Since Finca Golf Cortesín opened to the public about five years ago, I have frequented this club assiduously. I have seen it come into being, begin to grow and mature because, although little time has passed for a course, this is what Cortesín has done: to consolidate itself. Perhaps those responsible for this splendid course, located in the municipality of Casares, very close to one of the best beaches on the Costa del Sol, think that there is still this or that to be done, to be nuanced, because a course is never completely finished, but this one, if it is not, is very close.
The greeenes are impeccable, and the streets, long and complicated at times, present a formidable appearance.
At least that’s how it seemed to me at the beginning of May when I returned, once again, to play this course that is hosting the Volvo World Match Play Championship for the second time.
I took the Casares turnoff from the old N340 remembering a phrase that the course designer, Cabell B. Robinson, had told me years before: “Unless you are scratch or superclass, don’t try to play from the back tees (black bars). From there Finca Cortesin is the longest course on the Costa del Sol and possibly in Spain”.
When I arrived at the elegant and functional clubhouse I was greeted by the club director, Javier Reviriego, with whom I had arranged to play. Javier is one of those endearing people you always want to see and who are also efficient and expert in their work without constantly ‘reminding’ you. His manner is friendly and he also has a great advantage in my eyes: he plays great golf.
One of the aspects that characterizes Finca Golf Cortesin is the exquisite treatment provided to the client. In the restaurant, where by the way the food is very good, the service is magnificent; when you go down to get the buggy you find it prepared and personalized, with water, soft drinks, etc., and on the tour of the course you will never lack anything. For everyone it is very important to be treated well because that will leave you with a good memory of the place where you have been and will encourage you to come back.
Touring the course with Reviriego, although almost more attentive to the details of maintenance and set-up for the Volvo World Match Play Championship than to the game, was a pleasure.
Of course, I imposed him to play from the yellow bars, because it’s not the oven for buns.
Hole 1, a par 4 of 374 meters (the distance of the holes will be from yellow) whose wide fairway slopes from right to left. About 60 meters from the green there is a solitary olive tree on a mound. It is a nice opening hole that can lead the player to have a false sense of security of what will be the rest of the course.
Hole 2, par 3, stretches across a shallow valley to a green heavily protected by bunkers, especially on the front left, which is a vast sea of sand. The narrow green opens up at the back, and its steep undulations add a risk premium when kicking.
Hole 3, a 450-meter par 5, is somewhat marked by an electric pole in the middle of the fairway. On the drive you have to watch out for two bunkers on the right. On the opposite side of those bunkers there is water lurking, and as the fairway turns left, trying to make it from two will involve overcoming a vast expanse of lake. I’m guessing there will be more ‘birdies’ in bags playing the hole the orthodox way than risking all the water. The good sized green is very sloping from back to front, while the left side trickles down into the drink.
The 4th is an unusual hole and, although it is only 256 meters long, it is a par 4. From an elevated tee, the drive takes the ball to a valley below, where the fairway dog-legs sharply to the left in a series of hills and hollows. The dog-leg is motivated by the existence of a lake on the left, and the player trying to reach the green with the drive will have to keep the ball in the air all the way. The slightest short shot will end up with the ball in the water, which reaches the limits of the green. Somewhat similar to the previous hole, this one, played in a conventional manner, should not cause any problems. A player trying to shave two strokes off his card here could end up adding two more.
Hole 5, a 462-meter par 5, offers an intimidating drive off the tee through a valley to a plateau in the distance with bunkers on the right. The fairway then meanders and descends into a series of mounds. There are small groups of trees scattered here and there, while a series of huge boulders give a very particular aesthetic touch to this hole. About 50 meters from the green, on the right, a series of bunkers, of different shapes and sizes, lie in wait, so be careful to avoid them. Although the green is 37 meters long, it is quite narrow.
Hole 6 is a 178-meter par 3 that plays to a plate-like green with deep bunkers on the right. There is an escape area on the opposite side while a backdrop of olive trees and a decorative stone wall capture our attention.
Hole 7 is played from a slightly elevated tee over a long fairway with deep bunkers on the left, while further along, another ‘eats’ the opposite side. The fairway turns gently left and climbs to an almost circular green that is well protected by deep bunkers.
Hole 8, a par 5 of 486 meters, is laid out in the opposite direction, although at a lower level. The fairway slopes from the right and is well protected by bunkers on the left. As it veers to the right, the fairway narrows considerably and has bunkers on both sides that can cause considerable problems for many players. The large green is also heavily protected by bunkers on the left, but fortunately there is plenty of room on the opposite side.
