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As golf professionals increasingly look beyond traditional coaching trips, destinations that combine training, lifestyle, wellness, and family appeal are becoming ever more important.

In the latest episode of The Spin Podcast, we sat down with Stéphane Menou, General Manager of SO/ Sotogrande  and The Alto Club, to explore how golf travel is evolving — and what PGA Professionals can do to make the most of it.

With over 30 years of international experience managing resorts across the world, Menou brings a refreshingly practical perspective. His message is clear: golf travel works best when it delivers a complete experience, not just tee times and practice sessions.

At SO/ Sotogrande, that philosophy is reflected in what Menou repeatedly describes as a “360° offer” – blending elite golf facilities, a modern academy environment, wellness, gastronomy, and family-friendly amenities into one destination. For golf professionals hosting trips, this creates far more flexibility: coaching-focused mornings, relaxed afternoons, wellness-led recovery, and social evenings that appeal to both players and non-golfing companions.

A key development is the newly rebranded Alto Club Golf Academy, led by Suzann Pettersen, alongside the purpose-built Pro Zone Training Centre. Rather than positioning this as an elite-only space, Menou is clear that the goal is accessibility – supporting touring professionals, national teams, club golfers, juniors, and families alike. Par-3 golf, night-time practice using Toptracer technology, and flexible group capacity allow coaches to design trips that balance performance and enjoyment.

Crucially for PGA Professionals, Menou highlights that great destinations are built with pros in mind. Coaches act as trusted filters for players and clients; if they believe in the product, the destination gains credibility. That’s why SO/ Sotogrande has invested heavily in facilities that professionals can genuinely use – from structured training environments and fitting areas to recovery tools, wellness services, and adaptable programming.

Towards the end of the conversation, Menou offers perhaps the most valuable takeaway for coaches planning trips: don’t underuse the destination. Encourage players to bring family, explore nearby courses, enjoy the lifestyle elements, and see the trip as more than just a golf camp. This not only increases satisfaction, but also strengthens repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations.

With year-round accessibility, strong transport links, and a dense cluster of world-class courses nearby, SO/ Sotogrande and The Alto Club are positioning themselves as a reference point for modern golf travel – one that aligns performance, wellbeing, and commercial opportunity.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Spin Podcast to hear Stéphane Menou’s insights in full and explore how golf professionals can maximise the value of hosted trips.

Click to find out more about SO/ Sotogrande and The Alto Club

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Click to find out more about the CPG Collection 

Further to the recent developments regarding the pandemic Covid-19 and the restrictive orders and measures for travel, sport events and social life enforced by the European Union and the Greek State to contain the spread of the virus, it is our utmost duty to you and our communities to act responsibly and protect those at high risk.

As a result, with much regret and given that the safety of our participants, staff and colleagues is of utmost importance, we are compelled to reschedule the 15th Aegean Airlines Pro-Am for 2021.

We will review the circumstances later this year and we shall be providing you with further details.

Our thoughts are with the people who have been affected by this unprecedented event and we appreciate the healthcare workers, local communities, and governments around the world who are on the front line working to contain this coronavirus.

With kind regards,

Katia Avramidou
President of the Organizing Committee of the 15th Aegean Airlines Pro-Am
& Legal Counsel Aegean Airlines

Here are three simple reasons why coaching can be a money-spinner in the short- and long-term…

1 – Additional Service

Starting or ending the season with a coaching trip overseas while the weather is inclement back home gives you extra time to generate revenue whilst offering a service that sets you a part from your competition.

2 – Relationship Reinforcement

Taking groups abroad on coaching trips give you the opportunity to reinforce the relationship between you and your clients and get to know them better even off the golf course. This will definitely also lead to selling further coaching packages to them throughout the year upon return.

3 – Clients Will Sing Your Praises

The best marketing is word of mouth, and happy clients returning from the great golf trip you organised will help promote you business back home and advertise future trips!

The Confederation of Professional Golf Travel Club in partnership with Golf Escapes provides PGA Professionals with a hub to easily access the very best golf travel and coaching trip packages available at a selection of the world’s top golf clubs, venues, resorts and destinations.

Find Out More at http://eur.pe/TravelClub

The Travel Club uniquely allows PGA Professionals organising coaching trips and golf travel to access exclusive offers that add value to their trips such as free or discounted use of specific facilities and coaching equipment, room upgrades, welcome tours, and group dinners with venue representatives, all whilst being able to book with an IAGTO-approved Tour Operator (TO) in the Professional’s own native country and language.

