Designed in 1991 by the late José "Pepe" Gancedo, former Spanish amateur champion, Las Ramblas is certainly a layout that will test the resolve of even the most proficient golfers.









Designed in 1991 by the late José "Pepe" Gancedo, former Spanish amateur champion, Las Ramblas is certainly a layout that will test the resolve of even the most proficient golfers.









4
Spoiler alert, I play in a golf society based at Las Ramblas. The course is a thinking person's course. You can't just blast away as the carries over the barancas (gullies) in holes 4, 5, 7, 12, 16 require knowing your club distances and your risk/reward line to avoid the gully and not stick it into the trees and hillsides on the other side of the somwhat narrow fairway. In addition holes 1, 2, 8, 14 tend to throw the ball to the side of the sloping fairways, so you need to adjust your line off the tee. The par 3s require accuracy, particularly the tree lined and baranca protected 14th, and the 10th with a fall off left and a cliff right, and the long 12th with another baranca right. It is usual to play several holes high side off the tee and let the ball come back to middle fairway or more. Many greens have steep fronts, so you need to carry your iron into the green to avoid it rolling 20m back downhill, e.g. 7, 13, 16, 17, 18. No need for bunkers! My favourites include the short par 5 4th despite the baranca, the short par 4 5th, and the fairly straight par 4 10th. I also like the par 4 9th but need a gale in my back to play over the lake with driver or take my medecine and play a short hybrid onto the visible fairway from the majestically high tee. When you are playing straight Las Ramblas rewards accurate shot making as it is not long, but the trees and barancas will punish errant shots, the latter can easily swallow more balls in one round. Having played with a +2 golfer several times, there is a clear premium on accuracy. One tip, nearly all greens slope to the low side of the surrounding terrain, even if it is not always visible as the whole surface can be sloping the same direction. Think and enjoy!
Han
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3.5
Overall rating
3.5