Finca Cortesín is unquestionably one of the highest quality courses in Spain. And it has achieved this status in a perfectly balanced way: all the aspects that golfers value are at the same high level, from the magnificent design by Cabell B. Robinson and the state of maintenance and presentation of the course to the service offered by staff, who always take great care in looking after players.
One of the few courses in Spain where the entire playing surface comprises Bermuda, Finca Cortesín has required minimal adaptations to host the most important event in many years, the Solheim Cup. A new tee has been built for what will be the first hole for the competition and which is actually the fourth on the normal course, as it is being modified for this occasion. The tee areas on the 13th and 17th have also been renovated, while the rest of the tees have been levelled.
The club is masterfully managed by Francisco de Lancastre, who returned to his post to help prepare for the Solheim Cup a little more than a year before the event, after a highly productive professional period in Abu Dhabi.
The service is impeccable and the team runs like clockwork. As soon as a player arrives at the parking lot, a buggy operator approaches them and collects their clubs. They then pass through the store, where everything is of the highest quality and perfectly selected and presented.
After checking in, players head to the cafetería on the same floor, or directly down to the driving range where their buggy awaits them, personalised with a sign with their name and equipped with card, water, tees and a towel per player.
The buggies are at the foot of the path along the driving range, where complimentary balls are perfectly arranged in a pyramid.
At the end of the driving range is the Jack Nicklaus Academy building, where professionals Ricardo Jiménez and Ruben Holgado can help you improve your game and fit you with clubs that suit you perfectly, using the latest technology.
On the other side of the driving range, facing the 18th green and overlooking the sea, is the hotel. It is a truly luxurious facility, with 67 spacious and exclusive suites, four swimming pools, several top restaurants, Spa treatments and other services that few can provide at this level.
The hotel will host the American and European teams during the Solheim Cup. It was undoubtedly one of the determining factors in choosing the venue for this hugely important event, together with the quality of the course itself.
The course does not tend to be overcrowded with players, which is appreciated by the fortunate few who enjoy Finca Cortesín as members. The number of members is limited and it is an extremely interesting option for those seeking exclusivity and quality.
The main features of the course are its fantastic greens: wide, undulating and very fast. The course has five sets of tees to choose from, with a total length from the black markers of 6,727 metres. This is a particularly challenging test of golf.
The front nine comprises three par-3s for a total par of 35, while the second has three par-5s to total 37.
The first is a medium-length par-4 with an elevated green and significant declines that provide advanced warning of what you are going to find along the course.
The second is a long par-3 where you must avoid the right side of the fairway. After this, the third is a fantastic par-5 with water on the left side of the hole that can present a risky option but a reward for big-hitters.
The fourth, which will be played as the first during the Solheim Cup, is a short par-4 with water on the left. It is possible to reach the green in one for long-hitters.
The fifth is the second par-5, with danger on the right and a fairly narrow and elevated green, which requires precision.
The sixth, a long par-3, presents danger on the left where you can hit into vegetation and complicate your par.
The seventh is long par-4, ranked handicap 1, avoiding the right side where you can potentially lose your ball.
The eighth is the third par-5 on the first nine, full of bunkers that make it especially important to choose each shot carefully.
The final hole of the outward nine is more reachable in regulation and does not require such big-hitting. On the other hand, you need to be on the green, because – if you don’t manage to stop your ball – the escape areas make it difficult to achieve a good result.
The second nine begins with an elevated par-3 that invites you to hit to the left.
The 11th is the most complicated hole on the second nine, a par-5 with a high tee shot and a winding fairway where you need to avoid the right side.
The 12th is an elevated par-3 with a large green surrounded by bunkers.
The 13th hole, a short par-4, has one of the most beautiful views on the course as you approach a green located on the other side of an estuary.
The next two holes are very different. After the shortest par-4 on the course, where a good drive can leave you close to the green and even on the green for the longest hitters, the 15th hole is a long par-4 with a high dog-leg shot on the other side of a ravine. The fairway is well protected by strategic bunkers and, once again, a wide green awaits you.
The 16th is a long, slightly downhill par-4 that requires two good shots to reach the green with options.
The 17th is the shortest par-3 and it prepares you for the magnificent final 18th hole, a par-5 that turns left uphill with a fantastic green for you to finish with birdie options.
During the round, a team of marshals comes by to assist players with the pace of play and to reward them with a broth in winter and a gazpacho (cold soup) in summer.
After the round you can take a shower in the superb locker room and enjoy one of the best cafeterías in any golf club, anywhere.
This is a must-play course for those who visit the Costa del Sol to enjoy golf, and it is well worth the asking price.
