Rio Real
Andalucia » Mijas (Los Olivos)
In many ways Los Olivos represents the antithesis of its neighbour,
Los Lagos. Also a Robert Trent Jones design it is younger (1983)
and shorter than its sister course but also there is less water here,
the fairways are more narrow, there are more trees and it is more
undulating. Greens are smaller and many are elevated. The par
three 3rd is the most spectacular hole with magnificent panoramic
views from the raised tees. The small green, tucked away below and
protected by three bunkers, demands cool nerve and accurate tee
shot. Generally the course favours the precision golfer rather than the big
hitter. Mijas Golf is a hospitable club with a pay-as-you-play policy.
Andalucia » Rio Real
Designed by Spain´s number one achitect, Javier Arana, Río Real
opened in 1965 and follows a wide incline down towards the sea.
Otherwise the course is flat. With wonderful views, well-established
trees that offer much appreciated shade, and the River Real
intersecting the course at various points golf here is a very pleasant
experience. Holes 4 and 5 run close to the sea and are reached by an
underpass beneath the Málaga-Cádiz coast road. The 6th, a par three
requires a particularly accurate tee shot to avoid the hillside on the
right whilst at the 8th, although it is not especially difficult hole, one
must avoid the bunkers which protect a raised green.
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Andalucia » Mijas (Los Lagos)
Mijas is probably one of the busiest and most popular golf
complex on the Costa del Sol. The Los Lagos course was
originally built in 1976, but having been closed for most of 2012, it
recently reopened. Much investment has gone into a remodelling
an already popular course to improve a players golfing experience,
and some aesthetic changes such as planting of more trees and
more evident use of water features. One of the most important
changes are the larger greens – 18 completely remodelled greens
that are built to USGA specifications. At the same time, all the
teeboxes have also been extended. A completely new irrigation
and drainage system has been installed all around the course, to
permit play all year round.
Andalucia » Santana
Santana Golf is a spectacular course, both for its design ( by
Cabell Robinson) and its location - in an old avocado farm that
has retained all its former ‘flavour’. Located in Mijas´s ‘Golf Valley’,
Santana is one of the newer courses on the Costa del Golf. The
layout 6,203 metre par 72 layout is pretty flat, very well formed,
with wide fairways, expansive greens and strategically located
paths between avocado trees. Situated between two rivers, with a
creek passing through, the course provides the sensation of being
in an absolutely natural environment away from the hustle and
bustle of the coast but just a few hundred metres from the sea,
main highway and hotels of Fuengirola and Mijas.