La Cala Golf Club - Campo Europa

Overview

The Royal Spanish Golf Federation has confirmed that La Cala Resort is the biggest golf complex in Spain. La Cala has three 18-hole championship courses and a top quality 6-hole par 3 course, making it the largest golf resort in Spain. The resort is highly regarded for the quality of the golf courses and sports facilities including the only David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Spain.

Hosting the Q-school for the Ladies European tour in November 2005 and 2006 as well as the Spanish Pairs Professional Championship in 2007 has proved that La Cala Golf Resort is highly regarded internationally. It is also worthy to mention that La Cala Resort got a Guinness World Record in 2007 by hosting the largest one day golf competition with 614 players.

The three 18-hole championship courses all offer a different challenge, Campo America (formerly the North Course) is longer than the tighter Campo Asia (formerly the South Course). The fairways of Campo Europa are generous from the tees and the greens are slightly larger than on the other 2 courses. They are not severely contoured but are well bunkered and will be easier for the average golfer. The par 71 course measures 6014 metres.

All three courses have been designed by Cabell B. Robinson. Course designer Cabell Robinson stresses the difference between the three courses:  The three courses in La Cala Resort are all very different in character.

The new course is the most different of the three because of the river Ojen, the others are in the hills. They are three good challenges and none is over long. Yet they are all very different in character. It gives a great option to golfers to have three 18-hole courses to choose from.

Cabell went on to stress the advantages of the new course for the average golfer: “The new course is not only dramatic but will also be easier for the average golfer. The fairways are generous from the tees and the greens are slightly larger than on the existing courses.”

The Ojen river plays a part in eight holes, cutting across three fairways. There is one main bridge that measures 45 metres and four smaller bridges over the river. The design also features four tunnels for golf carts and maintenance machinery. In total there are concrete golf cart paths measuring 20,000 m2.

The 14th is at the maximum limit of what is allowed for a par 3 at 233 metres. The 11th is the longest hole. The par 5 measures 524 metres.

A lot of attention went into the protection of native plant species and indigenous plants such as Lavender, Rockrose, Rosemary and Palmettos were planted. Also planted were groves of trees, including Cork oak, Eucalyptus, Olives trees, Almond trees and Carob trees. In total 300 trees and 1,500 bushes were planted. No trees were removed and only one was transplanted. Over 500,000 m3 of earth and 70,000 m3 of topsoil was moved in constructing the course The total area of land involved measures over 100 hectares. The actual golf course itself measures half of this.