bel Ombre , where not only gourmets' hearts beat faster, but also the ambience with stylish furnishings and a park outside makes for a special experience. Just as memorable here is the cooking class with Chef Jean Noel Bergicourt right in front of Annabella's. Equipped with a chef's hat and apron, you cook a three-course open-air menu of authentic Mauritian cuisine with Indian, Chinese and Creole flavors. The ingredients are put together individually so that every subtlety can be tasted beforehand. On the menu: Palm heart salad with olive-lemon-juice dressing as a starter. Then it's time to get down to business with a typical chicken curry, not from a tube but with the individual ingredients that make the curry so special and ingredients that grow here in the garden. Rice and fried vegetables are also served. The third course is bananas in rum, naturally from Chamarell with fresh orange juice and coconut ice cream - a poem! Once the work is done, everyone receives a certificate and the recipe to cook at home.
Like the Telfair, the Awali is also located in this former sugar cane plantation of over 4000 hectares called Domaine de Bel Ombre . But in contrast to its sister resort "Telfair", here you will find yourself in an authentic African-Mauritian ambience. Instead of white, dark colors dominate here and especially in the evening you feel like you are in an African village. An all-inclusive concept in the 12 restaurants attracts families in particular, also due to the range of sports on offer and the direct location on the beach. The cuisine has an African touch with an Indian influence, with a Biryani rice dish and a rich mixture of spices and tender meat. But there is also the dine-around concept here, where you can also try out the kitchens of the Telfair Resort with a reservation.
Chilled golf experience on the "Links" and relaxed on the "Le Chateau"
Both resorts, which are part of the Heritage Golf Club, offer golf on the two 18-hole courses Le Chateau Golf Course, designed by Peter Makowitsch and the first and only links golf course La Réserve , designed by Louis Oosthuizen and Peter Makowitsch, which opened in December 23. A somewhat unconventional name for a golf course, we thought, but there was an explanation for it: as the course is located right next to the UNESCO biosphere reserve of Bel Ombre, the name "La Réserve" fits in well. In addition, GEO certification for sustainable design and measures for environmental protection have been incorporated here, which further emphasizes the meaning of the term "Réserve" as protection or preservation. The fact that these are the most challenging courses on the island is immediately apparent when you reach the modern clubhouse. Instead of sugar cane fields, grass-covered hills now dominate the terrain, which is draped around a 200-metre-high mountain. But the product, the fine rum, is available here in the modern clubhouse in all variations - from spicy to vanilla. A must after a round like this. Or even at the tee high up, where you are greeted with a glass of rum or whiskey from the starter.
Co-architect Louis Oosthuizen comments on the character of the course: "It's a challenging course and not for the faint-hearted"! How true, if you look at the layout of the first holes alone: With dramatic tee shots between tall grass, you should be on a tiny green, undulating fairways meander between hilly terrain. The fact that it takes around 10 minutes to drive to the first tee at an altitude of around 200 meters is as new in Mauritius as the welcome drink of rum on the first hole. And you'll need it, because the 2nd hole is already full of tall grass and tiny landing zones. The view of the sea from the green on hole 3 is beautiful and you shouldn't lose track of time when taking photos, as most of the tees offer this fantastic panoramic view of the sea. Hole 7 is played carry over the water and hole 8 offers a double fairway with a waste and a ditch in between and there is a risk of losing the ball. The 12th is also tricky due to the wasted areas on the left and right and the narrow fairway in between. Over hilly terrain, where the grass changes color depending on the clouds, you play back to the clubhouse, which has a large terrace overlooking the 18th green. Once there, the friendly club manager Didier Gayat asks you if you have lost a ball, because if you haven't lost one, you get a free round. Illusory for us, but you can look forward to a freshly tapped Phönix (local beer), delicious food and a dip in the sea afterwards.
The Le Chateau course with 18 holes and a 9-hole practice course is completely different. Located right next to the resort, it is considered the No. 1 course on the island due to its scenic beauty. Peter Matkowich has created an architectural masterpiece here: With tropical plants, mature trees, lakes and streams dividing the layout and flowering shrubbery in between and on the tees - a picture-book course that makes women's hearts beat faster in particular. Of course also because of the ladies-friendly tees, the wide fairways and the enchanting chateau with well-tended gardens in the middle. A day's vacation with a good score is enhanced here, as the course is suitable for all levels of play. Thank you for the great service before and after the game with club cleaning and a smooth shuttle - a hallmark of golf in Mauritius.
More info:
The Heritage Golf Club: heritagegolfclub.mu
Stay & Play Packages at the Heritage Resorts: heritagegolfclub.mu/stay-and-play-packages/
Heritage Resorts Golf & Spa: heritageresorts.mu
Text & Photos: Elsa-Maria Honecker
