Golf in Spain

I don't like to gloat but we have just got back from a very pleasant week in the sun between Malaga and Marbella. Scheduled flights with BA for all 4 of us were a total of £360 which I thought was pretty good for school holiday time and we had cracking three bedroomed apartment so could pretty much do as we pleased. But you don't want to know about that!

We managed four games of golf and the first lesson we learned was not to book ahead. By turning up at the clubs we found that there was almost always some 'special deal' that they could do for us whether it was half price/free golf for Juniors, giving us the 'Early Bird' rate later in the morning, or one course that was half price on Wednesdays.

The first course we played was Sentana. Quite a gentle start to the week, fairly open fairways and not too much trouble if you miss them. The condition of the course was immaculate with moderately paced but very true greens. In the 'Family Masters' I managed to eke out a three shot lead so went to bed happy.

Day two was at Calanova. This was nothing like as polished as Sentana but great fun. Lots of elevated tees, shots through gulleys to bone-hard fairways lines with cabbage and fast, sloping greens. Imagine a links track set into a hillside and you won't be far off the feel. I managed to retain my lead so sitting quite comfortably at the mid-way point.

Day three was on the Americas course at La Cala. We were told that it was the most forgiving of the three courses on the complex but if that's the case I would love to see the other two. We should have guessed what was coming when the starter told us that competition rounds over the weekend had taken seven hours! La Cala is a really classy place from the moment you drive onto the complex and the course certainly lives up to that. Well defined fairways, neat bunkers, firm and fast greens etc. Quite a few very tricky drives over gulleys (or roads) to reach the fairways. I struggled a bit round here so by the end of the day had not only surrendered my lead but was two shots behind my son with the wife catching up quickly.

Day four was a rest day to allow me to empty the fridge of San-Miguel.

The final day was at Alhaurin, up in the mountains for a resort course designed by Seve. All I can say is that the great man must have been pi55ed when he laid out the front nine. Narrow, sloping fairways on the edge of a cliff, very difficult greens and some very odd features. One par five in particular from a tee about 100 feet above the fairway to a dog leg little over 200 yards away then another 300 yards to the flag. Definitely one where local knowledge comes into play. The back nine is much more open and more what you would expect of a resort course. Son and I pulled away a bit but I couldn't close the gap and stood on the par 5 last 3 shots behind. I put my tee shot in the semi on the left well out of range while he did his usual 'bisect the fairway' trick. I walked up and knocked what I thought was my ball up the fairway only to be told by a group coming in the other direction that my ball was 20 yards behind so back I go, knock the correct ball out but have now played 4. 130 yards to go, out comes the 9 iron, pitches 3 feet from the pin and rolls in for the strangest par I have made in a long time. Meanwhile son has had some adventures of his own and has a three foot put to win which he duly rolls in so my ball ID error was very expensive in terms of family bragging rights.

All in all though a cracking week making me realise how lucky I am having the whole family playing golf.

J

Sounds like great fun Jethro. I have played all three courses at La Cala and agree that it is a great place to play.

I am off to the Montecastillo resort near Jerez for a weeks golf next month, really looking forward to it.

Blue

I would love to play Montecastillo, but no flights to Jerez, from North of the Border.

Ryanair fly from Stansted to Jerez every day Setup, that is if you can put up with Michael O'Leary charging you as much to take the golf clubs as for your seat on the plane!

Blue

North of the Border is further north, than the North side of the Thames!!

Mr O'Leary would have a field day with flights from Glasgow to Stansted, then Stansted to Jerez.............don't think so.

Edinburgh isn't far away. You can get to Jerez from there.

Or failing that Malaga to Jerez is 135 miles. Not too tough in a hire car.

One Ryanair flight a day is more than enough Setup, don't think I could cope with a second either!

We did look at flying to Malaga with an alternative airline LJ, as a couple of the boys were not keen on giving Mr O'Leary any of their hard earned cash, but in the end Jerez is so convenient as Montecastillo is only a 15 minutes cab ride away.

LondonJonnyO wrote:Edinburgh isn't far away. You can get to Jerez from there.

Or failing that Malaga to Jerez is 135 miles. Not too tough in a hire car.

What airline LJ flies from Edinburgh to Jerez ?

According to Edinburgh Airport's website, no one flies to Jerez from there.

There's currently rumours of Ryanair establishing that route.