Opened in 1998, Almenara, with 27 holes and three very different courses, is a product of the mind of former Ryder Cup player and prestigious course designer Dave Thomas.
The course includes a magnificent academy, possibly one of the most complete in the south of Spain, and is located within a superb resort: hotel, spa, restaurants, etc.
Although I visit often, it had been years since I had played here. Many things have changed since then. Among other things, a new director of golf, Ricardo Andrades, who has extensive experience in this sector, is now in charge of the facilities. He has been battling for more than fifteen years in the marketing and international tour operation of this important segment of tourism. Also a couple of years ago the greenkeeper José María Menacho joined the company, who has achieved spectacular results. Now the course is splendid.
As is becoming a pleasant habit, this time I am also playing with the new head-pro, Rafale Lavigne. The club professionals have an exhaustive knowledge of their course, they know every corner, every tree, every strategically placed bunker, they know the shot to hit at every moment, the iron to use…
Of the three courses in Almenara, Rafael chose Los Arcornoques and Los Lagos (the other one is Los Pinos), as he found them the most challenging, the most attractive. Minutes later, he would understand the reason for his choice: very few courses can present such an environment, with such vegetation, with so much water? They are by no means easy for a medium-high handicapper and will always encourage you to repeat them.
The first hole of Los Alcornoques, a par 4 of 381 meters and handicap 8, has a high tee, with out of bounds on the left and water on the right. It is possible to play the drive, but without trying to force too much. The second shot will be about 130 or 140 meters from a fairly small green, protected by a bunker on the left and with water behind it. It is almost better to try to stay short.
Hole 2, a par 3 of 161 meters, does not offer excessive difficulties. The tee is again high and the green has two very pronounced platforms, with two bunkers on the left and right.
The 3rd is the first par 5 of this course. It measures 495 meters and is an 11 handicap. For the tee shot it is not advisable to hit more than a 3-wood or 3-iron because there is a stream that crosses the fairway and could be reached with the drive. The second stroke is strategic: either you decide to stay short, before a bunker located in the middle of the fairway, or you try to go over it with a 3-wood and that is understood as a stroke to try to reach the green or its proximities. The green is quite wide, with two platforms and two bunkers protecting it on the right.
The 4th is another par 5, 453 meters, handicap five. It is a dogleg to the left with a lake also to the left of the fairway that comes into play with the drive. The shot has to be placed in the middle because there is a bunker lurking on the right. On the second shot it is preferable to stay short because there is a large and complicated bunker before the green, on the right.
The 5th is a beautiful par 3 of 136 meters and handicap 18. The green, very wide, is surrounded by bunkers and there is a small lake in front, but the shot does not offer excessive difficulties.
The 6th, a 341-meter par 4, handicap 2, is possibly one of the most attractive holes on the course. The entire fairway is bordered on the left by a large lake. For medium handicaps it is better to use the driver, but for low handicaps it is preferable to use 3 wood or iron because the fairway is very narrow. The green is long and narrow and is protected by bunkers on both sides.
The 7, a 323-meter par 4, is also bordered by a large lake on the left, almost to the green. In the middle of the fairway there are two trees and a large bunker. It is advisable to stay before this sand trap and then hit an 8 or 9 iron. In front of the green, on the right, there is another small lake and two bunkers on each side. It is a rather complicated hole.
The 8th, of 348 meters, par 4 and handicap 4, again has a slightly elevated tee, as in most of this course. It is necessary to hit with the driver, but taking into account a large bunker on the right and another on the left. Before reaching the green, a small stream crosses the fairway. Be careful not to fall short. This hole is also delimited by water on the left side.
The last hole of Los Alcornoques, the 9th, a par 4 of 318 meters, does not present many difficulties. The green was completely renovated about a year and a half ago. It is an uphill hole, with a large bunker on the right side of the fairway, at the drop of the drive, and red stakes on the left side of the hole. The reformed green has been given two large platforms, which make putting very difficult.
