The best 10 golf courses on the Costa del Sol priced at 160 euros and above
VALDERRAMA
Opened in 1974 it was originally known as Las Aves. Their first golf pro was the late great Mr Henry Cotton. This Golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior but Mr Jaime Ortiz Patino founded Valderrama as it is today.
The Ryder cup was played at Valderrama in 1997 where Seve Ballesteros was the captain of Europe in an event won by Europe 14 ½ – 13 ½ USA , this was Tiger Woods first Ryder cup. Valderrama was the home of the Volvo Masters 1988 to 1996 and 2002 to 2008.
The Andalucia Masters was held at Valderrama in 2010-2011 the winner was the great Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia. The Spanish open was the last major tournament to be held at Valderrama in 2016.
Valderrama has received world wide recognition for environmental excellence.The Valderrama wildlife sanctuaries, Badger sanctuary 3 , Wood Mouse sanctuary 4 , Woodchat Schrike sanctuary 5 , Southern March Frog sanctuary 6 , Striped –necked Terrapin sanctuary 8 , Eagle Owl sanctuary 12 , Golden Oriole sanctuary 13 , Pee Family Butterfly sanctuary 14 , Chaffinch sanctuary 15.
Professional golfers have named Valderrama the hardest of golf courses in the world.
La Zagaleta
La Zagaleta has two 18 hole golf courses. The first opened in 1999 designed by Bradford Benz and redesigned in 2016 by Marc Westenborg, and the second in 2005 designed by Steve Marnoch and Jonathan Gaunt.
The golf course is set in the Benahavis hills in a gated residential estate surrounded by properties costing millions of euros. The only way you can play these two marvellous courses however is to receive an invitation from a member.
The two golf courses are always in top condition with stunning fairways and greens. The golf course is built into the hills of Benahavis which has a very rocky landscape. The views of Gibraltar are spectacular.
Sotogrande
This exclusive golf club was design by Robert Trent Jones in 1964. This was his first European adventure and redesigned 2013 by Cabell B. Robinson featuring no less than six water hazards. The fairways are fairly open but this is one of the longest courses on the Costa Del Sol. The greens are renowned for being super fast and maintained to a standard second to none.
In 1966 the first big tournament, Open of Spain was held here featuring the best players in Europe. It was won by a Robert de Vicenzo. 1970 saw the Jezer Cup played here which is for up and coming amateur golfers. Winners of this championship include Rory Mcllory , Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington.
The Professional Spanish Championship was played here in 1987, being won by the late Severiano Ballesteros.
His Majesty King Juan Carlos I granted Sotogrande the title of Real ( royal ) in 1994.
Las Brisas
This is ranked as 6th top course in Spain and 86th in Europe. Las Brias opened in 1968, designed by Robert Trent Jones and reconstructed by Kyle Phillips in 2015. This golf courses has ten artificial lakes and the greens are raised to add to the difficulty surrounded by a considerable amount of bunkers. The fairways are tight and challenging. There are dog legs left and right which need careful planning to put the golf ball in the correct position for your next shot. The course has trees representing all the continents of the world which were introduced by a specialist in subtropical plants Gerald Huggan.
1970 saw the first major tournament here. The International Spanish Open and in 1973 the Amateur Spanish Open as well as the World Golf Cup. The latter being won by the United States which featured Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller who shot a courses record 65.
In 1983 the Spanish Open returned to Las Brisas after the golf course and facilities were improved. This was won by Eamon D’Arcy from Ireland. Nick Faldo won here in the 1987 Spanish Open and Severiano Ballesteros was second two shots behind.1989 see the second World Cup won by Australia the Spanish team finished runners up. On the 23rd of May 1995 Las Brisas was granted the right to use the royal prefix in recognition of its brilliant past by His Majesty the King D. Juan Carlos I
Aloha
This golf course is 3 kilometres inland from Puerto Banus. Aloha opened in 1975 having been designed by the renowned Spanish gentleman Javier Arvarez who sadly died later that year.
1978 saw the Spanish Amateur Championship played here and in 1989 it hosted the II International Mixed Professional Tournament. This tournament being won by Miguel Angel Jimenez and Xonia Wunsch. Spain also played England in 1993 in an Amateur competition. Aloha has hosted the Open of Andalucia 3 times which is part of the European tour in 2007,2008 and 2012. Aloha Golf also hosted the LET Spanish Open in 2016. Lee Westwood won the 2007 Open of Andalucia and set a course record of 64 which is 8 under par. Aloha also has 4 of the toughest par 3s on the Costa Del Sol. This course is 6,293 meters in length and requires accuracy from tee to pin and needs good feel around the greens. The course undulates through thick trees and lakes and you also get fantastic views of La Concha mountain and the Mediterranean sea.
Aloha has membership of around 1500 golfers which come from 20 different countries and is recognised as a friendly club.
La Reserva
This club is just 5 minutes from Valderamma golf carved into the hillside with fantastic views of the Mediterranean sea.
This course was designed by Cabell B. Robinson and it opened in 2003. La Reserva hosted the European Tour Collection Open.