“The creation of the Travel Club has really extended from thinking we have had for a long time about the ways in which PGA Professionals create coaching and travel packages,” said Confederation of Professional Golf Chief Executive, Ian Randell.

“Now with Golf Escapes as our Official Travel Supplier, we have been able to create a system that ensures Professionals are able to have everything they need to create incredible coaching and travel experiences for their clients in a way that is most useful and relevant to them.

“Enabling them to deal with IAGTO-approved operators in their own language ensures they have the best possible experience, guidance and protection when organising their golf trips.”

As well as engaging golf tour operators across the 35 Member Country PGAs, the Travel Club enables golf clubs, resorts, facilities and destinations to promote themselves through the network of their 21,000+ PGA Professionals and the golfers that they interact with on a daily basis.

Initial Travel Club venues include some of the Association’s current partners – Costa Navarino in Greece, Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Community and it’s home region of the Costa Daurada in Spain – along with venues such as Cornelia Diamond and De Luxe Resorts in Turkey, The Ritz-Carlton, Abama in Tenerife, Penina Hotel & Golf Resort and Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort in Portugal, and Minthis Resort in Cyprus.

Along with almost 20 other destinations, the Travel Club membership continues to grow rapidly, increasing the range and choice on offer for Professionals to choose from.

Golf Escapes Director and PGA Professional Mike Bryant said, “Accessing this huge network of PGA Professionals is a great platform for us and our trusted suppliers to showcase our products and services.

“We very much see Professionals as ambassadors for golf travel – once they have seen resorts and areas, they are able to share their knowledge with their members and clients. Escorted tuition trips provide a welcome additional revenue stream for the Professional in the current challenging economic climate and an opportunity to enhance client relations. We are enjoying working alongside the Confederation of Professional Golf to build the Travel Club, and using our extensive experience, product knowledge, and negotiating powers to add value to resorts and Professionals.”

Together with the provision of listings and information on Travel Club venues, the Association will work with Golf Escapes on creating content that can educate and inspire PGA Professionals about the benefits, challenges and processes involved in golf group travel.

For More Information Visit http://eur.pe/TravelClub

The destination currently provides a rich and varied array of golf courses where to enjoy this sport all year round. All the courses are also located close to the main towns of the Costa Daurada and have very easy access. Moreover, these are high-quality courses as they have been designed by world experts such as Robert Trent Jones Jr and Greg Norman.

 The Costa Daurada, A Universal Heritage

In 1991, the monastery of Santa Maria of Poblet, in Vimbodí-Poblet, became the first monument of the Costa Daurada to achieve the Unesco World Heritage Site listing. The declaration arrived after years of restorations to recover the ancient splendour of a unique monastery: with a mixture of styles: from Romanesque to Gothic and a monastic community that maintains the communal life.

The discovery of Tarraco is also synonymous of a trip back in time that will enable you to enjoy a small piece of the history of the Roman Empire. The light, the pleasant temperatures, its port, etc. were factors that favoured the idyll between the Romans and Tarraco, a city that for two years, from the year 29 to 27 bc., even became the residence of Emperor Caesar Augustus. The Roman Tarragona is also a World Heritage site: we suggest you visit the amphitheatre, the walls, the circus, etc. Don’t forget to stroll around the streets of the Part Alta (high part) where you can still perceive and discover its rich history.

The bourgeoisie of Reus promoted the construction of new buildings in the historic centre of the capital of Baix Camp, which at the end of the 19th century became their manor houses and are now authentic architectural gems that you will be able to discover when strolling through the centre of Reus. The icing on the cake of this architecture is the Pere Mata Institute, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and that was built following the pavilions model of the Sant Pau Hospital in Barcelona It is currently possible to visit the pavilion “of the distinguished”, which is of great architectural beauty. At the Gaudi Centre, you will be able to learn the secrets of this talented architect.

Human castles are culture and one of the deeply rooted traditions of the Costa Daurada. With more than two centuries of history, this tradition, which came from the town of Valls, has spread first along the Catalan geography and now, even beyond the barriers and borders of this territory. Strength, balance, courage and wisdom are values associated with human castles and are the reason why they have been declared intangible asset by Unesco.