The first hole of the Los Lagos course is a par 4 of 348 meters, dogleg left, with several bunkers on the right side of the fairway and another one about fifty meters away for the big hitters. For the second shot you have to be very careful because there are out of bounds on the left and a large tree in the center. There is another large and complicated bunker to the right of a green that is quite large and difficult because of its numerous drops.
Hole 2 is a par 3 of 152 meters downhill. The green, wide, is well protected by bunkers.
The 3rd, a 381-meter par 4, is another of Almenara’s spectacular holes. Quite narrow and with a lot of water. The tee shot will have to be made with 3 wood or iron, so as not to reach the lake in front of us, which reaches the back of the green on the right. The second stroke is complicated because also to the left of the green and before it there are four complicated bunkers. To the right there is another one and the lake, which force us to go practically straight.
The 4th is a par 5 of 438 meters, handicap 4, where we must lean left because there is a large lake on the right. On the left there is an out. At the drop of the drive, bunkers to the right and left. The second shot is precision, hitting to the left, because we continue with the lake until we reach the green, which has three platforms.
The 5th, a par 4 of 396 meters, is the first handicap of the course, a dogleg to the right of almost 90 degrees, with bunkers left and right to the ball drop, lateral water crossing the fairway and out to the right. The second shot is uphill to one of the most difficult greens on the course.
The 6, par 4 of 317 meters, is another of the emblematic of Almenara, surrounded by water almost everywhere. For a medium handicap it is advisable to hit 3 or 5 wood to be sure. At the ball drop there is a large rock on the left side and the lake on the right. The second shot forces us to fly over the water to reach a green well protected by bunkers and water.
The 7th is a par 3 of 164 meters, handicap 6. It is long because you have to fly over a lake to reach a narrow green at the beginning that divides into two platforms. On the right there is a small but deep bunker.
The 8th is a par 5, slight dogleg left, 456 meters. On this hole we have lateral water on the right side and out all along the left side. At the drop of the drive there are three small bunkers on the left. The second shot is better to be an approach shot because the green is very small and narrow.
The Los Lagos course ends with a par 4 of 338 meters, handicap 3. There is lateral water on the left and out on the right. It is a narrow fairway, but being uphill it allows for a drive out.
The green, protected by two bunkers at the entrance, also has two very complicated platforms, which seem to be the signature of the house.
Almenara is a course that will not leave anyone indifferent. You will always finish the round with the feeling that you could have done much better and with the desire to repeat it to overcome challenges once you know the course.
Its three courses are totally different, more like three courses in one than anything else. Los Pinos, which I didn’t have the chance to play this time, is apparently easier, more adapted to high handicaps.
For Rafael, the most outstanding holes of this course are the 1st, a very nice downhill par 5, the 3rd, the 6th, handicap 1, and the 9th, which reaches the clubhouse and the NH Almenara hotel.
I enjoyed a magnificently sunny day of peace and quiet. I was impressed by the high quality of the greens and the work they have done to keep this course in perfect condition.
After the round, sitting in the restaurant under a large parasol, it was time to eat and drink something. In any other place this restaurant would be called Hole 19, but in Almenara, for obvious reasons, it is called Hole 28. The view, stretching over the Sotogrande macro-urbanization, with the Mediterranean in the background, is captivating. I snapped out of my state of delight when a friendly waiter dutifully took down my order. Almost immediately a beer was on my table, and I had barely finished drinking when the smoked salmon I had ordered was already there. Maximum efficiency.
The food was good and the bill was reasonable. The view from there alone is worth paying for. I will definitely be back soon.
Almenara Golf Resort belongs to NH Resorts, NH’s vacation division, which is also the case of NH Sotogrande, just a few minutes away.
NH Resorts, which has more than twenty resort hotels in Spain, Italy, the Caribbean and other destinations, has just inaugurated its new jewel in Sicily: Donnafugata Golf Resort, a five-star hotel with two magnificent golf courses, a links and a parkland. The latter has been designed by the Black Knight, Gary Player.
The resort will soon host the first Sicily Open, part of the PGA European Tour.
For more information on NH Resorts hotels, please visit www.nh-resorts.com.
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