Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa: Luxury mixing with history in Sicily
Comments |
By Mike Rees
Sitting on the elevated veranda overlooking the 18th green, I
couldn’t help but think ‘life doesn’t get much better than
this.’
OK, so I hadn’t played as well as I wanted but you rarely do.
But hey, it wasn’t too bad - some good shots, some averages ones
and the less said about the occasional three-putting the
better!
My playing partners were good company and the sun was high in
the sky above us. As I say, ‘life was good.’
I like to think I am a ‘glass half-full’ type of guy but there
would be something seriously wrong with your outlook on life if you
could not be impressed here.
We were at the five-star Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa in
the sun drenched Sicilian countryside, just minutes away from the
city of Ragusa and the sea.
The result of the restoration and conversion of an ancient
country residence, Donnafugata has conserved many of the features
of the area’s traditional rural residences.
From a distance, it resembles a small village, comprised of a
cluster of brightly coloured houses. Once you pass the front gates,
though, you are transported into unquestionably one of southern
Sicily’s most exclusive properties.
If few Sicilian hotels can claim to have an 18-hole golf course,
even fewer can boast having two.
The Championship Parkland hosted this year’s Sicilian Open won
by France’s Raphael Jacquelin. The course was designed by Gary
Player, designer of more than 200 courses worldwide and he is
understandably delighted with the outcome.
He said: "Not only am I excited about this beautiful golf
course, I am also pleased to see the renewed enthusiasm about the
game in general in Italy. The Molinari brothers and young Matteo
Manassero have brought tremendous exposure to the sport and have
laid a foundation for the future."
The Gary Player Design team went to great lengths to protect and
even incorporate the surrounding environment. Groves of olive trees
were spared and ancient rock walls once separating family property
boundaries were preserved and rebuilt as features of the
course.
There is even an archaeological site adjacent to the 6th hole,
where it is possible to visit a Greek necropolis from sixth century
BC.
Player added: "I love history and you really feel the heritage
of this remarkable part of Italy as you play. We have achieved
something that doesn’t often happen – there is not a marginal hole
on the course – all 18 holes are very playable and natural."
The Links course is also a par-72 and of similar length and was
designed by Italian Franco Piras.
Unlike its sister course, the Links is situated within two large
valleys, each with a lake. Between two nature reserves and with
great views of the sea, this is a cool place to play golf.
The NH Hotel Group have done a impressive job of creating
state-of-the-art facilities around the Baroque-style Donnafugata
Castle. Rooms, restaurants and the spa offer everything you would
expect in a modern resort.
With more than 200 elegantly styled rooms, Donnafugata is
without doubt one of Europe’s outstanding golf resorts.
For more details, go to www.donnafugatagolfresort.com
Monday, October 10 2011
The KM Group does not moderate comments.
Please click here for our house rules.