| We all have tick-lists...Restaurants we
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| | Paris, is a parkland course with thick
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| have to eat at, hotels we have to stay
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| | rough and tricky greens. The bunkers are
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| in, things we have to do. For golfers,
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| | perfectly-placed and every hole presents
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| it's the tick-list of "Courses I have to
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| | a challenge - whether it's the length, an
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| play before I die (and preferably whilst
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| | oak tree overhanging the fairway corner,
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| I can still get round a golf course under
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| | a triple-tiered green or a massive bunker
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| 100)".
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| | in the middle of the fairway. One of the
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| I've been lucky enough to play golf on
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| | best golf courses in the world, and
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| five of the six continents (Australasia
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| | definitely deserving of a place in my
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| here I come!) and have always travelled
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| | golf top 10!
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| with my clubs since the age of nine. Over
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| | Canouan Island
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| the years I have seen amazing variety in
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| | Having just come back from here and lost
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| golf course design - I calculate that
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| | about five balls per round, I want to go
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| I've played circa 1,500 golf clubs and I
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| | back again better prepared. Part of the
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| don't want to know how many balls I've
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| | Grenadine Islands, this is a corner of
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| lost! It was inevitable that I've played
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| | paradise and the Jim Fazio golf course
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| golf courses that would be better used as
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| | fits in perfectly. The front nine is
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| cow fields and others that I could play
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| | demanding off the tee as the landing
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| for the rest of my life. Some of the golf
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| | zones are quite narrow and the wind off
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| courses' architecture is flattering on
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| | the beach (just yards away) can really
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| the handicap and others make you think
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| | punish the ball. The back nine is
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| hard, struggle some more and eventually
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| | treacherous and wonderful at the same
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| abandon all thoughts of posting a decent
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| | time...every shot has to be spot on. The
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| medal card. Nevertheless, if the course
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| | greens and fairways are immaculate but
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| can beat you up and still entice you back
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| | the rough is fluffy and the thick stuff
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| for more, it must be good. Here's my top
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| | is a no-go zone! The best golf course
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| 10 golf courses that provide a difficult
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| | architecture in the Caribbean by a long
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| challenge.
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| | way.
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| Kingbarns
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| | Pebble Beach
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| Wow, this golf course's design is good.
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| | I haven't played that much in the States
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| Off the coast to the west of Saint
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| | but I have played some of their best. For
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| Andrews, it's quite a new course but you
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| | me, Pebble Beach is the tops. There's the
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| certainly couldn't tell and the test is
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| | usual US-style slick service that sets
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| relentless. Stunning links golf with
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| | you up nicely and the condition of the
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| large greens, thick wispy rough and views
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| | course is typical of the California
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| to take your breath away. You need a good
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| | climate. Rated No.1 public USA golf
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| caddy, a strong drink and concentration.
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| | course, it isn't the most difficult
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| Deservedly rated by many Pro's as their
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| | challenge you'll ever face but you know
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| favourite course in that part of the
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| | the green-keeper is being kind on you.
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| world.
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| | However, get a little bit of wind and let
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| Ballybunion
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| | the history of the course affect you and
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| Every time I've played here, it's blown a
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| | there's a very nasty bite behind the
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| hoolie but it's the west coast of Ireland
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| | beautiful façade of the golf course's
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| so what can I expect? The golf courses'
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| | design...
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| architecture (both new and old) provides
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| | The European
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| wonderful tests of golf with every shot
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| | They say that tour pro's have walked off
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| in the bad needed. Massive dunes,
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| | this course - but they only play for
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| treacherous greens and wind coming from
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| | money and the rest of us can play for
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| every direction. You know you've played
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| | fun! A simple clubhouse belies the genius
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| golf after 36 holes here. The clubhouse
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| | of the design. Quite long and with plenty
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| is great but avoid buying waterproofs -
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| | of cunningly-placed bunkers, you have to
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| it would be cheaper getting wet!
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| | be Gary Player and John Daly if you are
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| Hunstanton
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| | going to beat this golf course's design
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| I actually prefer Royal West Norfolk just
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| | and score well here. Again, the views are
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| down the road but Hunstanton is a sterner
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| | as distracting as a beautiful girl in a
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| test of nerves. Particularly as I always
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| | church and you need plenty of balls or a
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| seem to be playing it in scratch
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| | caddy with a long stick. South of Dublin
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| foursomes and I'm playing the evens. The
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| | and better than the big-name courses of
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| main difficulty here is the greens - many
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| | the area.
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| of which are below or above you and all
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| | Le Touessrok
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| of which are very well guarded. The
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| | For a so-called holiday golf course, this
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| prevailing wind plays havoc with your
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| | one is tough! Mauritius is now one of (if
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| drives but a good shot is rewarded and a
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| | not the) best exotic golf destinations in
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| bad shot is penalised so you can't
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| | the world with no less than six
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| complain. Wonderful and traditional golf
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| | first-class courses. Le Touessrok,
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| with a clubhouse to match, ensures this
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| | though, takes the biscuit with tight
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| golf course's design easily makes the
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| | fairways and tiny greens. I've played
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| list.
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| | this course several times, each with a
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| Les Bordes
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| | different game plan...every time I've
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| Robert von Hagge is one of my favourite
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| | failed, but I've come back for more as
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| designers and he's created five courses
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| | the course does offer a birdie or two and
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| in France that are rated in the European
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| | a wonderful lunch. This golf course's
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| Top 50: Seignosse, Royal Mougins, Golf
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| | architecture is unique as it is the only
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| National and Kempferhof are the other
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| | course in the world to take over an
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| four. Les Bordes is his best and, as
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| | entire island, and to get there you take
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| such, easily makes my top 10 golf
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| | the private launch from the hotel. In
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| courses. With water on 14 of the holes
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| | fact, maybe that's why I never play well
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| and huge white bunkers and some very
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| | there as I'm too relaxed by the time I
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| narrow fairways, you have to concentrate
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| | arrive!
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| for the full four hours. I can't think of
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| | Barbaroux
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| one easy hole. However, what von Hagge
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| | Designed by Pete Dye and located in the
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| does do well is to offer an easier
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| | heart of Provence, this is a beast of a
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| (albeit longer) route to the green but if
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| | golf course with a charming three-star
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| you want to play to a decent handicap or
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| | hotel and two restaurants. Even by
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| just like taking risks then go for broke
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| | today's standards it's long off the back
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| and rest easy (albeit with a few balls
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| | but I remember it being one of the very
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| less) at night. You can sleep and eat at
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| | first courses that I had to hit a driver
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| this hideaway in the Loire Valley.
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| | and a three-wood just to hit a par four
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| Chantilly Vineuil
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| | in regulation...today's balls make it
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| A beautiful Tom Simpson gem. This
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| | shorter but it's still one of the rare
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| designer is probably my favourite and was
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| | courses where you can play every shot,
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| incredibly prolific considering he was at
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| | and every club, in your bag. Plus, some
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| his peak well before the age of aeroplane
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| | of the greens are 80 yards long so
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| travel. And not only did he work hard, he
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| | clubbing is so important (unless you like
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| worked brilliantly and his creations have
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| | four-putting). Terrific target golf with
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| past the test of time to remain amongst
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| | scenery to take your breath away ensures
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| the best golf courses in the world with
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| | this memorable golf course's design was
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| effortless ease. Chantilly, north of
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| | always going to sneak into my top 10!
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