El Cortijo Club de Campo: Host to the Spanish Open in 2002 and a Sergio Garcia win, El Cortijo is located in the north-east of Gran Canaria, equidistant between the airport and the island's capital city, Las Palmas. With two nine-hole loops, played on either side of the spacious, green-walled clubhouse, the gently undulating front-nine heads through a valley down towards the ocean, without ever getting too close to it. The generally open, nicely mounded terrain is lightly dotted with palm trees, and home to several holes that big-hitters will enjoy. The rolling fairways are separated by a generous width of grassy mounding that is not overly penal. In the middle section of the outward nine, at the 4th, 5th and 6th holes, water is encountered and more care will be needed, especially on your tee-shots. The same is true at the 15th, 16th and 17th, again each is fiercely defended by water. Although housing is not too much in evidence around the course, a huge protective wall runs up the right side of the corridor-like par-5 10th and long par-4 11th, before you ascend to the highest part of the course and the tricky, blind, short par-4 12th. The plunging downhill par-3 13th brings you down into another canyon-like valley. Extending upwards and away from the course, the canyon's arid slopes are home to many native cactus and thirsty looking bushes. Although not the island's most scenic layout, and still with some maturing to do, the naturally rugged desert and mountain vistas beyond the course have their moments, while the ocean is often in view at the far end of the valley.