Real La Herreria

Real Club de Golf La Herrería was formed in the late 1960s when founding members acquired a 185-acre site to the north west of the capital (formerly used as cereal fields, or 'herrenes' in Spanish, hence the name La Herreria). Here they laid out an 18-hole course with the guidance of architect Antonio Gomez.

Situated on the south east side of the Guadarrama Mountain range, at the foot of Monte Abantos, the course sits beside the magnificent – and physically dominating – Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, constructed in the second half of the 16th century.

A woodland, somewhat hilly course, Real La Herreria was upgraded by Pepe Gancedo in 2000 when he replaced tees, putting surfaces and bunkers on the front nine, adding water hazards at holes 1, 2 and 4 for good measure.

Many consider the 381-yard, par four, 18th to be one of the finest finishing holes in Spain. “La Parrilla” (The Grill), is an uncompromising left doglegged hole where par is stoutly defended at the small, two tiered green by a tree on the left, a bunker on the right and out of bounds to the rear of the putting surface.