The first day began with early Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow airport on Monday 21 April. Some of the group used their CSSC discount with Holiday Extras to meet in the lounge at Terminal 3!

The group of sixteen (comprising of both CSSC members and golfers from various other golf clubs) arrived at Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados after an uneventful eight hour flight.  A thirty minute transfer from the airport took us to our beautiful beachfront hotel – Coconut Court in Hastings. After checking in and finding our rooms there was time to visit the beach and pool before unpacking and preparing ourselves for the pre-arranged welcome party at the hotel beach bar.  The CSSC golf trips partners with a local company, Team Travel, who take care of us for the whole trip. They provided us all with free drinks and some welcome snacks while introductions were made all round with newcomers having the chance to meet returning players.

The hotel is booked on a ‘board only’ basis, with each room including a very well stocked kitchenette – fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle and all the required crockery and cutlery. Most of the group made use of the local supermarket to provide ingredients for breakfast and then dined out at local restaurants in the evening (which are very reasonably priced especially if you managed to get there for happy hour). Breakfast is available at the hotel and the beach bar was a great place for lunch.

Tuesday was a free day to allow recovery from the journey with the golf starting on Wednesday at the Barbados Golf Club.  After a beautiful round, the results were published so that the players could see where they were on the ‘Leader Board’.  Thursday was another free day with some of the group going to Bridgetown to make use of the duty free shopping and to see the sights. Travel around the island is very safe and very easy. Everyone soon got accustomed to hoping on and off the ‘Reggae Buses’ $3.50 Barbadian dollars per person no matter how long the journey (About £1).

On Friday the group were picked up at 8.15 a.m. and transferred to Sandy Lane Golf Club, one of the most prestigious clubs on the island. Caddies are compulsory at this course, which really adds to the experience, as they’re full of local knowledge. Fortunately, the caddies come as part of the golf package along with all the transfers and buggies at each course, so that was one more thing we didn’t have to organise. The views from the club house and some of the holes on the golf course were simply stunning.

Friday evening was the Oistins Fish Fry – a local event, not to be missed. A minibus was arranged to take the members of the group that wished to go. The fish fry is frequented by the locals and the dancing and entertainment is amazing.

Saturday and Sunday were both free days and some of the group had booked to go on the all-inclusive catamaran trip to snorkel at some designated dive sights and to swim offshore on beaches where the turtles are to be found. Monday found us back at Barbados Golf Club – by this time the leader board had changed, and the players were indulging in a lot of banter thanks to the closely fought challenge. 

Apes Hill Golf Club was the last venue to be played, and in my opinion, we had saved the best till last. The course is very pretty but very challenging and we got to see lots of green monkeys. The monkeys are very timid, often coming out after the buggies had gone through or rushing to hide behind rocks as we approached. 

After arriving back at the Coconut Court Hotel, the group again assembled at the hotel beach bar for the presentation party, with more drinks and snacks provided by Team Travel. After prizes for everyone were awarded, varying in size dependant on your place on the final leader board, the title of overall champion was Jim Brotherton, on his first visit to the island.

Throughout our stay the weather was glorious, lots of sunshine but with a slight breeze most days with temperatures reaching 30 degrees.

Some non-golf-playing partners came to Barbados and joined up with the group in the evenings and had their own fabulous time relaxing in the hotel and on the beach while their partners played. There was a lot of interaction between the players during the day and in the evenings and several groups naturally formed to dine together at the many local restaurants. 

At the end of the trip, we said our farewells to the local team, who were amazing and said our goodbyes to each other. Now firm friends from across the country. Many of us talked about meeting up on our next trip, with some already talking about who’s likely to win. We got back home again after another uneventful flight, tired, tanned and ready to do it all again.