Golf

Almerimar Life Golf

The golf course stands out in Almerimar and is the focal point for a lot of people’s social lives. It isn’t a members course, and currently offers residents a voucher system. This however has been getting more and more expensive each year and is now closed to new people i.e. if you aren’t already getting the vouchers tough!

Priority is given to guests of the hotel, and this causes quite a lot of complaints as the tour operators block book the tee times, but don’t fill them.

There are a number of unofficial societies and groups of regular players that tend to be happy enough for you to join in. Of those that I know one group tend to play early on a Tuesday and Thursday morning, and the other group on a Wednesday and Friday afternoon. Some of these groups are very informal, while others are very formal and take it all very seriously. These groups tend to oragnise regular competitions and events, and hold BBQ’s, quiz evenings etc.

Current State Of Almerimar Golf Course

October 2009

Received this update from regular reader Golf Addict about the current state of the Master Course in Almerimar

Despite (slow) progress been made on the clubhouse, the course still remains pretty poorly serviced as far as facilities go. The small pro shop in the AR Hotel is poorñy stocked and expensive, and run more as a booking outlet than by a professional golfer. It is certainly nothing like the Pro Shop we see at home in the UK. The outdoor chiringuito is perfectly adequate, but I wouldn’t want to sit outside in a winters afternoon after a game a golf, so the cameradirie that you find in a golf bar in the UK is certainly missing.

I still enjoy playing the Gary Player designed course, but I must admit that I think that in relation to the amount of work that has been done on it over the last few years it isn’t as good as I would have expected, and it certainly isn’t cheap at all!!!

Partly this is down to what I see as very poor attention to detail and a lack of service and understanding of golf by the people running the course and working on the course. For exaple, a buggie selling cold drinks and snacks would be a great addition in the summer, and maybe even a hot coffee in the winter, which is pretty weird when you consider the number of toilets available 5 or 6 I think.

The lack of attention to detail shows with generally poorly maintained bunkers, teas and paths. The actual course tends to be in good condition but has far too many non golfers playing and hacking their way round, not replacing pitch marks, divots etc.

My main gripe is a lack of consistency from one hole to the next! Some greens are good, some patchy. Some rough is hardly rough at all, some is pretty unplayable at times. I do like the water features though, so much so that I seem to visit them on a pretty regular basis each time I play.

In many ways the Master Course reflects Almerimar ….. great idea, a lot of potential, but suffering from a lack of quality and attention.

August 2009

Thanks to regular reader Golf Addict for his update on the current state of the course. As a non resident that comes over regularly he plays in a number of the Friday Competitions etc and is in a good position to express a view as he doesn’t see the course day in, day out:

I must say that at the moment the course really is dissapointing. I know it is the summer and therefor hard to water but the greens really are slow, and still in poor shape overall. They still haven’t recovered from the disaster from a year or so ago, and the course is till prone to the occassional closure of 9 holes so they can work on the Classic course or the Masters course.

At the moment the rough still isn’t much of a challenge, but the trees are maturing and can certainly get in the way, as can the water, which there is now more of! They coud do with managing the surrounds of the water, in particular the vegetation as a couple of shots are payed blind if you get too close to the edge of the drink.

Can’t really fault the fairways, especially considering the really hot summer this year, but the teas (like the greens) suffer from poor housekeeping from the golfers. In fact that is true of the whole course, too many bad golfers still playing it and not repairing the mess they make!

For previous reports check out the bottom of the page.

Golf In And Around Almerimar

There are a number of golf courses around Almeria including the one in Almerimar that you may want to play:

Almerimar Golf is located in the centre of Almerimar and now comprises 27 holes. Opened in 1976 and designed by Gary Player it is primarily a tourists golf course with no local membership offered. A voucher system is in operation, but only for those that are already ‘in the system’. Their is currently no Golf Hotel or club house, although the course itself is in good shape.

Playa Serena was designed by Angel Gallardo and Peter Allis. The course is flat as it is located close to the beach, giving it the character of a true links course, which bears winds from both the east and west. he greens are small, sloping and protected by bunkers adding to the challenge and accuracy of the game but provides a fair test for all levels of the game.

La Envia provides a more undulating layout than the other courses in the region. The course has been laid out with mountain and desert scenery making it totally different from the other courses. You will need a buggy, or to be built like a mountain goat! (See Review Below)

Alborán Golf is located in El Toyo Retamar, a new 18-hole Championship course just a few meters from the sea. The prestigious golf designer Ramón Espinosa designed Alborán Golf, to host the 2005 Mediterranean Games. Please click here for more information.

