Avda Los Cortijos,
Sotogrande, Province de Cadiz, Andalucia 11310
Office
+34 956 791 200Pro shop
+34 956 791 200Fax
+34 956 796 431Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Miguel SedeñoThe Course:
18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb (more so on the back-nine)
Surroundings:
Woodland and open countryside.
Designer:
Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Also at Valderrama is a 9-hole par-3 course (788 metres). The Sotogrande development is home to five 18-hole par-72 courses, all within close proximity of each other: Real (Royal) Valderrama (6389 m from back tees); Real (Royal) Sotogrande (6224 m); La Reserva (6721 m); Almenara (6252 m); La Canada (5841 m; a municipal course, 9-holes designed by Robert Trent Jones and 9 by Dave Thomas). San Roque Club with two championship layouts is also close by.
36.282535
-5.327392
27 km NE of Algerciras
Coming from Malaga/Estepona (heading west) leave the AP-7 (E15) at exit 130/131 (Guardiaro/Valderrama). At roundabout follow the road back under the motorway, direction Estepona-Malaga-Centro Commercial. At next roundabout on south side of motorway, turn right direction Sotogrande Alto. After o.8 km at roundabout turn right direction Valderrama. After 1.3 km turn right direction Valderrama Golf. After o.1 km golf entrance is in front of you.
Royal Valderrama
Real (Royal) Club de Golf Valderrama: Often ranked among the top five golf courses in continental Europe, this fabulous parkland layout is reputedly one of Robert Trent Jones Sr's favourite designs. Understandably it is a world renowned and world ranked layout.
Always immaculately maintained, the course winds its way over gently undulating terrain, through a former forest of cork-oak trees. These wonderful old trees can seriously block your way to the green if tee-shots stray offline. On several occasions you'll need to flight your approach shots over the trees to land safely on the lightning fast greens. Missing the putting surfaces will not help your score; around the greens thick clinging rough may give you a feeling of chipping out of wire wool. Fronting many of the greens are slick and sloping aprons, while plenty of fairway and greenside bunkers add solidly to the course defences.
If you can safely negotiate the front-nine, and maybe birdie the famous par-5 4th (La Cascada), the back-nine will put your game through an even tougher examination, especially if the wind is blowing. The course opens out at the par-5 11th, revealing spectacular views across the surrounding open hills and down to the Mediterranean.
Valderrama's challenging closing stretch includes an infamous duo: the long and testing par-4 16th and par-5 17th, with its threatening pond sitting directly in front of the green. How many rounds have foundered at one or both of these challenging holes?
You'll be hard pressed to shoot your handicap on a first or subsequent visit. But for most golfers, Valderrama is more about playing from the pristine springy turf, navigating through the cork oaks, and enjoying one of golf's most revered European courses.
Visitors welcome on weekdays (12-2pm) and weekends (12-1pm); during certain periods of the year the club is a members' only club.
Must book in advance. Maximum handicap: men 24; women 32. Proof of handicap may be requested.
Credit cards accepted. Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2018].
Non-metal spike facility. Players generally walk this course. Caddies available if requested in advance. Golf carts (fitted with GPS) available for hire. No photography allowed.
Excellent
Valderrama was originally known as the Sotogrande New Course and then Las Aves (The Birds). King Juan Carlos I conferred the Royal title on Valderrama GC shortly before his abdication in 2014.
Valderrama hosted a thrilling Ryder Cup in 1997 when Europe prevailed over the USA team 14.5 pts to 13.5. It has also hosted WGC tournaments and is regular venue for European Tour events. For more details view Top Golf Tournaments at Valderrama Golf Club.
World: formerly ranked world's 95th best course (GOLF magazine, 2017; not in subsequent editions of this ranking).
Europe: 3rd best course in continental Europe (Golf World, 2019).
Spain: No.1 course in Spain (Golf Digest, 2020).
Autovia A-7 (exit 130), Sotogrande, 11310 San Roque, Cadiz.
+34 956 695 444
Visit websiteThe 4-star NH Sotogrande hotel is located in the heart of Sotogrande, surrounded by some of the best golf courses in Spain. The hotel features 106 guest rooms, designed in typical Andalucian style, mixed with contemporary amenities and functionality. On-site facilities include a restaurant, bar, outdoor swimming pools, poolside bar, reading room and two conference rooms.
No
Royal Valderrama; La Reserva; Royal Sotogrande; Almenara; San Roque; Alcaidesa
Estepona
Avda. Almenara s/n, Sotogrande, 11310 San Roque
+34 956 582 000
Visit websiteThe 148-room 4-star NH Hotel Almenera is located at the heart of the excellent Almenara golf course. From its hillside location the hotel offers wonderful views across the course, and down across Sotogrande to the Mediterranean in the distance. A short drive takes you to many other renowned golf courses, among them Valderrama, San Roque, Royal Sotogrande, as well as to the Sotogrande marina, with its array of bars and restaurants.
Almenara
Royal Valderrama; La Reserva; Royal Sotogrande; San Roque; Alcaidesa
Estepona
Tournaments:
European Tour: 2021 marks the 50th and last season of the world renowned European Tour, launched in April 1972 at the Spanish Open. From 2022 the Tour will be sponsored by Dubai-based global supply chain and ports operator DP World, and will be known as the DP World Tour.
South African Open: December 2021 events in South Africa have again been impacted by the Covid pandemic. The South African Open (Dec 2-5) will no longer be played as a DP World Tour event, and the Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec 9-12) has been cancelled.
Who's Who:
Bernhard Langer: at age 64, Langer collected a record sixth Charles Schwab Cup, the only player to have won the season-long points chase more than twice. He also topped the PGA Tour Champions money-list for the 11th time out of a possible 13 since 2008.
Carlota Ciganda: the five-time Solheim Cup star was delighted to record a fourth Ladies European Tour win in her home national championship, the Ladies Spanish Open.
Lee Elder: Trailblazer, Ryder Cup player, four-time PGA Tour winner and eight-time Senior PGA Tour winner, Lee Elder died on November 28, aged 87. In 1975 he became the first African American golfer to play in the Masters tournament, and in so doing provided one of the pivotal moments in the history of professional golf.
Golf World Top 100: Best Golf Courses in Europe. From France to Spain to the Netherlands and Norway, the Golf World Top 100 panel reveals the places you have to play (published 20 October 2021).
New 27-hole golf complex to be built in southern Belgium
A new golf complex in southern Belgium, close to the border with Luxembourg, will start construction in June 2021.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club "makes its tournament debut with the hosting of the Italian Open on the European Tour" by Richard Humphreys
Gamble Sands opens short course:
David McLay Kidd’s 14-hole QuickSands short course has opened for play at Gamble Sands in Brewster, Washington.
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