Wine Tourism

The Costa Daurada is a territory of excellent wines. Since the Romans arrived, vineyards are grown in the counties in the south, although the greatest expansion took place with the arrival of the Cistercian and Carthusian monks. The production of grapes and wine making has been deeply rooted in the monastic tradition and since the middle ages, it has also been adopted in this territory.

Although, in addition to the history, the geographic and climate conditions of these counties produces wines of a great quality and of a special singularity. In fact, in the Costa Daurada, there are five designations of origin, some of which are even made with autochthonous grapes, as well as the Designation of Origin Cava.

To be able to enjoy the wine culture, the wine tourism offer increases day by day, with cellars that offer routes to discover the territory, the vineyards and at the same time taste the wines and cavas that are made there.

In this context, we also propose the discovery of the architecture linked to the wine culture. We are referring to the modernism cooperative buildings built at the ends of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, as a result of the zenith of the cooperative culture.

Find out more about the Costa Daurada in next month’s IGPN…

For More Information Visit www.costadaurada.info

Since 2002, Golf Escapes have sent over 70,000 golfers around the world on tailor-made trips and continue to add new destinations and venues to their portfolio all the time.

Golf Escapes will become ‘Official Travel Supplier to the Confederation of Professional Golf’ providing expert guidance, information and travel services for PGAs and their Member Professionals operating golf travel holidays and coaching groups.

[fb_plugin video href=https://www.facebook.com/PGAsofEurope/videos/1510484095685039/]

The relationship will see both organisations work closely on the ‘Confederation of Professional Golf Travel Club’ – an exciting new initiative that will also engage other golf travel operators across the 35 Member Country PGAs and enable golf clubs, resorts, facilities and destinations to promote themselves through this network to their 21,000+ PGA Professionals and the golfers that they interact with on a daily basis.

“It’s fantastic for us to partner with the Confederation of Professional Golf,” said Golf Escapes’ Managing Director, Jon Ruben [picture above, 2nd left]. “Accessing this network of PGAs and Professionals is a great platform for us to build on and to increase our year-on-year growth.

“We very much see Professionals as ambassadors for golf travel – once they’ve seen resorts and areas, then they are able to impart their knowledge on to their members and guests, and we can add value to that as we have been around for 15 years and we know people in all of these resorts.”

“We are really going to be hitting the ground running with the Golf Escapes team in developing the Confederation of Professional Golf Travel Club, and the partnership in general,” added Ian Randell, Confederation of Professional Golf Chief Executive.

“The expertise of Golf Escapes, combined with our network, will enable us to promote the benefits of golf travel for Professionals and their clients, whilst also allowing the promotion of the world’s best venues and destinations to the most discerning audience and leading influencers in the sport.”

Golf Escapes will also be working with the Association to produce educational content that provides useful, relevant and interesting information that informs PGA Professionals about the benefits of golf travel, group tuition breaks and how to create exceptional experiences for their clients.

For more information visit www.Golf-Escapes.com

@webmarketing007

Research suggests mobiles and millennials are changing the way we travel

For many hotel and attraction owners, capitalizing on summer activities is essential for remaining in the black for the rest of the year. The internet and mobile technology have dramatically changed the way people search for and make travel arrangements. This article will discuss recent research that gives business owners clues to reaching traveling customers in the digital age.

According to research from Hotels.com, millennials comprise 32 percent of US travelers, and are the fastest-growing age segment in travel. This techno-savvy group is changing the way hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues. For example, about one in four (25%) millennials who book hotels does so via a mobile device. The data cited also suggests that mobile marketing can be effective at getting last minute travellers. The study found that 70 percent of hotel bookings by millennials via a mobile device are made for same or next-day check-in.

Millennials are a good target audience because they spend more money when the travel. According to data cited by the MMGY Global, nearly 60 percent of millennials would rather spend money on experiences than on material goods. When put into numbers, the average millennial traveller intends to spend about $5,300 while travelling, whereas Gen Xers, say they’ll spend about $5,000.

A 2014 comScore study reported that 40 percent of the US travel audience only accessed digital travel content via mobile. An eMarketer report estimates that in 2015, total mobile travel research will rise nearly 20 percent to hit 72.8 million, or 54.6 percent of those who research travel digitally. That percentage is estimated to reach about 71 percent by 2018.

