Travel Lifestyle Golf: Paradis Beachcomber golf course review

A wonderful cool wind greeted us as it swirled off the ocean and we entered the Beachcomber Resort, Paradis.

The Blue Marlin restaurant with its picture postcard table views, offset by the thatch and wooden roof was where we had lunch before golf. Quite incapable of ordering a light lunch, we settled on tuna - I’m not talking the tinned stuff which comes out as a grey matter mush, this is the real deal tuna - cooked to perfection with a sight hint of searing around the edges. Steve had white fish, with artistic foam carefully balancing the fresh green salad and small tomato squares. A couple of scoops of ice cream later and we were fully charged ready to get on the golf course, which was a very short walk away.

A traditional looking clubhouse with full views of the practice putting green, driving range and Le Morne rock set against the blue sky was a view that was difficult to tear away from. Inside the clubhouse is a well stocked pro-shop, trendy with its bright lights and bright displays, in contrast to the rest of the building which had adopted a more muted natural decor.

The statuesque Le Morne rock, whilst not in play, stands proud and tall as it overlooks the golf course. A pinnacle point of the course, it added yet another layer to the design.

Hole 4, was a little stunner - although in my opinion, best appreciated when looking back from the green to the tee boxes. In view from this angle was the water inlet which created a pond adorned with a fountain and beyond that the harsh grey Le Morne in the distance. Couple this with he blue sky, the palm tree lined fairways and the lush green and you have an image which can only be described as false in its perfection. But you’ve got to play it to appreciate it! Le Morne didn’t really come into full view in play but on hole 6, a par 3 100/120 meter hole, it ran along the side of the rock, to appreciate and embrace its full presence.

The Indian Ocean however, was never far from the golf course, in fact water came into play on a number of holes. Hole 8 had a sway of water to cross over for the second shot to the green. Hole 9 wrapped itself around water on the inside right with the gradual darkening of the water colours as it got deeper and away from the edge. Holes 11 and 12 were the road holes, with 12 taking a sharp left to get away from the intrusive tarmac surface and deliver you back into paradise with a nice green gently being lapped by the ocean. There were a lot of holes that encountered the Ocean, in one or another, and not all of them were too difficult as a result.

Hole 13 started to get interesting as the inlet sneaks into the fairway from the right. With the fairway some way over the water. Water right, bunkers left and trees beyond that, a big hitter might think twice before reaching for their driver, instead favouring the joys of fairway golf. To be honest, there was space on the reasonably wide fairway, but anything slightly off is severely punished as Steve can vouch for as he played off the beach - twice, on the same hole.

With the continued and relentless wave movement, almost in a spa style sing song was as relaxing as the warm sunshine on your face.

16 was another test of accuracy as the fairway once again took a sharp turn right, putting the water inlet in play off the tee. Huge hitters had a very small landing area, with water being on the far side of the fairway too, a risk and reward shot, which requires accuracy. However, all you really need to do is get it to the bend then play over the small stream joining the ocean and the pond.

Hole 17 in itself wasn’t much to write home about. A 112/128 meter par 3 - but, the location of this hole made it special with the sea running all the way down its right side on the other side of a splattering of trees for shade. Watching coloured boats bobbing around on the sea reminded us how windy it really was!

Closing on 18, the drive takes on a smallish pond before it turns around the trees for a dog leg right and an elevate green to finish.

With our critical hat on, we have to dig deep to find any fault. The roadside holes are a bit bland and noisy but its only one or two holes then you’re turned back towards the ocean again - so a temporary blip. I guess a couple of the greens were a bit scrappy, the bunker sand was a little inconsistent in depth, but that is us being super critical, as really none of these things factored into the game that much.

As the sun sets on the afternoons golf, we yearned to go back and play again - without the cameras, so we did - but took the drone for another delightful game at Paradis.

First date played 14th March 2023