Beginning of the 2000s: Mauritius decides to bet on golf and high-end hotels to boost tourism. Bet won. Today, more than 50 golfers, mainly from Europe, come each year to discover this little French-speaking paradise nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, its exceptional climate all year round - the thermometer rarely goes down. - below 000 ° C - and the good nature of its inhabitants. With ten 20 holes (and soon more), all of very high quality, and only two or three hours of jet lag, this former French and then English colony of just over a million inhabitants has become a popular destination for all addicted to the little white ball. A golf pass has even recently made it possible to obtain preferential rates (up to 18% reduction) on eight courses on the island *.

To the east, eden

With four 18 holes, the east of Mauritius is the part which concentrates the most fairways and greens. Drawn by Ernie Els, the Anahita Golf Club invites you to swing… in a postcard, with six holes that seem to defy the ocean and an apotheosis finish on 17, one of the most beautiful par 3 on the golf course. Here, as on many courses in Mauritius, the fairways are wide and welcoming, the real challenge starting from the second shot.

The golf course winds through the heart of a magnificent tropical garden, surrounded by the largest lagoon of the island on one side, the mountain range on the other, which holds the clouds for you. Beware of sunburn! Here, the wind is a refreshing caress and makes you easily forget that you need to protect yourself. If he wakes up in a bad mood, he can even make life difficult for the best. Hole 8, a long par 3 of over 200 meters, would one day have forced the great Ernie Els to take out his driver, headwind ... his ball finally ending up short of the green. For those who wish to offer themselves a taste of paradise, luxury villas are currently built around the course and on the edge of the lagoon.

https://www.anahita.mu/fr

Another golf legend is behind the 18-hole Cerfs Island : Bernhard Langer. This emblematic golf course of Mauritius, ranked by Golfscape in the top 100 of the most beautiful courses on the planet, is an enchanted stroll between lakes and mangrove forests, steep volcanic outcrops and white sand bunkers. With, the icing on the cake, some grandiose panoramas of the ocean, especially on the way back, which will make you hang out on the greens more than usual. As its name suggests, this par 72 is invited on a small island and it is necessary to sail on the water eight minutes to get there. “It's a unique experience, says Kevy Mohun, the golf pro and assistant manager.  Getting on a boat to go golf is special. Everyone takes pictures when they land on the site! "

Inaugurated in 2003, Langer set the bar so high that Île aux Cerfs first had the reputation of being unplayable for amateurs. "The course drove some players crazy, who sometimes threw their clubs in rage in the water", laughs even the former French n ° 1 Marc Farry, often passing through Mauritius. In 2013, the golf course was significantly enlarged and simplified, the bush cleaned up, making the challenge much more affordable for larger index fingers. Par 5s are still formidable, however, and require expert precision, like the 11, which requires hitting three forehands like an “i” to hope to reach a huge elevated and well-defended green. The last hole, once disastrous, has recently had the astonishing feature of offering two greens to choose from. We strongly advise you to aim for the one on the left, less scary and shorter by a good thirty meters ...

https://www.ileauxcerfsgolfclub.com/

Former deer hunting reserve, the Links Golf Course owes its name above all to its undulating and rolling fairways, which evoke those of Scottish courses by the sea. And yet, no view of the ocean here, even if it is located only a few hundred meters . Regardless, this par 72 offers a beautiful setting, chiseled by volcanic rocks and water features as ornaments. A golf course as aesthetic as it is fun which turns out to be one of the island's great surprises. The Swing Restaurant, which overlooks the course, is the ideal place to cool off or eat at sunset. Walking through the corridors of the club house, we even learn that in 2006, a hole in one was made on the 7 by a certain… Michel Platini.

https://www.constancehotels.com/fr/true-experiences/golf/links/

A stone's throw from the Links, the Legend Golf course is the other course which hosts the final stage of the Senior Tour every year in December. Dotted with ponds, the second part of this par 72 turns out to be formidably technical, like the 12-13 sequence, the local “Amen Corner”. Everything is possible here, from birdie to disaster hole, and lucidity and precision take precedence over temerity and power. Hole 13, a tricky short par 5 that at first seems achievable in 2, requires some coolness if you don't want to tear your scorecard in spite. The scenic 17 hole and its flight over the lagoon but also the herds of deer that accompany you on certain fairways make this 18 hole golf course apart.

https://www.constancehotels.com/fr/true-experiences/golf/legend/

The north comes to the party

For a year and a half now, the northern part of Mauritius, where Club Med des Canonniers is located, has also had its 18 holes. Sculpted by Peter Matkovich, Mont Choisy Golf is a very young championship course which offers a sizeable challenge to experienced players. The wind, which seldom naps here, makes life difficult for golfers, especially as the "fatak" - the local wild grass - lurks close to the fairway. Better to take some ammunition with you at the start.

