Marbella is recognised as one of the best golf destinations, really popular among golfers from all nationalities visiting Marbella for the opportunity to play and challenge themselves on the most beautiful fairways on the Costa del Sol all year round.
Indeed, renowned for its vibrant and dynamic lifestyle, the whole area of Marbella also relishes the arresting beauty of its wonderful golfs, nestled in a green and lush setting under the endless sun of the Costa del Sol. With its unbeatable microclimate offering an average of 320 days of sun each year, Marbella comprises the highest concentration of golf courses in Europe where professional players as well as beginners like to play and then have a refreshment in the clubhouse.
In the area of Nueva Andalucía, stands the famous “Golf Valley”, a sweet embrace of three superb championship 18-hole courses: Aloha Golf Club, Las Brisas Golf and Los Naranjos Golf, within a 5 minutes’ drive from the glamorous Puerto Banus. Every year, world-class competitions are held at these prestigious golf courses, such as the World Cup and the Spanish Open at Las Brisas Golf, the European Seniors at Los Flamingos Golf and much more!
Then, Marbella is home to the most prestigious and luxurious golf clubs, most of which have been designed by great architects or former professional golfers ready to take on the challenge of designing a stimulating and entertaining course. Each course is adapted to all kind of players and depending on where the golf is located, you will have the pleasure of playing while enjoying an unobstructed view towards the sea, the African coastline or the mountain La Concha. On the fringes of the golf courses, well-maintained green vegetation contributes to the difficulty of each course, which can sometimes be crossed by waterholes and rivers to avoid.
Throughout this blog, we will make a point regarding one of the most exclusive golf competition that will be held in Marbella soon. But first, we invite you to discover our top 3 of golf courses not to be missed during your next visit to the Costa del Sol.
These are, of course, the 3 golf courses that make up the incredible Golf Valley in the heart of Nueva Andalucía, a beautiful area made up of attractive select residential neighbourhoods where delightful flats and villas have retained an Andalusian architectural style mixed with new, modern design properties. A thriving area that keeps attracting golf lovers and non-golfers from all over the world for its quality of quiet life, its green environment and its proximity to amenities, not to mention the extremely favourable microclimate.
As you play the majestic golf courses of Aloha Golf, Las Brisas Golf or Los Naranjos Golf, every swing will be filled with happiness at the sight of the amazing landscapes of La Concha and the Mediterranean Sea.
Aloha Golf in the Golf Valley
First of all, Aloha is an 18-hole golf course widely recognised by golf enthusiasts as one of the most beautiful and prestigious golf clubs on the Costa del Sol.
Extremely well maintained, it was created by the Spanish golf designer, Javier Arana who also designed El Saler and El Prat in Valencia and Barcelona respectively. In order to maintain the quality of play for golfers, the course has seen improvements over the recent years, offering players more and more challenges and excitement.
One of the main distinguishing features of this golf course is that every hole has been given its own name as a distinctive feature. To name a few, hole number one took the name of this famous Spanish golfer, Miguel Ángel Jiménez and hole number ten honours its designer, Javier Aranas. Along the course, spectacular views of La Concha and their beautiful lake are enjoyable guaranteeing a marvellous experience. It is also worth noting that hole number 2 is considered one of the top 500 holes in the world by Golf magazine!
Being considered one of the best golf courses in Spain, Aloha Golf is also home to prestigious tournaments and has already hosted the PGA Tour 3 times. This Par 72 course requires accuracy off the tee and good touch around the greens. Combining the easy and the difficult, the course undulates through trees, shrubs and lakes, offering beautiful displays of colour throughout the year.
Before or after your round of golf, enjoy and refresh yourself at the clubhouse! Its large terrace overlooking the golf course invite you to admire the beautiful view and the players on the course.
A stop to the large dressing room in the clubhouse is also not to be overlooked, as it has recently been rebuilt and is now considered by the professional player Gonzalo Fernandez Castaño as “one of the best dressing rooms of the European Tour” with a relaxation room and sauna, made with incredible quality materials.
Finally, in order to have the opportunity to play on this magnificent golf course, be aware that the club requires a maximum handicap of 25.7 for men and 32.7 for women.
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Las Brisas Real Club in the Golf Valley
What can be said is that playing at Las Brisas is a real dream for any enthusiastic golfer. Recognised as one of Europe’s finest courses this is the achievement of the architect Robert Trent Jones Senior, inaugurated in 1969. It was subsequently rebuilt in 2015 by Kyle Philips and continues to win awards, including being ranked in the top 100 best golf courses in Europe in 2018. Its prestige is continually increasing and it was awarded the status of the 6th best golf course in Spain in the same year.
