On March 21, a commemorative plaque was unveiled at La Cala Resort in honor of the prestigious course designer Cabell Robinson, an event attended by the honoree himself. The plaque was in recognition for the design of the three courses at the Costa del Sol resort: Asia (1989), America (1992) and Europe (2005). It also mentioned some of the other great designs of the same American architect: Finca Cortesin, La Reserva de Sotogrande, Las Colinas, Praia del Rey and Afrodita Hills. On the Costa del Sol, Valle Romano and Santana also stand out.
Cabell’s legacy is well present in the oldest of the three courses of the excellent resort on the Costa del Sol. The architect has masterfully managed to fit a sensational course in a very busy estate and to achieve an exciting, very technical course with many options to get a good result on each hole if the right strategy is chosen.
The Asia course requires accurate tee shots to be rewarded with clear options to attack the greens. The holes (very varied) are not long, but require precision. The greens have reasonable slopes and many of them are high, so precision in the approach shots will be a must.
The resort of La Cala has its own hotel with more than 100 rooms and its SPA, which make it a perfect choice to enjoy the courses and the excellence that can be appreciated in all the facilities and service. Its four restaurants, bars, swimming pool, paddle, tennis and squash courts, along with the Golf Academy, just a few minutes from the beach are an option to enjoy a fantastic getaway or even a longer stay.
The store is very well stocked and is located next to the patio where there is a huge fleet of buggies in excellent condition.
The Asia course is a par 72, not very long, with 5,892 meters from the white bars. The biggest difference between white and yellow bars can be found in the par 3’s.
The greens were changed to bermuda grass, an interesting bet that Finca Cortesin made in its day. In addition to its better tolerance to situations of water stress and water with higher salinity, it does not mark the bunkers and it is easier to avoid the presence of weeds. The greens can be set at devilish speeds for a major test.
Hole 1 is short, with water on the right, and it is best to tee off with a wood or hybrid. The same goes for hole 2, both have high greens that require you to play a club more than you might think. These are holes that teach you how the course should be played: precision is more important than accuracy.
The 3rd is a short downhill par three, a prelude to the demanding 4th, where you have to aim a little to the right of the post indicating the axis of the fairway, especially if you are a big hitter trying to get from one to the green.
On the 5th hole you should be warned of the water on the left of the green. The 6th has a fairly strong dogleg left and you have to lean to the right. Again a high green. It is a really technical hole.
The 7th is a par 3 this time uphill with plenty of birdie options.
The next hole is a superb par 4 overlooking the clubhouse. On the tee you have to aim to the right of the bunkers.
The 9th is a superb par 5 where you have to tee off aiming left to avoid the bunkers and give yourself a chance to even get two on a very well protected green.
The 10th is a par 5 handicap 1 uphill course with dogleg left. It is necessary to lean to the right and place the second shot well to attack another demanding green high up.
The 11th, with spectacular views, a very wide par 3, will give us many birdie options.
The 12th is a very technical hole, with water on the right on the green that has a bunker on the left. The 13th presents complications, with a very well defended green at the entrance.
The 14th, a short par 4, is the shortest on the course, which a good hitter could reach.
On the 15th it is again advisable to tee off with a club other than the driver, with the green again high, which calls for an extra club.
The end of the round is a stroke of genius that combines a fantastic par 5 reachable in two but with water on the right reaching the green, a very short but technical par 3 and a par 4 with a dogleg to the right.
The Asia course is very enjoyable and invites you to repeat, because once you get to know it, you will appreciate its details even more and you will savor what a great course it is.
By Luis Navarro Álvarez
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