Twenty students from the Darren Clarke Golf School based at Greenmount Campus, Northern Ireland during their annual 4-day intensive winter training camp at the Desert Springs Resort with PGA Instructors Andy Peoples (Far Left) and Jack Murgatroyd (Far Right).
Three Darren Clarke Golf School PGA Instructors accompanied twenty boys aged between 15 – 19 years for 4-days of warm weather winter training at the Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almanzora region of Almeria in south-east Spain between 21st & 25th January.
“This has been a superb training camp and is the best place we have ever played golf!”
That is the verdict of 19-year old student Paddy Carser.
The training camp utilised the excellent practice facilities at the Desert Springs Golf Academy where the PGA Instructors were able provide one-to-one tuition and take advantage of the use of the Desert Springs short game academy.
Darren Clarke Golf School students working on there chipping technique at the Desert Springs Short Game Academy.
“A great place to practice and play and a really enjoyable training camp.”
“Desert Springs provides both great practice facilities and a great course, it was just a shame about my golf!”
Those are the verdicts of 19 year old Jamie Foley and 18 year old Max Thallo, two students from the Darren Clarke Golf School based at Greenmount Campus, Northern Ireland, who have returned from their visit to the Desert Springs Resort for a 4-day intensive winter training programme to develop their individual golfing skills.
Darren Clarke Golf School students working on there putting technique at the Desert Springs Short Game Academy.
A Darren Clarke Golf School student plays their approach shot into Hole 15 “Abyss” on the Indiana course at Desert Springs, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almanzora region of Almeria in south-east Spain.
Andy Peoples, Darren Clarke Golf School PGA Instructor commented:
“It has been a pleasure to be back once again at Desert Springs. The Indiana course and practice facilities were once again excellent.
We are made to feel extremely welcome by the resort staff who are all great and friendly.”
A Darren Clarke Golf School student plays their approach shot into Hole 18 “Last Chance” on the Indiana course at Desert Springs, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almanzora region of Almeria in south-east Spain.
Jack Murgatroyd, Darren Clarke Golf School PGA Instructor commented:
“This is now our fourth return visit to Desert Springs Resort to host our winter training camp and it has been another superb break enjoyed by all of our students and the resort staff were, as always, fantastic.”
Accommodation for the Darren Clarke Golf School students and coaches was provided in the apartments available at Desert Springs.
- For details of Golf & Sports Training Camps, Corporate Golf Events and Meetings at Desert Springs call 01242 680 116 or visit the website, www.almanzora.com
- To find out more about the Darren Clarke Golf School visit the website www.darrenclarkegolfschool.com
Additional background Information
Warm weather winter training camps at Desert Springs
Desert Springs, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course, is proving to be one of the most popular destinations for warm weather winter training camps among the growing number of schools with their own golf academies and teams, currently estimated at around 90 in the UK. In addition to Darren Clarke Golf School students, visiting groups have included golfing pupils from, Lee Westwood Golf School, Millfield School, Reading Blue Coat School at Sonning-on-Thames, King Edward’s School in Bath and Loretto School at Musselburgh near Edinburgh.
All school golf trips to Desert Springs are bespoke. If desired, the programme can include time away from the golf course for some local sightseeing in what many regard as ‘the real Spain.’
During their stay pupils have opportunities to swim, play tennis, football and use the gymnasium, trim trail, jogging tracks, paddle tennis and beach volley ball courts.
Desert Springs is easy to reach from the UK, thanks to three international airports. They are: Almeria Airport, around 40 minutes away by road; Murcia Airport, 80 minutes by car, and Alicante Airport which is a drive of less than two hours. Airlines currently flying to the region from the UK include easyJet, Monarch, Ryanair, Jet2, Jetair Fly and Thomas Cook.
Already well known as a resort specialising in family holidays, Desert Springs is gaining popularity as a centre for warm-weather training for cricketers and footballers, as well as golfers.
Accommodation is provided in the apartments and villas available for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs. Meals are served in the resort’s Croc Restaurant, part of the family-friendly Crocodile Club that is geared up for a wide variety of leisure activities and the award winning El Torrente Restaurant at the Club House.
A spokesman for Desert Springs said that, depending on the size of the group and its requirements, the total cost of a four-day trip for warm weather training, including flights, would work out at between £350 and £400 per person.
The Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club
Facilities already completed and in use at Desert Springs include:
The Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club
Facilities already completed and in use at Desert Springs include:
- a par 72 -18-hole USGA Indiana golf course designed by former Great Britain and Ireland
Golf Team Captain Peter McEvoy who was inspired by the desert courses of Arizona and California.
- a golf academy whose PGA qualified teaching professionals cater for several international
teams, for the women’s elite squads of the Golf Union of Wales and for many of the English County Union’s elite squads; PGA European Tour and LET players.
- two hard tennis courts, two paddle courts, beach volley ball and two football pitches – one is a
full-size grass pitch; the other is designed for five-a-side games;
- a Cricket Academy with facilities that comprise; a six bay grass wicket and run up with nets, a
two bay artificial wicket with nets, a full length artificial grass wicket, a Professional Bola Bowling Machine with 28 ball feeder, a slip catch cradle and a specific hard standing area, which provides outside space for facilities such as a free weights gym, stretching mats and a medical area
- a Spanish colonial style Golf Club House with a lounge, bar, restaurant, locker rooms, TV and
reading rooms, and a Ralph Lauren Golf Boutique;
- The Crocodile Club which provides family fun at the heart of the resort with pools, equipped
sand play areas, a kid’s battery powered John Deere Gator circuit and a games room as well as a Jacuzzi, sun lawns and a pool bar;
- a health and fitness club and spa.
Awards
In 2005 Desert Springs won the Daily Mail Best Almeria Award and the Bentley International Property Awards for the Best Spain Development and Best Architecture. In 2006, it was awarded the Spanish National Madera Verde Prize for Environmentally Sensitive Development. In 2007, the El Torrente Restaurant received the New Millennium International Gastronomy Award for the Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry. This award was created by the Trade Leaders Club with the aim of distinguishing companies from all countries, for the outstanding quality of their products or services.
The climate of the Almanzora coastal region
Desert Springs takes it name from the region’s desert microclimate, which is unique in Europe. It has the warmest winter weather on the continent with an annual average of more than nine hours of daily sunshine and maximum daily temperatures of between 16°C (60°F) and 30°C (86°F) throughout the year. Annual rainfall is less than 200 mm. The Almanzora’s coastal waters are among the cleanest and warmest in Europe, attracting both fish and diving enthusiasts.
Reader enquiries:
NOTE: High Resolution Images available upon request.
Simon Coaker
The Almanzora Group Ltd
The Manor, Boddington, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL51 0TJ
Tel: +44 (0) 1242 680116
e: tag@almanzora.co.uk
