The Highest Ranked Spanish Golf Courses

Spain has a variety of golf courses along its coastline and further inland. There some notable golf championships have been played, including the Ryder Cup. It boasts some of Europe’s top golf courses; many of which are included within Golf World Magazine’s 2011 top 100 courses in Europe. These are Golf World’s top five golf courses in Spain.

El Prat, Rosa, Norman

At 29th in the rankings, Rosa is the fifth Spanish course included. This is a championship golf course, located within rolling countryside on the outskirts of Barcelona, which expands some 7,103 yards. The Rosa course has a variety of terrain with the front nine holes playing through pine forest. Its back nine moves out to more open landscapes, and includes some inspired holes.

Real Club de Golf de Sevilla, Jose Maria Olazabal

The fourth ranked Spanish golf course in Golf World’s rankings is the Real Club de Golf in Seville. This is a par – 72 golf course that has a yardage of approximately 6,674 yards. It has some large fairways with Bermuda grass, and approximately 90 bunkers scattered along its holes. Covering 61 hectares the course boasts over 10,000 trees. Having previously hosted the World Golf Championship it’s a championship pedigree golf course.

El Saler Golf Club , Javier Arana Ybarra

The third highest ranked Spanish course, which is 11th in the overall rankings, is El Saler. El Saler extends some 7,095 yards. The majority of this course’s holes play over pine-laden slopes, and are surrounded by woodland. This course has a mix of forested and coastal holes adjacent to its Mediterranean coastline. Among the more notable is the short par-4 eight hole, located by the coast, which has an expansive sandy waste area.

PGA Golf de Catalunya, Neil Coles & Angel Gallardo

The second Spanish golf course is that of PGA Golf de Catalunya, which makes the overall top 10. This course is located on the Costa Brava, along the foothills of the Pyrenees, and extends some 7,205 yards. The Stadium Course at PGA Golf de Catalunya has some lush vegetation and a variety of green fir trees along its holes. The course is also notable for its large number of lakes which come into play on a number of holes such as the 13th. At the end of that hole one lake separates the fairway from green, and a second is also positioned directly behind it.

Valderrama Golf Club, Robert Trent Jones Sr

At number of one is perhaps the most famous golf course in Spain, that of Valderrama. For many this is the Augusta National of Europe, and it is ranked sixth in Golf World’s rankings. It has hosted some famous golf championships such as the Ryder Cup and World Golf Championships. The 6,951 yard course winds through oak and olive trees.

Among the most famous holes at this course is that of the fourth La Cascada hole. That is a 460 yard par-5 hole with an expansive fairway, surrounded by trees, that runs up to the green. On the right side of the green there is a large pond in which balls can fall, and on the left a greenside bunker. Water also comes into play on the 10th par-4 hole with a large lake along the right of the fairway. That fairway plays up to a green surrounded by five bunkers.

Those are Golf World’s top five in Spain. They are also ranked among the best in Europe by a variety of others such as Golf Digest etc. Check out the full Golf World rankings here.