Perfectly manicured, Mont Choisy has a false air of links at first before transforming into American golf on the return. Subtle and deliciously varied, this par 72 occupies the site of a former sugar cane plantation and offers a typical face of Mauritius, with its outcrops of ebony-colored volcanic rocks, palm trees and endemic plants. Don't leave the club house without asking for a "kitsoz", the typical cocktail of Mauritian golfers.

http://www.montchoisygolf.com/fr

In the center, history and geography

It is quite simply the oldest golf course in the southern hemisphere! Emerged from the earth in ... 1844, the Gymkhana Club initially served as a mess for British naval officers. Like the nearly century-old Carthage golf course in Tunisia, this narrow par 68 looks more like a compact course, with holes that sometimes get tangled up. In short, an 18-hole course from another time, to play to make history.

https://www.mgc.mu/

A real crush now. Nestled in the tea plantations of the Bois Chéri mountains, the Avalon Golf Estate is a magical, wild and green course, especially since it benefits from an above average humidity level, especially in winter (summer for us). The relief holding the clouds hostage, the local grain can be as virulent as it is ephemeral. True Irish weather, but around 18 degrees plus. This young 2015-hole course, designed by Peter Matkovich in XNUMX, is a hilly and colorful walk, adorned with an astonishing diversity of flowers and framed by fandias, these Mauritian trees that can only be found at high altitude. In summer, the blue sky serves as the horizon, unless it is the Indian Ocean. In short, the Avalon Golf will amaze you and the charm operates especially as the course is much less frequented than most of the island's golf courses since it is located away from the main tourist resorts. For putting specialists, it is also the only local course with bentgrass greens and not Bermuda shorts. To play absolutely.

https://avalon.mu/

To the southwest, paradise

Twice elected best course in the Indian Ocean at the World Golf Awards, Heritage Golf Club was designed by… Peter Matkovich at the foot of the Bel Ombre estate on a former sugar cane plantation. Rocks, rivers, tufts of vetivers and palm tree jungles help make this par 72 as aesthetic as it is challenging, the course having recently hosted an event co-organized by the European, Asian and Sunshine Tour. Some high departures and the lakes and streams on the return will give you a few thrills, before a memorable finish and two last holes that offer a majestic view of the ocean. Another course signed Louis Oosthuizen (and… Peter Matkovich) should soon be inaugurated, not far from there.

https://heritagegolfclub.mu/fr/home

If we were not afraid of taking the easy way out, we would be tempted to write that it bears its name well. The Paradis Golf Club, it is first of all an anthology of breathtaking holes. 8, at the foot of the Le Morne mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a short par 4 below, with a water obstacle upstream of the green, which it is very tempting to attack ... risks and dangers. Dangers will also have to be overcome from the next hole, a very long par 4 with an island hole. The drive is delicate and the scratch on the second try is strongly discouraged here under penalty of being expensive. Holes 12, 13 and 17 are protected by the turquoise waters of the lagoon, the palm going to the splashing - there are no other words - hole 16, a par 5 in Peeble Beach mode, which requires flying over the ocean before reaching a small green surrounded by water. In strong winds, we play the hole in apnea and in thirty minutes, photos oblige. Bougainvilleas, poinsettias, araucarias, royal palms, casuarinas and coconut palms decorate this memorable postcard course, the oldest in Mauritius (1992) if we put aside the Gymkhana, standout. A new look clubhouse, with the reception integrated into the pro-shop, should see the light of day next winter.

https://www.beachcomber-hotels.com/fr/golf/your-golf-experience/paradis-golf-club

It is the longest 18 hole course in Mauritius. With its 6 meters (pro tees), the Tamarina Golf Club gives off an African scent with its guinea fowl, deer and even monkeys, which can be seen at the beginning of the return holes. Put your laptop and your belongings in a safe place, because these harmless primates (they are not mean at Tamarina) will not hesitate to open the zippers of your golf bag to rummage in and see if there is nothing to snack ! The start of the course is peaceful with wide fairways and the majestic mountain of the rampart in the background (the opportunity to take some beautiful photos). The first acceleration in heart rate occurs at 5, a par 5 that requires you to drive over a small cliff and then offers two different access routes to the green. After tasting a lemongrass or a delicious local tamarind juice offered by the house halfway through, you will face the par 5 of 11 where anything is possible before admiring the 13, a breathtaking par 3.

