The Professionals Recommend...Spain and Portugal

If I had been asked to write about my favourite courses when I was a young PGA Professional I would have probably chosen the amazing Championship courses that at the time had little or no other amenities nearby. Since those ‘heady’ golf tournament days I have spent most of my working life advising amateur golfers where to play their ‘winter vacation’ golf in the sun. This means that I now see golf courses in a totally different light. For a start, each of the resorts I have chosen below have the great benefit of being able to fall out of bed and on to the first tee.

Situated in the famous Costa Brava Region of Spain famous for its stunning views and gastronomic restaurants – The PGA Catalunya lies just an hour’s drive from Barcelona or 10 minutes from Girona Airport. It has 2 magnificent golf courses and a practice facility second to none! I know of nowhere else where you have an enormous rolling putting surface surrounded by various different replica bunkers ‘from the world’s top golf courses’ such as Augusta and St Andrews, containing similar sand composition as well! There are also all the various types of grasses from around the world on the fringe of the practice putting green, to test your skills in every sort of lie – good or bad.

Ranked No. 3 in Europe, The Stadium Course is a tough challenge in anyone’s book and I strongly suggest that mid handicappers play from the forward tees to enjoy the course at its best. If you are good player then by all means play from the back – but be warned because you will need your best game in the bag for this course!More...