I'm back in my Connecticut office this morning going through the myriad photos and videos from my two awesome weeks of travel in Greece.
The sun soaked days flew by. As expected were ultra-impressed by the historical relics and picturesque beaches the country is known for, but we also discovered a nascent golf culture that's setting the stage for a significant growth in golf tourism here in the coming years. Over the next days I'll be posting about the resorts I visited... and as we head into 2010 I'll covering some of the exciting new golf developments in Greece.
I'll also be traveling to other amazing places where golf tourism is developing... and, while playing in Greece, I think we may have discovered a perfect destination for our next golf travel adventure:We were on the terrace at the delightful Crete Golf Club having drinks after our afternoon round and noticed an attractive couple of stylish seniors (looking like they just stepped out of a Cialis ad - minus the bathtubs) seated next to us. They were having an animated discussion about the Course we'd all just played. It wasn't long before they engaged us in their conversation and we came to find out that though they were indeed from the US, (Grosse Pointe, MI, originally) they now lived in Central America, in Panama to be exact. They explained that Panama, like Greece, has discovered the wonder of golf... and the benefits of golf tourism.
It seems that quite a number of North Americans are choosing to retire in this Central American country and take advantage of it's great weather, Atlantic and Pacific Beaches, low taxes, and now...golf. According to our new ex-Michigan friends, millions have been spent recently to make Panama a first-class golf destination and the courses are amazing. While we're not ready to relocate at this point they told us that there were some fabulous Panama hotels and resorts that would be perfect for a golf trip.So as I lay the ground work for a January golf escape I'll definitely be thinking Panama. Maybe we'll even get to see those matching bathtubs.
Photos: Greece Golf Travel on a BMW Bike & Porto Rafti Church © GolfGirlMedia ❀ Το Γκολφ στην Ελλάδα, Greek Golf Tourism
I'm not at all surprised to hear that Panama is luring golfers. I loved Central America as a non-golfer, I'm sure I'd love it even more now.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what you are up to next, Patricia! The Greek golf features are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAnd Heather, how are you doing toward your gold goal? Good Luck!
Cheers!
Catherine
Welcome back to the USA. It sounds like you had a great time and I can't wait to hear more about it! And Panama too. Good luck with jet lag.
ReplyDeleteI was just reading about the course Bernard Langer is designing in Greece. It sound like something worth going back for ;) I'm glad you enjoyed your trip.
ReplyDeleteWhy people from northern climes like ours choose Florida for golf trips in a warm location, I'll never know. Mexico, Puerto Rico and Panama are where it's and at the price difference is not that much and you are GUARANTEED temps in the 80's, not the 50's like Florida can be Jan-Mar
ReplyDeleteVince,
ReplyDeleteI would certainly include the Dominican Republic on that short list. It has a pretty wide range of courses in its own right.
Great job Patricia, you certainly know how to find the best in golf. I wonder what is the strangest place that you have been to featuring golf as its mecca?
ReplyDeletesingle golf clubs
selecting single
golf clubs
About the matching bathtubs: Please don't go there, OK?
ReplyDeleteI was in Panama last year but didn't get to play golf. It was a great place for a holiday tho and I will go back - thid time I'll play.
ReplyDeleteNice
ReplyDeleteExpense-able vacation as a pretend journalist
Priceless
Who you calling pretend, Mr. Pretend IRS Agent? Get a life.
ReplyDeleteOh, BTW. Some guy in Boston just got three years in prison and a $250,000 fine... for pretending to be an IRS agent on the internet.