Portugal was named the world’s best golf destination at the inaugural edition of the World Golf Awards over the weekend.
The awards ceremony also voted St Andrews Links – Old Course as the World’s Best Golf Course, and the relatively newcomer The Els Club Teluk Datai was recognized as the World’s Best New Golf Course.
The votes were submitted via the World Golf Awards website and the winners of each national category went head-to-head in a second round before the unveiling of the overall top courses and destinations.
From the website, the voters also awarded the title of Caribbean’s Best Golf Destination to the Dominican Republic , while Europe’s best New Golf Course went to the newly renovated Quinta do Lago – North Course in the Algarve.
The awards also recognised the Former English pro golfer Peter Alliss and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to the Golf Industry, while victorious European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley was lauded as Golf Personality of the Year.
Professionals working within the golf travel and tourism industry, including senior executives, travel buyers and tour operators cast the majority of the votes, but submissions were also made by golfing tourists themselves, as part of a ‘first-past-the-post’ system to ensure impartiality and independence.