The course has an academy run by the world famous Manuel Pinero-Sanchez where golfers of any standards can benefit from his experience and vast knowledge
Finca Cortesin
Golf world magazine has ranked this golf course in the top 5 in Spain. From the back tees this course is over 7,000 meters long. There are 8 tee boxes on every hole from black to red for ladies. Finca cortesin has over 100 bunkers to make this one of the best tests of golf around. Volvo World Match Play has been played here three times 2009, 2010 and 2012. Sergio Garcia, the US Masters champion stated that the greens here are as good of those at the Augusta National in the USA. Cabell Robinson designed this course in 2007 with executive gold tees.
In the summer of 2017 the course underwent works to improve all 18 greens and fairways
San Roque Old
This is a big members club which has 2 golf courses San Roque Old and San Roque New. San Roque Old course opened in 1990 having been designed by Dave Thomas, with the bunkers redesigned in 2002 by Seve Ballesteros.
It is rated amongst the best golf courses in Europe. This course, when designed in 1990 each hole cost one million dollars. This is the winter home of European PGA golf school, San Roque has a Seve Ballesteros golf academy with excellent practise facilities
Marbella Resort
A par 72 golf course opened in 1999 and designed by Dave Thomas superior to most with excellent fairways and greens.
Designer Dave Thomas was regular member of the Ryder cup team and has designed over 100 golf courses around the world. On a clear day you can see the coast of Africa and the English colony of Gibraltar from the course.
This golf course is owned by the Marbella Club Hotel Golf Resort.
The golf professional here is an Englishman called Gary Vautier who has teaching experiences in every aspect of the game.
This golf courses never becomes crowded though as tee times are 30 minutes apart.
Rio Real
This golf course was opened in 1965 making it one of the oldest on the Costa del Sol. Designed by the best Spanish designer of all time Javier Arana. There are many different species of trees here Olive, Casuarinas , Palm, Cypress and Pine. The course is very flat and has a championship lay out and is a parkland golf course even though it runs to the sea front.
The course runs from the foothills of the Marbella mountains right up to the beach and Mediterranean with green 4 and tee 5 on the seas edge.
You require a valid handicap certificate to be allowed to play at this beautiful golf course.
One unusual rule here is the you can only play with soft spikes (no hard spikes like in the old days)
Best 10 golf courses on the Costa Del Sol priced under 90 euros
Torrequebrada
This is my most favourite golf course on the Costa Del Sol. Opened in 1976 and designed by Jose Gancedo a celebrated Spanish architect known to his counterparts as “Pepe” the “Picasso” of golf course designers. Pepe was a promising amateur golfer who went on to design golf courses all round the world.
Torrequebrada is not a long golf course by todays standards, it does not have the length to hold a Championship or open. The course has over 130 different species of trees and plants which are between tree -lined fairways twisting left and right with doglegs and many water hazards and bunkers. This is a golf course you really have to think your way around, drivers, three woods and irons will all be used from the tees.
It has one of the shortest par 3s in golf at 90 meters where a famous young golfer called Seve Ballesteros made a nine in the 1976 fifty third Spanish Open.
The best tip I can give you when playing this magnificent golf course is when putting all putts, round towards the sea, a tip I was given by the then golf professional Juan Jimenez the elder brother of one of the most world famous golfers Miguel Angel Jimenez.
I played a round with Juan Jimenez back in 2008 and was treated to a world of experience of how to play this golf course. when we had finished golf we were in the 19th hole (commonly known as the bar club house) and Juan went on to tell me a story not known to many about his glamorous brother Miguel Angel Jimenez. He said Miguel started life as a very promising Spanish tennis player and was expected to go all the way to the top of tennis. Sadly at the age of 14 years Miguel got a injury to his knee which would see him have to give up tennis which as a 14 year old was devastating. To help him out of the doldrums Juan Jimenez suggested to a young Miguel to come to Torrequebrada golf course with him to help out on the driving range and get interested in golf. The rest as they say is history.
The Gecko Tour plays here as one of its venues in its order of merit Amateur tour.
Santana
Cabell B Robinson designed this parkland golf course. He grew up in the USA and moved to Spain for a short time in 1970 whilst designing golf courses on the Costa Del Sol. He went to Harvard University to study landscape architecture and then moved to the University of California where after 3 years he received a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree. Whilst at University he met Rees Jones, son of the a famous golf course designer Robert Trent Jones.This developed into a friendship that seen the pair open a office on the Costa Del Sol for golf course design. Santana golf course opened in 2003.
This golf course was a former avocado plantation and you can still see plenty of trees to this day surrounding the course. A lot of the trees here are protected and you will see aspects of fauna and flora indigenous to plants to this region of Spain. The course has lots of different types of trees fig , eucalyptus , cactus , cork , pine and a variety of fruit trees.
