Costa del Sol
It should really come as no surprise that the Costa del Sol is one of the golfers’ favourite destinations in Europe. Nestled between the sea and the mountains, with 325 days of sun a year and average annual temperatures around 20°C the sunny Mediterranean weather makes for perfect golfing conditions and many of the golf courses are situated with views of the spectacular Andalusian coast while the ‘Brisa Del Mar’ or sea breeze ensures the heat never gets too unbearable.
The weather, the quantity (and quality) of the courses, the golf academies, the delicious and varied gastronomy paired with an extensive selection of exclusive hotels that have been designed specifically for golfers make the Costa del Golf one of the most popular destinations for a golf holiday in the world.
Golf at Costa del Sol
One of the reasons the Costa Del Sol has become a golfing mecca is because it has the highest concentration of golf courses in Europe, the 70-plus world-class courses in the Costa del Sol have resulted in it being dubbed the Costa del Golf.
Internationally renowned golf architects have left their mark across the courses in the Costa del Sol. There are big names behind the design of world-famous courses such as Valderrama, Sotogrande, Finca Cortesín and more. American designer Robert Trent Jones designed Valderrama, Real Club Sotogrande, Las Brisas, Los Naranjos, and more, while Javier Arana, Tom Simpson, Perry Dye, Dave Thomas and Cabell B. Robinson are among the other internationally renowned designers that have left their mark on the Costa del Sol, as have legendary players, such as Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros.
The original first nine holes at Real Club de Campo de Málaga (currently known as Parador de Málaga) were designed by Tom Simpson, a famous British course architect. The great designer also worked on a number of renowned courses such as Turnberry, Muirfield and Ballybunion.
Torrequebrada Golf was designed by course architect José Gancedo, one of the most famous designers of the courses in the province of Malaga. Sitting on the slopes of the mountain, Torrequebrada is a hilly course offering players a short yet entertaining game defined by undulating greens.
Río Real Golf was designed by Javier Arana, who also designed Aloha Golf. The first nine holes feature doglegs from right to left while the final nine holes have doglegs from left to right. Situated close to the sea, the course is defined by its natural beauty: it is not by chance that the course crosses the river that gives the club its name no fewer than four times.
Robert Trent Jones is one of the most prolific foreign course architects in the Costa del Sol. Throughout his career, he designed more than 500 courses around the world. In the Costa del Golf he worked on some of the best courses, including Las Brisas, Los Naranjos and Valderrama Golf.
If anything characterises the Costa del Sol, it’s the limitless range of activities on offer. Extending far beyond the golf course, the choice of doing exactly what you want, whenever you want, makes Costa del Golf stand out from other destinations.
