The Costa del Sol isn't also known as the
‘Costa del Golf’ for nothing!There are over 60 golf courses in Andalucia, of which
almost 50 are on the Costa del Sol, so you’ll be spoilt for choice! The wonderful, fine weather makes golf popular all year
round.
The areas surrounding Duquesa Village &
Calanova Sea Golf boast some of the best golf courses in Europe - Valderrama, which
hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, is only 15 minutes away from Duquesa Village and Calanova Sea
Golf is situated at the heart of the 'Mijas Golf Valley'.
If you already know the course you would like to play, why not book in
advance to get discounted green fees and guaranteed tee times? Booking ahead on the
internet can save you time and money - that's more time on the course and more euros in
your pocket!
Here are some suggestions of companies that offer this service:
La Duquesa Golf Course is a typical Trent Jones
layout, demanding concentration and straight driving. The course winds around El Hacho
Beacon Hill overlooking the Mediterranean to Africa. The first 9 holes are of a certain "English style" with narrow
fairways and high greens. Particularly beautiful is 4th hole for its magnificent views,
but it can also easily give you trouble for your score card. The second 9 holes are
easier with wide fairways, although the green will supply additional difficulties.
At the wonderful 17th hole, just 129m tee to green but
30m straight down, you should beware of the wind, especially if the Poniente is blowing
from the west.
Valderrama is the number 1 course in Europe. Home to
the prestigious Volvo Masters for 15 out of the last 20 years and due to continue until
2010, it has also seen action from the Ryder Cup (1997) and the World Golf Championships
(1999-2000). Designed by Robert Trent Jones, this is one of the continent’s
toughest challenges. The 4th hole, a par
five of spectacular beauty, ends on a raised green, next to a cascade of
water.The famous par five 17th hole features
a green with bunkers and slopes forward to a lake hated by championship
players!
This ‘grandfather’ of the golf courses
opened in 1964, but is still voted amongst the top ten courses in Europe.
Real Club de Golf Sotogrande is located on prime
golfing land close to the beachfront between the river Guadiaro and Sotogrande marina.
Anyone lucky enough to have played at one of Spain's foremost members' clubs will be able
to confirm Robert Trent Jones was right to take pride in what is an extraordinarily good
design.
Water hazards play an important role here, affecting
holes 12, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18!
San Roque is an exciting challenge for golfers of all abilities,
giving the choice of two diverse championship
standard golf courses, playing on two different types of grasses within the same
resort. The San Roque Old Course, opened to the public in 1990, is lush all year
round due to the mixture of grasses used (the greens are pencross) and while the majority
of clients prefer to ride, it is a very walkable course. The San Roque New Course, opened
in 2004, is quite unique in design. A joint venture for Perry Dye (USA) and Seve
Ballesteros, who says: "I am proud of what we created at San Roque. This masterpiece
combines the best of links golf with a TPC Stadium feel. Its challenge will entice you
back, time and time again."
Over 18 holes, the Alcaidesa links-type golf course overlooks the magnificent
views of the Mediterranean Sea, the Rock of Gibraltar and the North-African Atlas
Mountains, offering the golfer a unique space that is a delight to all the senses. A
golfing philosophy in its purest state, respecting the physical conditions of the terrain
in its design, gives the Alcaidesa golf course special added value, it being a course on
which various professional tournaments have been held, including the 1997 Junior Ryder
Cup.
Estepona golf course was inaugurated in 1989 and makes the most of the beautiful
natural surroundings, at the foot of the Sierra Bermeja mountains, to offer a round of
wide fairways and very long greens.
A popular course with a challenging layout,
particularly when windy, it boasts the
longest hole in Spain - the signature 568m par five 3rd hole,
known as the ‘The Ski
Slope'. It is a very beautiful course
with an abundance of
wild flora and fauna and large lakes skirting the greens. The design of the course
follows the natural layout of the terrain, including the hazards and the wide fairways
are the pride of Estepona Golf . It's a fast round and the greens have been described on
numerous occasions as the best on the Costa del Sol.
A good holiday course in a valley surrounded by hills
and an abundance of vegetation. The fast greens and palm-tree lined fairways were
designed by Gary Player in 1974.A golf
school is available to visitors.
Miraflores Golf Club is located in
an extensive urbanisation between Marbella and Mijas and offers breathtaking views of the
mountains and the sea. Designed by Falco Nardi and opened in 1990, this golf club has
undergone a transformation and offers a real challenge to all levels of golfing ability.
Each one of the 18 holes offers a different challenge. The course follows the natural
contours of the valley and is much flatter than first appearance suggests.
Located in the heart of the Mijas Golf Valley, Calanova Golf Course boasts
extraordinary landscape views of the sea and La Cala de Mijas mountains at nearly every
hole.
Players will find each hole exciting due to the extraordinary shape work and clear, wide
fairways. The tees are spread out on different platforms, allowing the course to be
played with a huge variety of distances. The course measures 5,866m in total and complies with USGA regulations for
course construction.
Designed by the American architect
Cabell B. Robinson, La Cala is the only resort on the Costa del Sol with three
18-hole championship courses.
Breathtaking and located in a spectacular setting, featuring immaculate fairways with
white bunkers and undulating greens, each course provides a real test of your golfing
skills. David Leadbetter has one of his famous Golf Schools at the La Cala Resort and the
practice facilities are first class.
There are 45 holes in total, many designed by Seve
Ballesteros; an 18-hole full-length course, a 9-hole short course and an 18-hole par 3
course. On the main course the fairways are long and narrow with greens protected by a
fierce array of bunkers, lakes and gardens, but the six tees areas at each hole means
that the course can be adapted to any level. The main characteristic of Alhaurin Golf is
its hilly and demanding design, as it is largely adapted to the natural form of the
surroundings.
This superb golf course is situated in one of the most
beautiful valleys on the Costa del Sol, located in what was an old avocado plantation
with 36,000 trees. Designed by Cabell B. Robinson it consists of 4 par 3's (each offering
its own individual challenge), 4 par 5's (1 of which, at 603m is probably the longest on
the coast) and 10 par 4’s. The
final result is a magnificent course with wide and well defined fairways on level
terrain, hence easily walkable, where water features play an important albeit not
excessive part in the overall design.
El Chaparral Golf Course stands out for its
outstanding beauty and the aroma of pine trees, with views of the Mediterranean and the
Mijas hills. It has wide and varied fairways, designed by Pepe Gancedo and is a challenge
for all levels of golfer.
Designed by Robert Trent Jones, these two 18-hole
courses are very popular. The Los Olivos course is lined with Olive trees and is the
tighter of the two courses with many bunkers, water hazards and fast undulating greens.
The Los Lagos course, named for its seven water hazards is the longer course. Both are
fairly flat and easy to walk, with wide fairways and offer challenging, yet enjoyable
golf.
The Los Caracolillos course was the last designed by the Italian golf architect Folco
Nardi, who sadly did not live to see the course finished. Since opening in 1992 it has
hosted several major amateur tournaments. It is set in a rural area with views of
mountains to the north and the Mediterranean to the south and adjoins the protected
forest area of the Sierra de Mijas.
Although located 1000 feet above sea level the course is quite level and there are
8 lakes just waiting to catch you out!
This is a scenic 5,170m long course and an interesting new addition to Costa del Golf. It
has three par 3's, two par 5's and 13 par 4's with lakes affecting four holes. The third
hole is an interesting par 4 that drops dramatically from the tee to the hole. High
handicappers will have to use all clubs in their bag and low handicappers will have to
take risks if they want good results. The greens are large and in excellent
condition.