Marina Golf is a new and exiting Levante Alemeriense golf course, surrounded by mediterranian seas, located between Garrucha and Mojacar. Situated in the Marina de la Torre development, the course opened in the spring 2000. The relatively short 18 hole course was designed by Ramón Espinosa´s who’s golf course design includes three lakes strategically situated.

Valle del Este is located just outside the town of Vera and only 7 km from the beaches of Vera and Garrucha. The 18-hole golf course has been designed by José Canales, paying careful attention to every detail and integrating the course into the surrounding landscape by making use of the indigenous vegetation giving it the spirit and character of Andalusia and the magnificent surroundings that bring to mind the American golf courses of Arizona. Please click here for more information.

Desert Springs captures the essence of what it is that sets golf apart from other sports and will have travelling golfers anxious to sample the desert golf experience. Built to comply with full USGA specifications and quality standards of the now famous desert courses of Arizona and California, The Indiana is the first of two 18-hole courses to be built on the resort. Please click here for more information.

Course Web Sites

You may want to check out the web sites of the various courses:

Course Reviews

Almerimar – this is a review that we published in February 2008.

La Envia

I must say that having played this course once I really don’t like it! This is purely a personal dislike of hily courses where a perfectly adequate shot can roll into all kinds of trouble!

The course runs a regular Wednesday competition which costs 50€ for a round, a share of a buggy, a buffet lunch and prizes. There is a big terrace to enjoy a drink and the views, which is by far the best thing about the course.

Course Design

Poor!! Far too hilly, small greens, narrow fairways, rough too long, but some spectacular views.

On-Course facilities

Again no on course facilities or buggy selling drinks and snacks, so take what you want with you. You can pop into the Pro shop after the first nine but that isn’t that well stocked.

General maintenance

Pretty good all round in my view

Tees

Fine. Nothing spectacular, pretty well maintained but adequate rater than inspiring

Fairways

Generally well maintained and well grassed, but not well enough to stop a good shot becoming a bad shot!

Rough and trees

Given the hilly nature of the course the rough in many places is far too long and just makes recovery from what started off as a good shot far too difficult for your average golfer.

The course is mature though, with many attractive and well developed trees.

Bunkers

Yes proper Sand!!!! Compared to Almerimar the bunkers are brilliant.

Greens

Worst part of the course! Too small, hilly and inconsistent.

Additional Reading & Web Sites

Here is some information of joining the Spanish Golf Federation In Almerimar

Almeria Golf Holidays – a good source of information and offers. If you don’t find what you want on this site or our associated sites then give them a try.

Previous Report On Sate Of Almerimar Golf Course

December 2008

The course looks terrible at the moment! There is hardly any grass on the fairways, the greens look rough and unkept, and overal the course looks like it is suffering from neglect, maybe as a result of cost cutting?

Almerimar October 2008 Update

Having played the course recently I can say that it is in much better condition than it was in September:

Tees – pretty good 8/10
Fairways – generally good with short grass and only the 16th showing many bare patches 7/10
Rough – not tough enough! Serioulsy the firstt cut is very short and the second cut too variable to be fair 5/10
Greens – the srrrounds are better than they were, but still a number of bare patches 6/10
Bunkers – best I can say is that they haven’t got any worse, but they really aren’t good. To many weeds, bare patches and overall poor maintenance (as much by the golfers as the green staff) 4/10

The problem regards the top dressing of the greens remains and although they have worked hard and pretty much all of them are playable (think the 9th, 10th and 12th are by far the worst), overall they are very lush, slow and untrue.

Almerimar September 2008 Update

Talking to a number of golfers here in Almerimar it seems that the course development is ongoing, and generally heading in the right direction.
The Greens appear to be pretty quick, but not cut regularly enough, and still suffer from un repaired pitch marks. Basically the course doesn’t operate a minimum handicap policy so gets some pretty bad golfers on who don’t know golf etiquette from their elbow. Add to that the fact the course isn’t really marshaled that well, and Spaniards as a rule don’t bother with things like divots and pitch marks and you always have this situation.
The bunker surrounds are being much better maintained, but the strong winds of Almerimar means that the sand is (and always will be) of very poor quality
A number of the fairways are struggling grass wise, primarily where they are having to kill off the old grass that is growing through.

The rough needs to be longer on some holes to stop the ball heading into errr the rough!!!! Seems like a gripe from bad golfers to me that one.

The teas are already starting to show sign of wear and tear and need more attention

In general the condition of the trees, cart paths, fences (new ones being erected alongside the cart paths) all seem to get favourable comment.

Popularity: 1%