Real Guadalhorce

Finnish architect Kosti Kuronen is the man who fashioned the 18 holes here at Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf towards the end of the 1980s. Very much a course of two halves, Real Guadalhorce’s front nine are laid out in a classic European format over undulating terrain while the flatter back nine are routed around water hazards in an American style.

A testing par 72 course measuring a meaty 6,800 yards, Real Guadalhorce lies in countryside near Malaga airport – indeed it is located at one end of the runway (with the Parador de Malaga Golf course at the other) so expect some distracting overhead noise when you play here, especially during the busy holiday season.

The signature hole is the 390-yard, par four, 6th which shares a green with the 8th (just like the 14th and 16th beside the river on the back nine). The drive is played from an elevated teeing position and if the ball avoids out of bounds on either side of the fairway, it will set up an approach to an L-shaped raised green protected by a bunker on the left.