Delirium Propaganda

In Spain’s gorgeous Costa Del Sol, no visitor lacks for things to do. And sure, beach, sun, water sports, and sailing are all great, but there’s nothing quite as irresistible as the Costa del Sol’s incredible golf courses. The Costa del Sol boasts more than fifty golf courses, ranging from exclusive, world-class golf clubs to Mom-and-Pop mini-courses. With this many to choose from, it’s hard to know which to visit first. Here we’ll go over the top six golf courses on Costa del Sol– and what makes these courses so special.

1. Valderrama Golf Course

Many golf writers have described Valderrama as the best golf course in Europe. And while others may disagree, no one can argue that this isn’t a truly great course. What makes Valderrama, designed by Robert Trent Jones, special is its ability to test the skills of any golfer– seasoned professional and everyday amateur alike. To achieve this, each hole has been built with a tee for every level of player, from the Professional tee to the Ladies’ Club tee.

This is a course that requires a great amount of thought and precision for each shot, and isn’t an easy course for any player. The course’s signature hole, hole four (La Cascada) is a par 5 with a two-tiered green and a pond to the right. Another much talked-about hole is the 17th (Las Gabiones)– this difficult hole has been the setting for some pretty tense moments during some World Championship events.

2. Sotogrande

Sotogrande is another famous Spanish golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones. One of the best golf courses in Europe (and ranked as one of the top 100 in the world by GolfWeb), Sotogrande is about three kilometers from neighboring course Valderrama and is characterized by long views out over the Mediterranean. The combination of rich vegetation, such as pines, eucalyptus, and cork trees; and the water hazards formed by large lakes, makes for a beautiful but very complicated round of golf. And the greens don’t make it any easier… huge and undulating, Sotogrande’s greens aren’t easy on the scorecard.

In addition to the 18-hole championship course, Sotogrande is also home to a 9-hole par three course with views of the Guadiaro valley.

3. San Roque Golf Course

The Old Course:

San Roque’s old course is really only old in relation to its new course. Built in 1990, this 18-hole course was designed by Dave Thomas and is considered to be one of the best in Europe. The nine front holes give incredible mountain views, while the back nine lie across rolling hills. With tight and sloping fairways, this course demands a straight and accurate drive– those that aren’t careful easily fall prey to water hazards.

The New Course:

San Roque’s new 18-hole course, designed by Perry Dye, was opened in 2003. Dotted with vegetation (San Roque is famous for its cork trees) and speckled throughout with water hazards, San Roque’s new course is full of hidden obstacles. This parkland layout course large greens, wide fairways, and dangerous groups of bunkers.

4. La Reserva

La Reserva, designed by Cabell B. Robinson, is a young course. Only opened for the first time in 2004, this first-rate course is already considered quite good enough to host a professional tour event. La Reserva is located inside two valleys, and is quite a long course– almost 7,400 yards in all. Despite its length, La Reserva’s greens are generally large and its fairways wide. There are water and bunker hazards at a number of holes, and five tees are offered at each hole. All in all this is a difficult and entertaining course for any level of player.

5. Finca Cortesin Golf Course

Finca Cortesin, designed by Cabell Robinson, is a brand new 18-hole course. Though only opened in 2007, this course is already showing incredible promise, and looks only to get better with time. The concept behind Finca Cortesin golf course, according to Robinson, is a course where there is no hole of “less than championship quality.” The layout of this course is spectacular, and there are many holes worth a special mention. The star hole on the course, however, is probably hole 13, a par four with a drive to the wide fairway across a water hazard followed by another crossing of the water.

6. Santana Golf

Santana is another 18-hole golf course designed by the prolific Cabell Robinson. Located on an old avocado farm, Santana is dotted with lush avocado trees. The layout is quite flat and nicely formed; the fairways are wide and the greens generous. This is a strikingly beautiful course, and each and every hole has its own personality. While easily to walk and navigate, Santana is a difficult course even for experienced golfers. The well laid-out greens, dangerous bunkers, and numerous water hazards will take any golfer through his or her paces.

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