Ian Woosnam discusses Apes Hill, The Ryder Cup and his love for Barbados
Sitting down to discuss his longheld love affair with the island of Barbados, Ian Woosnam revealed what makes Apes Hill, one of the island's best courses, so special.
Renowned for its white sandy beaches, outstanding hospitality and agreeable year-round climate, Barbados has been a premier travel destination for many years.
The island is also home to some of the finest golf courses in the Caribbean, and amongst those is Apes Hill.
Having undergone a significant renovation at the hands of Ron Kirby, Apes Hill reopened in 2022 with a state-of-the-art performance centre and a growing luxurious real estate community.
Ryder Cup legend Ian Woosnam spends nearly half of his year on the island now as he prepares for tournament golf on the Legends Tour, and discussing life at his second home, he was eager to highlight what makes Apes Hill such a fantastic golf course.
He said:
Featuring a whole host of new additions to the property, the course itself has also undergone substantial work since the arrival of Canadian investor Glenn Chamandy in 2019.
Under the watchful eye of renowned course architect Ron Kirby, Apes Hill was renovated beautifully, with a number of changes made to the original design.
Discussing the transformation, Woosnam said:
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With the newly renovated 18-hole course now open to visitors, work has also begun on a 9-hole par 3 course that will be an ideal spot for short game practice and introducing the game of golf to younger players.
A new state-of-art-practice facility has also been built on-site, featuring two coaching bays kitted out with Swing Catalyst video analysis software, a Puttview interactive putting matt, and an extensive range of fitness equipment.
Clearly impressed by the addition, Woosnam was full of praise for the facility, saying:
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While discussing his love for Barbados and Apes Hill, Ian Woosnam was also eager to talk about the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Having won the cup four times as a player and once as a captain, he knows a fair amount about the prestigious event and was keen to share his memories and thoughts ahead of the highly anticipated start on Friday.
Discussing who he thinks is going to win the cup, Woosnam revealed it could be too close to call.
He said:
Woosie was also sympathetic towards Adrian Meronk's exclusion from Team Europe, recounting a story of when he was left in a similar position.
He added:
To find out more about Apes Hill and what else Barbados has to offer, visit apeshill.com
Johnny joined GolfMagic as Reviews Editor in 2023 having worked for Sports Impact for two years as Head of Social Media, working alongside prominent golf brands including Galvin Green, Motocaddy and Wilson.
