\"Miraflores

 

Located in the heart of the Costa del Sol, in a well-established urbanisation between Marbella and Mijas, Miraflores Golf is one of the Coast’s most venerable courses.

Opened in 1990, it was designed by Folco Nardi, an architect who created several other courses in Málaga province, including Guadalmina North.

Recent renovation work has resulted in major improvements to the layout. Ongoing maintenance and fine-tuning of the playing area have transformed Miraflores into an attractive and “modern” golf course.

It is a short course, 5,148 metres from the yellow markers (which we are using as a reference point in this article), but it is also a challenging one. “You could say, ” explains director Miguel Gallart, “that here you play ‘old golf’. It is not so much about hitting long distances but more about hitting the ball to the right place. A lot of the time you have to leave your driver in the bag.

“It is a course,” he adds, “where you have to think where to play next rather than how far you are going to advance.” The fairways are narrow but not, in general, very difficult because they have been made in the shape of a U, meaning the ball tends to roll into the middle. “Over time,” says Miguel, “we have been cleaning up the sides of the fairway so that this occurs, and that players don’t lose balls on either side.”

It is also not a very hilly course – it can be played easily without a buggy – though neither is it a flat course. Most of the inclines are downhill.

The greens are original: in other words, the same ones created by Folco Nardi at the end of the 1980s. “We haven’t renovated them,” notes Miguel, “so you could say that they have a classic and old air about them.”

They are, in general, of a reduced size, apart from the 18th, which is the only one that has been revamped recently. All are fairly undulating, with an average of two or three tiers. Reaching the green does not, therefore, guarantee anything. You have to put a lot of work into each putt.

During these months (September-October) Miraflores is celebrating its 20th anniversary, “although the celebrations will be held in November, because there will be more members on the Coast,” notes Miguel. “We will hold competitions during the week and end with a big gala dinner with local dignitaries, members, etc.”

Miraflores has 785 members, “which is very good because, of this total, there are no more than 500 active members, that is, those who play regularly. Our objective is to reach 800 active members in total.

“With the number of members we currently have, we take up about 56 per cent of the time; the remainder is available for green fee players,” says Miguel.

Miraflores is a very popular club, among other reasons because the rates are, if not the cheapest, certainly among the cheapest in the area.

I had arranged to play a round on a hot morning at the end of August. The sun was unstinting and there were not too many players willing to take it on, so enjoying the course with few “pressures” was a lot easier and more pleasant.

My appointment was with one of the club’s long-time and most committed members, Román Porras, a man who breathes golf through all his pores. His love of golf is profound and his dedication and efforts on behalf of the club are absolute.

We did not know each other beforehand but it was a very enjoyable round – and I learned a lot.

“Here,” he warned before we started, “the difficulty is in the narrowness of the fairways, in the abundance of dog-legs and in the fact that 70 or 80 per cent of the greens are raised, which means you always have to use one iron more than you would initially consider for your second or third shots.”

After taking ample water supplies, we headed to the first tee.

This is a short hole, 251 metres, from which – on a clear day – it seems as though Gibraltar is right next to you. The whole fairway is downhill, so it is advisable to leave the driver in your bag, especially if you want to avoid the bunker on the left. There are, however, those who risk trying to leave a very short second to the green, or even reaching it. The general option is a medium-iron, five or six, followed by a pitching or sand wedge for the second.

The second hole is the first par-5. It is 407 metres and has a dog-leg left. Some will try to hit past the dog-leg over the trees on the left, leaving the green reachable with their second. For average handicappers, however, this would be quite a feat! The best option is to hit your drive to the right of the fairway (beware the bunker) then hit a seven-iron (or thereabouts) to leave the ball just behind the bunkers, and a short third to a very long and narrow green: 25 to 30 metres long and 10 to 12 metres wide.

The third is, in theory, the most difficult shot on the course, handicap index 1, 349 metres and dog-leg left. There is thick rough on the right of the fairway, so you have to avoid hitting to this area; and there is water to the left, which you will be inclined to avoid instinctively! This is a hole on which most players will be resigned to hitting their third to the green – which is no minor achievement. The green is quite high, protected by bunkers on the left at the front. It begins quite wide then narrows at the back – fortunately not too undulating. A par here will seem like a birdie.

There is little chance of relaxing on the next hole either: a par-3, quite long at 203 metres. The tee is raised but more or less at the same level as the green, which is narrow and quite steeply inclined from back to front – and also protected by two large bunkers on the right. The tee shot needs to be fairly accurate and even then it is not easy to reach the green, even hitting a wood. “Nearly 70 or 80 per cent of players are unable to reach the green here,” notes Ramón. It is, however, one of the most attractive holes on the course.

The fifth, a 290-metre par-4, is not an overly complicated hole. Your main concern is hitting over the lake that begins on the left of the tee. You can hit your drive past the water, aiming a little to the left, but if this is too intimidating you can hit shorter to the right of the water and from there you will have a long and difficult second to the green, taking great care because there is water behind as well. The green has two tiers and is narrow at the back. With the flag on the first platform the hole becomes a lot easier.

