Renowned Designers and Magnificent Courses
It all began at Puerta de Hierro in 1904. When the “dean” of Madrid’s golf clubs, and the first one built on the Spanish mainland, inaugurated its course, there were barely a handful of Spanish golfers around the country. It would be 28 years before the second golf club opened in the single-province Madrid region: Club de Campo in San Sebastián de los Reyes municipality.
Another 40 years passed before a third club saw the light of day, RACE, in what is now formally known as the Community of Madrid. Then, from the 1970s there was a great spurt and growth in what until then had been lean golf pickings in Madrid.
Currently there are more than 30 golf courses offering a diverse range of amenities for both resident golfers and the hundreds of thousands of golfing tourists who visit the Spanish capital every year. You can play golf in Madrid from €9 at a pitch-and-putt complex to €200 on the weekend at Santander Golf Club.
There are some top-category courses that are extremely difficult for ordinary mortals to access, not necessarily due to a question of personal finance – although that does apply in some cases – but because they are strictly restricted to members and their guests.
Those few golfers who began their adventure at Puerta de Hierro at the beginning of the last century have now become a large family of more than 80,000 players, representing almost one-third of the total number of golfers officially registered with the federations in Spain.
To appreciate how strong golf has become in Madrid, you only need to compare the numbers with those in Catalunya (fewer than 30,000) and Andalucía (around 45,000), both regions with considerably larger populations than the former.
Several of Madrid’s courses bear the imprint of renowned designers such as Jack Nicklaus, Javier Arana (RACE), Pepe Gancedo (remodelling of La Herrería), Severiano Ballesteros, José María Olazábal (Retamares), Manuel Piñero (La Dehesa) and José Rivero (Olivar de la Hinojosa).
The Golden Bear, considered the finest golfer in history, with 18 majors in his curriculum, authored the designs at a club with the most extensive golf amenities in Spain: La Moraleja, with its four 18-hole courses, one nine-hole layout and a spectacular practice area. The design of one of Villa de Madrid Club de Campo’s layouts also came out of his creative mind (as well as La Moraleja), while the other Villa de Madrid design was the work of another of the game’s greats: Severiano Ballesteros.
With 32 courses, the Community of Madrid offers a wide and extensive array of golf amenities adapted for all tastes – both playing ability and budget. Following are descriptions of the 18-hole courses…
CLUB DE CAMPO VILLA DE MADRID (36 holes)
The club has two layouts, Black and Yellow, integrated into one of the finest sports complexes in Europe, which combines beauty, landscape, unprecedented views of Madrid city and superior design quality. The Black Course was designed by Javier Arana, who also created the first nine holes of the Yellow Course, with Severiano Ballesteros the author of the other nine. The course has the key characteristic of other great layouts: practically from the first tee, golfers continue without seeing or crossing over with other players. There was already a nine-hole course in 1932 located on National Heritage land, but there is nothing left of that. After the Civil War Javier Arana was commissioned to design the golf course on the old network of ditches and rubbish dumps that were removed from the city streets. On 21 April 1956 the course was inaugurated with an opening shot by professional Angel Miguel.
REAL PUERTA DE HIERRO CLUB (36 holes + 9 par-3)
Opened in 1904, this historic club is considered one of the most traditional in Madrid. It has two 18-hole courses. On the first course, it is worth emphasising the first hole, considered one of the most spectacular, since it totally dominates the panorama from the clubhouse and its surrounding area. Many of the holes are limited by the polo grounds. The course is maintained impeccably and enjoys wonderful views throughout the layout.
LOMAS-BOSQUE GOLF CLUB (27 holes)
Eighteen-hole course considered, due to its orography, to be one of the most fun golf layouts in Madrid. Located in an enviable setting with views of the Sierra de Gredos, it is a course that obliges the player to use all the clubs in their bag, and constitutes a challenge for golfers of all levels. Irregular terrain with fairways flanked by trees on the first nine holes. Flat on the second part, but with a large lake that must be hit over twice (10th and 14th) and which is at your side from the 15th to the 18th. It has two very varied routes. On the first nine you can’t take too many risks; it requires great precision and dexterity since the ball must be positioned carefully. On the other hand, the second nine holes reward the big-hitter more than the accurate player.
GOLF LA MORALEJA 1 (18 holes +9 par-3)
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, La Moraleja 1 is the oldest of the club's courses. It began to be played in 1975 and was officially opened in 1976. It is a short, narrow and very technical layout. Lakes and out-of-bounds play an important role in the playing strategy on each hole. Only one of the 18 holes has no out-of-bounds. The greens are small but very fast due to their unevenness. Worth highlighting is the 18th hole, a short par-5 with out-of-bounds to the right and to the left and a lake defending any attempt to reach the green in two.
