Play Golf on the Costa del Sol
by Ruth Polak

The Costa del Sol, recently renamed the Costa del Golf, is an absolute paradise for golfers of all standards. Offering some world-class golf courses in some beautiful locations combined with the highest number of sunshine days per annum in Europe, it is hard to beat.

Plentiful and cheap flights to Malaga, Gibraltar and now Jerez make it accessible all the year round and not content to rest on its laurels. New golf courses and academies are being opened up on a regular basis, which is why so many golfers return here year after year, as there are always new and exciting challenges.

Just a few of the many Costa del Sol golf courses:

Valderrrama, home to the Volvo Masters (1988-96), the Ryder Cup (1997) and the World Golf Championships (1999-2000), Valderrama surpasses its reputation as number 1 in Europe, and it has twice received the accolade of Best Golf Club in Europe

La Duquesa Golf Course, designed by Trent Jones, has some wonderful Mediterranean views, which could play havoc with your scoring! It is probably the most complete club on the coast offering tennis, swimming pool, squash, gym, etc., along with the picturesque Duqesa Port just across the road. There is also an excellent bar and restaurant, and not forgetting, of course, the world class and demanding golf course itself.

La Caada was designed free of charge by Trent Jones and is the first municipal golf course of the Costa del Sol. It has resulted in a surge of interest in golf by the local Spanish population. Its nine holes are laid out on a hillside and do not present any particular difficulties.

Alhaurin Golf is a little inland from the Costa del Sol, but is well worth the trip, as the scenery is stunning and the course superb. It is a unique club, in that it has three golf courses - an 18-hole, par 72 course designed by Seve Ballesteros, a nine-hole par 3 course bordering a beautiful lake, and an 18 hole junior course (adults may play only when accompanied by a child.) The par 72 course is of international quality with challenging holes, lush green fairways, and greens set amongst pine woods. Situated between Mijas and Con in the Sierra de Mijas, this course has majestic views of mountains to the north and Africa and the Mediterranean to the south.

La Qinta Golf and Country Club is home to the former World Champion Manuel Piero's Golf School. It is a technical course that reflects designer Manuel Piero's own playing characteristics in that it rewards accuracy rather than long hitting.

Alcaidesa Golf is the best and only true links course in Spain. It has recently undergone an extensive program of remodeling with fairways being improved and widened and greens leveled off, with the result that the layout is now suitable for golfers of all levels.

For further information on some of the best Golf Courses that the Costa del Sol has to offer, visit www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com, where you will also find a lovely selection of villas and apartments to rent close to some of the best golf courses on the Costa.

About the Author

Ruth Polak is the owner of www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com, which has a good selection of villas and apartments to rent near some great Costa del Sol Golf Courses.