The Costa del Sol has come to be known as the Costa del Golf in recent years. The traditional things that have benefited the typical tourist over the last four decades have also to some extent caused an increase in the amount of people that come to the Costa del Sol to play golf.
The climate and the long hours of sunshine provide a perfect opportunity in which to practise the sport and each year the clubs and courses are visited by an ever increasing number of enthusiasts and professionals.
The long hours of sunshine that the Costa del Sol receives has established the region as firm favourite amongst golf aficionados.
The fact that the Costa del Sol receives over three hundred days of sunshine each year is something useful to keep in mind when starting a round of eighteen holes. Fresh Atlantic winds, due to the proximity of the Straits of Gibraltar, mix with the mild Mediterranean winds and help to moderate the temperatures.
The climate here is usually defined by the warmth of the air and lack of extreme atmospheric weather. This is due to the fact that the length of the Costa del Sol is sheltered by elevated mountainous regions - the sierras of Mijas, Alpujata and Blanca - which act as a protective screen against the affects of the colder northern winds. Apart from offering such a warm climate, the mountains, slopes and valleys provide a wonderful scenic backdrop to the game, this is especially evident on some of the famous courses in the Valle de Golf near Puerto Banús.

All these factors contributed to the decision to hold various European PGA tournaments in the Costa del Sol. Grounds and facilities are kept in immaculate condition throughout the whole year and are unaffected by the harsh northern continental winter. A club in this area was the first one in Europe to be permitted to hold the Ryder Cup outside of the UK.
Many of the players that have made a memorable contribution to the Ryder Cup are resident professionals in the Costa del Sol and are available to give lessons. Some of the clubs have excellent golf academies, like the well-known Academia de David Leadbetter which is run by professional players.

Golf enthusiasts will be able to find a complete variety of courses ranging from the technical and demanding, with challenging lakes and bunkers to the straightforward, with wide easy fairways.

:: Alcaidesa Links:
This course was designed by the British Peter Alliss and Clive Clark and is reminiscent of the Scottish Links. Opened in June 1992, this excellent eighteen hole golf course has spectacular views of the Mediterranean, Straits of Gibraltar and North Africa.

:: Alhaurín Golf:
These two courses were designed by Severiano Ballesteros and are situated in a mountainous region. There is also a smaller course suitable for children. Both courses are very well rated by professionals and continue to offer surprises throughout the game, however it is not hard to familiarise yourself with them.

:: Almenara Golf:
Situated close to the beach in Sotogrande, this eighteen hole golf course has a big lake and spectacular views.

:: Aloha:
Another fine course from the Valle de Golf in Marbella, close to Puerto Banús. This course is characterised by the majestic trees that line the fairways and make it a challenge to reach the complicated greens. It has good facilities, and a fine international pedigree.

:: Añoreta:
Situated on the eastern part of the Costa del Sol, 12 km from Málaga. It is a beautiful area surrounded by Olive and Almond trees. The course will require the use of most of the clubs in order to cleanly navigate your way through all lakes and bunkers.

:: Atalaya (Neys) / Atalaya (Old):
This course is situated above Estepona and has magnificent views of the Rock of Gibraltar and North Africa. It has wide fairways of 'tif way' grass and elevated greens. There are good facilities and services.

:: Baviera Golf:
Situated in the Caleta de Vélez, in the Axarquía region. This new eighteen hole golf course is positioned between the sea and the mountainside and is suitable for all levels; from complete amateurs to professionals. The course was designed by twice world champion José María Cañizares.


:: Cabopino Club de Golf:
Situated 12 km from Marbella, this is very modern eighteen hole golf course - par 71. It has spectacular views of the sea and the Costa del Sol.

:: Club de Golf La Cañada:
This 9 hole course has extremely well looked after greens and was designed by Robert Trent Jones. It is located in the highest area of Guadiaro.

:: Club de Golf Valderrama:
Valderrama is situated in San Roque, was designed by Robert Trent Jones and opened to the public in 1985. This 18 hole course is reckoned to be one of the most challenging in all Europe. It was internationally recognised in the 1997 Ryder Cup and named on more than one occasion as the "Augusta de Europa" - meaning that the course requires great respect.

:: Dama de Noche:
Close to Puerto Banús, this is the first golf course in Europe that can be played twenty-four hours a day thanks to powerful artificial lighting. At night the course takes on a ghostly elegance.

:: El Candado:
Situated within the interior of the city of Málaga, it is an historic course of nine holes, with difficult changes in level and a demanding design.

:: El Coto:
Set in the residential area of Coto de la Serena, close to Estepona. This course has an almost oriental appeal and requires a powerful swing in order to make the most of the tee shots.

:: El Paraíso:
Situated in an area of Estepona covered by streams, lakes and plenty of trees, this would be a very uncomplicated course, if it were not for the strategic positioning of the bunkers.

:: Estepona Golf:
A very flat course that requires a great deal of technical skill to avoid all the water hazards. The fairways are reasonably short, but are bounded by difficult rough.