Walking among olive trees and other vegetation on the way up to the last tee of the first half of the course, you get an idea of the excellence of the land on which the golf course was built and a real feeling of being in the countryside. Hole 9 is a par 4 with a wide fairway, but the eye immediately goes to a large bunker in the middle distance whose sand is where every hooked tee shot will end up. The fairway turns left to a kidney-shaped green that is, once again, well protected by bunkers. A series of small olive trees surround and embellish the green.
One of the holes that will leave a lasting impression on the memory of the players is undoubtedly the 10th. It is really intimidating when you stand on the tee of this par 3 and look down at the green located in the depths of a valley. The view of a wooded area with the mountains as a backdrop is superb. The green is in the shape of an eight, with deep bunkers to the right and a steep drop to the opposite side, which is where the ball tends to tend to arrive at the green not quite under control. The 10th is a memorable experience, a hole that in itself would be worth playing this course for.
The tee of hole 11, reached via a very nice wooden bridge, announces a par 5 that is rated at course index 2. The tee shot requires the ball to be hit into a valley that is so deep that the treetops are almost level with the tee. The drive is blind, so it is really a matter of hitting in the hope that the fairway will receive the ball somewhere. In fact, there is a considerable amount of fairway ‘hidden’, although the right side should be avoided as it is populated by bushes and other mature vegetation. The fairway then turns right and descends into a valley before climbing back up to a small green heavily guarded by bunkers, one of which is in the middle of the fairway just 40 yards from the target. For the entire length of the hole, the right side offers nothing but trouble.
The 12th, a 163-meter par 3, is another beautiful hole played from an elevated tee into a valley with a green protected by three large bunkers on the left and two more on the right. If the green were to be missed to the right or back, the ball would disappear into vegetation that would be very difficult to get out of.
Hole 13, the tee of which is just to the left of the previous green, is a 322-meter par 4 that offers a good drop zone. A creek, which appears just in front of the tee, turns sharply and runs all the way down the left side before turning again and running to just in front of the green. There are rocks on the face of the creek, so a ball that falls short can end up God knows where. The wooden bridges, colorful flowers and surrounding trees make for a beautiful picture.
The 14th is another very short par 4, just 275 meters. A slice tee shot will require a replay, while a hook will end with the ball in a tree-lined area. The fairway appears to be a considerable distance away and the sight of a ball dropping into it will be a relief. In passing I might mention that, standing on the tee, I counted eleven bunkers on the right side and around the green: I say no more.
There are several holes that offer spectacular views off the tee, such as the 15th. The drive flies over a wooded valley to reach a suddenly dropping fairway. There are a series of bunkers on the left that come into play if one attempts to shorten the hole. From the drop zone, the fairway turns sharply left and continues slightly uphill to a dish-shaped green that is surrounded by bunkers. ‘Missing’ the green to the left or behind will have serious consequences.
The 16th is a 373-meter par 4 that requires a drive over a hill with bunkers on both sides of the top. From the top, the wide fairway turns gently downhill and then climbs again to a large green with bunkers to the left and behind.
The penultimate hole is a 127-meter par 3 that plays to a green surrounded by a huge sand bunker. Full of nooks and crannies, the bunkers certainly look dangerous, but, to counteract, the green is wide and ‘inviting’ from a short distance.
The last hole of the course is a par 5 where the drive is over the top of a hill with the mountains forming a majestic backdrop. The fairway moves gently to the left on its way to the green. There are countless bunkers, both near and surrounding the green, but some are so far from the target that they are purely aesthetic elements. The green is large but relatively narrow and is framed with fifteen small olive trees. Take a moment to enjoy the view from the green: the view of mountains, hills, valleys and even the sea is spectacular.
My memories of the game bring to mind wide fairways and countless bunkers, many of which, fortunately, are too far from the tee to catch the average golfer’s drives. To fully enjoy a course like this, mid to high handicappers should follow Robinson’s advice I mentioned at the beginning and play from the tees that offer a sporting chance, otherwise we are in for a long and difficult day.
The facilities include a Jack Nicklaus Golf Academy, which is another indication of the quality of the resort, as Nicklaus only allows his academies to be located on top-rated courses.
Finca Golf Cortesin is a great course that has all the attributes to host a professional tournament of the highest category as the one it hosts. There is no doubt that golfers will have a great time confronting their experience with this superb challenge, although it is also fair to say that, on most occasions, the course will win the duel. For ‘serious’ golfers, Finca Cortesín Golf is an exciting challenge.
Leave a Reply