The golf course at the Mar Menor Golf Resort is the flagship of the old Polaris World group of Jack Nicklaus designed golf courses in the Murcia region of south-west Spain. Having said that, the great man himself only designed the back-9 holes at Mer Menor with another prolific designer Dave Thomas having drawn up the plans for the front-9. The handywork of the two separate designers is quite apparent as you progress around the golf course with the front-9 being quite distinct from the back-9.
The first loop of 9 holes is tighter – especially holes 2 to 5 – with a premium placed on accuracy here, although 6 and 7 do allow a bit more forgiveness to errant shots, however, it does pay to hit the ball straight here at Mar Menor, as with so much property around the golf course, it is not uncommon to see the odd stray golf ball rattling around on a balcony or terrace!
Holes 13 – 15 are usually the most memorable of the 18 holes here at Mar Menor Golf, as they plot their way around spectacular lakes, teeming with fish and birdlife. The high-quality bunkering protecting many of the greens on the closing stretch of the course is a real challenge and can wreck what was previously a good scorecard.
The excellent putting surfaces throughout the golf course are generally of a large size and with plenty of slopes, breaks and borrows a 3-putt is never far away unless you have laser-like accuracy into the pin.
With extensive practice facilities available, including a full par-4 practice hole that can be reserved for groups travelling with a PGA professional, Mar Menor Golf is a perfect venue for a golf break in Murcia.
