La Reserva - Southern Spain - Spain

7th Southern Spain - Best in Area 9th Spain Ranking 63rd Continental Europe Ranking
La Reserva Club de Golf,
Avda. de la Reserva s/n,
Sotogrande 11310,
Spain

  • +34 956 785 252

  • Marc Topiol

  • Cabell B. Robinson

  • Manuel Piñero

Visit Golfbreaks.com for a golf holiday at La Reserva

La Reserva Club de Golf is the latest prestigious golf course to be constructed in this corner of the Costa del Sol, joining near neighbours Valderrama, Sotogrande and San Roque in a formidable quartet of quality golfing destinations.

Yet another design of the prolific American architect Cabell B. Robinson, the course only opened for play in 2004 but many already consider it capable of hosting a national or international competition.

It is located within two valleys which join in the form of the letter "Y" and when the site was first cleared of scrub, all trees and plants with ecological and aesthetic interest were moved to a nursery then replanted in their original place.

La Reserva is long – nearly 7,400 yards from the back tees – but fairways are wide so you can afford to open your shoulders on the tees to aim at relatively generous fairways. Greens are on the large size but it is one thing to be on the putting surface in regulation and another to avoid three putting when a long way from the pin position! Water features at half a dozen holes, but apart from one hole, it does not present itself as a frontal hazard.

Both the inward and outward holes have par threes separated by long par fives. On the front nine, the 244-yard 6th has water pressurising the tee shot to the left of the green and the 205-yard 8th is played downhill to a putting surface which also has water to the left and bunkers front right and to the rear. On the back nine, the 180-yard 14th has only one bunker to the right of the green and the 159-yard 16th is played from an elevated tee to a tricky, shallow putting surface.

The European Tour returned to Sotogrande in 2014 for a new tournament that was hosted by La Reserva Golf Club. Some may think a waste management company sponsored the NH Collection Open, but NH Collection is, in fact, a hotel chain with around 400 properties in their global portfolio. Marco Crespi won the inaugural NH event, claiming his maiden European Tour title after eventually progressing through Qualifying School in 2013 at the Italian’s eleventh attempt.

A second course, designed by José María Olazábal, was planned and indeed ground was broken, but the project is currently on hold as the economic downturn continues to grip Spain. We’ll keep you informed of developments as soon as any details are released.
If the above article is inaccurate, please let us know by clicking here

Write a review

Reviews for La Reserva

Av. Reviewers Score:
Description: Cabell Robinson designed La Reserva and it’s a brutal 6,700 metres from the tips but with wide fairways and a hot driver it can be tamed. Rating: 4.8 out of 6 Reviews: 16

Played in Oct. 2009. Course was very nice with elevation changes, definitely need a buggy for this one. Nice trees and water features. Good lunch in the clubhouse afterwards as well.
4 / 6
La Reserva
June 21, 2010


Was this review helpful? /
2 people found this review helpful and 2 did not
Respond to above review
Just arrived home from Marbella. We were guys down there and are alle ok players with hcp. between 0-6. The first day we played Las Brisas: Nice course in very good condition. Nice atmosphere. It is a fairly short course, but still very nice. Second day we played Valderrama... Wow !!!! what a course. It was the second time we played it, and you keep on beeing surprised. Absolutly the best course in Spain. The condition is like no other other course. If you get the chance.. go play it. Third day we played Finca Cortesin. Olso a brilliant course in exellent condition. The service in that club is the best I have ever experienced. All though you need to rent a buggy. If not you will be gone after front nine. Then the fourth and final day we should play La Reserva. it was the first time for all of us, so we where wery exited. We had heard and read a lot of good reviews, also from in here. But it was a disaster !!!!!!! The course was in such poor condition that we have never seen anything like it.. We tryed to get our money back before we entered the tee, but that was not possible. Yes we could see the poor condition from the terresse.. It is ok that the course is in poor condition becourse of the hard winter. But is not ok that they dont inform you about this when booking. (140 Euro in Greenfee) Las Brisas gave us a discount for 40 euro per player when we arrived becourse they said the course was not 100% up to standard. Honestly.. we could not in any way see that. But there was nothing to do at La Reserva. Yes they excused for the condition, but they would not refund our money so we could those a nother courser. Poor Poor Service. I will never come there again
2 / 6
La Reserva
May 04, 2010


