Going for Golf

Almerimar Resort

Nestling on the south coast of Andalucia and serviced by its own airport, Almeria is not a stereotypical Spanish resort.

Just a two-hour flight from Gatwick, Almeria has a rich history, its own castle and the appearance of a Middle Eastern city, yet it also possesses a classy shopping centre crammed with boutiques, stylish bars and quality tapas restaurants.

Historically, the region was a prolific producer of olive oil but nowadays Almeria is renowned for hothouse horticulture. Indeed, chances are the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers you get from your local supermarket are grown here. The industry is so huge that you will struggle to miss the 27,000 hectares of plastic-covered greenhouses smothering the landscape as your flight approaches the runway. But only a 45-minute transfer from the airport and barely 30 minutes from the town centre is the resplendent beach-front Almerimar Hotel which is now attracting UK visitors with budget golf deals.

The impressive 278-room, four-star Almerimar overlooks its own 27-hole golf complex. Opened in 1976 as just 18 holes to a design by Gary Player, the Almerimar course was completely re-designed between 2005 and early 2008 at a cost of €2.5m.

The overhaul, which included the construction of the nine-hole Classic Course and the addition of irrigation and tarmac cart paths throughout the complex, also led to the introduction of re-laid greens, re-sculpted fairways, new bunkers and several lakes, some of which have sadly detracted from the original lay-out.

Take the 505-yard par-five seventh hole on the Masters Course for instance. With a lake to clear which lies a good distance from the back tees, one way of playing the hole would be with three meaty seven-iron shots – a lay-up short of the lake, another to clear the lake, and a third uphill to a partially-hidden green protected by two bunkers.

The par-five 15th, a severe dog-leg right, has also suffered with its own new expanse of water. If you can clear the lake with a drive that shapes left to right then you’ll be fine, but anything flying straight over the water runs a very real risk of running out of fairway and bounding on past the white out-of-bounds posts.

The Masters course does have some memorable holes though. The 17th is a short par-five at 455 yards, with a tempting tiger line over a string of palm trees. A decent drive will leave a testing five-iron over yet another huge lake to an island green. It’s a classic risk-and-reward hole for the longer hitters.

The course ends with a 172-yard par-three to another island on the same lake. The tee shot into the prevailing breeze is a real nerve-tester.

After the Masters course you might consider an afternoon round on the newer, more open fairways of the nine-hole Classic Course. Measuring up at 3,516 yards, it is ideal for a warm-up, warm-down or for high handicappers. It is, however, worthy of a visit for the ninth hole alone. The beautifully contoured par-five presents an approach shot over a stream to an elevated green protected by bunkers and trees.

Should you fancy a trip to Andalucia for your autumn golf break, there are two other courses in the locality that can be booked through the Almerimar reception desk.

Peter Alliss and Angel Gallardo designed the Playa Serena course back in 1979. Just 20 minutes away at Roquetas de Mar it is a par-72 links that measures 6,638 yards.

Then, at Vicar, you have the undulating Le Envia course. Complete with mountain backdrops, it was laid down in 1994 to a design by Francisco Mendoza Montero. A short, hilly par-70 course, La Envia possesses some of the best greens and views in the region. Who knows, you may even catch a glimpse of the ghost of Lee van Cleef!