In the heart of the Costa del Sol, in Marbella, right in front of its most emblematic port, Banús, and a few hundred meters away from it, towards the mountains, is the no less emblematic Golf Valley. Five magnificent courses come together here: Los Naranjos, Las Brisas, La Quinta, Dama de Noche and Aloha. Together they form an unequaled space for the proximity between them and for the quality of all of them.
Aloha Golf Club, inaugurated in 1975 and designed by the prestigious Basque architect Javier Arana, is a course that stands out from the usual average and is among the best we have in our country and in Europe. With impeccable maintenance, the pampering and care that is applied to everything here is noticeable. Unfortunately it is no longer common to build courses like this, without houses, spacious, and in the best possible area.
In mid-February, at the time of this writing, while the bermudagrass yellowed the fairways of other fields, here the recent reseeding made the green of the grass glow in all its splendor.
At the moment Aloha has undertaken an ambitious process of renovation of the clubhouse, “which were already necessary,” says Luis Navarro, its director, “because after so many years, the entrance, the proshop, etc., did not fit with the quality standards of this club”.
Anyone visiting the facility now will be able to see how advanced the work is, and it will be completed before the summer. Management also plans to expand the capacity of the parking lots.
When I visited the course, he had arranged for me to play with the director, because he knows the course inside out, although he was aware of the difficulties of playing with him. He is more concerned with details, with correcting the “imperfections” that only he sees, with greeting his partners, than with the game. So it was almost a relief that he finally could not join me because the preparations for the Open de Andalucía did not leave him a free minute. With just over six years at the helm of this club, Luis Navarro has become loved and respected by all.
At check-in I was greeted by the caddiemaster, who greeted me with a smile, made sure I had a course card and wished me a good game. At some members’ clubs that allow limited green fees, visitors can sometimes feel like “intruders” who are being tolerated. Not once did I get that feeling during my day at Aloha; on the contrary, all the staff I met made me feel more than welcome.
The tee of the opening hole unfolds in four tiers from the white back markers to the forward tees, and an immediate impression is that the terrain is perfect. The drive on this 515-meter par 5 drops into a valley where a wide fairway awaits, but a hook off the tee will cause the ball to get lost in a large number of trees. The fairway, sloping from right to left, turns very gently to face the green in the distance. The big hazard on this hole is a creek on the left side, which starts about 300 yards from the tee and runs all the way to the green. The kicking surface is very large, slightly elevated and has a considerable slope from back to front and from right to left. The green is guarded on the right by a large bunker. Accuracy in the approach is of utmost importance and care must be taken not to go to the left, where the terrain slopes sharply and water lurks.
The second hole, a 310-meter par 4, is also played from an elevated tee into a valley. The drive must reach about 160 meters to cross a lake, while two other stretches of water appear on the right, where they eat up the fairway a bit in the drop zone, making it relatively narrow. The opposite side of the fairway presents a steep slope, and a few trees, scattered here and there, could cause problems. The approach should be long rather than short because the large green is guarded in front by a good-sized bunker.
The third hole measures 305 meters and plays on a left to right sloping fairway. This hole has recently been corrected by moving olive trees from the left to the right side of the fairway and also moving its axis to eliminate the possible problem of balls reaching the houses on the right. The green, narrow but elongated, is protected by a bunker on the front left, but there is more danger on the right because of the steep drop of the terrain to an area of high grass and, even worse, a hedge. The back is not much better and you can end up with a lost ball among a large number of bamboo stalks.
The fourth hole is a 185-meter par 3 that plays from an elevated tee to a wide green, with a beautiful backdrop of mature, large trees. Both sides of the fairway are flanked by olive trees, while the green is well protected by bunkers front and back.
The fifth is a 440-meter par 5 with a very wide, tree-lined fairway. In the distance it turns right, while 240 meters from the tee, a large bunker lurks on the left. In addition to the bunker, there is another water hazard that meanders towards the green, which has three tiers and is protected by bunkers on both sides.
For the golfer playing Aloha for the first time, the tee shot on the par-4 6th hole will be an uncertainty because the fairway turns sharply to the left leaving the player with no idea of the hazards that lie beyond. A little more than 200 meters from the tee, there is a bunker on the left side of the fairway and, if this can be avoided, the ball will be in absolutely perfect position to hit a pitching wedge to the green. The alternative is to play to the right, leaving a much longer second shot. The green, very large and almost round, slopes from right to left and is guarded by bunkers on both sides.
The seventh hole is a short par 4 measuring only 309 meters and plays through an avenue of trees on an uphill fairway. From the top of the hill, the fairway descends dramatically to a green located in a valley. The green slopes steeply from back to front. From the right the ball may end up falling into some bushes.
The eighth hole is a par 3 that plays to a green in a valley. Careful attention must be paid to the slopes of this green. An advantage of this hole is that there are no bunkers lurking.
The last hole of the first half of the course is another short par 4, 299 meters. It plays uphill on a wide fairway that slopes steeply from right to left. Unless a good drive is made, the ball could roll down the hill and end up near the tee. About 50 yards before the green, the fairway slopes down to the putting area. The generously sized green is protected by bunkers at the front, while flowers at the back add a nice touch of color. A small sign on the beach bar behind the green reminds golfers that up to that point, including a stop there, no more than two hours and ten minutes of play should have passed. Today that is more the expression of a wish.
Stop at the chiringuito
After the first new holes of the course it is obligatory to make a stop at probably the best “chiringuito de golf” of the Costa del Sol. Curro and Cristina, in addition to their overflowing hospitality, offer you the best tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette) in the area. And having it sitting in front of the 9th green and with the sea in the background is priceless.
