Gran Canaria: Golf in glorious sunshine
Golf has been a tradition on the sun-drenched island of Gran Canaria since 1891, where the warm climate means you can enjoy a game any day of the year. Awarded best European golf destination by the IAGTO in 2013, the island boasts seven magnificent courses that attract thousands of visitors every year.
In fact, now is the perfect time to visit this golfer’s paradise. The Real Club de Golf Las Palmas is the first club founded in Spain and this year it celebrates its 125th anniversary.
The accommodation on offer is also set to become even more luxurious this summer with the opening of the Santa Monica Suites Hotel, a four-star superior property located next to the beautiful Maspalomas Sand Dunes. With 27 hotels providing special green fees and golfing facilities, you are spoilt for choice in terms of where to stay, as well as where you should spend your days in the sun.
Gran Canaria’s landscape is as varied as it is beautiful. Towering volcanoes meet golden, sandy beaches, and the courses make the most of this spectacular backdrop.
Boasting perhaps the most dramatic location of all, the Real Club de Golf Las Palmas is next to the crater of an extinct volcano. With views of the mountains and the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, this is a relatively short course that demands your attention with its narrow fairways and deep ravines.
El Cortijo Club de Campo was host to the Spanish Open in 2002 and is one of the longest courses in Spain. Designed for golfers of all abilities, the palm trees, local fauna and lakes scattered throughout make this a relaxing and iyllic place to play a game.
Maspalomas Golf Course is found on the south coast, surrounded by 400 acres of sand dunes. Here the sea breeze will give you a helping hand as you tackle the long and wide fairways.
Also located in the south, the Lopesan Meloneras Golf Course starts fairly gently but gets increasingly difficult as it progresses. With four tees at each hole it caters to everyone.
The Salobre Golf Resort is unique as it’s the only complex in the Canary Islands with 36 holes. Designed by Ron Kirby and opened in 2008, the New Course is inspired by the best courses in Arizona and offers a challenge to even the most skilled player. Meanwhile, the variation in the design of the holes on the Old Course mean that every player will be entertained.
Last but certainly not least, the Anfi Tauro Golf Course is a work of art created by prestigious designers Von Hagge, Smelek and Baril. Enclosed by volcanoes and set in acres of lush vegetation, the course is perfectly maintained. The fantastic views from the 14th hole are not to be missed.
With all these courses to conquer, you’ll be in need of some pampering by the end of the day. Luckily many of the resorts, including the Seaside, Lopesan, Cordial and Gloria Palace hotels, offer a range of facials, massages and many other treatments. The aloe treatments are particularly special; aloe vera is grown on the island and claimed by experts to be ‘the purest in the world’.
All images courtesy of grancanariagolf.com For more information visit grancanariagolf.com, grancanariawellness.com & grancanaria.com
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