The impeccable fairways of this 18-hole course are lined with lush, flowering vegetation, creating a harmonious landscape and perfectly complementing the design of the golf course. Englishman Gerald Huggan has incorporated plants and trees from every continent in the world, filling the course with exquisite colours, including rare African species such as the spiny acacia and the Indian laurel, as well as Mediterranean plantings in reference to the beautiful Costa del Sol.
Each course at the Real Club de Golf Las Brisas has been carefully designed both to enjoy the game and to challenge even the most experienced players. Along the course you will encounter numerous water hazards and bunkers, requiring careful planning and shot execution to avoid them and finish the course with the lowest score. Once you have played the first three holes, you will quickly realise the technique and precision that the course requires.
Las Brisas Real Club is more than just a golf club as it frequently hosts major tournaments of international renown including the World Cup twice, the Spanish Open 3 times and other PGA competitions.
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Los Naranjos Golf & Country Club in the Golf Valley
Certainly one of the most famous golf course for tournaments, exuding a special and cheerful atmosphere with large greens surrounded by orange trees! Soon after the course was inaugurated in 1970, the golf course gained worldwide recognition for its design and championship concept, hosting many important competitions both professionals and amateurs such as the World Cup and the Spanish Open in the 1980s.
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the course typically reflects its architectural style with generous fairways, spacious and gently undulating greens. An 18-hole course with Par 72 that requires precision and concentration to achieve your best score throughout.
The experience at Los Naranjos golf course is not limited to the extraordinary golf course, but continues with the social events organised for the members and guests of the club. Highly appreciated by its members, the golf restaurant “Hacienda Los Naranjos” is exquisite and worth a visit as it has its own wine cellar. Other facilities include a hairdresser’s salon to look your best even after a round, and a pro-shop where you can get the best clothes from international golf brands.
Los Naranjos Golf is also the place to attend or even participate in the most important competitions in the world of golf. Among the key competitions that marked the competitive beginnings of this golf course, the Marbella Ladies Open in 1988, part of the European Ladies Tour, was won by Laurette Maritz, from South Africa, with a score of 283. Then, in 1989, the Spanish PGA Championship was contested with José Rivero and Severiano Ballesteros on 278 strokes. Rivero finally won the championship on the first hole of the sudden death event.
But Los Naranjos Golf is also the ideal course for amateur championships, regularly hosting the Spanish Junior Championship, the Spanish International Women’s Amateur Championship and the European Senior Amateur Championship.
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Coming tournament in Los Naranjos Golf Club
Speaking about competitions, the golf season in Marbella is about to reach its climax at Los Naranjos Golf by hosting the prestigious Andalusia Costa del Sol Open de España women’s golf in its 2021 edition. A tournament between top players that will take place on the beautiful greens of Los Naranjos Golf from 25 to 28 November 2021 with the collaboration of the Ministry of Tourism. A competition that will once again confirm the weight of the Costa del Sol as a reference destination in the world of golf.
It is also important to note that hosting this tournament is not just a privilege for the club, but a commitment to developing women’s golf in Spain and beyond, as stated by the general manager of Los Naranjos Golf Club, Julián Romaguera.
Among the participants of the competition, the captain of the 2021 Solheim Cup, Catriona Matthew, and the professional golfers Carlota Ciganda, Fátima Fernández Cano, Luna Sobrón and Beatriz Recari have already confirmed their place in the group that will compete for a prize of €600,000.
The course has already been meticulously prepared to welcome the competitors soon and to ensure a comfortable play throughout the year but also to adapt to the demand and needs of its members. Then, several aspects of the course have been improved, including the tees, fairways, bunkers and greens.
The design of the golf course is very conducive to spectators wishing to watch the players in action, as from certain vantage points they can overlook several holes and follow the players.
In all, this coastal region will host the tournament for the eighth time after those played at Los Flamingos in 2010, La Quinta in 2011 and 2018, Aloha Golf in 2016 and 2019, and Real Club de Golf Guadalmina in 2017 and 2020.
If you wish to attend this imminent competition, access this link to get your free tickets for the 5 days!
Furthermore, if you are a golf enthusiast, a professional player or simply an admirer of the beauty of the courses, we invite you to discover our sub-web page dedicated to our most exclusive properties with direct access to or enjoys views of the privileged golf courses of Marbella. LINK HERE