:: Golf Artola:
Opened in 1964 and designed by Jorge Rein, this course has short fairways and flat greens. Artola is surrounded by Pine trees and an expensive residential area. The whole course stretches from the national road 340 - also called "Calle Major de la Costa del Sol" - down to the sea. This course doesn't present many problems, due to the length of its fairways and because the total distance covered by all of the holes is less than 700 metres.

:: Greenlife Golf:
A great quality nine hole golf course in Marbella. It has a spectacular artificial lake and a landscape of varying vegetation.

:: Guadalhorce:
Situated close to Málaga, the initial nine holes of this course require precise tee shots to stay in limits, whilst the other nine holes are relatively simple affairs, if the water hazards can be avoided.

:: Guadalmina: (North) / (South)
Two courses; one of which is demanding enough not to require many artificial lakes or bunkers, the other of a more modern design by Folco Nerdi, has more obstacles but is not as long.

:: Las Brisas:
Situated in one of the most beautiful valleys in the Costa del Sol, this course has hosted a variety of professional events, including two editions of the World Cup. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones at the end of the sixties and requires severe precision and a strong mental discipline in order not to fall fowl of its ten artificial lakes, hazardous bunkers and elevated greens.

:: La Cala: (North) / (South)
Two different courses set in the beautiful location surrounding Mijas, that have pronounced undulations and spectacular views. Cabell Robinson designed the courses to suit American tastes with a selection of different tee shots, varying fairways and difficult elevated greens.

:: La Duquesa:
A very attractive club, set amongst the vineyards of Manilva on the western extreme of the Costa del Sol. The course has pleasant views of the coast, the Rock of Gibraltar and North Africa. The last nine holes are played on an incline.

:: La Quinta:
One of the most prestigious clubs in the Valle de Golf. This course is marked by constantly changing levels, sharp falls, large bunkers and isolated greens. This is an excellent, but technically challenging course for experienced players.

:: La Siesta:
This course is close to the residential area of Calahonda. It is a fairly short course, but the levels vary substantially from tee to green.

:: Lauro:
In Alhaurín de la Torre, next to Málaga. This course is set in a very pleasant location and is surrounded by abundant naturally occurring trees and a wide variety of bird life. The overall course is relatively simple, but the greens require a degree of skill.

:: La Zagaleta:
Situated in a nature reserve with a huge variety of birds and flora. This is a very well designed course by Bradford Benz, however it is a private course and is playable by invitation only.

:: Los Arqueros: (Course 1) / (Course 2)
Situated amongst the magnificent mountain region of Benahavís, close to Marbella. This course was designed by Severiano Ballesteros and is appreciated for the unique curving quality of its fairways.

:: Los Naranjos:
Demanding, but nevertheless very pleasant. This course was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones and therefore typically requires powerful tee shots and great accuracy. The course and its facilities are superb and are appreciated by those who are passionate about golf, like Sean Connery.

:: Mijas Golf: (Los Lagos) / (Los Olivos)
There are two courses - Los Lagos and Los Olivos - which have been designed by Robert Trent Jones to test the strength of the golfers tee shot. The fairways are characteristically short and wide.

:: Miraflores:
Situated in the mountainous area of Mijas, this course has expansive views across the sea. There are a number of tricky water hazards to avoid.

:: Monte Mayor:
Situated in the residential area of Nueva Andalucía, near San Pedro de Alcántara. This surrounding area is quite mountainous and therefore the course surface is uneven and requires skill. The fourth hole is unusual in that you have to play across two small islands.

:: Real Club de Campo:
Affiliated to the Parador de Golf, situated close to Málaga airport. This classic course is one of the longest in Spain with relatively open fairways, bordered by Pine, Oleanders, Mimosas and Eucalyptus.

:: Real Club de Golf Sotogrande:
The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and each hole is a work of art. It was opened in 1964 and is considered to be one of the 10 best golf courses in Europe. Sotogrande is well known for its fast greens, but its wide and long fairways make the course suitable for all handicaps. The course is surrounded by Pines, Palms and Andalusian thicket.

:: Río Real:
One of the oldest clubs in the Costa del Sol, situated on a mild slope that reaches down to the sea. It is well known for the way the course respectfully integrates with the outstanding beauty of its natural location.

:: Santa Clara Golf:
This course situated in the famous city of Marbella was built recently and designed by Enrique Canales Busquet. Its 18 holes have long tee shots with very little rough and large open greens. It has been said that the Clara resembles a big park land estate.

:: Santa María:
Situated next to the five star hotel Don Carlos. This course has nine short and technical holes interspersed with longer holes of lesser difficulty. The fairways are bordered by natural vegetation synchronous to the area.

:: The Golf Club Marbella:
A difficult course that amateurs should avoid unless they particularly enjoy sand or looking for lost balls. This club has one of the best specialised shops.

:: The San Roque Club:
This course was opened to the public in 1990 and is approximately one hour from Málaga. It is one of the most beautiful courses on the European circuit and was originally designed by Dave Thomas. It has eighteen holes - Par 72.

:: Torrequebrada:
Located in Benalmádena, this is one of the most popular courses in the Costa del Sol and is benefited by its link to the luxurious hotel of the same name. A very challenging course where correct club selection will prove vital.

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