Home to over 70 golf courses, it comes as no surprise that the Costa del Sol is considered to be the leading golf travel destination in Europe. This has earned the area the nickname ‘Costa del Golf’. Aside from its top-notch infrastructure for golfers, the Málaga province is blessed with a fabulous climate, that invites amateurs and pros alike, to play all year round. With such a large variety of courses to choose from, it can be difficult to make a choice, if you are only visiting for a short break. Here is our pick of the 5 “must play” golf courses on the Costa del Sol. All of them can be easily reached by car from the Marriott Marbella beach resort and the Playa Andaluza.
Atalaya
The headquaters of the PGA of Europe, Atalaya Golf consits of two extremely well kept 18 hole, Par 72 courses, with a very popular golf and country club with excellent facilities. The course is located between Marbella and Estepona, offering one of Spain’s largest driving ranges. Lessons in several languages are available for those wanting to brush up on their technique and can be easily booked at the Pro shop. The new course has stunning panoramic views and is slightly more challenging than the older course, with its lush vegetation and flat, elevated greens.
Los Flamingos
An extremely pleasant course to play, with breathtaking, panoramic views of the Mediterranean, including Gibraltar. Flamingos is a Par 72 course with orange and jacaranda trees, and distinctive crushed marble bunkers. The course is inspired by Tuscan garden design, and as you play you come across classical style statues and marble bridges. Each of the holes presents a challenge, and the front nine are the most difficult. There is a 100-tee driving range and you can hire all the standard golf equipment, if you didn´t bring your own clubs. There are beautiful lake and sea views from the course as well as from the clubhouse, which has a terrace bar- perfect for enjoying a post game drink and you can also enjoy fine dining at the famous La Cantina restaurant.
Valderrama Golf Club
Voted to be the best golf course in Spain and consistently ranked amongst the top courses in the world, no trip to the Costa del Sol would be complete without a game at Valderrama. Home to the 1997 Ryder cup, this course is playable for golfers of most abilities (with the maximum handicap for men being 24 and 32 for ladies.) It is not the cheapest green fee in Europe, but because Valderrama is never over played, you can expect the course to be in top condition at all times. Located in the Sotogrande area of the Costa del Sol, you can expect to be extremely impressed by the beautiful scenery and elegant houses surrounding the area.
Aloha Golf Club
Set in Nueva Andalucia, in close proximity of Puerto Banus- the Aloha golf club is an oldie, but a goodie. Most of the golf holes are set out within a visually attractive landscape and the standard is challenging without being overly demanding. Excellent facilities, including a popular restaurant in the club house, the course is always well kept and makes for an enjoyable day out, in close proximity to your resort.
La Cala Golf Resort
Surrounded by mountains, this upscale golf resort is 15 km from Bioparc Fuengirola zoo and 27 km from the beaches of Marbella, amenities include 3 championship golf courses, 3 restaurants and 2 bars. The course, whilst being challenging has a good variety of holes, set in a spectacular setting and above average maintenance. A buggy is necessary when playing this course, if you want to have the energy for lunch afterwards!
The concentration of quality courses and an enviable climate has made the Costa del Sol one of Europe’s top golfing destinations to many hundreds of thousands of northern European golfers each and every year. Many thousands of golfers head to the Costa del Sol to play with their friends, families or golf societies . Many golfing groups look to book golf holidays and packages which include everything such as tee times, hotels, club hire and transfers. There are many reputable tour operators who specialise in golf holidays so it is advisable to shop around for the best deals.
