Still planning that end of year getaway? Dreading the introduction of lift, clean and place rules at your local club as winter looms? Never fear, for warmer climates have never been more accessible and for the golfers in your life, few promote more options than the stunning surrounds of the Costa del Sol.
Boasting vast fairway riches with more than 70 top-class courses to choose from, the Costa del Sol offers year-round great weather and world class amenities, both on and off the golf course to cater for your every need.
With an annual average temperature in the 20°Cs, shorts and shirts will be the order of the day, and with high-quality club rental widely available, even the stress of lugging your kit across the continent is taken care of, too.
Where better to cut your teeth than on some of southern Spain’s most revered tracks with La Cala Resort and its three magnificent championship courses a fine place to start. Irish owners FBD Holdings only recently completed a full refurbishment of the 107-bedroom hotel while the Resort’s leading Hydrotherapy Heath Spa offers golfers, and their families, the perfect respite from a day in the sun.
The golf’s not bad either, with Campo America, Campo Asia and Campo Europa all presenting unique challenges to players of all abilities. With world-renowned course architect Cabell Robinson laying out each track, test your new WHS handicap against some of the most acclaimed slope ratings in Spain, while if you want to fine-tune your game before your round, there’s an additional 6-hole course, a par-3 course and a world-class golf academy all on-site for the ultimate golf experience.
If you’re looking for an Irish welcome on the Costa del Sol, the Gary Player designed El Paraiso Golf Club is known as one of the friendliest courses on the Continent. Resting peacefully in the El Paraiso valley, but back-lit by the spectacular ‘La Concha’ mountain, there are jaw-dropping views at every turn at this 1973 established club that’s sure to charm you from the moment you arrive to the minute you leave.
If you fancy a change of pace on the golf front, La Quinta Golf & Country Club, which rests in the Golf Valley of Marbella, provides a fine balance between on-course and off-course activities. The exclusive 27-hole club was designed by Ryder Cup legend Manuel Piñero and will serve as the perfect venue for all levels of play.
For those of you more accustomed to the clubhouse than the course, the country club terrace bar is sure to quench that thirst while food options are aplenty on an extensive, fresh restaurant menu.
However, if you’re really serious about your golf, then it would be remiss not to test yourself against arguably the very best the Costa del Sol has to offer at the often intimidating, forever celebrated, Real Club Valderrama, a mainstay of the European Tour.
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr in 1974, Valderrama has had just about every golfer worth their salt walk its fairways and for those who have survived to tell the tale, this is a bucket list adventure for the golfer’s soul.
Regularly featured in the top-100 courses in the world, and maintained year-round to the highest standards, Valderrama will host next week’s Andalucía Masters where you can see for yourself why this golfing gem is so well regarded.
If you’re a golfer reading and wondering, ‘how can I swing a holiday like this with my family at home?’, then never fear, the Costa del Sol promises fun for all the family, from water sports, beach activities and Go Karting during the day to live entertainment, music and dancing at night.
While the rest of us are back home in Ireland avoiding the icy raindrops, why not dip your feet in the warm azure waters of the Mediterranean and let us know how it feels? While if beaches and bronzing aren’t your thing, there’s no shortage of shops, cafes and restaurants, hill top hikes or promenade strolls to fill your itinerary with Spanish holiday bliss.
To discover a new way to golf, why not step into the light at the Costa del Sol?
- More information can be found HERE
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