Known for its welcoming staff almost as much as its tricky holes, the Marbella Golf and Country Club is a must experience while visiting the Costa del Sol. It was designed in the late 1980s by Robert Trent Jones, one of the world’s most famous golf course architects, known particularly for designing several U.S. Open courses. The course’s twists and bunkers provide an exhilarating experience. Test your skills on the course or appreciate the hospitality at the clubhouse, which also has three tennis courts for friends and family who choose not to golf.
Have breakfast in the clubhouse and head out onto the course, where helpful staff members offer tips for navigating the fairways and greens. Golf is a game that is a workout for the brain as well as the body, so planning is required for each hole.
At the eighth hole, give a food and drink order to the staff member who waits there so you can enjoy your food at the 10th hole. Stroll across the well-kept grass and between the hazards, feeling pleasantly stimulated by your activities.
Reach the 18th hole and the end of the course. Treat yourself to a meal at the restaurant, which features local ingredients that are prepared fresh daily by local chefs committed to the craft of Spanish cuisine. Browse at the pro shop, chat with the instructors at the golf academy or simply relax in the sun, watching the next set of golfers heading out onto the lawns.
Drive to Marbella Golf and Country Club from downtown Marbella, where most hotels are located, in about 10 minutes. Set in the hills back from the sea, the club is about a 7-minute drive from the closest beach, Playa del Rosario. Drive to the golf course from the airport in Malaga in about 40 minutes. Book tee times online. Fees vary by season, and all include an electric cart rental. Club rentals are also available.
The restaurant is open daily from morning to late evening. Check online for the minimum handicap required for play.
