Spain's glorious golf islands
By David Brice, Golf International Inc
Editor's Note: The last in our three-part series on golf in Spain visits the Spanish golf islands of the Atlantic and Mediterranean where fine golf courses thrive and idyllic climates make the game a year-round affair.
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A complete guide to golf in Spain would fill a hefty book and then some, so this 3 part series can provide little more than a thumbnail sketch of the quality and quantity of excellent golf courses contained within Spain's borders. Even well-seasoned, international golf travelers are astounded on their fist visit, but once experienced, all agree that Spain is a golf giant, thoroughly deserving of its honorary title - Europe's Golf Capital.
The reasons for Spain's importance to the game are plentiful and the abundance of top-drawer layouts, many designed by some of the most renowned architects of the past century, is only the beginning. Spain offers a diversity of golf and constantly changing landscapes, unequalled anywhere and the variety of irresistible diversions to occupy those non-golfing hours, are even more plentiful.
There's an endless bounty of excellent courses located along Spain's entire Mediterranean Coast, extending from Andalucia and the Costa del Sol in the west to Alicante and incredible Valencia, all the way to Barcelona and the dramatic, Costa Brava. There are wonderful golfing opportunities in and around the capital of Madrid, continuing north through the wine producing region of Castilla Leon, the very heart of Spain's history and heritage, eventually reaching Spain's Atlantic Coastline in the north.
From the Basque Country, bordering France, there's more excellent golf in Jose Maria Olazabal's home town of San Sebastian; in the regional capital of Bilbao and around Seve Ballesteros' home course near Santander in Cantabria. And so Spain's never-ending succession of well over 300 courses continues to its westernmost reaches, along the wildly beautiful shores of Galicia -- and Spain's remarkable golf story still isn't finished. There's an even more exotic side to this country's wealth of golf, waiting to be discovered on the Spanish islands of the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Spanish conquerors arrived on the Canary Islands in the 15th century and took such a liking to this isolated archipelago of seven tropical islands, they never left and the red and yellow striped flag of Spain has flown here ever since.
Closer to North Africa's Atlantic Coast (62 miles away) than they are to mainland Spain, which sits 10 times further to the north, the Canaries bask in year round sunshine with temperatures that never fall below 70 degrees and very seldom reach higher than the low-80's. It's a year-round, perfect climate, ideally suited to all manner of leisure pursuits, where golfers are especially well catered to and nowhere more so than on the two main islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
These are dramatically handsome islands, formed by long extinct volcanoes with land and seascapes, to take your breath away. Tenerife is dominated by the majestic and usually snow-capped, Mount Teide, the highest point in Spain, rising to over 12,000 feet, which divides the island into two distinctly different climate zones. The lush vegetation, thick forests, banana plantations and vineyards of the north side, are in stark contrast to the far drier climate and endless sunny days of the south side, yet Tenerife is only 45 miles from tip to tip at its longest point -- it's an oddity from Mother Nature.
Miles of pristine, sandy beaches, with elegant resort hotels and all but one of Tenerife's eight magnificent courses, make the southern half of this island paradise, home. The most recent addition, the magnificent Abama Golf Resort and Spa, was recently named as one of Europe's Top Ten Golf Resorts.
Deciding which of these championship courses to play during a weeklong escape will be difficult enough and making the most of the non-golfing hours, will be no easy task either. From simply relaxing on a beautiful beach, enjoying practically any water-sport imaginable, or exploring the many small colonial towns and villages of the island, some dating from the 15th century, means even more decisions. Not to be missed is Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which boasts a myriad of historic buildings and monuments, some intriguing museums, excellent restaurants and a popping nightlife. The island's original capital, San Cristobal de la Laguna, is now a bustling university town and no less interesting. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as the first non-fortified Spanish colonial town and the model for many colonial towns in the Americas, San Cristobal is utterly fascinating.
The neighboring island of Gran Canaria is only a short hop away, either by plane, or sea-ferry service and perhaps in an effort to out-do Tenerife, tempts golfers with nine golf courses, including Spain's very first Golf Club of all, Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas, founded in 1891.
The recent inauguration of a new, non-stop air service from Miami to Tenerife by the Spanish scheduled airline, Air Europa, brings The Canary Islands closer to Americans than ever before. Winter sunshine seekers now have a refreshingly different alternative to the perhaps, over-Americanized Caribbean islands or troubled Mexico. The temptation of experiencing the truly exotic appeal the Canary islands, all laced with a generous helping of Spanish flair and top drawer golf, is simply too good to resist.
As always, there is more to Spain than initially meets the eye, and this is as true of her islands as it is of everything Spanish. The Canaries are Spain's Atlantic islands, but she has more and the others are to be found in the Mediterranean, where the Balearic Islands are located. Sitting less than 150 miles south of Barcelona and even closer to the east of Valencia, the Balearics are composed of four principal islands, Mallorca, the largest and site of the capital of Palma de Mallorca; Menorca, Ibiza and Formentor. If golf is on your mind, Mallorca is the island that will immediately grab your attention.
The brief, 45-minute flight from either Barcelona or Valencia to Palma, transports the visitor into a totally different world of astonishing scenic beauty and ever contrasting variety.
Glorious beaches, the sea and sun were the reasons for Mallorca's early popularity with Northern Europeans and they still flock here during the traditional, peak summer months of July and August. But for the remainder of the year, the beach crowds thin out considerably, quietly replaced in far smaller numbers by the rich and famous, who arrive on their expensive yachts and private planes, to relax and savor the true beauty, sophistication and excellent golf of this very special island paradise.
Mallorca is a very manageable island, only about 60 miles long and approximately 40 miles at its widest point, yet this small area brims over with diverse, natural beauty. From the Alpine-like mountains of the northwest, with its spectacular coastline and ancient towns and villages, to the lower range of hills in the southeast, to the fertile central plain where vineyards thrive alongside groves of olives, figs and citrus orchards. Drive over to the rugged east coast and there are gigantic underground caves and yet another world to explore.
There are centuries of rich history and culture to be discovered in the bustling capital of Palma, which boasts one of Spain's most stunning Gothic cathedrals, dating from the 13th century. There are Moorish palaces, a Gothic castle, sumptuous private mansions, historic churches and fascinating museums -- and when the sun sets, Palma's sizzling nightlife awakens and keeps popping until shortly before the sun shows up again.
But for all of the distractions, sophisticated Mallorca remains a golfers delight, with almost 30 superb courses to tease, tantalize, test and titillate the most accomplished players. Most are contained within two primary clusters, one on the north side of the island and the other, perhaps the better grouping, located a few miles outside of Palma, in the southwest. Easy access to this effervescent capital for sightseeing, the always excellent dining and exuberant nightlife, make this a popular choice and many of Mallorca's leading luxury resort hotels are here. For the courses you may wish to play on the other side of the island, the furthest will be no more than an hour's drive away and it will be a good opportunity to explore more of the many different sides of this thoroughly engrossing island.
Spend your entire vacation on Mallorca and there will be time enough to get a good taste of what stylish, Mediterranean living is all about and no doubt, regret not staying longer. But for those who cannot sit still for too long, no matter how wonderful the surroundings, Barcelona and the Costa Brava, Valencia and that enchanting city's quality courses, even the golf rich, Costa del Sol, are all within a short hour's flight away.
But that's Spain for you, superb golf almost everywhere, and no matter what other interests you might have, a lot of something to please just about everyone, whether golf comes into the equation or not. For more ideas and suggestions on how to get the most out of your trip to Europe's Golf Capital, click here.
©2009 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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