Thirty-four full time students and three PGA instructors from the Hartpury College Golf Academy during their annual 5-day intensive winter training camp 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.
“This is my second year coming to Desert Springs Resort with Hartpury College, and it is fair to say that the high standard of the accommodation and condition of the Indiana golf course and golf academy practice facilities have been kept impeccable.”
“Desert Springs is a fantastic resort with a golf course you would not miss any opportunity to play on. The resort has beautiful surroundings and I have had an amazing time and would definitely recommend it to others.”
Those are the verdicts of 18-year-old Matt Aston and 17-year old Sarah Riddeu respectively, two of thirty-four full time students aged between 15 – 18 years from The Hartpury College Golf Academy, based in Gloucester, England, who have returned from their annual visit to the Desert Springs Resort for a 5-day intensive winter training programme to develop their individual golfing skills between Sunday 9th – Friday 14th February.
Hartpury College Golf Academy Manager & PGA Instructor Richard King (Centre) with fellow Instructors Paul Johnson and Luke Fisher.
A Hartpury College Golf student plays their tee shot on Hole 4 “Cinch” 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.
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.
A Hartpury College Golf Academy Student working on there putting technique at the Desert Springs Short Game Academy.
Jo Harvey remarked of his experience at Desert Springs:
“This was my first time at Desert Springs Resort and already I can´t wait to return!
I feel my golf has taken a massive step forward in only a week. I´d like to say a big thank you to Richard King and the Staff that came and organised the training camp and a big thanks to all Desert Springs Staff.”
Hannath Stradding commented of her experience at Desert Springs: –
“This is my second time at Desert Springs Resort and if anything the course and facilities have improved.
The staff here are vey accommodating and the facilities are second to none.
I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute at Desert Springs and would not hesitate to recommend the resort to anybody.”
A Hartpury College Golf Academy student tees off on Hole 2 “Gulch” whilst another plays their tee shot into Hole 1 “Cactus Point” 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.
Richard King, Academy Manager at Hartpury College Golf Academy commented:
“Another fantastic week at Desert Springs Resort and plenty of playing and practice in the sun!
The staff and facilities are outstanding and I would recommend the resort to any golfer.”
Accommodation for the Hartpury College Golf Academy students and coaches was provided in the Apartments, Townhouses and Pueblo Villas available at Desert Springs.
Hartpury College Golf Academy PGA Instructors Paul Johnson and Luke Fisher commented of their experience at Desert Springs respectively: –
“I thoroughly enjoyed the week at Desert Springs. The course is a fantastic test of golf, with the resort offering excellent facilities too.”
“This was my first visit to Spain and Desert Springs and hopefully not the last!
Great service from all the staff that would do anything to make your stay better.”
- 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 Hartpury College Golf Academy visit the website www.hartpury.ac.uk
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 Hartpury College Golf Academy pupils, visiting groups have included golfing pupils from, Lee Westwood Golf Academy, Darren Clarke 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:
- 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.