Hotels should strive to make their mobile and app experience as easy to use and functional as their desktop sites. Recently, eDigital Research ranked the apps and mobile sites of the most popular traveling sites. According to their research, Holiday Inn’s recently revamped app is a good example of what consumers want. The app got a top score of 81.6 percent on the rankings, which means the app will help in generating multichannel sales. Other notable sites for good multi-channel sales were Bookings.com and Hotels.com.

“As mobile continues to grow in popularity, there will soon come a time when the mobile customer experience will overtake traditional desktop sites,” said Steve Brockway, the Director of Research at eDigital Research. “However, when that day does come (and it could come as soon as this year) digital customer experiences across varying brands will differ only very slightly – we’re already seeing minimal differences between top performing brands. Instead, to make experiences really stand out from the competition, brands need to be investing in their service and customer support. With more consumers heading online to book and browse, on and offline support will become the foundation for a fantastic customer experience”.

A final thing to keep in mind is that social media is extremely important to travellers and business owners can use that to their advantage. One way to do this is by handling customer service issues on social media platforms. People share their experiences from travel with their friends and family via social media. If a business notices that a guest has mentioned them in a negative post, they should proactively try to solve the problem, even if the guest didn’t tell the business directly. For more advice on using social media to address customer service issues, read this article on the subject.

Now is the time for businesses to improve their mobile sites and apps so they put their best foot forward. The days of travel agents and people driving to random hotels to find a vacancy are coming to a close. Using technology to help travelers will help businesses increase their revenue during the vacation season.

To learn more on how mobile marketing and the internet are changing travel, read this article with more stats on hotel marketing.

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@EntryLevelRebel

You might be a frequent flyer, but flight attendants and travel editors are in the air even more than you, and they have tips to make business travel more painless.

If your business compels you to fly frequently you probably already have strategies for packing so as to minimise the hassle of travel. But according to industry insiders such as travel editors and flight attendants, there are probably some professional-grade tricks you’re not yet using.

Never Neglect the Basics

You probably already know this but it’s so essential, it bears repeating.  The team behind travel site Fathom recently called these the golden rules: Carry-on instead of checking so that you can exit the airport immediately after reaching your destination.  Check in online 24 hours before a flight, not only to save time at the airport but also to get a better seat.

Roll, Don’t Fold

To achieve an all carry-on trip, you’ll need to save space.  So how can you get more clothes in your limited luggage and not wind up with creases on arrival?  Forget folding, says a New York Times article rounding up airline staff’s travel tips:

To make room for these new travel necessities, many flight attendants roll their clothes rather than fold them to save space. Nerea Gomez-Cambronero, an attendant with Air Europa Líneas Aéreas in Majorca, Spain, has taught friends and relatives to roll-pack clothes.  “The rolling-your-clothes tip is the basis of my entire company,” said Don Chernoff, an engineer and frequent traveller.  “It’s a more efficient use of the space.”

Even Better, Bag It

If you’re still space challenged even after employing the rolling trick, then Fathom has another idea.  “Air-compression packing bags are miraculous, squeezing air out of clothes, giving you more room in the suitcase.  Giant Ziploc bags work, too.  Just roll them tight,” suggests the post.

Dodge the Liquids Hassle

Under current safety rules, toiletries cause tons of hassle.  “Attempt to bring a large bottle of shampoo or a full-size gel deodorant through the security line and they will likely confiscate your stuff,” SmarterTravel reminds flyers.

The solution, according to Fathom, may seem like a luxury, but the blog claims this technique pays off in the long run: “Give up squeezing your favourite face wash into tiny tubes.  Buying travel-size items of your favourite products — and laundry detergent — and keeping them at the ready in a Ziploc under your sink might seem indulgent, but it will save time, product, frustration, and your skin.”

Take a Cue From Carrie Bradshaw

You may be more of a hoodie and jeans type than a fashionista like the protagonist of Sex and the City, but in the case of packing, take a lesson from Carrie – accessories count, especially shoes.  “Select shoes, then coordinate outfits around them.  Three pairs should be the maximum,” one Los Angeles-based flight attendant told the New York Times.  Save more space, and keep your shoes shaped, by shoving rolled socks inside your selected footwear.

Fathom also agrees that clever accessories are key to packing light (but well), as is thinking through your outfits from top to toes.  “Check that you’ve packed everything you need by mentally dressing yourself from shoes and socks up to goggles and hats,” suggests the site, which also urges business travellers to “pack something small that can make any outfit smarter.  You never know when you’ll need to look sharp.  For men, an uncreasable silk knotted tie. For women, a fancy scarf.”