Hole 10 is a 504-meter par 5 where the drive drops into a valley with a beautiful forest landscape in the background. This hole is named after the course architect, Javier Arana, and is in itself a calling card for his mastery of golf course design. The narrow fairway, with a steep slope on the right, turns a little to that side and then straightens out. At 200 meters from the green, the fairway separates into two distinct levels and imminent danger lurks: to the left of the lower level, in the form of a lake with a waterfall. Towards the end of its course, the fairway drops to a green guarded on both sides by bunkers, while the water on the left makes that side an area full of dangers. There, under a pleasant winter sun, surrounded by trees of all shapes and sizes, the peace and tranquility that reigned all around made the golf course a paradisiacal place.
The drive on the par 4 11th hole is down into a valley with a generous drop zone after which the fairway ascends, ever so steeply, on one of the smallest greens yet encountered. It is a nondescript hole, with nothing remarkable.
The 12th is another par 4, 365 yards, plays from an elevated tee down to a huge landing area and, although there is an abundance of trees and bushes, they are off the fairway. To the left of the buggy path, the terrain slopes down towards the water, and a ball crossing the path is in danger of ending up in the liquid element. At 150 meters from the green there are bunkers on both sides of the fairway before it drops down to the green in the shape of a kidney and protected on the front left by a large lake. It is a very nice hole and more than compensates for its discreet predecessor.
The 13th is a steep uphill par 3 that requires a very good shot to successfully overcome the 190 meters to the green. What most defines this hole, uphill and very long, is its huge carob tree located to the right of the green (from the tee, of course). Of course, it gives its name to the hole and, in addition, it won for Aloha the award for the Best Botanical Specimen of the Costa del Sol in 2006.
The slope is so severe that the palm trees in the background seem to be touching the sky. The green, on two levels, is guarded on the left by a bunker, while there are two large old trees on the right. It is a terrible hole and I have no doubt that many players will only make par with a pitch and putt. It is rare to come across a par 3 that is handicap 1, but in this case that rating is perfectly justified.
The 14th is a par 4 with a wide fairway that will favor the player who masters the fade. In the background rises a majestic mountain against the blue sky. A hundred meters from the green, the fairway turns to the right and rises slightly towards a green with a large bunker on the left. The green slopes very, very steeply. You have to be a master to avoid the drama that can be caused by the falls here. Getting to the platform is not the most important thing on this hole.
The 15th, par 4, is another hole with a generously sized fairway sloping from right to left. The backdrop of a forest abounds the feeling of maturity that the player continually provides this golf course. At 150 yards from the green, the fairway turns right and slopes gently down to the green, which is surrounded on all sides by bunkers. More danger lurks at the back, with a water hazard.
The 16th is a par 5 measuring 475 meters and again presents a very open fairway with a gentle slope from left to right. There are bunkers 100 meters from the green, while the front of the green is jealously guarded by sand.
The 17th is a par 3 that plays through a valley to a narrow but deep green surrounded by tall trees, while additional protection is provided by immense expanses of sand.
Access to Aloha’s final hole is gained by pushing a button that opens the security gates to a road leading to the final tee of the course. Standing on the tee, the view is immediately directed toward a large lake on the left with a fountain that propels water about 10 yards into the sky. About 180 yards from the tee and in the center of the fairway is a dangerous bunker, after which the fairway descends into a valley before rising again to a good-sized green full of mounds and hollows and surrounded by bunkers. If the approach ends up on the wrong level of the green, don’t rule out hitting up to four putts. There are two wooden seats at the back of the green, where those with a twisted sense of humor can sit for a while and watch player after player despair on this treacherous green.
Thus came to an end my round on a very well presented and impeccably maintained course. At the end of the round, one is left with the lasting sensation of a course that exudes maturity at all times and care by the army of greenkeepers I encountered during my visit.
After a shower in the aforementioned palatial changing rooms, I headed to the restaurant for a succulent snack at a very reasonable price. The professionalism of the waiter, serving promptly and efficiently, crowned a memorable day on an unforgettable golf course.
Although Aloha falls into the group of expensive courses, the service it offers could well be used as a yardstick by other courses in the area that do not meet the quality standards necessary to keep the Costa del Sol at the forefront of the golf tourism segment. The vast majority of golfers will leave completely satisfied after paying the extra euros associated with a first class experience as provided by this splendid Marbella Golf Valley course.
Apart from the intrinsic quality of its course, Aloha, the posthumous work of Javier Arana, inaugurated in 1975, stands out for its history as a venue for important tournaments, including the 2007, 2008 and 2012 Open de Andalucía of the European Tour.
WHAT FAMOUS PLAYERS SAY
Lee Westwood
Winner of the 2007 Andalusia Open
“Aloha is a traditional course where instead of using the drive and hitting it like a cannon, it’s more convenient to use the head and other clubs in the bag. We players appreciate a course that makes us think. The par 3s are difficult but very good.” The Englishman broke the course record during the second round of the tournament, setting it at 64 strokes.”
Thomas Levet
Winner of the 2008 Andalucia Open
“The Aloha course was predestined for me, I played it for the first time in ’83 with my club and we came third, and in ’86 I returned to the Spanish International Amateur. It’s a course I’ve always loved and, when I won the Andalusia Open, it seemed made especially for me.”
Miguel Angel Jimenez
Responsible for the organization
of the Open de Andalucía 2012
“Aloha is always in great condition. The course is not long, but it is very technical, and the maintenance team is fantastic. I have a special affection for it and maintain a very close relationship with Aloha, a club with great people, where in 89 I won the mixed Benson & Hedges with Xonia Wunsch, and the Andalusian Individual and Couples Championship. My great friend Andrés Jiménez (currently sports director, who has replaced José Luis Mangas) and I started playing together in the mid 80’s, and for his father, who dedicated his whole life to the club, I was like a second son”.
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