Golf - Five Fascinating Facts

Five Fascinating Facts about Golf in Andalucia

by Fiona Flores Watson

Andalucia is an ideal year-round destination for your golfing holiday with its average eight hours of sunshine per day, and spectacular coastline filled with over 100 courses designed by world-famous names such as Trent Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros. Many hotels and resorts have their own courses, or can offer you reduced green fees at nearby clubs. If you're coming to Andalucia to retire, you can even buy your new home right next to a green.

The Marbella / Sotogrande area has the highest concentration, with around 40 world-class courses on this part of the Costa del Sol alone, while  Malaga and Cadiz provinces have the most courses per square km in Europe. Now Huelva and Almeria, especially the coastal areas,  are also getting in on the act. There are various courses in inland provinces, especially around Seville capital.

Sergio García

Golf - Fascinating Facts - Fact 1

One of the world's top young golfers has close family links with Andalucia. Sergio Garcia has roots in Almeria, where his mother is from, and his sister was born.

Bandera

Golf - Fascinating Facts - Fact 2

As well as football, the British introduced golf to Spain, right here in Andalucia. In the late 19th century, the mineworkers in the British "colony" at the Rio Tinto mines in Huelva province,… More →

Valderrama

Golf - Fascinating Facts - Fact 3

Andalucia has one of the world's top courses. In Sotogrande close to Gibraltar, is widely acknowledged as being one of the best courses in the world, and number one in continental Europe.

Desert, coast or mountain

Golf - Fascinating Facts - Fact 4

Golf courses in Andalucia offer every kind of landscape, from desert to mountain to coast. Almeria has Europe's first Arizona-style desert course.

Golf for all and all for Golf

Golf - Fascinating Facts - Fact 5

Spain's first public golf course was in Cordoba. Pozoblanco, a small town in Cordoba province, was Spain's first municipal course; it was built in 1984.

Golf Course Hotels

Anywhere on the Costa del Sol could be described as a golf hotel but here are some suggestions for golf course hotels that are actually located within a short walk or golf buggy ride of the club house. More >