Great escapes

Yet as we slip towards autumn you can guarantee that elsewhere in the golfing world there'll be no need for waterproofs and umbrellas: Somewhere something more akin to summer will live on. And very soon children around the country will be dragging their heels and newly covered books back for another school year, working wonders on the prices of flights and holidays, and making a foreign get-away a tempting option.

With the strength of sterling you'll also get plenty of bang for your bucks if you choose your destination wisely. The options are near endless, so here are a few of our ideas on great golfing destinations.

Europe

Enniscrone, West Coast beauty

While it’s amazing that Portugal has never really produced a top European Tour pro – apart from Daniel Silva, winner of the 1992 Jersey Open - it’s not for the want of providing some of the best golfing facilities you will find anywhere in Europe.

But while Silva’s fortunes have sadly evaporated, his nation’s courses have blossomed. Lisbon - and particularly the Algarve coast on Portugal’s southern tip - have now established themselves as fabulous destinations for legions of golfers escaping for a winter break to tone up their game and hone a competitive edge before embarking on a summer of golf back home. And there are few places on the continent - even around the world - that provide better value and a chance to get some sun on your back during the gloom of an English winter.

Indeed Lisbon, as the cultural capital city - now served by direct daily flights from London and several other UK cities - has realised that appropriate investment in golf courses along its Atlantic shores can give a major boost to its economy. On the balmy Algarve peninsular, some of the world’s greatest golf course designers have been busy carving out seaside and parkland gems like San Lorenzo, Penina, Vila Sol and Val da Lobo.

Even Madeira, an exotic Atlantic Island and Portuguese enclave, has two excellent courses to entertain the golfing holidaymaker - Palheiro and the Robert Trent Jones - designed Campo de Golfe.

While Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia, have done much to promote golf in Spain, the locals still account for only a tiny proportion of those using the nation’s exceptional golf facilities. Spain has become a mecca for golfers from abroad - and even the Swedes and the Germans have been putting down their markers as the game builds in popularity.

But you don’t have to restrict your golf to the popular sites. There are dozens of destinations to choose on the Costa Blanca for example, from Valencia’s El Saler links in the north to the famed La Manga Resort on the southern tip.

Portugal and Spain don’t have it all to themselves you can search out pars, pizza and pasta in Italy and Turkish tee times around the buzzing bistros of Belek, don’t come much better than the National, Gloria, Tat International and Nobulus golf complexes.

France is fast becoming the golf and gourmet capital of the continent where you can combine your two favourite pastimes in quiet luxury. There’s little queuing for golf in France where the courses are widespread and of great quality from Normandy and Brittany, to Bordaux and Lyon, the Cote d’Azur and around Paris.

Further afield

South Africa– especially with the strength of the pound against the rand - has both the climate and the courses to satisfy every taste in golf.

But the really huge draw is that, under pretty much guaranteed blue skies, you can play for less than a tenner. Beware the tourist rate that some courses sometimes apply, however, as they try to charge UK prices to those they think can afford it. One way around it is to get a local to book for you, or ideally to play with. Failing that, plead your case with the pro, claiming temporary residence: It worked for one of us.

If you are considering the United States as a destination, North Carolina, around Pinehurst and the Grand Strand courses of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, provides the most attractive packages.

With over 100 courses to choose from flanking a 50-mile stretch of Highway 45near Myrtle Beach, you could play a different one every day for three months and still not complete the quota available.

Cape Cod is also growing in popularity but its climate is more suited to an April to October visit. Alternatively the year-round courses of Arizona, Florida and Las Vegas, may suit the bigger spenders.

New Zealand - may be the other side of the world, but how does a £5 green fee for a round on an outstandingly beautiful coastal course sound? From the exclusive 'Golf Harbour' near Auckland to far more modest and less 'expensive' options, New Zealand is awash with golf courses. You might not want to travel that far specifically for golf, but Bill Clinton certainly thought it worth the trip.

Obviously this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to golfing holidays, and you'll find lots of other ideas in our new travel section on the site. And why not let us know of your particular favourites on the forum? Oh, and before you dash off to catch that plane, you might want to check out our Golf travel tips.