Going for Golf

La Manga - oozing star quality

La Manga Club

When La Manga Club opened for business in 1972, it boasted none other than Gary Player as its director of golf and Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros served as the resort’s touring professional for a period in the 80s. They were not alone in sharing the founder’s vision.

Many stars of sport, film and music have chosen La Manga Club as their base over the years. Notable guests include actors Juliette Binoche, John Malkovich and Matt Damon, musicians Jamiroquai, Deep Purple and Sir Cliff Richard and a whole host of sports stars who have taken advantage of the extensive facilities. A ‘Golden Book’ was created for prestigious guests to sign as a record of their stay. However, the original book is no more, last seen (allegedly) beneath the arm of a departing British sporting hero and possibly now available on ebay. However, the current version still retains a touch of class.

A fascinating history then, but what of the modern-day resort? Well the term Golden Balls would sum it up very nicely for it has been bestowed with a host of prizes and nominations down the years.

Murcia offers plentiful sunshine; white sandy beaches co-exist with unspoilt natural parks and deserted coves of exceptional beauty. Two seas – the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean – lap the shores of an extensive coastline.

La Manga Club itself is vast. Set out over an area three times the size of Monaco, it offers visitors a five-star hotel, luxury serviced apartments and 450 hectares of sports facilities. It is not, however, congested, as the many resort ‘communities’ dotted around the hill-scape are punctuated with swathes of emerald green fairway and La Manga Club’s prized sports pitches and impressive tennis centre.

I was here for the golf, however: 54 holes of the stuff with an 80-bay floodlit driving range and academy thrown in for good measure. La Manga Club makes holiday golf easy with both the first and 10th tees, ninth and 18th greens on the South and North courses, located in the shadows of the Principe Felipe hotel. You can literally drop your suitcase and be pegging it up in five minutes.

First up was the South Course, regarded by many as the toughest of the three layouts. Originally designed by Robert Putman in 1971, it is one of the fairest courses I have played and, while it doesn’t look brutish, it does come with claws.

It is not short, for at well over 7,000 yards off the white tees a good driving game is essential, but the key to scoring well here is to manoeuvre the ball away from the astutely positioned traps and keep the ball dry – there is water on 15 holes. The challenge doesn’t end there, however, as although the generously oversized greens are easy to find with a short iron, putting requires judgment of pace and borrow in equal measure.

The closing par five is a beauty, providing the perfect blend of risk and reward for guaranteed thrills and spills at the death. Water features on both sides from the tee and it’s a brave man who flies the bunker on the left, from where a well-hit fairway wood will carry a large ravine to reach a well-protected green in two and set up a birdie opportunity.

I was teeing it up on the North Course within minutes of leaving my breakfast table the next day and set off for what appeared a similar challenge. Palm-fringed fairways were again the order of the day – but the North is slightly less demanding, at just over 6,300 yards, and takes in some more elevated positions around the resort.

It is as old and wise as the South Course and has subtleties aplenty, particularly on the greens, which again are oversized but notoriously difficult to two-putt. That aside, the whole experience is refreshingly relaxed and is designed to work with you, not against – ‘chill-out golf’ as it was described by my playing partner.

A five-minute shuttle from the hotel took us to La Manga Club’s youngest – the ‘wicked’ West Course. This was a different experience as the Dave Thomas-designed course is 20 years younger and is played over a variety of terrain, much of which, on the back nine particularly, is pristine pine woodland. It is far tighter and prone to ball-loss, which perhaps help explain the origins of the ‘wicked’ epithet and you need to be selective when pulling out the driver. That said it is thoroughly enjoyable and full of twists, turns and elevation changes and boasts an excellent quintet of par threes.

The lasting memory of my round was arriving at the 18th to a stunning vista of the entire resort below me and the glistening Mar Menor beyond.

La Manga Club also offers a 28-court tennis centre; cycling; diving; watersports; eight pristine sports pitches for football, cricket, rugby and Gaelic football; the 2000m2 spa, complete with treatment rooms, a comprehensive fitness centre and 25m indoor pool; and more than 20 restaurants and bars.

It’s fair to say that whatever your chosen shape of ball, at La Manga Club it will feel golden.