Golf spring on the Channel Islands - Part 1
The Gulf Stream makes it possible for everything to be in bloom on the islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Herms and Alderney while it's still snowing here. The mild spring climate is accompanied by an inspiring mix of French and British lifestyle with culinary highlights from both worlds. Golf here, on the other hand, is purely English, as I experienced on Jersey, the largest island, and Guernsey, the richest.
From my travel diary
I encounter a bit of English and a bit of French on the drive to my hotel. A bit confusing - even the narrow "green lanes", which I try to drive through accident-free in my right-hand drive car with gear shift. More than 40 KMH is not allowed anyway, even if you're in a Porsche or Maserati. On the way to my hotel in St. Brelade in the southwest, I immediately spot the Channel Island's most important landmark - La Corbière lighthouse, which is perched on a small rocky outcrop. All around are picturesque beaches with vast dune landscapes and gigantic views. I later learn that there are still some German army bunkers here, and that traces of the German occupation during the Second World War are still present in some places as part of Jersey's history. Often converted into restaurants and bars.
The "Atlantic Hotel" is one of the few 5-star hotels on the island, is a Small Luxury Hotel and is the only hotel to offer a breathtaking view of St. Ouen's Bay and the crystal-clear Atlantic Ocean. And although it is already 50 years old, it is in no way outdated. This is down to the charming hotelier couple Patrick and Treena Burke, who have furnished their gem with great attention to detail. I like the pleasant mix of tradition and modernity, which is also reflected in the 50 rooms: Noble cherry wood meets Mediterranean white decor here. There is also art on the walls and a babbling spring with a small pond that signals a connection to nature. Whether for afternoon tea or fine dining in the Michelin-starred restaurant or simply for a drink at the bar - the atmosphere is relaxed and by no means "sophisticated". I enjoy the sunset by the pool surrounded by flowering plants, the view of St. Quen's Bay and the Jersey National Park. The 6-hectare garden also borders directly on the La Moye Championship Golf Course and overlooks the Jersey National Park, where the second golf course, Les Mielles Golf and Country Club, is located. The third in the group, Les Ormes Golf Club, is also just a stone's throw away, while the Royal Jersey Golf Club in the east of the island is a fine links course.
From royal to old-fashioned
The Gulf Stream has been providing golfers with year-round golfing pleasure here since the Royal Jersey Golf Club was founded in 1878. As the oldest and most traditional club, it is a must for every golfing holidaymaker. The "Royal" can be seen first and foremost in the imposing castle-like clubhouse with its old English restaurant. The story goes that a group of golf enthusiasts opened the course in 1878 and received the "Royal" from Queen Victoria a year later. As a female non-member and alone on the way to the 1st tee, you are viewed with undisguised skepticism and it takes a successful tee shot to be accepted into a men's flight. A typical 18-hole links course with approx. 6000 meters, some of which run directly along the sea, with a great view of Grouville Bay and Mont Orgueil Castle. The rest runs parallel to the sea - with around 100 bunkers, tall grass, gorse bushes and dune hills. My tip for afterwards: Jersey oysters, freshly caught in the Royal Bay of Grouville, are highly recommended. And for afternoon tea, we recommend the nearby Relais & Chateau "Longueville Manor", a beautiful manor house in the middle of a typical English park and a 5-star hotel. Another highlight for garden lovers is just around the corner - Samare's Manor, with a manor house, park and herb garden. I can reach "Les Mielles Golf & Country Clubs from the hotel in 10 minutes, as it is located directly below my hotel in St. Quen's Bay. The whitewashed clubhouse of the 18-hole course, which houses the kitchen, bistro, pro store and registration desk, is a little old-fashioned. Ellie and Hilary, two busy older housewives, take me out for a round and it turns out to be a six-pointer. While the long holes on the front nine run between very hilly dunes, the back nine are in the middle of a nature reserve with water at every hole. Wide reed belts also obstruct the view and the narrow fairways in between are made even more difficult by doglegs. So you can leave the woods behind. Instead, you have wonderful views of the nearby sea, a cool breeze around your ears and lots of birds to keep you company. The "La Moye Golf Club" , a fantastic links course with a view over the dunes of Les Mielles and the almost 8 km long sandy beach of St. Ouen's Bay, offers me a completely different picture. You can reach it from my hotel in 5 minutes and are surprised for the first time by the modern clubhouse, the extensive terrain and the fantastic view of the islet off the coast. You play between flowering broom bushes on gently undulating terrain above the bay and if you have a shot, not much can happen. However, the rough on both sides of the sometimes narrow fairways is quite inaccessible, so there is a risk of losing the ball. On the 11th hole with 508 yards, things really get down to business: with doglegs between the dunes and an extremely narrow approach. Yes - there are blind holes here too, like on the 13th, pot bunkers and small ravines on the 16th, but with gigantic views at every hole. You would love to play the course a second time. On the other hand, the 9 holes of Les Ormes Golf & Leisure Clubs with the adjacent club hotel and the ups and downs of the golf courses in a somewhat overgrown area didn't particularly inspire me. Only the views are nice, but you also have those from the other courses.
Desire for a golf-free day
Jersey is only 8 x 14.5 kilometers in size, which makes it very easy to explore the island after golfing. So on the way back from east to west, I stop off in St. Helier, the capital. Worth seeing is the Victorian-style market hall, built in 1881, with its stately glass dome, graceful columns and many stalls. Right next to it are the two shopping streets Queen's and King's Street with restaurants, cafés and bistros. The Atlantique Seafood Bar on Bath Street serves the freshest seafood, Royal Square has the most popular pubs with live music and the Grand Jersey Hotel has the best champagne bar. To the west, one of the best preserved and most beautiful fortresses in Europe, Elizabeth Castle, floats in the bay and can be reached on foot at low tide. At the picturesque fishing port of St. Aubin in the southwest of the island, you can sit down at the Old Court House Inn with its restaurant and pub and watch the hustle and bustle in the harbor. If you go here for dinner in the evening, you can indulge in oysters and fish dishes at Habour View or Salty Dog. Portelet Bay is ideal for swimming - and you can also hike to Quaisné Bay. Once there, treat yourself to a pint of Mary Ann and a local meal on the terrace of the Old Smuggler's Inn. Via St. Quen's Bay, where I've already been golfing, I head north to Goznez Castle, the cult site of Le Pinacle, where I meet many hikers high above the sea. My destination is Grève de Lecq Bay, a popular bathing bay in the north. I am more drawn to La Mare Wine Estate, the only winery since 1969, where you should plan to spend some time tasting the white wines, the famous apple brandy, delicious jams, chocolates and the famous Jersey Fuge. The best view of the cliffs is from Sorel. Divers and water sports enthusiasts can be found in Bon Nuit Bay or in the picturesque harbor of Rozel with its colorful fishing huts. There at the "Hungry Man" on the harbor pier, I treat myself to the best crab sandwich among the Jersyans before heading back to the hotel. Yes, there is still so much to discover, especially in culinary terms. Three Michelin-starred chefs alone spoil locals and tourists here - not only in the gourmet temples, but also in the more than 180 restaurants, bistros, bars and pubs. I decide to come back. Maybe for the 12th Annual New Jersey Wine & Food Festival in May.
More info Jersey:
www.theatlantichotel.com/ www.jersey.com/de www.jerseyheritage.org/ www.samaresmanor.com www.lamarewineestate.com www.longuevillemanor.com
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