Here IGPN looks at the hosts of the Associations three PGA Professional Championships and reveals more about what they have to offer…

Gloria Hotels & Resorts

International Team Championship & Annual Congress (8-11 December, 2015)

	W: www.gloria.com.tr E: info@gloria.com.tr T: +90 242 710 06 00 TW: @Gloriahotels
	Belek, Turkey
	Antalya Airport (AYT)
	Belek is a year-round destination but October to May is the ideal time for golfers. Winters are mild and sunny – around 17°C – although you may need a jacket in the evenings. If you want your golf break to include some pool time, go between June and September, when temperatures can climb to 38°C.
	Turkish Lira (Approx. 3.10 Lira to 1 Euro)
	Citizens from various countries require e-Visas for permission to enter and move around Turkey. E-Visas can be bought online ahead of travel at www. evisa.gov.tr and fees vary according to country of travel document and type of travel document. Travellers must also carry a passport that is valid for 150 days minimum from the date of arrival in Turkey. (www.goturkey.com)

Where the Mediterranean Sea and the river Acisu encounter, Gloria Hotels & Resorts inspire with their Five-Star Resorts in the sun-blessed and whole year destination Belek at the Turkish Riviera, which is only 30 kilometres away from Antalya airport.

“Unforgettable diversity, elegance and geniality” is the motto of the Gloria Hotels & Resorts, which comprises the facilities Gloria Golf Resort, Gloria Serenity Resort, Gloria Verde Resort, Gloria Villas and Gloria Golf Club. All sites are connected via a wonderful trail full of beautiful plants and trees with the beach.

Golfing all year round – in the Gloria Golf Club

Throughout the whole year Golf Club, the largest golf course of its kind in Turkey and the largest playing area of a hotel in Europe on 3.200 square meters, is the ideal place for some excellent golf.

The Gloria Golf Club has a total of 45 holes (two 18-hole championship courses, the “Old Course” and “New Course”, and one 9-hole academic course “Verde Course”) was designed by the renowned French golf course architect Michel Gayon. Here golfers find the perfect service: whether on the golf course, in the Club House, in the restaurant-bar, in the Pro-shop with well-known brands or individual oases of quietness.

Health at Gloria

Today, the hotel group keeps up with the times and launches new health programs: From purification via healthy sleep to right nutrition guests can find a wide selection in the new VITA by Gloria Cure & Care Centre. Next to therapeutic treatments new equipment for ultrasonic and electrotherapeutic procedures were installed – such as for the MBST® – Magnetic Resonance Therapy, which is an ideal alternative for osteoarthritis, arthropathy, brittle bones, sport injuries and osteomalacia.

The enchanting world of Spa & Thalasso

Gloria Hotels & Resorts Spa & Thalasso provide international brand products and engage professional SPA-therapists with international experiences, who offer relaxing and natural healing treatments with seawater, algae, slab and sea salt.

In addition to the first thalassic centre of the region, the Asklépion Spa & Thalasso of the Gloria Verde Resort, two further wellness areas are available for guests: the Serenity Spa of the Gloria Serenity Resort and the La Source Spa of the Gloria Golf Resort.

Gloria Sports Arena is open!

Europe’s largest private investment in sports – the Gloria Sports Arena – opened its doors on 30th December 2014! The arena offers modern technology and services to more than 50 indoor and outdoor sports across a 105,000 sqm Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance Center.

The Özaltin Holding group has invested more than 50 million Dollars for this huge project. The Gloria Sports Arena – a cradle for many Olympic sport disciplines – will be the new landmark for the sport tourism of Turkey and thus will change the image of Antalya as a true golfing and soccer destination.

