Hacienda Riquelme Golf

The 404 yard closing hole gives a clear picture of the challenge at Hacienda Riquelme Golf. From the yellow tees, bunkers squeeze the fairway and a lake sits close to the green, leaving little room for an approach that is either short of commitment or careless with distance. The 9th, a 373 yard par 4, is another hole to remember, with water following the right side and guarding a green also defended by sand. Nicklaus Design has made good use of five sizeable lakes and bunkering on every hole across this par 72 course, yet there is room from the tee on the broad fairways. At 6,953 yards from the white tees, it rewards a sensible plan rather than constant aggression.

Gentle changes in level make club selection less straightforward than the open appearance first suggests, while the raised greens often have several tiers. Finding the correct section of the putting surface matters, particularly when the pin is set beyond a ridge. Tees, fairways, rough and greens are grassed with Paspalum vaginatum, a variety suited to the Murcia heat and irrigation with saline water. Olive trees, palms and established native planting give the round a settled feel, with water birds regularly present around the lakes. The course opened in 2008 and remains rooted in its dry, open Murcia landscape rather than relying on heavy ornament.

Murcia Corvera Airport is around 23 minutes away by road, making this an easy first round after an early flight. Alicante Airport is about an hour away. Los Alcázares beach is roughly 19 minutes from the course for an afternoon by the Mar Menor, while Murcia city is around 30 minutes away for evenings away from the resort.