Getting together on the fairways

Some of the best players in the Indian Ocean region gathered at the Heritage Golf Club on the Domaine de Bel Ombre (Domaine de Bel Ombre) over four eventful days from Wednesday 16 to Saturday 19 May 2012, for the second edition of the Indian Ocean Amateur International Golf Tournament.

While it was the Reunion Island contingent that carried off the trophies in both the men’s and women’s categories, everyone felt that what made the event special was the wonderful natural setting and the exceptional playing conditions. “I was incredibly impressed with its splendour,” Jean Marie Hoarau told us. From Reunion Island, he is the President of the Commission de Golf de l’océan Indien (CGOI), the body that organised the competition, which aims to promote golfing exchanges across the islands in the region.

Located adjacent to two luxury hotels, the Heritage Awali Golf & Spa Resort and Heritage Le Telfair Awali Golf & Spa Resort, as well as to the impressive Villas Valriche residential estate, the magnificent 18-hole championship course provides golfing enthusiasts with a real challenge. It is a varied and technically demanding course in the South-West of Mauritius, lying between the lagoon and the hills in an undulating landscape interspersed with lakes, streams and tropical trees.

A prime British property website, primelocation.com, has listed the Heritage Golf Club and Villas Valriche amongst the 20 best residential golfing estates in the world – in fact, the golf course is the only one listed in the region. It has received several awards and was recognised as the best on the island by the members of the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) in 2010. The inter-island competition, named for the occasion the Rogers Indian Ocean Golf Challenge, took place on this gem of a course, which was designed by the South African architect, Peter Matkovitch. Sponsored by Rogers, in association with its subsidiaries, the BlueSky travel agency and Heritage Resorts (the Veranda Group’s luxury label), the event brought together 44 golfers from Madagascar, Reunion Island and Mauritius. It was a Match-Play and Stroke tournament, with four rounds and a final.

As Rogers’ CEO, Philippe Espitalier-Noel explains, “There were three reasons for Rogers allying with the CGOI. In the first place, our Group has a notable presence in the region and one of the main aspects of our strategy is expansion there. The firm’s renowned local and international brands are, in fact, represented in a dozen countries, including in the two other islands participating in the competition. We also have one of the most beautiful golf courses in the south-west Indian Ocean region, and the tournament has also helped to increase the visibility of the Heritage Golf Club.”

“In golf, as in other sports, the real competitor stands out as one who always wants to do better. It’s the same desire that has driven Rogers for almost 115 years. We are acknowledged pioneers in many business sectors in Mauritius. We also bring our innovative spirit to the exploration of new possibilities, here and elsewhere,” added Kaushall Ramlackhan-Angelucci, Rogers’ Chief Communication Executive, in her speech during the event’s closing ceremony at the Chateau de Bel Ombre. The sport, introduced in Mauritius more than a century back in British times, has similar values to a business enterprise – precision, a friendly atmosphere and the pursuit of perfection.