Top broadcaster Chris Hollins will bring an added touch of class to next month’s ‘Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic’ after being signed up to compere the inaugural event in the idyllic island of Madeira.
Presenter Hollins, who was also crowned Strictly Come Dancing champion in 2009, will make sure proceedings go with an added swing when players from all over Europe head to Palheiro Golf for the event from October 1-5.
A familiar face on UK television having presented some of the nation’s most popular sports and entertainment shows over the last two decades including BBC Breakfast, Watchdog and events such as royal weddings and The Olympics, Hollins is also an accomplished sportsman and golfer and is relishing the chance to discover everything Madeira has to offer as a golfing destination.
“I’m fortunate to have played golf in many beautiful places in the world but never in Madeira,” said Hollins. I’ve heard a lot about the islands and I can’t wait.
“It’s always fun when you travel to new places. I’ve been lucky enough to spend this summer travelling around Ireland with Paul McGinley for a new show I’m doing about the world’s greatest golf holes, and to have the opportunity to be part of a new event that showcases Madeira as a golf destination is something that I’m very excited about.”
Named as the world and Europe’s leading island destination at the 2020 World Travel Awards, Madeira boasts three first-class golf courses as well as an array of outstanding historic, cultural and lifestyle experiences.
Taking place at the start of next month and being held in aid of the Make A Wish children’s charity, the ‘Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic’ features the chance to combine world-class golf with the opportunity to experience a slice of Madeira’s famous culture and history – including the islands’ globally acclaimed annual ‘Festa da Flor’ Flower Festival.
One of Europe’s top golf resorts, Palheiro Golf is situated within the magnificent Palheiro Nature Estate, which is more than 200 years old, and players can choose from an array of five-star hotel and self-catering accommodation – with three-night breaks starting from only €172.5 per person.
All packages include entry into the 18-hole individual Stableford competition on Palheiro Golf’s acclaimed championship course, a pre-tournament sunset welcome party and a prize-giving ceremony with cocktail at the Palheiro Gardens.
A trip to the island’s capital of Funchal to the Madeira Flower Festival follows the day after the tournament with free golf also included in the event package, while on Monday October 4 there will be a special visit to the famous Blandy’s Madeira Wine Lodge in Funchal including wine tasting.
Rodrigo Ulrich, board member at Palheiro Golf, said: “We are thrilled that a broadcaster of Chris’s status and reputation can join us for the inaugural event. I know that he is also extremely passionate about his golf and I’m sure that he will contribute greatly to what promises to be an outstanding four days, on and off the course.
Palheiro Golf is one of three outstanding golf venues in the archipelago of Madeira. Designed by Cabell B. Robinson, the venue’s par-72, 6,656-yard (6,086m) course is nearly 1,640ft above sea level and enjoys dramatic views of Madeira’s mountainous skyline and the ocean, as well as – nestling below, just 10 minutes away – the island’s capital, Funchal.
Palheiro Golf and the other two-18 hole courses in Madeira and her islands, Clube de Golfe Santo da Serra and Porto Santo Golf, have enjoyed a steady increase in overseas bookings in the last 12 months with growing numbers of European golfers eager to experience the many benefits of playing first-class golf in a safe and secure environment.
Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – the island destination, named as the world and Europe’s leading island destination at the 2020 World Travel Awards, enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect year-round location for a golf break.
The best way to enjoy the archipelago’s golf is with a Madeira Golf Passport which, providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience, is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.
For more information about the ‘Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic’ and to book, please see here.
For more information on Madeira, please visit: www.madeiraallyear.com
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