The Costa del Sol is the top golf destination in Europe. There is a tremendous number of Costa del Sol Golf Courses stretching along the coast - far too many to describe in detail however they all have one thing in common: the fantastic sunny and dry climate that allows golfers to play all year round. 

In the area of Benalmadena is the Torrequebrada course. Situated just west of Benalmadena Costa, the 18-hole, Par 72, 5,806-metre course was designed by Spain's most famous golf architect, Pepe Gancedo, who used the contours of the region to produce a course where each hole is an individual. Torrequebrada opened in 1976, and has hosted several top tournaments including the 1979 Spanish Open. Well manicured, the fairways are in Particularly good condition. Water hazards come into play on nine holes, and there are actually over 100 species of trees lining the fairways. There are numerous fairway bunkers strategically placed, and players will find the greens very challenging. Located just 3 km inland, Torrequebrada has stunning sea views and is very popular with visitors. Torrequebrada features excellent facilities, including changing rooms, swimming pool, sauna, paddle tennis, and tennis. The terrace bar and restaurant overlooks the 18th hole and the Mediterranean.

A little further along the coast are the courses of the Mijas area. These include La Cala Golf where three fine 18-hole golf courses are located - La Cala America (Par 73, formerly North), La Cala Asia (Par 71, formerly South) and La Cala Europa (Par 71, formerly New). These were all designed by the American architect Cabell B. Robinson. The Resort houses the prestigious David Leadbetter Golf Academy with adjoining driving range and six-hole, Par three "Executive" course. With the opening of the new Europa course, La Cala Resort is the only resort on the Costa del Sol with three 18-hole championship courses. The America Course is an excellent course as is the Asia Course. The Europa Course is not only dramatic but is easier for the average golfer. The fairways are generous from the tees and the greens are slightly larger than on the existing courses. La Cala is recognised by The Royal Federation of Spanish Golf as the biggest golf resort in Spain.

Other courses in this area include the Miraflores Golf Club which opened for play in 1990. Miraflores is an 18-hole, Par 71 course which follows the gentle contours of the Sierra Mijas foothills. The fairways and greens are maintained in lush splendor throughout the year, and water is supplied from three artificial ponds. The Golf Academy offers tuition for everyone - from the outright beginner to the most discerning low-handicap golfers wishing to hone their skills.

Also in this area is Mijas Golf with two of the busiest and most popular golf courses on the Costa del Sol. Both 18-hole courses were designed by Robert Trent Jones in the mid-70s. Golfers will enjoy Trent Jones' creation with its gentle, undulating fairways and the general impression of wide open space on the two courses. Exotic Araucalia pines and perfumed jacaranda line the fairways at Los Lagos, and olive trees, naturally, are in abundance on Los Olivos.

Los Lagos (the Lakes) 18-hole, Par 71 course is the longer of the two at 6,404 metres and it is named after its seven water hazards. Its greens are wide but contoured and have well protected bunkers. Los Olivos, an 18-hole, Par 72 course at 6,009 metres, is a tighter challenge than Los Lagos. It has water traps, twisted bunkers and quick greens with subtle slopes. The Greens meet USGA specifications and the fairways are of 419 Bermuda grass.

Still further along the coast is Marbella which includes the town itself, Cabopino and Elviria to the East and Puerto Banus, Nueva Andalucia and Guadalmina to the west. Cabopino Golf is a scenic, 18-hole, Par 71, 5,170-metre long course and an interesting new addition to Costa del Sol golf. High handicappers must use all clubs in their bag and low handicappers will have to take risks if they want good results. The greens are large and in excellent condition.

Santa Maria Golf and Country Club at Elviria has come to occupy a well-earned place amongst the elite golf clubs in the Costa del Sol The 18-hole, Par 70 course offers players a challenging game with view of both the mountains and the Mediterranean. The first nine holes were designed by Antonio Garcia Garrido, and when these holes opened, the club became a very popular with members. The second nine, designed by the club's technical staff, opened in 1996 and the course has now matured into one of the finest along the coast. Amenities include the 19th-century clubhouse, clubhouse restaurant with terrace, bars, lounges and a snooker room. There are also tennis courts, swimming pool and a lawn bowls club on the club's grounds.

The Santa Clara Club is located to the Eastern side of Marbella. It is a fairly new 18-hole, Par 71 course of 5,878 metres from the professional tees. The course was designed by Enrique Canales Busquets and is well manicured. Santa Clara Golf Club provides a challenge for all levels of golfers. It hosted the 58th Annual Spanish Professional Championship in June 2003, quite an honour for a new course and indicative of the quality and prestige Santa Clara has been able to achieve in a short time.

The Marbella Golf and Country Club is located amidst the rolling countryside of Andalucía, only five minutes from the fashionable resort of Marbella, and is one of the finest championship courses in Europe. Marbella Golf has an overall playing length of 6,000 meters and a Par rating of 72. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. The 18-hole layout was imaginatively conceived and is designed to compliment the existing environment and provide a testing but enjoyable game for golfers of different abilities.

