Marbella Club Golf Resort

The lake beside the first tee sets the tone at Marbella Club Golf Resort, where Dave Thomas’s 18 hole course moves through the hills above Benahavís with water, shaped fairways and greens that rarely offer a simple approach. At 6,832 yards, it has enough room to test stronger players, yet the real challenge is placing the ball well from the tee and judging approaches into undulating putting surfaces protected by bunkers. Waterfalls and lakes come into play throughout, while the elevated setting opens out towards the Mediterranean, Gibraltar, the African coast and the surrounding mountains. The greens are maintained to a notably high standard, so a sound touch around them pays off.

The thatched clubhouse looks across the course and the water by the first hole, providing a relaxed place to settle before or after a round. In cooler months, the open fire gives its interior the feel of a country hunting lodge. Staff take clubs on arrival and load them onto buggies, which carry an ice box as well as club and ball cleaning facilities. There is a driving range for a few purposeful swings before teeing off, plus club hire, a pro shop, lockers and changing rooms. British PGA professional Gary Vautier is available for tuition several times each week, catering for golfers across the handicap range. The restaurant serves Mediterranean cooking under executive chef Juan Galvez, while the bar and coffee shop suit an earlier coffee or a drink after golf.