Lumine Mediterránea Beach Club & Golf Community

Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship (10-12 February, 2016)

	W: www.lumine.com E: golf@lumine.com T: +34 977 129070 TW: @LumineGolf
	Tarragona, Costa Daurada, Spain
	Reus Airport (REU) Barcelona El Prat (BCN)
	Costa Daurada is graced with a quintessentially Mediterranean climate, marked by mild winters and warm summers with little rain. The region’s mountainous geography likewise contributes to its stable climate, making it an optimum place to enjoy outdoor activities all year long. Average temperatures range from approximately 14º in winter to between 21º and 29º in summer.
	Euro
	Costa Daurada is a coastal region at the southern tip of Catalonia. Its capital is Tarragona and it is divided into six counties with a total of 131 towns. With an area of 2,999 square kilometres, it forms, along with Terres de l’Ebre, the province of Tarragona, which, along with Lleida, Girona and Barcelona, is one of the four provinces of Catalonia. (www.costadaurada.info)

Just 40 minutes south of Barcelona or a 15-minute transfer from Barcelona’s Reus airport, golf in the Costa Daurada remains something of a well-kept secret.  The renowned ‘Golden Coast’ already has some seriously good golf, including the Greg Norman-designed course at the 36-hole venue LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club in Vila-Seca/La Pineda Platja – a state-of-the-art Spanish resort that is fast gaining a reputation for being one of Europe’s premier golfing destinations.

With a broad variety of attractions, including 45-holes of championship golf, a variety of hotel options to suit all budgets, a first-class events and conference centre, restaurants serving modern Mediterranean cuisine and a magnificent Beach Club, LUMINE offers a luxurious haven in which to unwind and get away from the stresses of daily life.

45-Holes of Golfing Paradise

LUMINE is a true golfing haven, with 45-holes that offer a wide-variety of challenges for players of all skill levels. With Troon Golf at the helm alongside dedicated staff, guests are guaranteed pristine course conditioning, smooth and fast greens alongside first-class service and hospitality.  The three LUMINE courses are the first in Spain to be awarded the Audubon International Gold Signature Sanctuary Certificate, regarded worldwide as the kite mark for the most environmentally aware leisure developments.

The centre, previously base to their official winter training camps, has received rich praise from the Austrian and Finnish Golf Federation’s elite squads and is a popular choice for PGA Professionals leading group training.

Aprs Golf

Once you step off the final green a wealth of world-class facilities await, including two fully equipped clubhouses and the luxurious LUMINE Beach Club. Situated on 1km of golden Spanish beach and pine-clad hillside above the sweeping bay of Tarragona’s Playa Del Llarga, it offers the perfect mix of style, relaxation, excitement and fine dining.  With nine swimming pools laid out on a series of terraces with luxury beds and loungers, this has become a fashionable venue for a young crowd as well as families and couples.

Surrounding Region and Attractions

The Costa Daurada region is brimming with leisure, cultural and historic attractions. Spain’s largest theme park and one of country’s biggest entertainment attractions, PortAventura, lies just 5km away.

To the north lies the Priorat wine region, the birthplace of exquisite reds that many wine writers and collectors consider to be Spain’s most elite.  The historic town of Tarragona is also just a 15-minute drive from LUMINE.  With 2,200 years of history and a Roman heritage preserved in dozens of monuments and architectural remains, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Essential Roman highlights include the Amphitheatre, the Circus depicting the route of early chariot racing, a one-kilometer stretch of original walls and fortifications from the 2nd Century BC, and a temple with its surviving portico.

If it’s bustling nightlife or seaside sophistication you are looking for, then the choice is yours; with both the busy resort of Salou and the more peaceful marina port of Cambrils just a few minutes’ drive away.

Pravets Golf & Spa Resort

UniCredit PGA Professional Championship of Europe (14-17 October, 2015)

	W: www.pravets-golfclub.com E: info@pravets-golfclub.com T: +359 882 550813 TW: @PravetsGolfClub
	Pravets, Bulgaria
	Sofia Airport (SOF)
	Sofia has a humid continental climate with an average annual temperature of 10.2 °C (50.4 °F). Winters are cold and snowy. In the coldest days temperatures can drop as low as -15°C or even lower, most notably in January. In summer, Sofia is often subjected to heat waves with high temperatures reaching or exceeding 35°C in the hottest days, particularly in July and August. (Source: http://wikitravel.org)
	Bulgarian Lev (Approx. 1.96 Lev to 1 Euro)
	Pravets is a town in the Pravets Municipality in central western Bulgaria, located approximately 60 km from the capital Sofia. Sofia is Bulgaria’s capital and its largest city. Founded thousands of years ago, today the city continues to develop as the country’s cultural and economic center. At present, the city has a population of 1,250,000. (Source: http://bulgariatravel.org)

Pravets Golf Club

Pravets Golf Club offers a Peter Harradine designed 18-hole, par 72, Championship golf course and a state-of-the-art golf academy with an extensive practice area.  This parkland style golf course boasts spectacular views of the local mountains and lake, framed by the impressive RIU Pravets Resort hotel.

