The Costa del Sol is a hugely popular region in the south of Spain running across 100mi of coastline on the Mediterranean Sea.
Found in the autonomous community of Andalucia, the Costa del Sol stretches from Manilva in the west to Nerja in the east with Málaga serving visitors by train at its heart.
With around 70 top-of-the-range golf courses dotted along the Costa del Sol—the largest concentration of golf courses on the European continent—choosing the right spot for your golfing getaway is easier said than done.
Luckily, we’re on hand to recommend the top five golf courses on the coastline so you can find the right one for your trip quickly and get back to improving your game.
Image Credit and Location: Valderrama Golf Club, Sotogrande, San Roque, Costa del Sol, Spain
Best Golf Courses in the Costa del Sol
Valderrama Golf Club
One of the best-known golf clubs in the entire world, the Real Club Valderrama hosted the Ryder Cup in 1997 and was home of the Volvo Masters from 1988 to 2008 as well as several other professional tournaments on the European Tour.
Designed by leading American golf course architect Robert Trent Jones and constructed in 1974, Valderrama is home to La Cascada, the course's fourth and signature hole, a par five with a pond to the right of a two-tiered green.
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Augusta of Europe’, Valderrama is found in Sotogrande, southern Spain and it hosted a LIV Golf League tournament in July 2023.
Golf Torrequebrada
Situated in Benalmádena, Golf Torrequebrada opened in 1976 and was designed by José Pepe Gancedo, affectionately known as "the Picasso of golf".
Located just 20 minutes from Málaga, Torremolinos, and Fuengirola and only 10 minutes from Benalmádena, the course offers panoramic views overlooking the 18th fairway from its clubhouse.
Finished to a modern standard, Torrequebrada possesses elevated tees and challenges players with large greens, plenty of movement, and risk-reward holes surrounded by water hazards.
Image Credit and Location: Golf Torrequebrada (Hole 1), Benalmádena, Costa del Sol, Spain
Finca Cortesin Golf Club
Host of the 2023 Solheim Cup which Team Europe retained after a thrilling 14-14 draw with the USA, Finca Cortesin is a sophisticated luxury resort and hotel as well as one of the best golf courses in Spain.
Designed by Cabell B. Robinson in tandem with landscaper Gerald Huggan, the course offers 20 varieties of flora. The fairways are attractively lined with a host of old cork and olive trees.
Playing nearly 7,000m, Finca Cortesin is a monster course where you’ll certainly need your driver to thrive, while the greens were relaid in 2018 with Bermuda grass to ensure silky smooth putting.
The Volvo World Match Play Championship was played here from 2009 to 2012 with Ross Fisher, Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts winning, while more casual players can look forward to an afternoon by the pool and sundowners at the nearby beach club after playing 18 holes.
Image Credit and Location: Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Costa del Sol, Spain
Real Club de Golf Sotogrande
Another course designed by Robert Trent Jones—his first in Europe—and chosen as one of his five favorites from the more than 500 he helped create worldwide, Sotogrande officially opened in 1964.
Back then Sotogrande was a largely uninhabited area just north of Gibraltar but thanks to the vision of American citizen Joseph McMicking the first golf course in the area was developed.
McMicking visited the area and spotted the land’s great potential—a wonderful mix of countryside, proximity to stunning coastline and excellent weather.
The par-72, 6,224-meter layout of the Sotogrande continues to enthral players to this day, while the course hosts the European Nations Cup, an annual amateur tournament won by the likes of Padraig Harrington, Sergio García and Rory McIlroy.
Image Credit and Location: Real Club de Golf Sotogrande (Hole 7), San Roque, Costa del Sol, Spain
La Reserva Club Sotogrande
Carved into the hillside with natural vistas offered in every direction, this championship course was designed in 2003 with wide, sweeping fairways leading on to large greens with gentle but challenging undulations and numerous water features.
The generous fairways may be easy to hit from the tee but the cleverly-designed greens make every hole a solid test of your abilities.
La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational, a professional tournament on the Ladies European Tour, has been played here since 2019.
Plan your trip down to a tee
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Header Image Credit and Location: Valderrama Golf Club (Hole 17), Sotogrande, San Roque, Costa del Sol, Spain