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If you’re going to Mauritius for the golf (and you’d be surprised how many people do), you will not be disappointed. With 10 18-hole courses and two nine-hole courses, you could – almost – play a different course every day for two weeks. And there are a few in the pipeline. All the courses offer lessons, and most have excellent practice facilities.
Anahita Golf Course
Designed by Ernie Els, Anahita Golf Course is 26 hectares of perfection on what was once a sugar plantation. The 72-par course features six oceanfront holes and five mini-forests. Anahita Golf & Spa Resort has hosted two editions of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, in 2016 and 2018. The event is sanctioned by the European, Sunshine and Asian Tours and sees some of the world’s top golfers travelling to Mauritius to compete for the €1 million prize fund.
Île aux Cerfs Golf Club
The 72-par, 6,469-metre course at Île aux Cerfs Golf Club (formerly known as Le Touessrok) is set on its own tiny tropical island and is universally regarded as one of the most beautiful golf courses on earth. Designer Bernhard Langer wanted, in Île aux Cerfs, to give golfers an experience that engages and awakens all the senses. He succeeded brilliantly in a course that’s as idyllic as it is engaging. It’s the only one on earth where you get into a boat to tee off.
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The Legend at Belle Mare Plage
Designed by the great South African champion Hugh Baiocchi in 1994, the Legend golf course is one of two 18-hole tracks at the Belle Mare Plage resort. It’s set in a former hunting reserve and features water hazards that are legendary both in how tricky they make the game, and in how jaw-droppingly beautiful they are. This par-72, 6,018-metre course is a must-play on any golfing itinerary.
The Links at Belle Mare Plage
The 71-par Links course at Belle Mare Plage on the east coast of Mauritius is the more accessible of the two 18-hole layouts at this upmarket resort. The four-par 4th and 17th holes are particularly scenic, but – saving the best till last – the 18th hole ends virtually on the beach at Bras Requin Bay.
Gymkhana Golf Club
Dating back to 1844, Mauritius’s oldest golf course is also one of the oldest in the world. Originally the Mauritius Naval and Military Gymkhana Club, the course (and associated facilities) was handed over to a non-military committee in 1976. As the only Mauritian golf facility that is not attached to a residential estate or a hotel, or both, it is the most diverse and accessible course on the island. It has, obviously, been renovated a few times, but it still comes with a fistful of heritage.
Tamarina Golf Estate
Tamarina has the distinction of being the first ever residential golf estate on the island, located to make the most of both ocean and river. Named after the beautiful tamarind trees that grow prolifically on the west coast, this gorgeous course has an almost savanna-like feel. While it is, obviously, part of the eponymous estate, it is secluded and located well away from the homes.
Paradis Golf Club
Situated on the southwestern corner of Mauritius at the Paradis Hotel and Golf Club, this course straddles the narrow Morne Peninsula that separates the ocean from a beautiful lagoon. In the shadow of the iconic Le Morne mountain, the par-72 course offers spectacular views of the lagoon, ocean and the mountain itself.
Heritage Golf Club (aka Golf du Château)
The award-winning 72-par course at the Heritage Golf Club at Bel Ombre in the southern part of the island was designed by South African firm Peter Matkovich and Hayes to take advantage of the rolling mountains on one side, and the deep blue of the lagoon on the other. Comprising more than 100 hectares of gorgeous scenery, it forms part of Le Telfair Golf and Wellness Resort. It has hosted three editions of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Avalon Golf Estate
Avalon Golf Estate is located inland, and borders on the Black River Gorges National Park. The 72-par course is designed around indigenous forests, giving the natural environment the respect it deserves. It’s a haven for birdsong, flora, sparkling waterways and magnificent views of the coast. Avalon’s 155-metre par-three 7th hole demands that players drive the ball over a deep gorge to a small, well-protected green, providing one of the most exciting tee-off locations in the world.
Mont Choisy Le Golf
Set on the breathtaking northern part of the Island, Mont Choisy golf course is the central sporting component of the Mont Choisy Le Parc Golf & Beach Estate. The par-72, 6,447-metre course, designed by Peter Matkovich, features the distinctive black volcanic rock outcrops that are characteristic of this part of the island. It is fast becoming one of the favourites and most popular golf courses in Mauritius – largely as it is sufficiently challenging for golfers at any level but even beginners can have a rewarding game if they choose their tees well.
Shandrani Golf Course
The nine-hole, par-29, 768-metre Shandrani Golf Course is situated at the popular Shandrani Beachcomber resort. It’s an accessible mashie course that is perfect for beginners, but it can also offer a challenge to experienced golfers if they strategise carefully.
Maritim Golf Course
This par-29, 768-metre nine-hole course has two tees for each hole so, while it is a great course for beginners, more experienced players can enjoy a relaxing and scenic game. Attached to the Maritim Hotel in the northwest of the island, the course takes full advantage of Mauritius’s topography, offering interesting elevation, and some surprisingly long shots – the longest hole is 340 metres, which is almost half the course length.
