Teeing Up with Ian Woosnam - A Golfer's Paradise at Apes Hill

Prepare to meet a true legend of the fairways - Ian Woosnam, a name synonymous with excellence in the world of golf. For those who may not be familiar, Ian is not just a professional golfer; he is one of the "Big Five" European golfers – along with Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Sandy Lyle - and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017. A champion player who famously won the US Masters in 1991, his name is etched in the annals of this great sport.

With numerous accolades and a career adorned with remarkable achievements, Ian’s name commands respect in the golfing realm. He has now combined his love of golf with a new love for Apes Hill Golf Resort & Community, resulting in a new-found hole-in-one partnership.

Ian Woosnam has been visiting the island annually since 1995 and has completely fallen in love with the Caribbean paradise. He purchased a property along the west coast of Barbados and has been recuperating there during the winter before the start of the busy golf season. 

“There’s so much more to Barbados than you might think,” Ian says. “Yes, there are beautiful sandy beaches, the climate is certainly agreeable most of the time, and for golfers, there are some wonderful courses with spectacular views. However, when you live there and you get to know the local people – they’re so friendly – that’s when you find out what the island is all about.  I love the sunshine and sea breeze, and of course the golf. With the weather the way it is, I can play pretty much all year round.”

The partnership started to tee off when Ian’s property manager, the owner of Alleyne Real Estate, introduced him to the development team here at Apes Hill. His love for golf, for property and for Barbados, coupled with his down-to-earth personality paired well with Apes Hill’s ethos, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

“We live in Jersey, a little island in the English Channel Islands, which is a wonderful place, but Barbados has become a kind of home from home.”

Apes Hill’s new ambassador spends quite a significant amount of time playing the course, welcoming specially invited guests to the resort and community, and interacting with members. We had the pleasure of welcoming Carly Booth, a trailblazer in women's golf, to Apes Hill, where she and Ian teed off. Whether it is on the course, or sitting at the bar at The 20th Hole Restaurant, he has become a part of the Apes Hill Barbados family and extends that warm welcome to all he encounters.

From golf to winemaking, Ian Woosnam has topped the class. His Chateau Pas du Cerf is available at Apes Hill’s 20th Hole Halfway House and at The Noisy Cricket Bar and Restaurant located in our Clubhouse.

“As a rosé it has some of those fruit flavours. You get that white peach, a little bit of melon and I think the lifestyle foods we have here at the 20th Hole pair well with rosé wines and this one in particular”- Kris Jackman, Assistant Restaurant and Bar Manager of Apes Hill Barbados. 

Speaking of pairing, wine and golf do make a wonderful partnership. With several golf legends launching their own flavours, Ian’s rosé is featured in the French wine company Peuch & Besse “Wines of Golf Legends”- a unique collaboration between a few of the world’s most decorated golfers and crafty winemakers. With our partnership with Woosnam, we are delighted that this same refreshing wine is also featured at Apes Hill Barbados.

“There are a number of us involved, but hopefully there will be a few more to come. If I told you that there is a New Zealand white from Michael Campbell, a Rioja from José María Olazábal and a drop of red from Costantino Rocca, you would get the picture. David Frost, Nancy Lopez, Ian Baker-Finch and Jean Van de Velde are all involved, too. Bernhard Langer has just come along and he is doing a German white! It is good fun!” Ian said.

“At Apes Hill when we are pairing wine with our dishes, one thing we look at is the characteristics of the wine. Some of the foods that go well with this wine would be foods that carry delicate flavours like chicken, sea foods, pork and delicate salads”- Nicholas Ifill, Sous Chef at Apes Hill Barbados. 

The wine is quite refreshing and it is a wonderful pairing with our food or just to sit and drink at the bar by itself. It offers another elevated experience when you stay, play and even live at Apes Hill.

Staying and playing at Apes Hill Barbados is now possible for those who love golf and wish to discover an elevated golf and wellness lifestyle, and Ian Woosnam has followed Apes Hill’s transformation closely over the last few years and offers incredible insights as a pro golfer. 

“I have seen the course develop from its very beginnings,” he said. “It is a spectacular piece of land and you get these amazing panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The elevations are something else. It is just a great set-up, and the course is so much fun, and really is very playable for all levels of golfer. It is definitely my kind of course where you can just get lost in the surroundings but also, it is very clever and has some wonderful holes.”

Known fondly as ‘Woosie’, it is not just the golf course that is special about Apes Hill. 

“[The club feeling] is one of the things that I most like about the place. I have become good friends with the Director of Golf, Jody Addison. He is a really great guy and I really enjoy his company. I enjoy talking to the members, too, sitting down at the halfway house and sharing a drink. I would not be doing what I do if I did not love talking about the game and speaking to like-minded golfers.”

The community of Apes Hill and the lifestyle created here is one which you simply must experience for yourself. The spellbinding views, the lush natural landscapes, friendly people and amazing experiences all combine for an ace of a stay. 

Apes Hill Barbados offers ultra-luxurious villas including 3-bedroom golf and sea view Courtyard Villas and will soon launch 4-bedroom golf and sea view Hilltop Villas available for short-term and holiday rentals. You can experience all that Apes Hill has to offer, golf and live like a champion on one of the most unique high points on the island to be found. 

To book your luxurious stay at the Apes Hill Barbados Golf Resort & Community, click here.