And the pride of Portugal triumphed in style by receiving an impressive 32% of the total number of votes – Turkey finished runners-up with 19% with long established golfing hotspot the Costal del Sol surprisingly languishing in fourth spot behind fellow Spanish region Costa Brava.

The first TG Travel Awards, held in conjunction with major golf travel operator Your Golf Travel, has been warmly received by golfers from all over the country who voted in their thousands for their favourite destinations, courses and hotels/resorts both in Europe and the UK.

Algarve venues also came out on top in Portugal’s Best Courses and Hotel/Resort categories with Vilamoura’s wonderful Old Course convincingly winning the former and Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo pipping another old favourite, Le Meridien Penina, to the latter spoils.

Spain’s resounding category victors were 1997 Ryder Cup venue Valderrama (Best Course) and La Manga (Best Hotel/Resort) and it’s been a memorable year for Paris National which followed up being awarded the 2018 Ryder Cup by being voted France’s top course by TG’s readers and YGT clients.

Meanwhile, former Ryder Cup hosts the K Club, Celtic Manor and The Belfry all celebrated emphatic double successes.

One of the closest categories was for France’s Best Hotel/Resort, St Malo Hotel G&CC in Brittany just edging out Le Manoir (Le Touquet) and the Four Seasons Terre Blanche near Nice.

“Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to all the golfers who took the time and trouble to vote for their personal favourites. The inaugural awards have exceeded all our expectations and hopefully in time they will be referred to as the ‘oscars of the golf travel industry,’” said TG editor Andy Calton.

Panel

TG TRAVEL AWARDS WINNERS

Best Value Destination (Continental Europe) – 1 The Algarve 32%, 2 Turkey 19%, 3 Costa Brava 11%.

Spain. Best Course – Valderrama 53%, 2 PGA Catalunya 20%, 3 San Roque 8%;

Best Hotel/Resort – 1 La Manga 42%, 2 Melia Golf Vichy Catalan 13%, 3 La Quinta 12%.

Portugal. Best Course – 1 Vilamoura Old 31.31, 2 Palmares 11.63, 3 San Lorenzo 11.55; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo 15.44, 2 Le Meridien Penina 15.22, 3 Dom Pedro Vilamoura 13.74.

France. Best Course – 1 Paris National 30, 2 Le Touquet 26, 3 Fontainebleau 9; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 St Malo Hotel G&CC 21, 2 Le Manoir 20.31, 3 Four Seasons Terre Blanche 19.97.

North of England. Best Course – Royal Birkdale 39, 2 Royal Lytham & St Anne’s 34, 3 De Vere Slaley Hall 13; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 De Vere Carden Park 43, 2 Rockliffe Hall 23, 3 Linden Hall 15.

South of England. Best Course – 1 Wentworth West 41, Sunningdale Old 24, 3 Woburn G&CC 18; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 The Grove 32, 2 Marriott Hanbury Manor 27, 3 Stoke Park 23.

West of England. Best Course – St Mellion 49, 2 Saunton East 17, 3 Trevose G&CC 12; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 Trevose G&CC 21.05, 2 Manor House at Castle Combe 20.88, 3 Bovey Castle 20.08.

East & Midlands. Best Course – 1 The Belfry (Brabazon) 43, 2 Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin) 23, 3 Forest of Arden (Arden) 16; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 The Belfry 51, 2 Marriott Forest of Arden 22, 3 Forest Pines 12.

Scotland. Best Course – 1 Old Course St Andrews 24, 2 Turnberry (Ailsa) 16, 3 Loch Lomond 13; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 Gleneagles 35, 2 Old Course Hotel, St Andrews 23, 3 Turnberry 18.

Wales. Best Course – 1 Celtic Manor Twenty Ten 53, 2 Royal Porthcawl 15, 3 Royal St David’s 11; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 Celtic Manor 80, 2 Marriott St Pierre 11, 3 The Vale 7.

Ireland. Best Course – 1 K Club 28, 2 Royal Portrush (Dunluce) 21, 3 Ballybunion Old 13; Best Hotel/Resort – 1 K Club 46, 2 Portmarnock Hotel Links 11, 3 Lough Erne 10.

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