The sixth is a par-5 of 454 metres. It is almost obligatory here to use the driver, though for most players this will remain a hole requiring at least three shots to the green. The fairway is slightly uphill, and the second will need to be a fairway wood, hit well in order to hit past a low ridge on the left. Once this hazard is overcome, the third shot to the green is quite short – but by no means easy. You have to hit past the corner of the dog-leg at the end of the fairway. The green is wide and with little area at the back, and is protected by a bunker at the entrance – as well as being extremely undulating and on two tiers. It is not an easy green to read.

The par-3 seventh is 163 metres (often less, as they tend to move the yellow markers forward). The fairway is narrow, with rough up to within 20 metres of a green that can be a tough test – featuring two ridges sloping to the right, where there is also a large bunker and a big ditch. Left is out of bounds.

On the 293-metre, par-4 eighth you may need to hit your straightest drive of the round. The tee is raised but the fairway is extremely narrow and there is a water hazard on the left and a large slope with trees on the right. Your second shot will be to a raised green, well protected by bunkers on the left. It is not easy to stop your ball. When the flag is on the right side of the green, it is not too difficult but, when it is set up on the left, you are faced with a steep slope towards the back. There is also a valley in this area, which tends to swallow up balls!

The final hole of the front nine is a 309-metre par-4, and one of the easiest on the course. The fairway has a dog-leg left, and trees in this area, but you can drive over them. If you hit too far to the right you could end up in out of bounds. The tee is slightly raised and a good drive will leave you with a short second and a good opportunity for birdie – as the green is wide and flat.

The back nine begins with a par-4 of 373 metres – and various ways of attacking it. The fairway is wide, but about 90 to 100 metres before the green there is a large ditch. The best option is to leave your ball short of the ditch; otherwise you will have a poor stance for your second shot. Some big-hitters will want to reach the green in one, but this is difficult. It is protected by quite a few bunkers on the right and trees on the left, and if you hit long behind the green deep rough awaits your ball. The ditch shortens the fairway but also makes the hole more complicated. It seems to be a good birdie hole but you could end up with a bogey or worse.

The 11th is the shortest hole on the course, a 109-metre par-3. In theory, it should also be the easiest. The green is wide, well protected by bunkers and, as is customary at Miraflores, it has two tiers. With the flag at the back you might be tempted to take one club more but beware: there is out of bounds if you hit it too long.

The next hole, a par-5 of 480 metres, handicap index 2, is one of the most attractive on the course. The tee is raised and you hit down to a wide fairway, giving you ample confidence with your drive. There is a lake on the right about 210 metres down the fairway. Many will prefer to avoid the water by taking a three or five-wood and leaving it short. In this case, the second shot will have to be over the water to leave the ball close to the green, at least an eight-iron. The green is protected by palm trees and shrubs on the right and left. It is large and fairly flat, but with subtle slopes. A five will leave anyone happy.

The 13th, a 130-metre par-3, has one of the toughest greens on the course. It is long and narrow, with at least two tiers, and protected by two bunkers at the front. If you miss the green, which is a distinct possibility, your recovery shot will be very difficult, as it is slightly uphill and you could hit short or long if you are not careful.

A 466-metre par-5, the 14th is a dog-leg left, with a fairly narrow fairway, houses on the left and pylons near the landing area. Your instinct will be to aim to the right, and it will be easy to hit into the rough, trees, etc. You will almost always lose a ball if you end up here. If you have managed to hit to the right spot, your second will be easier, in part because the fairway opens up a little. The third will not be a particularly short shot, to a green protected by bunkers at the front. It is wide on the right but if the flag is set up on the left, in the corner behind the bunker, the best thing is to play safe and not complicate your life.

The 121-metre, par-3 15th is the course’s “signature” hole. The whole green is an island, though quite wide and flat. Errors are punished!

The next hole, the 300-metre, par-4 16th, has a dog-leg right. The fairway slopes downhill so it is not difficult to advance to the green, but you have to take into account the trees on the right. The green is large, with bunkers protecting the front area, and fairly flat.

The 17th is another par-4, 308 metres, though slightly tougher than the previous hole. From the tee there is a row of trees on the left and also on the right ahead. The fairway is wide but the trajectory of the ball from the tee will be through a “tube”. The best option is to take a three-wood. Before reaching the green, which is raised, a stream crosses the fairway. The green has two tiers and is, like most on the course, long and narrow. With the flag at the back, you will need to take an extra iron for your second.

The round ends with a short par-4, 242 metres but uphill. The fairway is divided into two: the left-hand side is longer but has an easier second shot; the right is shorter but more difficult, as the second is uphill. Some will attempt to go for the green, aiming at the mobile telephone mast, but beware: it is very well protected by bunkers: you will need to be strong and accurate.

After the round, settled into a very functional clubhouse, with no unnecessary luxuries and offering a family atmosphere, you will have the feeling of having played a classic course, more difficult than it seems, and offering the possibility of enjoying a fun round while also using all the clubs in your bag.

At the end of August, the state of maintenance was fine, although some of the greens – few, it has to be stressed – had problems in some areas, possibly due to the water quality. Nothing overly important once it is rectified at the start of the new season. Without a doubt, it is well worth playing a round at Miraflores.