Avda Almenara,
Sotogrande (San Roque), Andalucia 11310
Office
+34 956 582 000Fax
+34 956 582 001Website
Visit websiteAcademy
The Sotogrande Golf Academy is next door to The Alto Club.The Course:
18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Woodland and residential.
Designer:
Original design by Dave Thomas, with subsequent changes and the Par-3 course designed by Manuel Piñero.
The Sotogrande residential estate is home to four 18-hole championship courses: Real (Royal) Valderrama (par-71; 6389 m from back tees); Real (Royal) Sotogrande (par-72; 6224 m); La Reserva (par-72; 6721 m); The Alto Club (par-71; 5907 m). Also at Valderrama and The Alto Club are 9-hole par-3 courses.
Also located nearby in the Sotogrande/San Roque "Urbanisations", is The San Roque Club with two championship layouts (Old and New), and La Cañada GC (formerly counted as the fifth 18-hole course in the Sotogrande stable).
36.275283
-5.351994
30 km NE of Algeciras
Coming from Malaga / Estepona 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 o.1 km go through security gate. After 4.2 km turn left into Almenara Golf & Hotel.
Alto Club, The
The Alto Club Golf & Academy (formerly known as Almenara Golf Hotel & Spa): where once lay 27-holes, here at The Alto Club you will now find an 18-hole championship course, complemented by a nine-hole par-3 course, and a renowned Golf Academy.
The original 27-hole Dave Thomas design was more recently revised into an 18-hole championship course, which plays to the south and east of the elevated clubhouse. It utilises the Los Lagos (Lakes) and Los Pinos (Pines) nines. The new par-3 Academy course uses parts of what were the original Los Alcornoques (Cork Oaks) nine.
On both nines of the 18-hole course, you start out with a couple of downhill holes, then hit a flatter middle section, before commencing quite serious climbs back uphill to the elevated clubhouse. Excellent maintenance, not overly wide fairways and fast, slick greens are much in evidence on both nines.
The Los Pinos loop feels the tightest, with trees and bushes lining many of the fairways. Los Lagos, as the name implies, has several water hazards very much in play, particularly in its middle section. Throughout, there are wonderful views from the course; sometimes natural countryside, other times largish villas and occasionally the Mediterranean.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance. Maximum handicap: men 28; women 36.
Soft spikes only. Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire.
Excellent
The Alto Club (originally known as Almenara) is part of the renowned Sotogrande Estate (or Urbanisation). Founded in 1962, Sotogrande grew from the vision of Joseph McMicking, a Filipino-American entrepreneur and former president of the Philippines-based Ayala Corporation. Upon retiring from Ayala in 1960, and inspired by The Forbes luxury resort in the Philippines, as well as Pebble Beach in California, McMicking set about establishing a hi-end luxury resort on the Mediterranean coast in Spain.
Helped by his cousin Freddy Melian, and nephews Jaime and Enrique Zobel, McMicking settled on a property called Finca Paniagua in San Roque, close to Gibraltar. On this 1800 hectare site, the exclusive resort and community of Sotogrande was established.
Sotogrande is home to several exclusive and hi-end golf courses, notably Valderrama, Real Sotogrande, La Reserva and The Alto Club. Also within the Estate, La Cañada was developed in 1982 to provide a "municipal" golf facility, more accessible to local golfers than its lofty neighbours. Just outside the Estate, the San Roque club was established in 1991, also with a course designed by Dave Thomas.
Avda. Almenara s/n, Sotogrande, 11310 San Roque
+34 956 582 000
Visit websiteThe 148-room 4-star Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort is located at the heart of the excellent Alto Club (formerly 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.
Alto Club
Royal Valderrama; La Reserva; Royal Sotogrande; San Roque; Alcaidesa
Estepona
Autovia A-7 (exit 130), Sotogrande, 11310 San Roque, Cadiz.
+34 956 695 444
Visit websiteThe 4-star Hotel Encinar de Sotogrande 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; Alto Club; San Roque; Alcaidesa.
Estepona
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