![]() We were staying at ‘Bio-Quinta Do Pântano’, an organically certified Quinta or farm estate encircled by flowers, vegetables, fruits, sheep, chickens and a lovely white goat. It’s also where the game of golf first teed up on these Elsyan islands! This upland area is famous for cider production with apples & pears growing well at higher altitudes. ![]() The village of Santo da Serra is a half-hour from the main city of Funchal and only around 15 minutes from the island’s airport. This way we got to know Madeira more intimately and it made our holiday much more of an adventure! You can spend two or three nights in each, enjoy the golf, local cuisine and culture then move to the next place. There are dozens of delightful properties on both the islands of Madeira and neighbouring Porto Santo. If you enjoy the ‘country life’ with lots of scenery, local flavour and fresh air, this is the way to go. We put our own itinerary together based on staying in cottages close to the golf courses. ‘Rural Madeira’ is an association that brings together country cottages, cultural encounters and healthy outdoor activities ‘far from the madding crowd’. In 2019, they were declared the “Best-Emerging Golf Destination in the World” and for seven years in a row the "World's Leading Island Destination".Īs you can imagine, there’s a wealth of superb hotels in the main city of Funchal which makes an excellent base with all its activities, excursions, entertainment, excellent restaurants and cafes.īut there’s more to these islands than the most obvious! In recent years, accommodation alternatives such as Airbnb, country cottages and even ‘glamping’ have seen a steady rise in popularity. Madeira and its neighbouring island of Porto Santo have been attracting golfers for some decades. Little did I know, the same fate awaited me! Friends that had, fell in love with the place. I knew it had golf courses and a pleasant, year-round climate but for some reason, I hadn’t quite made the connection. Nearly a thousand kilometres from Continental Europe and 500 off the Moroccan coast, this archipelago was on my radar. Unlike the Ilhas Canárias or Mallorca in the middle of the Mediterranean, the courses on these idyllic little Atlantic isles, have remained relatively obscure. It surprises me how little is known about golf on the islands of Madeira. ![]() If serene, unhurried golf is what you're after, finding an off-the-beaten-path destination could be just what you need. ![]() Customisations! Turn the fairway into the runway, with unlockable hats, skins and trails for your ball.Feature Article by David J Whyte, Linksland Golf Travel MagazineĪre you tired of the legions of holidaymakers queuing at a trough of bottomless buffet breakfasts, packed elevators and sardine-style swimming pools and the tedium of five-hour rounds, longer than the average flight time to reach your destination? Then why not look into booking a getaway to an undiscovered destination as an alternative to the traditional golf package holiday?ĭavid J Whyte recently took part in such a holiday adventure on the Portuguese island of Madeira.Level Editor! Putt your own spin on the game by creating, sharing and playing your own courses.Three Game Modes! Tee off in classic mini golf, shoot for the pars in hoops or swap the hole for a goal in hockey.Powerups! Drive a wedge between your friends as you trap their ball in honey, freeze it or turn it into a cube.Become a pro in the pirate course, aim for an albatross in the ancient theme or wage all out Worm warfare in the Worms course! Themed Courses! Go head to head on courses with unique mechanics and holes.12 Player Multiplayer! Make sure your skills are up to scratch as you tee off against 11 other golfers in simultaneous online multiplayer.With Your Friends! Nothing is out of bounds as you take on courses filled with fast paced, exciting, simultaneous mini golf for up to 12 players!
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