Located in the driest part of the island, this charming 18-hole course is also distinguished by very large greens which will test your science of dosage and your touch of the ball when putting. "Each hole is different, it's a golf course that requires you to use all your clubs", underlines Alain Lenoir, manager of Tamarina and president of the Mauritius Golf Tourism Association **. Before adding: “I often say that you have to play the course twice. The first time we discover it, the second we appreciate it ”.

http://tamarina.mu/golf/fr/

Where to stay?

To the East, The Anahita Golf & Spa Resort is one of the most beautiful hotels in Mauritius. This 5 * on a human scale has large villas with 1 to 5 bedrooms, a bar, 5 restaurants and a recently renovated spa. Green fees offered for hotel guests on the adjoining Anahita Golf Club and Île aux Cerfs courses.

https://www.anahita.mu/fr

The Constance Belle Mare is a 5 * hotel ideally located near the Links and Legend golf courses (green fees offered to customers). With 7 restaurants, 6 bars, 4 swimming pools, a gigantic private beach of 2 km, the establishment has a spa very close to the Legend course, with unforgettable relaxing massages. The Blue Penny Cellar offers a high-level gastronomic experience, great wines served by attentive sommeliers. The restaurant located in the heart of an incredible wine cellar offers nearly 15000 bottles from 13000 wineries around the world. The establishment also hosts the prestigious Bernard l'Oiseau Culinary Festival. The superb buffet in the main restaurant is as varied as it is delicious.

https://www.constancehotels.com/fr/hotels-et-resorts/maurice/belle-mare-plage/

North, the Canonnier Beachcomber is considered the best 4 * on the island with excellent value for money. Ideal for golfers coming with the family, the Mont Choisy course (preferential rate of 50 euros, cart included for customers) being located five minutes away and the Mauritius Aquarium 8 km away. Camped on an old French fortress from the XNUMXth century^e century (here, half of the clientele is French-speaking), the hotel extends over 7 hectares of tropical gardens and has 3 restaurants. A mini golf course inspired by the holes of Mont Choisy has just been inaugurated. Finally, an astonishing massage center has cabins combining thatch, ravenale and wood… suspended on the branches of a bicentennial banyan tree!

https://www.beachcomber-hotels.com/fr/hotel/canonnier-golf-resort-spa

At the South West, Paradise Beachcomber Golf Resort is nicely nestled on the Morne peninsula, 6 km from the lands of the Septs Couleurs and 9 km from the Black River Gorges National Park. When you leave your room, you can find yourself either with your feet in the water or on the course, the golf course being integrated into the hotel! Customers benefit from preferential rates, as well as for the Mont Choisy, Avalon and Tamarina courses. Children are pampered, with qualified babysitters and many activities on offer. Great service and quality cuisine at the Italian restaurant La Palma.

https://www.beachcomber-hotels.com/fr/hotel/paradis-golf-resort-spa

Air Mauritius

Photo: DR

Equipped for six months with brand new Airbus A350s, the Mauritius company offers a daily (night) flight per day from Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport. We have tested for you the Business Class, which allows you to travel at an exceptional level of comfort and privacy: VIP lounge in airports, reclining seat to the reclining position in the cabin, private hull, varied meals, personalized service, multilingual feature films in digital quality and a selection of recent international albums… In short, traveling in Business Class at Air Mauritius is almost the guarantee of seeing the 11 hours of flight go faster than a tour of the Parisian periphery during rush hour!

https://www.airmauritius.com/index_fr.htm

Frank Crudo

* https://www.mauritiusgolftourism.com/golf-pass/

** The MGTA brings together golf directors and golf resorts in Mauritius to promote the destination and golf tourism.