Ian Woosnam discusses Apes Hill, The Ryder Cup and his love for Barbados

Sitting down to discuss his longheld love affair with the island of Barbados, Ian Woosnam revealed what makes Apes Hill, one of the island's best courses, so special.

Johnny Percival

27 Sep 2023

Renowned for its white sandy beaches, outstanding hospitality and agreeable year-round climate, Barbados has been a premier travel destination for many years.

The island is also home to some of the finest golf courses in the Caribbean, and amongst those is Apes Hill.

Having undergone a significant renovation at the hands of Ron Kirby, Apes Hill reopened in 2022 with a state-of-the-art performance centre and a growing luxurious real estate community.

Ryder Cup legend Ian Woosnam spends nearly half of his year on the island now as he prepares for tournament golf on the Legends Tour, and discussing life at his second home, he was eager to highlight what makes Apes Hill such a fantastic golf course.

He said:

"I've seen the course develop from its very beginnings. It’s a spectacular piece of land, and you get these amazing panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The elevations are something else.

"It is just a great set-up and the course is so much fun, and really is very playable for all levels of golfer. It's definitely my kind of course where you can just get lost in the surroundings, but also it's very clever and has some wonderful holes."

Featuring a whole host of new additions to the property, the course itself has also undergone substantial work since the arrival of Canadian investor Glenn Chamandy in 2019.

Under the watchful eye of renowned course architect Ron Kirby, Apes Hill was renovated beautifully, with a number of changes made to the original design.

Discussing the transformation, Woosnam said:

"They shortened the first and tenth holes, are they've created lots of different plots to the golf course. What I really like is the way it’s been made so playable, which is so important. They have been lots of little tweaks. It's not somewhere you're going to lose a bunch of balls, either. Lose one and it'll have been a really poor shot. Softening the greens has helped a little, too.

"The second hole has been made into this terrific risk/reward hole. Then there's the16th, 'Cave', the signature hole, which I imagine would be one of the most photographed holes on the course. A coral rock hugs the hole behind the green with water down the right. It's a special par-3 that comes after another a terrific stretch from 12-15. The 18th is spectacular, too – you'll have some fun playing that one, let me tell you."

Scroll down...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Apes Hill Barbados (@apeshillbarbados)

With the newly renovated 18-hole course now open to visitors, work has also begun on a 9-hole par 3 course that will be an ideal spot for short game practice and introducing the game of golf to younger players.

A new state-of-art-practice facility has also been built on-site, featuring two coaching bays kitted out with Swing Catalyst video analysis software, a Puttview interactive putting matt, and an extensive range of fitness equipment.

Clearly impressed by the addition, Woosnam was full of praise for the facility, saying:

The performance and teaching centre is world-class, arguably the best facility of its kind in the Caribbean that I’m sure will attract the top professionals who want somewhere that's state-of-the-art to play and practise. If you were an American Tour player, for example, what a place to base yourself for two weeks or so, resting up and doing some work on your game.

Scroll down...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Apes Hill Barbados (@apeshillbarbados)

While discussing his love for Barbados and Apes Hill, Ian Woosnam was also eager to talk about the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Having won the cup four times as a player and once as a captain, he knows a fair amount about the prestigious event and was keen to share his memories and thoughts ahead of the highly anticipated start on Friday.

Discussing who he thinks is going to win the cup, Woosnam revealed it could be too close to call.

He said:

"It's tough to call but home advantage really will play a part. Europe played a great American Team over in Whistling Straights in 2021 and they never seemed to really get going and maybe that was because of the lack of support.

"But things are a bit more balanced this year and playing in Europe will help. I also think some of our top players are in better form. So, it’s tough to call at the moment. Can I sit on the fence and say it’s 50-50?"

Woosie was also sympathetic towards Adrian Meronk's exclusion from Team Europe, recounting a story of when he was left in a similar position.

He added:

"I do think Adrian Meronk is unfortunate to miss out. I know I said don't read too much into stats, but his stats stand out! He has been in good, solid form, looks to have a really good temperament and most importantly, he has won three times in the last 16 months, with one of those victories coming at the venue for the event in Italy.

"In 1995, I missed out on automatic qualification, which was the only time I did in my career, and I didn't get a pick. I finished 11th on the Order of Merit and there were only two picks, and Jose Maria Olazabal was picked ahead of me, and I am pretty sure that was because Seve Ballesteros would have wanted Ollie there so he could be paired with him."

To find out more about Apes Hill and what else Barbados has to offer, visit apeshill.com

TAKE ME TO MORE TRAVEL NEWS!