Anfi Tauro - Canary Islands - Spain

Anfi Tauro is the furthest golf course from the airport on Gran Canaria but it’s easily accessed via the autopista GC-1 highway, allowing you to go the extra mile to play here. It was the final Gran Canarian course that I played on a 7-day visit to the island a couple of weeks ago and I definitely saved the best until last!

I thought having played three von Hagge courses last year on a week-long trip to France that I was well prepared for what would undoubtedly be an epic design from a larger than life architect but I didn’t quite realize the monumental scale of a layout that was somehow dynamited and bulldozed into existence on the southern coast of the island.

If you’ve played Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria and wondered how on earth they managed to build a course with a tall bluff running hard along one side of the property then imagine what it must have been like constructing a course here with canyon walls looming large on two sides of an immense gorge that opens out onto the beach at nearby Playa de Tauro.

The course gets off to the gentlest of starts with an easy, slightly downhill, short par four but this hole’s immediately followed by a demanding, double doglegged par five, with the bunker-free fairway pinching into the front of the green. The first of five par threes then arrives at the 3rd, played across a storm channel that runs diagonally past the hole.

The elevated tee position on the right dogged 4th affords a good chance to survey the landscape and take in the full extent of the large waste areas, volcanic rocks and cacti-covered terrain at the southern end of the property, providing a stark contrast to the verdant, palm-fringed playing surfaces on the course.

The par four 5th heads slightly uphill to a higher elevation and this hole is followed by a long par three that plays into the breeze coming off the Atlantic. The 7th then doglegs left to a green which is framed by a waterfall to the back left of the putting surface – and on courses like this, water features like this which would appear completely ostentatious elsewhere just fit the bill perfectly!

The 8th then climbs a little into a large crevice in the canyon wall, with a fabulous 3-tiered green surrounded on three sides by huge walls of stone before the routing then plunges downhill and left to a double green that’s shared with the 18th (with the fairway of the last hole on the other side of a dividing lake). Again, it’s a clichéd, totally American-styled way to end both nines but it works beautifully in this expansive setting.

The front nine is terrific but the back nine is even better, rising up into the canyon at holes 10 to 12 before turning around to gradually descend towards the home green. The par three 13th is built into the side of the mountain, with tee shots played from the highest point on the course, then the par five 14th plunges steeply downhill to a green which is protected by another attractive pond to the front left of the putting surface.

The final par three at the 15th is played across more wasteland to a rather understated, bunkerless green with three levels offering a number of challenging pin positions. Holes 16 and 17 are short par fours, the first doglegging right and up towards “the big wall” which then runs along the right hand side of the penultimate hole.

All that remains is the par five final hole, with the fairway veering sharply left at the landing area and downhill towards a lake that hugs the right hand side of the hole. Avoid the two large bunkers that bar the way to this double green with your second shot and there’s every chance of finishing with a chip and a putt for a very satisfying finish to a round on an unforgettable course.

The strokesaver course guide contains a one liner – “Anfi Tauro will exhilarate and captivate you” – which really sums this place up rather well and I also liked the scorecard quote from Robert von Hagge: “the golfer must think, between blows, “Boy, how lucky I am to be able to play here’” – and yes, that’s exactly how it felt during my stay here, both on and off the course.

Jim McCann

Managed to play Anfi Tauro last week and had a great time. I played a twilight fee for €41 which included a modern set of Taylormade and R1 driver, and paid €5 for a buggy loaded with GPS and water.. Great value for a course of this magnitude.

The greens had been hollow tined a few days before, so putting was a bit of a lottery but it still didn't detract from the great lay-out of the course.

I went off the back tees (whites) and glad I did because it made a big difference on some holes especially on the back 9. Stand out holes for me was the fourth a dog leg right par 4 with a massively elevated tee, and the stretch from holes 9 through to 14 the 13th being a 220 yard par three with a ravine on the left and cliffs to the right.

Would definitely return to this course if I was in the area - especially with green fees like this. Would thoroughly recommend.

Crazy, amazing, what were they thinking golf! Greens in the horseshoe of a mountain, tee boxes on the side of a mountain, waste desert everywhere and elevation changes fit for a mountain goat. And great value too.Anfi Tauro is a spectacular golf course in the south of the island. Based around a resort but not intrusive in any way when I played there. Well manicured, but because it is in an arid area only the tees, fairways and greens have grass on them. Many of the rough and waste areas are rock and there are even a couple of lakes. Spectacular contrasts between the grass and volcanic rock. Plenty of interesting holes too, especially those with dramatic elevation changes. I loved this course for the scale of it and the desire to actually build it 'difficultly'. By that I mean that the routing could have been done more easily and cheaper but instead the designers took the deliberately difficult route.This was easily the best of the four courses I played on Gran Canaria.