Was this review helpful? /
0 people found this review helpful
Respond to above review
Very impressed with the course at La Reserva; neighbouring the hallowed turf of Valderrama and the Sotogrande Old course, this young course can hold its own. I played the course starting at the 10th and this is a great hole, a par-4 with a downhill drive, turning left, then a huge green protected by a water hazard at the front. The first par-3 on the back 9 is at the 14th, and is a beauty; only one bunker protecting but a really enjoyable hole to play. The best par-5 for me comes at the 15th; there is a chance to have a crack at reaching in two shots but the green is narrow and guarded by a large lake on the right side. The pick of the holes on the front nine are probably the 7th and 8th; the 7th is a par-5 and although not easy hole, there is a decent chance of birdie with a good drive. The 8th is a pretty par-3 with a downhill feel to it and emphasises the point that par-3's do not have to be long to be tough. The greens were a joy to putt on and the clubhouse feel is one of quality - I am sure that La Reserva will be enjoyed by most.
5 / 6
La Reserva
December 03, 2009


Was this review helpful? /
0 people found this review helpful
Respond to above review
I have had the pleasure to play this truly wonderful course on many occasions.Every time i go back to visit the course that and the hospitality get better and better.By far the best setup around the region .
6 / 6
La Reserva
October 18, 2009


Was this review helpful? /
0 people found this review helpful
Respond to above review
I expected to play a very good course when I arrived at La reserva, in actual fact I played an absolutely great one! Yes it did surpass my expectations. Everything here is pure class: the clubhouse, the service, the attention to all little details and last but not least the immaculate course. The greens were like a snooker table, fast (11 on the day I was told) and exceptionnally true. They say you need to play the course a dozen time to master the greens because most of the breaks a well hidden and can surprise a lot. I can't recall any poor hole, quite the opposite in fact, they are outdstanding. Didn't like the 9th too much as it plays upphill all the way which is never my cup of tee. I particularly loved the 15th (par 5, elevated tee shot into a narrow fairway, and water adjacent to the green) and 17th (how much of the water will you dare to fly off the tee on that par 4?). The course can be a brute at over 6700 meters from the back tee, but with 5 different platforms, it can play as short as 5100 meters so that everybody can enjoy it. I had the feeling though that this course was more targetting the better players. And hopefully the Pros soon, as this course definitely has all the capacities to hold a big tournament. You might want to consider taking a buggy as the distance from green to tee can sometimes be quite long. After playing 4 of the great ones in the area (Sotogrande, Las Brisas and Valderrama), I can only put Valderrama ahead, but only just. The only thing La Reserva needs to climb the rankings now is time (the course is still so new!)... And it surely will reach the top 5 eventually!!! Oh, by the way, Ollie is designing another course on that huge land. Will there be a better 36 holes complex in Spain in the years to come??? Looking forward to my next visit to tell... Have already an idea of the answer ;-) Cedric
6 / 6
La Reserva
June 12, 2009


Was this review helpful? /
0 people found this review helpful
Respond to above review
Response
Oscar Diaz
August 14, 2009
How much did La Reserva pay Cedric to write this review? How long has Cedric been working for the Reserva Marketing team? Please let's be serious...no fake reviews... no free advertisements... this is a serious website.
Cedric
August 16, 2009
Dear Mr Oscar Diaz, you are surely joking. Do you think I'd be stupid enough to sign all the reviews I'm writing on this website if my purposes were what you imply? I've never received any money to write reviews about the courses I play, and the editors of this website could testify. What is so fake anyway about my review, please tell everybody? You are probably a representative of another golf course of that same area that is being overshadowed by La Reserva, which is, no matter what you say, a really great course.
Quite simply the best course along the southern coast of Spain
6 / 6
La Reserva
August 03, 2007


Was this review helpful? /
0 people found this review helpful
Respond to above review
Response
Derek Staton
August 06, 2007
I would have to argue this.Please visit new Cabell Robinson course called Finca Cortesin, only a few minutes from Sotogrande. Simply spectacular, will be considered among Europe's best
Mark
August 14, 2007
I'd have to argue this claim too. It's overpriced, overrated and to be honest when I played it it was in very possr condition. In my opinion Las Brisas, Santana, Los Flamingos, both San Roque courses and Real Club de Golf Sotogrande are ahead of La Reserva. 
Peter Mills
November 16, 2007
I wuold have to agree with derek, Finca Cortesin is a much better course and not only that the top service makes a much better experience.
Ron
April 08, 2008
I played La Reserva, Valderrama, Sotogrande and San Roque in early February. This course was second only to Valderrama of that quartet. I'd say Las Brisas would equal it, and I haven't played Finca Cortesin. It is a very good course, though.
Eli Lopez
January 06, 2009
The greens and the layout of the course are wonderful and the high standard of maintenance make a pleasure playing at La Reserva.
Luk
April 17, 2009
If you think that Finca Cortesin is a better course than La Reserva, you don´t know anything about golf.
Mathias
September 06, 2011
Mark seems to be the only honest person on this board. I agree with his view completely. We played all the courses in March 2011