The Rio Real Golf Course is an 18-hole, Par 72 golf course and is situated in a beautiful valley between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains. The Real river crosses the course several times. Built in 1965, the course is not an easy one although the layout is mainly flat. Rio Real was designed by Javier Arana. The front nine is quite tight, but it opens up on the back, and has several elevated tees. There are many established trees lining the fairways and it is backed by the Sierra Bermeja which culminates at 1,500 metres forming a natural shelter from the northern winds. The area enjoys a subtropical climate and even the winter months are extremely mild offering the perfect conditions to play golf all year around.

Los Naranjos is in the area of Nueva Andalucia often called the golf valley. It is close to Puerto Banus. This 18-hole, Par 72 course opened in 1977. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., who considered it one of his best designs. The course has hosted many championships including the Spanish PGA Championship. Los Naranjos' front 9 has rolling, peaceful and wide fairways, and the back 9 is tighter and flatter, as it is played through the beautiful orange groves that give the course its name. Los Naranjos has many strategically placed fairway bunkers and water to catch the unwary and the greens are firm and fast.

Las Brisas Golf Course is also in this area. This course has 18 holes, is Par 72 and is 6,198m in length. It is a picturesque course that has plenty of water hazards and bunkers protecting the mostly elevated greens. Due to this, it requires more than just long drives in order to stay out of danger. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones. Also nearby is the Aloha Golf Club, designed by Javier Arana - an 18-hole, Par 72 course that is 6,261 metres in length. The layout and surroundings of this course are beautiful and it is immaculately maintained. A natural course, it is a bit hilly and offers many interesting holes.

Guadalmina Golf Club is slightly further along the coast and it is the second oldest golf club in the Costa del Sol. Opened as a 9 hole course in 1959, it was extended to 18 holes in the late 1960s. The 10th and 11th holes run along the sea and the fairways are bordered by well established trees. The North Course opened in 1973, and it is more gentle than the South Course but just as interesting and quite tight in places. Both are 18-hole, Par 72 courses and were renovated in 2002.

Estepona is another popular resort. Estepona Golf has always been run with the motto "the friendliest course on the Costa" and this philosophy is followed through by all the staff, so visitors to Estepona Golf find that this is their "club away from club." Situated amidst the foothills of the Sierra Bermeja, the Luis Lopez Martinez designed 18 hole course follows the natural contours of the land. The fairways are wide and the greens are always in excellent shape. There are many palms, eucalyptus and wild olive trees on the course. The 18-hole, Par 72 course is just 1 mile from Estepona town centre.

Atalaya Golf is another course in this area. Atalaya is composed of two 18-hole, Par 72 courses, the Old Course and the New Course. The condition of both courses is excellent, with beautifully manicured fairways and greens. The Old Course length is 5,856 metres and the New Courselength is 5,217 metres. The old course, designed by Bernhard Von Limburger in 1967 is flat with wide fairways. The new course, opened in 1991, slopes gently and has lovely views of the Mediterranean and the mountains. Atalaya Golf and Country Club is the headquarters of the PGA Europe.

El Paraiso is close to Estepona. Opened in 1973 the 18-hole, Par 71 El Paraiso course is one of the oldest established courses on the Costa del Sol. Located between Estepona and San Pedro, El Paraiso offers beautiful mountain views as well as an exciting round of golf. This course was designed by Gary Player and it winds its way around two lakes and through hundreds of mature pine trees. The golf club has a friendly, social atmosphere, and visitors are most welcome.

Manilva is an area between Estepona and Sotogrande. La Duquesa golf is located here. It is hilly with lovely scenic views of both mountains
and the blue Mediterranean Sea. The fairways are in good shape, and the greens in excellent condition. The 18-hole, Par 72 course was designed by Robert Trent Jones.

The area of Sotogrande is at the Western end of the Costa del Sol. The Royal Sotogrande Golf Club was opened in 1964. The 18-hole, Par 72 course has become known as one of the finest golf courses in Europe. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sotogrande was his first foray onto the continent. The course has very little rough, but there are plenty of bunkers and water hazards to make Sotogrande a challenging course for all levels of golfers. Sotogrande is located on prime golfing land close to the beachfront between the river Guadiaro and Sotogrande marina. RCG Sotogrande is often voted to be among the top ten golf courses in "Sotogrande Old", as it is called by the locals, which boasts mature vegetation with pine, cork oaks, eucalyptus and giant palm trees enhancing the natural beauty of the surroundings. The greens are large and the tees are very long allowing for variations in pin placement and the length of hole. The contours of the greens are typical Trent Jones and the bunkers were the first in Europe to be filled with brilliant white crushed marble. Another "first" at Sotogrande was the use of Bermuda grass on fairways.

Valderrama is also found in this area. It is a 6,400 metres (7,000 yards), Par 72 course with no hole of less than championship quality but it can be fully enjoyed by players of all handicaps thanks to Robert Trent Jones Sr., who designed the course in 1974. He came back to redesign it with additional land when the new Club was formed in 1985. Thereafter, it took only a few years to win recognition in the "Golf World' rankings as the number 1 golf course in mainland Europe, a position held since 1989. Valderrama hosted the first nine editions of the Volvo Masters (1988-1996), the Ryder Cup in 1997 and hosted the first World Golf Championship in 1999 and the second in 2000. The amenability of the golf course to the handicap golfer and its deliberate severity to the championship player owe much to the extensive range of tees. The fairways are widely considered to be the best in Europe, while the greens have been compared by many with Augusta.