Golf in Spain! Olé!!!

A Grand Golf Adventure in Sunny Spain!

Today is packing day! I’m about to head out on another golf adventure – this time meeting  friends to spend a week golfing in the south of Spain. It’s bound to be fun!

We will be staying at their villas in Malaga along the Mediterranean and playing at some of the best golf courses along the country’s southern coast. Among them, Los Naranjos.

From their website: “Los Naranjos is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design with generous fairways and strategically placed bunkers and water hazards. The greens, with Penn A4-grass, are spacious and slightly undulated. The tees are long and have four markers: red, yellow, white and black with course lengths starting from 5.131 metres and reaching 6.532 metres at its longest. Since the opening in 1977, Los Naranjos has been the host of several mayor competitions, including the Spanish Open, and is ranked one of the best golf courses in Spain. In 2005 and again in 2008 Los Naranjos was voted “Course of the year” on the Costa del Sol.”

We fly from Boston through Zurich and on to Malaga. Flying time about 13 hours ! But I’m sure getting away from the cold northeast and playing golf in the sunshine of Spain will make it all worthwhile!

A second club we are planning on playing is Real Club de Golf Guadalmina.

I’ve checked the weather and it looks like the week ahead will be sunny and cool. Not bathing suit weather, but perfect for golf! But I must be prepared in case a storm front comes through. (When I last played in Ireland we started out in sunshine, and before we had finished 18 holes, we suffered through wind, hail and rain!)

One decision: Bring my own clubs or rent? My friends have friends who are very good golfers and are going to lend us clubs. So that’s taken care of. It’s a big help not having to schlep my clubs across Europe. Some other essentials I should include.

  • Rain gear – just in case. Jacket, pants, hat… rain gloves? I’ll buy a pair at the club if that becomes an issue.
  • A couple of long sleeved tops and vests plus a wind jacket. Layering is definitely the way to go. Clothing you can either add or subtract as the day warms up or cools off.
  • Hat! and Visor! with ball marker and my GolfBuddy to help me sort out the course. I still use the GolfBuddy I purchased a few years back. Simple gizmo that clips onto my visor. You dial in the golf course and the GolfBuddy connects with satellites to help you find your way around the course. Always good to know how far you are from the pin!
  • Good golf shoes. I bought a pair of Sketchers last fall that will be perfect. Light, easy and comfortable to wear and pack!
  • $$$$ – I’ve already been to the local bank and picked up some Euros to take with me. (Note: always get smaller denominations if you can. You don’t want to come home with any coins if you can help it. Banks don’t accept them when you return.)  And in addition to using currency, I have a credit card (Venture from CapitalOne) I can use at ATM machines and to purchase whatever I need. CapitalOne does not charge me an exchange fee when I use it overseas. A big plus!)
  • Personal items: Small shampoos, etc. that take up little space.
  • Travel adapter plug so I can recharge my phone, iPad, etc.  – don’t want to blow something by overloading the wattage!
  • and that’s about it. Don’t need travel maps or guides as we are fortunate to have friends who know the lay of the land and will point us in the right direction for fun, fashion and fabulous golf.

Will check in with photos and travel adventures when I return.

Nos Vemos Pronto !

Have you ever played golf in Spain? Where? Share your experience in the space below. I would love to know!

 

  2 comments for “Golf in Spain! Olé!!!

  1. Linda Christie says:

    La Manga, Islantilla and Baviera, Malaga ……all courses in Southern Spain and great places to escape to from Scotland in winter snows. Lovely to feel some warmth during the day but yes, layer up because can have showers, and chilly early mornings, late afternoons but first two great to play as resorts with 3 courses so variation and different challenges without travelling. Que la passes bien….from a snowy Scotland.

    • Pat Mullaly says:

      Just back from sunny Spain. Had a great time playing at Guadalmina, both the north and south courses. Weather was perfect!

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