The golf club at El Cortijo, just to the south of Gran Canaria’s capital Las Palmas is a true members club, but yet provides a warm welcome to holidaying golfers on the island.
Although the course is bordered in some areas by some questionable looking apartment blocks it is a surprisingly high quality challenge of golf as it winds its way high into the hills and valleys around the clubhouse. This high quality is rubber stamped by the fact that the course has held the Spanish Open in recent years (2002) which was won by Sergio Garcia, amongst many other professional events including multiple Canary Islands Open Championships.
The course itself – designed by the legendary Stirling and Martin duo – whilst being one of the longest tracks in Spain, features 6 tees per hole, so that golfers of all standards can be comfortably accommodated on the course.
The greens are of a very high standard and when we played the course recently found them to be second only in Gran Canaria to RC de Las Palmas.
Considering that course is well over 100 years old and the greens are very well established, the high quality of the greens at El Cortijo is a testament to the green keepers and members who take great care of this wonderful course.
The opening 9 holes are on gently undulating land to the east of the clubhouse winding down towards the sea and back, whilst the back nine climbs high into the volcanic valleys to the west side with some extremely elevated tees and greens many metres below. The holes are bordered by ancient palm trees and other local flora and fauna and with the many lakes dotted around the course the place is more like a garden than a true championship golf course.
With the colourful bird-life found here at El Cortijo you are sure to find the golf course a relaxing environment for your round of golf on Gran Canaria.
