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Think opulence - think luxury - think the ultimate golfing experience and you may come close to the feeling created by this magnificent course.
 New European Clinic
Tenerife
Health |
17.08.2010 - Everything radiates exclusivity. After being greeted by Course Marshall Oliver who was extremely helpful and transferred clubs from car boot to buggy - each of which displays the clients name in bold letters, we checked into a professional and friendly reception area to begin what proved to be a very special day. Each hole is given its own individual name and large salvers containing fruit appear at every third or fourth tee, replenished regularly during the day.
We collected our buggy, complete with water on ice, golf towels, tees and sophisticated sat. nav. system. We practised on the putting green and then made our way to the first tee and enjoyed the hole’s undulating uphill fairway. The third hole has four bunkers in front of the green at the end of a long Par 5 making the third approach shot very difficult. The fourth has a large lake hazard at the start of a challenging 200 metre Par 3. The water hazard runs down the left hand side of the fairway to a much contoured green, making putting difficult once you pass the four bunkers guarding the green. Hole 5 features a double dog leg and the Par five 6th presents a narrow target area with a bunker in the centre of the fairway. However, long hitters would be able to reach the undulating green in two. Hole 7 gave me my first par of the day - the area between the tee and the green being entirely covered by ornamental gardens so carry is required all the way of the 140 metres to the green. The eighth is extremely unusual - a long downhill right-angled dog leg left leading to an elevated green surrounded by bunkers, its narrow fairway making it worthy of its Stroke Index 1 rating. The ninth is another spectacular hole featuring a natural waterfall in a barranco splitting the fairway. The fairway of the Par 5 tenth curves around three separate ponds to reach a contoured green. The eleventh fairway drops steeply down with the approach shot to the green crossing a water hazard. Be warned of the fate that may await you on and surrounding the 13th Green. Three deep bunkers guard the front; a grass bank rises steeply at the rear; and the super fast green itself slopes back towards the bunkers. Needless to say, I experienced the elation of playing (for me) an excellent escape shot out of the bunker to the base of the slope at the back of the green; only to suffer the ignominy of putting back down the green, past the pin and straight back into the bunker. This was the only hole on which I failed to score in achieving a highly respectable 33 Stableford Points on such a challenging course.
The fifteenth requires a long carry to reach the fairway and its elevated green is guarded by five bunkers. The Par 4 sixteenth features a lake with a natural waterfall to the right and another elevated green guarded by three bunkers. The seventeenth is the most difficult Par 5, the tee shot needing to cross a stream to reach the fairway which narrows as it meanders uphill to its elevated green guarded by six bunkers. Finally the eighteenth features a narrow fairway with a double dog leg winding itself downhill to a stream and up to an elevated tee, guarded by yet more coral white sand bunkers.
STAR HOLE - Difficult to choose from 18 gems, but my vote goes to the highly unusual eighth.
Green fees through to April 2011 range from €200 per day, to €360 for three days which can be spread over a maximum period of fifteen days. If staying at the Abama Hotel the daily rate reduces to €90 during the summer and €150 in winter. So, for a special occasion it would make a wonderful birthday or anniversary gift for a loved one.
This is a truly unique setting designed by Dave Thomas in American style with huge challenging greens, 96 bunkers and more than 50,000 tropical palms and trees lining the course. A rolling course whose lowest point is 75 metres above sea level and its highest point, the fifth hole, at 315 metres.
You experience an overwhelming sense of peace and tranquillity throughout your round, with only the hole you are playing within vision, meaning you are never aware of play or fellow golfers on other parts of the course.
This really is ‘Golf as good as it gets’
ABAMA. 38687 GUIA DE ISORA. TELEPHONE 922 126 300.
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