Young stars shine at top Cyprus course

The world-class 18-hole Sir Nick Faldo course is supported by the Elea Golf Academy and in recent months has hosted some of the sport’s up-and-coming stars.

They include Kent-based Liam Burns, a member of the English Golf Union’s Elite Amateur squad, and highly regarded Scottish Amateur Champion Kelsey MacDonald, a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Training Squad.

The world-class Elea Golf Academy’s state-of-the-art, hi-tech range of teaching aids is designed to appeal specifically to top-class golfers looking to fine-tune their skills and includes the V1 Coaching System that offers detailed video swing analysis.

These are ideally complemented by the Academy’s unrivalled outdoor facilities including a full-length driving range complete with target greens and bunkers, a short-game practice area and a stunning putting green, which commands an imposing location overlooking the whole course.

On returning from his first visit to Elea Estate, Liam Burns commented: “Elea is a fantastic place to visit with all the facilities you could require. The Elea team is totally focused on your every need and even the little things are brilliant; the golf balls on the range, for example, are of the highest quality. Things like this are really important when you are training.”

Elea Estate was officially opened in October 2010 by six-time Major winner and course creator Sir Nick Faldo and has since received rich critical acclaim from journalists across the world, including a ‘Top 10 new international golf courses of 2010’ ranking from American title, Golf Magazine, and being recognised as ‘one of the World’s most exciting new courses’ by UK title, Golf World.

Chris Campbell, the recently appointed Head Professional at Elea Golf Club, and who himself climbed the ranks in Scotland as a Scottish Boy, Youth then Men’s International player, said: “The facilities at the Elea Golf Academy, coupled to the beautiful climate in Cyprus, contrast to the cold winter months of northern Europe, and make this facility a perfect choice for golfers wanting to fine-tune their games when frost, snow and rain are affecting their preparations back home.

“It is great to be attracting international players to Elea and, growing up in a colder climate myself, I know how hard it is to compete at a top level without the chance to train at a great facility. ” 

Kelsey MacDonald, a rising star in the women’s amateur game and tipped to enjoy a successful professional career, added: “At this stage of my amateur golfing career I believe that warm weather training is very important in preparation for the start of the season.

“The lack of facilities and poor weather at this time of the year in Scotland causes a problem, so coming out to Cyprus is the perfect opportunity for me to develop my golfing skills.

At 6,900 yards, Elea Golf Club’s premium quality course circulates through groves of mature carob and olive trees, while dramatic outcrops of weathered limestone strikingly contrast with the dark green fairways that, on many holes, are fringed by Mediterranean grasses and an abundance of wild herbs and native flora.

*For further information about Elea Estate or the Elea Golf Academy, visit  www.eleaestate.com, or telephone +357 26 202001 (main switchboard) or +357 26202005 for The Elea Golf Academy.