GOLF LA MORALEJA 2 (18 holes)
The course measures 6,326 metres from the professionals’ tees. The sloping terrain around most of its holes allow spectators to comfortably follow players during competitions. The layout is longer than that of La Moraleja 1 but also wider and has less vegetation, so mis-hits are not penalised too harshly. It has four lakes that affect six holes. Standing out for its beauty and strategy, the 16th hole – with its green located on a peninsula – both tempts and intimidates any player wanting to reach it in two.
GOLF LA MORALEJA 3 (18 holes)
This is a Jack Nicklaus signature course. The designer converted a farm that was completely flat and of different terrain, building small hills, more or less pronounced, in different parts of the course. He also created a course with multiple playing options on almost every hole. It is a classic, parkland-type course, long, with a distance of 6,830 metres, a good challenge for hosting major tournaments, but also very pleasant for any amateur to play. Its fairways are wide and its greens, in general, are large. It has three huge lakes that affect half of the holes, and the trees that have been planted (more than 1,200) will also soon become an important aspect of play, as are its 68 bunkers.
GOLF LA MORALEJA 4 (18 holes)
La Moraleja 4, created by Nicklaus Design, has a length of 6,350 metres. It is an exceptional golfing layout: with islands of vegetation, gentle mounds and lakes with aquatic plants. It also has various tees to multiply the playing options and offer different strategies. The same as with La Moraleja 3, rounds are staggered every 20 minutes, to preserve the course’s excellent condition. For this same reason, buggies can only be used on the paths.
CLUB JARAMA RACE (18 holes +9 par-3 P&P)
This iconic course in Madrid, with 18 long holes, was inaugurated in 1967 by King Juan Carlos I and, during its 40 years of existence, on several occasions has hosted the PGA Spanish Open. Offering splendid views of the northern mountains of Madrid, the RACE course features abundant vegetation typical of the area, which adorns and, in some cases, comes into play along the fairways. Wide and with considerable slopes, the fairways are the anterooms of expansive greens well-protected by a total of 59 bunkers – making it one of the most attractive courses in Spain.
NATIONAL GOLF CENTRE (18 holes) This is a difficult course to define. Because of the lack of trees, it looks like a Scottish links; and It has an obvious urban aspect, with the Metro right on its front doorstep. Until its creation, it was used as a landfill, with these vacant lots transformed into an ecological barrier with respect to the nearby Monte del Pardo. As a public course it has great popular appeal. It is the first public course in Spain that has hosted three high-level professional competitions: Challenge of Spain 2006, Spanish Open 2007 and Madrid Masters 2009. It is also the first course in Madrid certified with the "Q" of Spanish Tourist Quality and the "ISO 14001" of Environmental Quality. Its goal is to offer magnificent golf experiences at affordable prices with exquisite course maintenance, as well as to encourage golf among children and adults through high-quality teaching. The National Golf Centre features a long layout of more than 6,400 metres, reminiscent of typical British links courses, without trees, with gentle breezes that condition play, especially in the afternoons, and with rough that can raise the challenge to the highest degree. Currently, the course is adapted to the level of an amateur player who wants to enjoy a day of golf with a magnificent panoramic view of all of Madrid and its surroundings.
REAL SOCIEDAD HÍPICA ESPAÑOLA CLUB DE CAMPO (36) The first 18 holes, the North course, were inaugurated in 1997, and in 2000 the South course was completed. Both layouts sit on irregular and undulating terrain; with dog-legs to the right and left, deep valleys, and climbs that strengthen players’ legs. The North layout is almond shaped. It is the more difficult of the two, due to its length, about 300 metres longer and with more water than the South layout. It requires a careful playing strategy and always rewards good play. The South course invites more precise and aggressive play. It helps local players and is a tough challenge for visitors. The layout is more abrupt, with longer distances from tee to green and steep slopes.
REAL CLUB DE GOLF LA HERRERIA (18 holes)
You can rarely enjoy playing golf in an environment that is part of ancient Europe’s history, and immersed in a stunning natural environment. The course occupies 75 hectares, sheltered from the Abantos mountain system that surrounds it and creates an interesting microclimate in contrast to the climatic rigours of the Sierra de Guadarrama. From hole eight, the eighth wonder of the world emerges: the Monastery of El Escorial. The course extends over 6,122 metres, with 18 holes. The first nine underwent a transformation in 2000, carried out by renowned designer José Gancedo. This remodelling respected the oak forest and native forest of ash and holm oaks. Tees, greens and bunkers have been modified, and lakes have been created on holes one, two and four, so the course’s par is now set at 71. The second nine is more open, surrounded by the mountainous amphitheatre, and crowned by the summits of Abantos, San Benito and Las Machotas. It is the highest course in the Community of Madrid and, due to the laws of physics, the ball experiences greater flight when hit.
