Belle Mare Plage (Legend) - Mauritius

We played the Legends Course on a very windy day just hours before the arrival of Cyclone Batsirai. Due to the fact that a former reporter had suggested we play off more forward tees on our first round, we opted to follow this advice given the prevailing conditions.

The golf course is a delight, sited on former marshland with tree-lined fairways and plenty of water hazards, so be prepared to lose a few golf balls. Features are made of the volcanic rock so dominant on the island, and this only adds to the beauty of the course.

Conditioning is nigh perfect with immaculate smooth-running greens, as one would expect of a regular venue on the European Seniors’ Tour for many years. Excellent hire clubs were provided at no cost, as ours were still languishing at Frankfurt Airport, and these more than made up for a buggy that had seen better days.

I loved the strategy of the layout with tight par threes requiring no more than a mid-iron tee shot, hugely varied par fours and longer holes where you could safely let rip with driver from the tee. The finish provides the most memorable stretch of holes, with shorter par fours at 15 and 16 requiring accuracy from the tee and a demanding approach shot, a gorgeous short hole at 17 across a ravine towards the bay, and a challenging par five at 18 around a lake to a well-bunkered green.

The Legends course provides excellent holiday golf in a perfect tropical setting, and would also be a thrilling test for the professional player from the back tees.

A resort course that is tight and with strategic hazards plotted along most holes. Multiple tees provide for all levels of ability and condition was first class.

I would recommend playing from more forward tees than your use too the first time in order to appreciate the hazards location as I found to my cost. I appreciated the course more the second round I played as a result.

as a resort course I was not expecting too much, even though it has staged European tour and seniors event here , but I must say I was really pleased with both the layout and condition

The signature hotel (17th) and 18th give an excellent finish to a round and the whole course is fun to paly with a key being strategy rather than length of the tee.

Good marshalling also allows quicker players to tee of , or get waved through so the people willing to "potter" their way round can do so at their own pace