José-María Olazábal’s first effort at golf course design has turned into one of the region’s finest courses. Real Club de Golf de Sevilla is a private club admitting green-fee paying visitors. The course is flat and open with plenty of water hazards and thousands of trees which provide ample shade from the fierce summer heat. The par-4 sixth and 15th holes are said to be the most difficult while the third is undoubtedly the most spectacular hole, with its green entirely surrounded by water. Real Club’s other great advantage is its proximity to Andalucía’s capital city, Seville. In 2004 this course was the venue for the World Cup, and it hosted the Spanish Open in 2008 and 2010, and the Open de Andalucía in 2009.

HOW TO GET THERE

At Km 3.2 of the Sevilla-Utrera highway, turn off at the petrol station where there is a sign for the golf course, which is one kilometre farther on.