Spain's Top 5 Golf Courses

September 07, 2009

Spain’s 200-plus golf courses are among the most popular in the world, and some of the best are on the costas.
Novocasa lists some of the favourites.

Club de Golf Valderrama (Costa de la Luz).
This 18-hole course was designed in 1974 by Robert Trent Jones Sr and extended by the same architect in 1984. Within five years Golf World had pronounced the revamped, renamed Valderrama Europe’s number one golf course. Since then Valderrama has hosted the Volvo Masters, the World Golf Championships’ American Express Championship and the legendary 1997 Ryder Cup.

La Finca Algorfa Golf Club (Costa Blanca)
Opened in 2001, this 18- hole course designed by José Gancedo is part of the prestigious Villamartín portfolio. La Finca has an enormous variety of greens, with each hole as testing as the last. This course also has the unusual feature of a reserve hole, so that even if one is closed you can still complete a full round.

La Manga Club (Costa Calida)
La Manga Club has three 18-hole courses, the North, South and West. Originally designed by Robert Dean Putman in 1971, the championship South course was remodelled in 1992 by Arnold Palmer, with abundant water hazards and more trees fringing the fairways. Tournaments hosted here include the Spanish Open and PGA Championships.

Club de Golf Bonmont (Costa Dorada)
This is one of Catalonia’s top courses, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr in 1990. The 18-hole course is laid out over gentle terrain with forward tees for the higher handicaps. Bonmont hosted the 1991 and 1996 Catalan Opens

Los Arqueros Golf & Country Club (Costa del Sol)
In the foothills of the Sierra Blanca mountains overlooking the beautiful Puerto Banús valley, this 18-hole course was designed by Seve Ballesteros. The fairways run alongside ravines, streams and well-placed water hazards, providing plenty of challenges.