Best golf courses: Bend

FedEx Cup playoffs: the PGA Tour’s season finale starts in Memphis (TPC Southwind; Aug 11-14) and culminates in Atlanta (East Lake; Aug 25-28) … for the winner, the biggest prize in world golf … $18 million.

British Women’s Open: the year’s final women’s major championship heads for mighty Muirfield in East Lothian, Scotland, with Anna Nordqvist defending (Aug 4-7).

Anna Nordqvist: major championships aside, Solheim Cup stalwart Nordqvist notched up her first official Ladies European Tour win at the 2022 Ladies Dutch Open (aka Big Green Egg Open).

Cameron Smith: the Aussie PGA Tour player shot a blistering final round 64 to record his first major championship win at the home of golf in the 150th Open Championship.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Golf Son Gual is home to a course frequently rated the No.1 layout on the holiday island of Mallorca. Opening for play in 2007, this Thomas Himmel design combines the openness of a links-style layout with the stylish bunkering and not infrequent water hazards more typically associated with parkland courses.

Son Gual is located just a few kilometres from Palma (Mallorca). Palma's Old City shows clear influences from the city's Arab past.