Costa del Sol - Calahonda

[Alan Casey]

Anyone got any experience of playing golf in Calahonda, Costa del Sol?
We're looking to book a holiday there playing 4 courses:
18 holes on Cabopino (buggy inc.)
18 holes on Santa Maria
18 holes on Alhaurin (buggy inc.)
18 holes on La Quinta

Anyone got any comments/advive?

[Chris]

I only know Santa Maria of the four you mention and this is a good, if not
great, course. Tough opening drive over a lake. You must try Monte Mayor if
you can. Best course I've ever played.

Chris Hardy
"Alan Casey" <ala...@gofree.indigo.ie> wrote in message
news:gYCR8.3286$vB.1...@news.indigo.ie...

[Peter Corry]

Try Santa Clara which is near Santa Maria. Fantastic new course which is
already one of the best on the Costa del Sol. Was £50 inc. buggy (long walks
between green and tee so needed) but well worth it. Fantastic clubhouse and
practice area.

Alhaurin is nice but very very hilly (Seve designed it but I bet he has never
played there).
Santa Maria is very nice. Some excellent water features. Take some bread to
feed the fish. They attack it like Piranha. Amazing site.
Cabopino. Not too keen on this one. Fairly short course but buggy included as
long walks between greens and tees.

As for Monte Mayor I would personally pick 20 others in this area first. Monte
is up a mountain and miss the fairway you have lost your ball. Lateral hazards
all the way around this course.

[Barney]

Played Cabopino in January. Fairly new course and in reasonable
condition . Quite short 5170 off yellows. Some really nice holes and a
couple of mickey mouse ones. Overall enjoyed it and would certainaly
play it again.

Played Alhaurin twice, in January and the year before. After the first
time we all said we would never play it again bu this year we had a
couple of people who wanted to play it so we agreed. Afterwards there
were another 2 people who said they would never play it again!
Designed by Seve, many holes are almost unplayable unless you're a low
handicapper and even then ain't easy. we had a bunch of 6 handicappers
who struggled. Some holes have fairways with sideways slopes that are
impossible to keep the ball on. A par three that you can't see the
green and have to hit a blind shot over a clump of trees, another 192m
par 3 where you have to carry the green or you lose your ball etc.
Spectacular views. Cart paths are scary. Don't play if its wet or the
buggies will slide down hill (it's that steep). The only course I've
played that I will NEVER play again.

La Quinta. Three sets of 9, 5457 to 5690m depending on which sets you
play. Played A & C a year last January and it was in very poor
condition so we didn't go back this year though the holes were ok.

If you don't mind travelling a bit further I would recommend Almenara
which is further along the coast towards Gibraltar and near
Valderrama. Great course in fantastic condition each time we've played
it. Again 3 sets of 9 about 5750m . Also if the budget will run to it
Sanroque in the same estate is fabulous thoguh pricey.

In the Calahonda area tehre's also Mijas Golf and La Cala. La Cala is
very good but mijas (Two couses - Los Lagos and Los Olivos) is very
busy and has been in poor conditionwhen we've been there.

I have cards for most of these. If you want I can scan them and e mail
to you.

Regards,

Barney

[Greg L]

Well said that man, alhaurin is nice to look at but and play if you can keep
the ball on the fairway, It's a couple of years since I played it and would
not recommed it to anyone, golf is about recovery game aswell there is no
rough just fairway, cart path then cliff.
Also I didn't play it but monte mayor is a similar story you used to get a
bag of balls included in the green fee, we met some guys who said it was a
nightmare.

--
Greg
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