The course has wide fairways which make it very pleasing for the high handicap golfer as you can spray the golf ball around left and right and still be in play the greens are hard to read and surrounded by big bunkers and long rough grass
Valle Romano
The course was designed and constructed by Cabell B Robinson to the United States standards of golf association quality. It features Argostis varity turf (Tifsport and the latest state of the art irrigation system. This course has a flood lit driving range.
On the 8th green you will see a wooden hut housing a phone to the club house restaurant. Here you can order food and collect it when finishing the 9th green which is next to the club house. Once you have finished your round the team of marshals offer to clean your golf clubs and shoes at no extra charge.
Santa Maria
This course opened in 1996 and was designed by Antonia Garcia Garrido. It is set in a hilly mountainous but picturesque region of Marbella.
The course is 6,620 meters in length and has a unique back nine holes as it has 4 par 3s. The course is not too long and suits most type of golfers. The greens are normally slow and the higher handicapper will enjoy the pace.
In 2012 Marbella had some of the worst wild fires ever seen on the Costa Del Sol. Santa Maria was right in the middle of the devastation but the course was saved by the quick thinking of the grounds staff, who turned on the water sprinkler system and saved the course from damage.
Marbella Golf and Country Club
A beautiful golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones who was then in his 80s and opened in 1988. It is located in the Marbella countryside.
In 2008 the golf course was in dispute with a local land owner who said that 3 of the golf holes were on his land and wanted 9 million euros. The golf course refused to pay though and overnight the land owner fenced off the said land. Marbella golf and country club stayed open with just 14 holes and redesigned the course 1 year later. It now incorporated another 4 holes taking it back to a 18 hole golf course.
This golf course is ideal for tourist golf and sees lots of golf societies coming from the British Isles to enjoy the lush natural surroundings amongst the rolling hills and olive trees.
Los Naranjos
Los Naranjos opened in 1977 and was designed by Robert Trent Jones, but a few changes were made in the coming years. The first tee was the present third hole and the 18th was the present 2nd hole. A new club house was built and the old club house turned into a private villa which was situated by the 2nd green.
This course was built to hold international championship golf tournaments, it was Puerto Banus first true championship course with large greens and wide and long fairways on a mainly flat golf course. The Marbella ladies open was played here in 1988 and became part of the European Ladies Tour.
In 1989 the Spanish PGA Championship was held there and Spain’s most famous golfer Seve Ballesteros and Jose Rivero tied for first after 4 rounds of championship golf finishing on 278 stokes each. Jose won after a sudden death play off.
Los Naranjos has hosted the European the Spanish Junior Championships the Senior Amateur Championships and the Spanish International Ladies Amateur Championship.
Cabopino
Cabopino golf course is the first golf course as you enter Marbella. It was designed by Juan Ligues Creus. This course is a must for an electric golf buggy as the course was designed high in the Marbella hillside.
The 3rd hole is undoubtedly the most spectacular hole on the Costa, its tee sits some 80 meters above the green. Hole 5 is in my opinion has the hardest stoke index 1s on the Costa del Sol.
The course has a driving range with a length of 200 meters and 30 booths for 30 players at any one time situated opposite the 11th green. There is a golf academy with fantastic putting greens and bunkers to practise your bunker play. The club house also has a vast range of tapas
Guadalhorce
When arriving at Malaga Airport if you land coming over the mountains you will see Guadalhorce golf course below you. The course was designed by Kosti Kuronnen from Finland in 1989 The front nine holes being undulating and no major hazards, the back nine has raised greens much flatter with tropical plants and lakes. Miguel Angel Jimenez redesigned the greens in 2006 which has given them more speed. There are now lots of undulations meaning you not only have to hit the green but you have to put your ball on the right part of the green to have a putt that will if missed stay close to the hole. The club house was originally a 18th century manor house set in beautiful grounds surrounded by Lemon groves. Miguel Angel Jimenez used to live nearby and could regularly be seen on the all grass driving range.
If you wish to play here you will only be offered a tee time after 1200 hours as before that it is reserved for members only.
El Chaparral
Opened in 2004 designed by Pepe Gancedo. This golf course has an unusual lay out of six par 3s six par 4s and six par 5s. This makes it one of the shorter course on the coast at only 5,800 meters in length the course has been built in the forest surrounded by pine trees. The course is short by today’s standards but is one of the tightest for any handicap golfer.
This course has many dog leg holes left and right weaving its way through forest full of tall pine trees.
The course has had its problems with robberies from golf bags that are left on golf buggies as the greens are very big and the paths are quite a long way from the greens. This makes it easy for thieves so don’t leave any valuables in your bag.
The club house and food is fantastic and a perfect end to a perfect day.
Calanova
The course is fairly new and has extraordinary views of the Mediterranean sea and Mijas mountains situated in the renown golf valley. Designed by Javier Fernandez Pena in 2006, the grass type is Bermuda making it very spongy.
A buggy is always included in the price as the greens are a long way from the next tees. Calanova has had a magnificent new club house built in 2017 which is very popular. I am advised by our customers of Malaga Airport Transfers that the food is excellent. There is also a new driving range to get your eye in before your round.
The course has been built in regulation with the United States Golf Association rules