What do Guadalmina Sur, El Saler, Aloha, El Prat, Río Real, Club de Campo Villa de Madrid or RACE have in common? All of them, and many more, emerged from the privileged mind of the greatest Spanish golf course designer: Javier Arana.
Born in 1904, when there were only three golf courses in Spain (Las Palmas Golf Club, in Gran Canaria; Río Tinto, in Huelva, and Puerta de Hierro, in Madrid), Arana’s design philosophy was based on his intention that players should enjoy the course so much that they would want to play it again. He was not in favor of wasting time looking for balls in excessively leafy areas, nor of water hazards, which are infrequent on his courses. He also did not like excessive earthworks, probably because of the high economic cost involved.
Arana maintained that in the final design 80 percent of the course had to be natural and that the hand of man should only be responsible for the remaining 20 percent. He was fortunate that at that time there were golf-friendly estates available in magnificent surroundings, many of them right on the edge of the sea. He also tried to save the player’s time by making the tees as close as possible to the green of the previous hole. He also attached great importance to the natural elements.
The Malaga coast was for Arana one of his favorite destinations, and Marbella, the jewel in the crown. Here he designed three of his greatest works: Guadalmina Sur, Rio Real and Aloha, his posthumous work (he died two months before the course was inaugurated).
Inaugurated in 1959, the Guadalmina South course is the pioneer golf course in Marbella and the second oldest on the Costa del Sol. From its origins to the present day, the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina, title that was granted in 2008, shortly before its 50th anniversary, has been able to adapt to the pace of the times, managing to capture on the green all kinds of improvements and advances for the benefit of the players.
A lot has changed since that farmland discovered by Norberto Goizueta in the middle of the last century was transformed into one of the most representative golf clubs in our country. Over time the club, which has a significant number of members (more than 2,000, of 17 nationalities), added a second 18-hole course (in 1972, designed by Foldo Nardi) and a 9-hole par 3 course. It also has a driving range for 40 players with a covered platform with 21 seats, chipping and practice bunker and putting green.
The children’s school of Guadalmina is the envy of all the clubs, and thanks to the work of the Children’s Committee and the know-how of its professional Francisco Hernandez, the children’s players of the Golf School have carried the name of Guadalmina through the courses of Andalusia, Spain, Europe and the world, obtaining results that are very difficult to beat.
Names like Azahara Muñoz, Noemí Jiménez, Rocío Sánchez Lobato, siblings Esther and Ángel Ibáñez, Laura Cabanillas, Sergio Gutiérrez, Casto Gómez and a long etcetera represent the best face of Guadalmina.
Throughout its history, Guadalmina has hosted important tournaments, such as the 1965 Spanish Championship, the qualifying rounds of the European Tour School in 1995 and 1996, or the APG Spanish Professional Championship in 1998.
EXCITING CHALLENGE
The course designed by Arana underwent a major renovation in 2002 and constitutes an exciting challenge for any player, although it is ideal for experienced hitters due to its difficulties.
The fairways of this course, which reaches the beach itself, are narrow and well protected by large trees that, in addition to providing welcome shade in summer, force the player to be precise in his strokes.
Among the most outstanding holes at Guadalmina Sur are holes 6, 7, 11 and 13.
The 6th is the first par 5, measures 508 meters from the yellows and is the longest hole on the course. There is a small chiringuito, with food and drink for the road, carefully situated next to the tee. Although there is a wide fairway ahead, a slice drive will fly over the fence that runs along the right side. The fairway seems to go on and on and, although there is a large and dangerous bunker on the left, it is preferable to end up in it rather than on the opposite side, where there is a constant risk. The green is long but narrow and allows no margin for error on the right, as the ball would end up falling into an obstacle. A clump of trees at the back could make the approach very difficult, while it will be necessary to be very precise to get out of either of the two bunkers on the left. Although the first part of this hole is very straight, the approach to the green will decide whether the number we write on the card will be a good or a horrible score. It is a magnificent hole that will test the nerves and accuracy of even low handicap golfers.
The 7th is another par 5, although somewhat shorter than the previous one: it measures 433 meters. The drive is through an avenue of trees to a fairway a little narrower than its predecessors. Big hitters must be careful to avoid a large bunker on the right at about 230 meters. About 80 yards from the green is a banana-shaped bunker on the right half of the fairway, while another sea of sand lurks behind. The undulating green, which has a flat part at the front and then drops off before rising again at the back, has more sand, both right and left.
The 11th is a fantastic par 3 and a true reminder of the beauty of the area. The tee is located next to the beach and only a few meters from the sea. The feeling of peace and tranquility is total, but you have to pay close attention to get through this hole with a reasonable score. From the tee, the view is directed towards the enormous amount of sand between the player and the green. It looks as if the beach extends over the golf course. The green falls from left to right, the back right features even more sand, while a ball that goes over the green is likely to end up out of bounds. Unless the tee shot ends up on the putting surface, the chance of making par is remote.
The 13th is a short par 4 in which from the tee the first thing that catches the eye is a lake, with ducks, in the left half of the fairway about 160 meters away. Safety advises us to use an iron from the tee to stay short of the water, since with more distance you have to be very precise because the obstacle eats part of the fairway, which makes the landing area on the right side very limited. The rocky waterfall that feeds the lake becomes a beautiful sight.
One is fully satisfied with one’s playing experience on this very well maintained course at Guadalmina, a club that has been efficiently managed for many years by Ignacio del Cuvillo.
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