I was really looking forward to playing Anfi having read the great reviews. Unfortunately it ended up being a disappointing experience. We turned up nice and early to warm up properly only to be told we had to pack our clubs back into our car and drive 5 minutes out of the resort complex as we couldn't take the buggy there. Apparently this is because the police have clamped down on carts on public roads. Not a disaster, but a bit annoying and pretty poor planning.So onto the course - we were paired up with another 2 ball, not unusual for a busy course. However when we arrived at the tee box we found a single player waiting to play. The course was packed with four balls so the poor guy spent most of his time standing around. The course itself is a nice layout cut into the side of basalt cliffs. There's a good variety of holes, with plenty of interesting shot choices. Fairways are a bit patchy and showing signs of wear and tear, as were the greens on the first 9 we played - certainly not up to world class. As we were going round we noticed the grounds staff coring and sanding the other 9 greens, so by the time we got to them they we a mess. I appreciate course maintenance is necessary, but I would expect to be told about this when booking or at least before teeing off. There was even a course maintenance notice board with the starter, but it was blank.However worst of all was the groups of hotel guests wandering over the course either in buggies or walking. Many of these 'intruders' clearly new nothing about golf and so were talking loudly as we were trying to play, or worse still would amble into the line of fire - both annoying and dangerous. Ithe resort are apparently looking to expand with more villas and apparently are actively encouraged to go and look at prospective sites, much to the annoying of the golf course staff.We raised these issues with the pro-shop staff when we finished. The were very sympathetic - we should have been informed about the maintenance and they seem just as frustrated about the non-golfers on the course (a different part of the resort organise this). We were offered a replay voucher as compensation, which was very much appreciated.These niggles are a real shame as Anfi is potentially a great course, but unless the resort management do something about them it's sure to be a frustrating experience.

Es un campo con unas vistas expectaculares, muy bien cuidado. Suele tener los grenes muy rápidos. Algunos hoyos se nos hacen muy largos a las mujeres poco pegadoras.Es un campo de sube y baja enclavado entre el mar y la montaña, por lo que el uso del bugi es necesario.Si vienen por Gran Canaria dense un salto, merece la pena.

José Cominges; En mi opinión Anfi Tauro es el mejor campo de Gran Canaria incluso diría que es el mejor de las Islas Canarias y esta a la altura de los mejores de España. Siempre con el clima ideal para jugar, unos paisajes increíbles y un excelente mantenimiento. Los greenes de otro planeta, da gusto lo cuidados que están. Si a esto le añadimos el excelente trato de todo el personal hace que la visita a Anfi Tauro sea obligada. Espero volver pronto.

Ricardo Barroso: Anfitauro es sin duda el mejor campo de Gran Canaria. Su espectacular diseño tipo desert y su magnífico mantenimiento hacen de él un course de obligada visita. Especial mención a sus greenes, amplios, receptivos y de rodada cuasi perfecta...y de endiablada velocidad en los dias de torneo. El enclave es magnífico y la maestria en colocarlo entre barrancos y montañas es digno de mención. El trato amable y cordial de todo el staff es la guinda que colma el vaso para no faltar a la cita...

I had an amazing experience playing in Anfi Tauro, a big contrast in comparison with my club in Madrid (Real Club Puerta de Hierro). I found it challenging and stimulating, spectacular location and landscape -desert style- with beautiful sea sights just a few miles away from Maspalomas. Highly recommended for all levels, very good management and maintenance, friendly staff, in a sentence you will not remain indifferent if you ever decide to play in this outstanding golf course on the southern coast of Gran Canaria.

Seriously… what a delightful experience!. Have you ever feel like there is a new wonderful surprise after every single hole you’ve played? This is Anfi Tauro, THE GOLF COURSE. Something special, magic not easy to explain with words.

this golf course is a must if you visit Gran Canaria, is diferent from the rest of the golf courses. I call it intimidador, it's surroudins (clifts, valleys, out off bounds ....), but at the same time if you look to what you have to do , the reward it's great. I love this course. The people working there are friendly and helpfull. It,s worth it a visit.