The south of Spain is an absolute no-brainer for a memorable golf trip given the near-perfect weather all year round and the abundance of excellent resorts to base yourself at. While you may naturally gravitate towards those that have golf on site for the sake of ease, this does also have its drawbacks - which is why you should really consider Royal Marbella Golf Resort, to which I travelled in late July earlier this year with my wife and two young children.
It is situated about an hour from Malaga airport on the west side of Marbella - in truth it is just as close to Estepona further down the coast and Benahavis is also close by. With its terracotta colour scheme and modern design, Royal Marbella does have the luxurious ambience to match the grandeur of the name while also providing golfers, families and couples with a friendly welcome - we encountered all three of these demographics during our stay, demonstrating its versatile appeal.
You stay in modern, self-catering one, two or three-bedroom apartments with spacious rooms and open-plan lounge and dining areas as well as a balcony to soak in the scenery. You can cool off in two outdoor pools or recharge the batteries in a comfortable indoor space called The Hub where you can take a break from the sun, catch up on your emails or enjoy whatever sport is happening on the TV.
There is no restaurant or bar on site, but there is complimentary water and coffee available as well as a small shop to pick up essentials. We were treated to the ‘enhanced welcome pack’ on arrival to our apartment, which comprised a selection of food and drink (including some very palatable local wines) that set us up perfectly for the first day or so of our trip.
There are seven championship golf courses within 10km of the resort and while hiring a car is probably the easiest way to access these (while also being able to experience what the local area has to offer), the resort is able to organise any transfers that you require - doing all the hard work for you and letting you focus on enjoying your golf. Royal Marbella can also book your tee times and in some cases gain small discounts on your green fees - it’s a service I’d recommend taking advantage of!
You can walk easily to El Paraiso golf club, a charming layout suitable for all levels of player. It meanders through the undulating terrain and water features early on before climbing to the top of the Andalusian hills at the conclusion of the 6th hole. The 7th and 12th tees in particular provide stunning views that make for a truly memorable round.
The course let my family ride with me for my round (I don’t think this is commonplace - expect to be paired up with others if you’re playing solo pretty much everywhere in Spain) but you can expect impeccable conditioning and a huge amount of variety from El Paraiso - it’s a must-play should you base yourself at Royal Marbella and given its close proximity, it’s probably worth visiting more than once during your stay.
The next closest course is Atalaya golf club, which was the second of the two courses I played during our visit in late July (I tried to push my luck with a third but my wife was having none of it!). This course isn’t quite as visually arresting as El Paraiso but it is great fun nonetheless with its strategically-placed bunkers and small, challenging green complexes. While you naturally want to avoid the bunkers, the soft white sand was a joy to play out of and if you hit the ball a decent distance, you’ll have plenty of scoring opportunities.
These include the second and the eighth, both of which are par fives that become infinitely easier to score on after a good drive. I demonstrated this on the day by playing them in one under, including an approach shot that defied the laws of physics to pitch a foot from the hole and finish a foot behind directly in line with the cup. It’s quite tight in places, so you need to balance accuracy with distance to avoid both the bunkers and running into the wooded areas, especially on the short par fours, the 4th and 5th.
Other courses nearby include Marbella Golf and Country Club and La Quinta Golf Club, both of which I have had the pleasure of on previous visits to the area and can highly recommend, as well as the stunning Las Naranjos (picture above).
Away from the course you’ll find some delightful restaurants in both Marbella and Estepona if you do your research as well as long sandy beaches with water sports and cafes aplenty. Having experienced all that Royal Marbella has to offer, I know I would enjoy it with friends and family, ideal for those seeking a more relaxing golf break in the near-constant Spanish sunshine.
Visit the Royal Marbella Golf Resort website to find out more.
