If there is one sport that makes La Manga Club one of the best sports complexes in the world, it is golf. The resort has three 18-hole Championship golf courses; North, South and West, spread over almost 6 square kilometres, each offering a different route for the player. The golf courses here are among the very best in Europe and have all hosted many professional and amateur tournaments over the years.
The main benefit of having three courses is that the maintenance of all is excellent as it allows the management to close each course entirely for extended periods to allow for the best quality work to take place with extended periods of recovery as required.
Real Golf La Manga Club has a complete practice area for both individual and group training, where players can work on their long game on the driving range located in the Academy. For the short game, there are several independent greens with a chipping and approach area and another area for bunker practice.
The golf courses are complemented by other extensive facilities including a 5-star hotel, apartments, a football centre, tennis courts and numerous restaurants and bars.
The Real Golf La Manga Club West course is the newest of the 3 golf courses here at this famous Murcia golf resort and many visiting golfers believe it is the best of the three courses. Its history is quite varied having begun life as a Dave Thomas designed 9-hole layout in the 1980’s and named ‘Atamaría’ after the nearby village. That moniker did not last too long as it was soon renamed La Princessa. In 1991 Dave Thomas was recalled to design a second 9-hole course immediately adjacent to ‘La Princessa’. Once the full 18 holes were in play they were still known by different names (Las Sabinas and La Princessa) but eventually the owners saw sense and combined the 2-nines bringing the 18-hole Real Golf La Manga Club West course into existence.
The Real Golf La Manga Club West Course is a short distance from the main part of the resort and you’ll need to jump on the resort shuttle bus to be whisked up to the West course’s small clubhouse, which is tucked away in the hills a couple of kilometres to the west of the main resort complex. It is pretty challenging course with large elevation changes, tight sloping fairways and many barrancas, particularly on the front nine. The back nine is more open and is set dramatically in the hills. It reaches its climax at the 18th tee which is perched high on the hillside from where the panoramic views across the resort to the sea beyond are simply sensational. The wide final fairway is set a hundred metres or so below the tee, so hopefully by now you have got your driver firing to allow you to enjoy a long high drive down to the fairway below. Perhaps the most exciting tee shot in Spanish golf…?!
Real Golf La Manga Club is definitely a must-play if you are in this corner of south-eastern Spain and should always be included on a golf holiday in Murcia.