CLUB DE GOLF LA DEHESA (18 holes)
Key features of this course are great greens and the configuration of his bunkers. The layout can be divided into two perfectly differentiated areas. The beauty of its first nine, parallel to a river, makes this the ideal setting to enjoy golf, as all the elements that every good golfer desires come together as one: beauty, silence and quality. The second nine is considered to be more technical: tough but enjoyable and accessible for all players, with some blind shots such as the seventh and holes protected by streams and trees.
EL ENCIN GOLF HOTEL (18 holes)
The South course is distinctive layout: wide and undulating fairways, expansive greens, countless flag positions... It is unquestionably a fun course that demands all the skills of a golfer. To this can be added the aesthetic and visual fusion of the golf course with the stunning mountains of Santos de la Humosa. The contours, bunkers and water hazards define each stroke and the strategy required – a layout that excites and does not leave any player indifferent. The greens express the true personality of El Encín.
NUEVO CLUB DE GOLF DE MADRID (18 holes)
This course comprises rugged terrain, with slopes and different levels. The greens are neither difficult nor large, just a normal size. Here you can play a risky, technical and exciting game. It features water and sand obstacles, its trees are varied and abundant, and it offers wonderful views of the Sierra de Madrid mountains. In short, this course is well worth playing more than once.
OLIVAR DE LA HINOJOSA (18 holes + 9 par-3)
An extremely varied and much-appreciated course where, in order to achieve a good result, it is essential to be accurate both in shots to the green, since they are all well-protected by either bunkers or water, and in reading their slopes. Since its inauguration, the Olivar de la Hinojosa has added another iconic layout: a 9-hole par-29 (seven par-3s and two-par-4s) where a significant number of players have had their first contact with a golf course. It is the official course of the Golf School and official competitions are held, both pitch and putt and par-29.
RETAMARES (18 holes)
This is the only golf course in Madrid designed by José María Olazábal. The 18-hole par-72 layout is versatile and fun for both medium-high handicap players and more skilled and demanding golfers. The moulding of the course has integrated the hole designs into the existing orography to create a spectacular links-style layout. One of the main virtues of Retamares is its excellent state of maintenance throughout the year. As a result of major investments recently made for a new maintenance area, weather station and modern machinery, as well as a highly qualified staff, the club has demonstrated its firm commitment to maintaining impeccable greens, fairways and tees – any day of the year. Considered to be one of Madrid’s must-play courses, it has hosted five international competitions at the highest level: three editions of the Madrid Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour (2007, 2008 and 2009) and two events on the men's European Challenge Tour, the Open Mahou in 2007 and Reale Challenge of Spain in 2009. The 300-metre driving range is reversible and equipped with 36 covered tee areas, a swing analysis room, three putting greens and an expansive chipping green.
GOLF SANTANDER (18 holes)
Golf Santander is one of the most modern and well-maintained courses in Madrid. The par-5s are the stars of the layout, with one of them extending to 612 metres. Designed by Rees Jones and inaugurated in 2005, it is considered one of the best courses in Europe.
GOLF JARDIN ARANJUEZ (18 holes)
This layout is characterised by an excellent combination of finely-tuned skill required for each stroke and precision dictated by its large greens, lakes and bunkers. The 18-hole par-72 course is completed with a driving range, putting green and approach green. The terrain in general is fairly flat, and its orography – although modified to create gentle slopes – gives it a distinctive appeal.
GOLF BASE AEREA DE TORREJON (18 holes)
The Torrejón Air Base course has been around for 50 years and, due to its significant forest areas and surrounding flora and fauna, it is one of the most attractive in Spain. Designed by Marcelino Sota, the par-72 layout is complemented by two putting greens, a practice bunker, a driving range, changing rooms, showers, parking, a golf school and the clubhouse.
EL ROBLEDAL GOLF (18 holes)
A magnificent course located in the midst of nature – par-72, although not excessively long at 5,978 metres from the white markers. There is a significant difference between the relatively straightforward holes (1, 2, 9 and 17) and the most complicated ones (such as 7, 8 and 18). This allows players to recover on one hole what has been lost on another, and even to ensure a pleasingly successful round if accurate off the tees.
GOLF NEGRALEJO (18 holes: 9-hole long and 9-hole par-3)
A pacesetter among Madrid’s courses and the ideal place to learn to play golf, as it has one of the best golf schools in Madrid and excellent practice facilities. It includes a magnificent long course and a short par-3 layout.
