Why do so many British holiday makers choose the Costa del Sol as the destination for their annual villa holiday? Well, it’s simply that it’s a wonderful place to visit. With approximately 320 days of continuous sunshine every year, a temperate climate, a friendly and welcoming native population and fantastic food, it’s little wonder that the Costa is the UK’s favourite destination. Yet there’s much more to it than that. Lots on destinations on the continent can also offer unlimited sunshine, sea and sand, but few can match the Costa del Sol when it comes to golf. The Spanish Costa is unquestionably the golfing Mecca of Europe, and when you look at the facilities and the courses it’s easy to see why.
Golf on the Costa del Sol has become increasingly popular since the 1980s. With an extensive range of courses to choose from, it’s easy to see why the area has managed to attract countless numbers of golfers; amateurs, professionals, holiday makers and local residents alike. Golf has undergone a democratic resurgence over the last 20 years and it’s now not just a sport for the wealthy: anyone can now enjoy a game for as little as €50 a day.
What draws holiday makers to the Costa del Sol is the weather predominantly. It’s no different for golfers. Good and reliable weather is what every golfer wants. But the Costa del Sol offers a lot more besides. Andalusia has a wide range of irresistible courses, set in beautiful locations with stunning views and backdrops of the sea and mountains. There are currently around 30 golf courses on the Costa to choose from, but this number is increasing all the time.
New courses are being built to meet demand, whilst older courses are having a facelift and being refurbished. In some cases a second or third course is being added to the original facilities. This is what has happened at La Cala Resort. It’s now known as Golf World and boasts 3 magnificent courses, which many claim are some of the finest in Europe.
The appeal of golf in Andalusia has meant that the area is now an important hub for professional golf too. The PGA Seniors tournaments and the Volvo Masters are held here. One of the finest clubs on the coast has to be Valderrama. It’s a championship course with some of the best fairways in Europe, and was the setting for the European victory in the Ryder Cup in 1997. Naturally such a historic course is expensive as you would expect, but there are plenty of others that are more reasonably priced.
Many golf clubs on the Costa operate on a turn up and play basis. Some clubs, however, like La Zagaleta Golf Club are only open to residents and members. The one thing you can guarantee about golf on the Costa del Sol is that, whatever your level of sporting prowess, there will be a golf course to suit your abilities.
