PIN HIGH
Cabot Links
looks longer than you’d think. Like on 16, a favourable slope can help provide additional carry toward the green, even setting some up for a cheeky Texas wedge or putter approach. After surviving the wind and elements at Cliffs, the following day we tried our best at Cabot Links, a 6,860-yard, par 70 stretching between the sea and village of Inverness, with each hole offering an eye-catching ocean view. With five holes directly adjacent to the beach, Canada’s first authentic links course transports you from the Great White North to the Home of Golf without the transatlantic flight to Scotland. Open May to October, this walking- only resort is no better display of why Nova Scotia is Latin for New Scotland. Driving down the fairway in pursuit of our tee shots, we witnessed an attendant seemingly coming out of nowhere from our peripherals. Were we playing too slow? Did we do something wrong? While I’m learning Spanish on Duolingo, I’m definitely not conversational. … But after Finca Cortesin (Casares, Malaga, Spain)
a cordial greeting, the man handed us a white bag … full of locally sourced fruit. Later during the round, we encountered him again, this time being offered a cup of chicken soup broth which was a lifesaver the following day when we replayed the course in the rain. I’ve played at courses across the U.S. and abroad but have never been offered fresh fruit or soup during a round. But that’s the kind of unique hospitality offered at Finca Cortesin, which makes guests and golfers feel at home by highlighting local fare. Opened March 2006, Finca Cortesin is an independent luxury golf, hotel and spa destination spanning 532 acres in Casares, Spain, between Marbella and Sotogrande. Less than an hour’s drive from Málaga Airport, Finca Cortesin’s 18-hole course is a reflection of the retreat’s tranquil environment. Limited to 100 rounds per day at 12-minute intervals with the first tee time at 8:24 a.m., Finca doesn’t want overcrowded clubhouses, locker rooms or pro shops—it was built for you to enjoy golf and the surroundings at your own pace. Home to the now-defunct Volvo World Match Play Championship from 2009-12,
"But that’s the kind of unique hospitality offered at Finca Cortesin, which makes guests and golfers feel at home by highlighting local fare."
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