The par-three eighth hole, played as the 17th during the UniCredit PGA Professional Championship of Europe, is the signature hole with its challenging island green.  The 9th and the 18th greens are united in one double green, alike the well-known features of the Old Course in St Andrews.

The modern clubhouse is situated on the south side of the Pravets Lake and perfectly complements the splendid picturesque mountain scenery, just a step away from the double green of the 9th and 18th hole.  The unique terrace of the Panorama restaurant gives patrons a beautiful view of the parkland style course.

The Pravets Golf Academy is one of the best-designed learning facilities in Europe.  The club’s coaching facilities are state-of-the-art and offer covered and uncovered practice range bays, a dedicated short game area and teaching studios.

Hotel RIU Pravets Resort Golf & Spa

Hotel RIU Pravets Resort is located 50 km away from Sofia – easily accessible, only 45 minutes drive on Hemus highway and yet distant enough from the daily stress of the big city.  The hotel provides a quiet and cozy atmosphere for relaxation or work, and offers its guests breathtaking views of the lake and the golf course, as well as the picturesque slopes of Stara Planina.

The hotel has a total of 242 units offering all features and services to satisfy the most demanding requirements of the leisure and business traveler.
The “Hunters’“ and “Panorama” restaurants give guests the opportunity to enjoy fine dining through a sophisticated international menu, game specialties and exquisite desserts.
For those who appreciate good wine, the hotel has its own sommelier who has prepared an excellent international selection of white and red wines.

The proximity of Pravets Sports Complex (with multifunctional sports hall, 3 football fields, 4 basketball and volleyball playgrounds and 3 tennis courts) is a great opportunity for camping and training of sport teams.

Hotel guests can enjoy their coffee or cocktail by the open air Olympic-size swimming pool during the day or some quality time in the lobby bar, the piano bar or the bowling centre in the evenings.

Spa Facilities:

The SPA collects the best of the past and ultra- modern technology and occupies an area of ​​nearly 3000m2. It will offer you a unique combination of cutting-edge and classic relaxation techniques. Incredible variety of procedures and individual programs supported by ultra modern facilities will satisfy every customer.

For more information on the Association’s tournament and education events visit cpg.golf/event

I have been very fortunate throughout my career to be able to see the world as an integral part of my job and I believe that having an international perspective and experience and understanding of other cultures has benefitted me oreatly both personally and professionally. Sharing knowledge and good practice across organisations and PGA Professionals by spending time with people from other PGAs, golfing organisations and PGA Professionals is at the heart of the operation of the Confederation of Professional Golf.

With travel on our minds for this issue, the Confederation of Professional Golf make it our business to provide opportunities for PGA Professionals to travel whether it be to compete in international tournaments or Pro-Ams, educational events such as the recent Coaches Circle in Bulgaria or purely to take trips with clients, providing a world of opportunities.

Our tournament schedule continues to expand and it is fitting that we take a look at some of our fantastic event venues that we are lucky enough to have on our schedule.  We are thankful to them all for their hospitality and support in various ways and I hope that you get an opportunity to visit them either at one of our events or separately making use of the great deals many of these places have for PGA Professionals.

I have just returned from my most recent trip where I was very fortunate to travel to the US PGA Championship with our Chairman, Sandy Jones. Whilst there, we were able to share some of the golf development initiatives taking place across Europe for an interview with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.

It would seem to me that there are some fantastic initiatives around the globe to encourage more people to play more golf more often and experience our wonderful sport. It would also seem that golf at the elite level could not be in a better place! The four men’s majors have been full of great golf, interesting story lines and excitement. Jason Day’s win at Whistling Straits (an amazing venue that is sure to provide a fitting stage when we return there for the Ryder Cup matches in 2020) saw him take his rightful place as a Major Champion after several near misses and he now joins Rory and Jordan in making up a triumvirate of twenty-somethings atop of the world rankings.

When you add in the fact that 17 year olds, in the form of Canadian, Brooke Henderson and Germany’s Dominic Foos (a member of the Junior Ryder Cup team in 2012), setting new records on the LPGA and European Challenge Tour respectively – the top of the professional games seems to be in a very exciting place!

I hope you enjoy the read this month and you are inspired by this issue to get out there and explore the golfing world.

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.