Old Holts Golf Society
THE COURSES
Marbella Golf and Country Club
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On arrival to Malaga we will be again heading straight, from the airport, to our first round of golf. You will need to ensure your golfing gear is easily accessible as it maybe a bit of a rush for the first tee off time. We make the short 50 minute drive to the impressive Marbella Golf and Country Club which we will be playing for the first time. Marbella Golf and Country Club is the 34th best course in Southern Spain and the 73rd best course in Spain.
Marbella Golf and Country Club is a 6,508 yards, par 71 course parkland course. First designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Senior in 1989, the original course went bust and then a motorway was built through part of the property before reopening in 1994. The course occupies one of the largest remaining green areas on the Costa del Sol, imaginatively designed to respect the natural terrain.
The course starts out as an intimidating track with the first few holes testing your accuracy, so you need to make sure you're ready from the start. An abundance of bunkers greets you on every hole, leading up to large undulating greens. A number of brave tee shots are required over picturesque ravines and gullies to set up a good position for your approach to the green. There are also some beautiful views to the sea and central Marbella is only minutes away.
SANTA CLARA
Friday we take the short 50 minute drive and head back to a Marbella to face another new course. A relative newcomer on the Costa del Sol golfing scene, Santa Clara Golf Course which first opened its doors in 1998. The parkland course provides a technically challenging but pleasant round for all golfing abilities, with wide fairways and open greens. Santa Clara golf course was voted the 73rd best course in Southern Spain.
Santa Clara Parkland Golf Course is a 6,428 yard par 71 course which was designed by Enrique Canales Busquets. Close to many amenities of Marbella, Santa Clara Golf Club is set to become one of the finest golf courses in the Costa del Sol. This course has been created with respect for the natural environment of indigenous wild life and vegetation, providing a fantastic meeting place for golf enthusiasts. Such is the quality of the layout, it was chosen to host the 58th Spanish PGA Championship in 2003, quite an honour for a new course.
Santa Clara golf course is highlighted by the "Santa Clara Corner" formed by the 12th, 13th and 14th holes, a perfect combination of pars 4,3 and 5, which requires the golfer to make long and accurate shots. The course is a very pleasant 18 holes laid out on relatively level ground with little rough, wide fairways and large receptive greens, though there are several water carries and one steep climb at the short par four 7th. Overlooking the first and last holes and the driving range with views over the Mediterranean Sea, the huge sun-drenched terrace is a focal point for the Clubhouse.
VALLE ROMANO
Saturday we take the 15 minute short drive and head back to Valle Romano Golf Course in Estepona. Valle Romano is an outstanding 18-hole course, fitted out to play host to the most demanding and prestigious tournaments. Its design guarantees the enjoyment of amateur golfers, while being transformed into a challenging circuit for professionals.
Valle Romano Golf Course is a 6,417 yards, par 71 course parkland course. The course was designed by Cabell B. Robinson, the prominent golf course architect and designer of some of the 100 finest courses in the world. Cabell has planned an exceptional course that can be adapted to players of all levels, ranging from the lowest to the highest handicaps. Its design guarantees the enjoyment of amateur golfers, while being transformed into a challenging circuit for professionals. This is a course which, more than being designed, has been devised to ensure that one day it will become a legend.
Valle Romano is the place chosen by major golf pros such as Seve Ballesteros and Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño to live and play on its impressive 18-hole golf course. There are 5 par 3s, 8 par 4s and 5 par 5s. The first hole is impressive and quite strange in design. The hole is a dogleg downhill with a lot of bunkers on driving distance. The greens at Valle Romano are quite difficult due to the various undulations and because they are also pretty fast. The clubhouse is great. It has a nice restaurant which overlooks the hills and the sea which is why Ray selected for prizes.
