Even though I had been many times in Almería – one of the Andalucian provinces with the greatest variety of courses – I had no first-hand experience of Playa Serena Golf Club.
Travelling, in my case, from the Costa del Sol, is not difficult. It’s not just a short hop, but neither does it involve hours and hours in a car. In any event, the best option is to stay in one of the many excellent hotels in the area, close to the capital city and Cabo de Gata – one other appealing reason for travelling to Roquetas de Mar.
Playa Serena is in the midst of the Roquetas urbanisation: the residential area of townhouses situated opposite the beach in this town on the western Almería coast.
It is a flat course, dating to 1979. Designed by Peter Allis with Ángel Gallardo, it resembles something of the old style: very wide, a lot of space, a lot of water, with the aim of making play as easy as possible, almost a links, with the effects of the sea and wind coming into play, even though the course is 500 metres from the coastline, separated from the sea by a line of four and five-star hotels.
Some of the fairways are close to the houses but, thanks to the width of the course, these buildings rarely come into play. At some point this danger does perhaps exist, but anyone can hit a bad shot. The abundance of lakes leaves its mark on the course, having a strong influence on both play and the landscape.
The course is located next to a nature area, about 200 hectares of mudflats and lakes populated by migratory birds, with ornithology observation points. You can see flamingos and other species.
The clubhouse offers one of the first impressions you have on arriving at Playa Serena. It is large and built recently – in 2003 – and has all the amenities and services of a modern club. Its magnificent restaurant is a reference point in the area, while the practice ground is also of an appropriately high quality for this top-class club on the Almería coastline.
The day I visited the sun shone intensely and the temperature was perfect. The sky could not have been more blue; nor the natural light more intense. One of those days when it seems there can be nothing better than playing a round of golf. Recently cut and slightly wet, the grass was also an irresistible attraction.
As has become customary, I played a round with the club professional, Paco Parrón, which was a huge help, especially for someone playing the course for the first time. It has nine lakes which come into play on 11 holes, and thick vegetation of acacia, pine and palm trees.
It is important to note that this was the first course in Spain to start irrigating with recycled water. When the Playa Serena urbanisation was built, three water treatment plants were included in the construction, to provide treated water for the course and green areas. There is now a new water treatment plant, much larger, which in addition to supplying water to the course also provides supplies to other municipalities in the area.
Playa Serena is hugely popular among Swedes, who represent a significant proportion of the golfers playing the course, especially in the high season. There are also Britons, Spaniards and Germans but the Nordic players predominate.
The first hole, a 334-metre par-4 from the yellow markers, is not excessively difficult. In fact, it is handicap 15. You have to be a little careful not to mishit your tee shot to the right, but there is no danger on the left. The approach to the green is slightly narrow, a feature of all the holes – as is the wind. In general, the greens are medium-sized, with moderate slopes, but well-protected by bunkers to the right and left.
The 173-metre par-3 second is free of any hazards ahead. The only difficulty could be distance, especially if the wind is against you. If you miss the green to the left or right, you could easily end up with a double bogey as there are trees, sand and bunkers, making the approach complicated. It is best to leave it short.
The third, a 466-metre par-5, handicap 11, offers an easy tee shot. For the second shot you need to take into account a lake on the right which tends to swallow up lots of balls! The very flat green also has a narrow approach, but it’s not difficult to make it in three if your second is on the fairway.
The 389-metre par-4 fourth, handicap 1, is another matter. There are bunkers on the left of the fairway at the landing area, also a sharp dogleg. The second shot is long, almost always with a wood, to a very narrow and well-protected green.
The fifth, another par-4, 341 metres and recently remodelled, offers an open tee shot to a very wide fairway, though out of bounds areas to the left and right tend to narrow it a bit. The difficulty could be in your second shot as there is water to the left and a bunker on the right.
A 359-metre par-4, the sixth also has a wide fairway. If you miss it with your drive you could end up in the middle of a large tree area of palms, acacias, pines, etc., but it’s not easy to hit that far. On the approach to the green, the only difficulty involves bunkers to the left and right, as always. With the flag at the back, hitting to the upper slope is less complicated.
The 513-metre seventh, handicap 3, is the longest par-5 on the course. It has a moderate dogleg to the left but the drive shouldn’t present too many problems. Awaiting you for the second, however, is a lake on the left and out of bounds on the right. Sometimes it’s best to play short, before the water, though that could leave a longer third. If the wind blows and the shot isn’t long and straight enough you might find yourself in trouble.
The par-3 eighth, 175 metres, is protected by a lake at the front. Only on the right of the green is there an approach area that won’t allow you to clear the water. The green is wide and protected by the two customary bunkers.
A 383-metre par-4, the ninth has a moderate dogleg to the right. There is no difficulty with the drive, provided you don’t want to risk it to the right and leave a shorter second shot – as there is the danger of out of bounds. Playing to the left, the next shot is very long. Also lying in wait are two bunkers, one at the front of the green and the other to the left.
The par-4 10th is a relatively short 302 metres, and it is best to leave the driver in the bag and use an iron or 5 or 3-wood. A lake in the middle of the fairway needs to be cleared in order to reach the green. This is the main difficulty of an attractive hole that has recently been renovated.
The 11th is a par-3 of 133 metres, with a lake taking over the whole “fairway”. The green is undulating and slopes towards the water. A downhill putt is dangerous.
The 389-metre par-4 12th, handicap 2, is a real challenge. You have to hit a good drive if you want to reach the green in two, clearing a lake in front of you. Once over the lake, your problems ease as the fairway is wide and difficult to miss. For the second shot, with a wood, you need to take into account four bunkers: one short, another on the right and two others protecting the top level. This hole has also undergone a recent revamp.
The 439-metre par-5 13th is, theoretically, quite accessible if you put your drive on the fairway. The difficulty is in the tee shot, with a lake that needs to be cleared on the right. The fairway becomes narrower on the left; and a westerly wind makes the hole more difficult. The second shot – with the green in range – is a lot easier. The only possible difficulties are the usual two bunkers near the green and out of bounds on the left.
The next hole, the 14th, is another par-5, of 423 metres. You can use the driver off the tee but there is out of bounds to the right and left on a fairway that is not particularly wide. A large lake crosses the fairway, making the second shot slightly complicated. If you clear the water the third shot could be a chip for a possible birdie. It is always pleasant to watch the swans. With a good drive it is possible to reach the green in two, in spite of the presence of a bunker at the front of the green. This is a relatively easy hole, though prone to a double bogey if you are over-confident.
The 318-metre par-4 15th is also not overly complicated. With a dogleg to the left, the danger lies in a tee shot using your driver as there is a lake on that part of the fairway. Missing to the right, in spite of the trees in that area, offers a better escape route. The approach to the green, with a moderate ridge, is not too difficult.
The 16th, a 343-metre par-4, has a moderate dogleg to the left. A tee shot using a wood or long iron, closing the shot, is the best recipe to save par. The approach to the green is open and doesn’t offer any difficulties.
A 176-metre par-3, the 17th has a raised green where – if not flighted sufficiently – your ball will find a half moon-shaped bunker at the front of the green.
To finish the round, a final hole of 319 metres, also handicap 18. There are no problems with the tee shot, but the second, with bunkers in front of and surrounding the green, could become complicated if not hit properly.
The sight of the clubhouse and the thought of relaxing at the 19th hole is reassuring but there is always an after-taste that, perhaps, you could have played better – and a desire to return and play the course almost immediately. Once seated in the recently renovated clubhouse, with a beer in the hand and enjoying impressive views over the sea, the golf course and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the urge to play another 18 holes eases. Another day. For sure.
