Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa: Tour quality golfing paradise in Mauritius
The skies were getting darker, the radiator was always on, the last two rounds of golf had been ruined by incessant rain, the courses were wet (and not much fun to play on), there was still so much of the winter yet to come.
And then I was asked if I wanted to go to Mauritius for a few days before Christmas.
The island is plumb in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
The beaches are golden, the palm trees green, the seas a clear blue-green.
The golf courses are dry.
The golf courses are beautiful.
The golf courses are very fun to play on.
It wasn’t the most difficult decision I made last year.
A few weeks later I had escaped the chilly pre-Christmas chaos and found myself walking out of departures at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, being welcomed by friendly faces, directed to my transfer and then driven to the north of the island, across and through the spectacular Moka mountain range.
I’m lucky enough to be something of an expert at visiting Mauritius and playing on the small nation’s golf courses, but this was the first time I had hit the north coast and it was immediately apparent that it offered something a little different to the island’s other coasts – the hotels are a slightly more integral part of the towns and villages, rather than being distinct from them. It was a vibe I immediately took to.
My destination was Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa and arrival was another reminder of what Mauritius does so well.
You feel special from the second you step into reception, although reception is not a word that does justice to a space that is open to the restaurants and pools that lie between it and the sparkling waters of the Indian Ocean, with vibrant plants and trees providing a wonderful backdrop.
The offer of a nice cooling towel and drink are followed by smiling faces explaining all about the resort, spa and golf courses. Grey skies, dark nights and four layers of clothing seemed a long, long way away (as indeed there were).
My room was a wonder. Not only a bathroom, but a door to an outside shower that added a glamorous element of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here to the week. And not only a patio looking out onto the Indian Ocean and just yards from the beach, but my own plunge pool. I jumped in, but only after half an hour swimming in the warm waters of the ocean itself.
Then it was off for lunch at La Plage, the restaurant overlooking the beach: fresh fish that had been out of the sea only a few hours longer than me. Bliss.
Eating by the sea would be a theme of the week. Breakfast a mere make-able birdie putt from the sand; Mauritian, Asian Fusion and Indian dinners only a lob wedge from it. Relaxing, fun and delicious.
The water also determined my free time. Two ocean swims a day became a habit and then other pursuits fuelled my quest to spy the sea turtles that had been reported nearby.
I snorkelled, took a glass bottom boat tour, splashed about on a paddleboard, went for more swims, walked along the beach in both directions, and then a sea kayak trip came up trumps – the turtles’ little heads bobbing up in front of me, cheeky little scamps who seemed to grin in my face and then dive away for fun elsewhere.
Shortly before that experience I had a couple of hours in the spa – what end-of-year frustrations the trip had not yet smoothed out were now snapped, cracked and fragranced away.
I’m not a gardener or a bird watcher but two unexpected delights of Mauritius are the plants and ornithology – Trou aux Biches is endlessly colourful and the mornings are particularly full of bird song.
There was, however, another aspect to this trip: the golf.
Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa has privileged access to Mont Choisy Golf Club which is good enough to have been hosting the DP World Tour’s Mauritius Open for a second time during my visit.
Course designer Peter Matkovich is one of Africa’s finest architects and when he spied the site of Mont Choisy he was thrilled at the prospect of setting down 18 holes.
Twisting through volcanic rock and one-time sugar cane fields the course offers a modern test and is protected by blustery breezes, but it also a fun layout that offers choice, rewards risk and offers fantastic views.
The standout hole is the par-3 15th which was playing a mere 138 yards for the field (never mind amateurs). The green is of the semi-island variety with a bunker that runs into the lake and the backdrop is a curtain of Mauritius’ famous flame trees.
It’s a tee shot everyone was desperate to play, but which was evidently (from the scores) deceptively simple.
With a five minute transfer Mont Choisy makes for a superb golfing option but Trou aux Biches has more to offer because golfers can also venture to the east of the island to play Paradis, another Beachcomber resort.
This is not a course that will host the main tours but it is one that will enchant everyone who plays it.
Framed to the rear by high peaked mountains and in front by the Indian Ocean which often laps up against the course, shots are often played along, across and sometimes (albeit errantly) into the lagoon.
It’s a terrific spot, one you’ll be talking about for a very long time – like playing golf in the old TV advertisement for Bounty bars.
Together, Mont Choisy and Paradis provide a sensational package, the ideal combination of charm and challenge. Throw in the luxury of Trou aux Biches, the simple splendour of the Indian Ocean, the natural charm of the Mauritius people and you have a very tempting prospect.
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