Real Puerta de Hierro (Arriba)

Established in 1895 in Madrid, Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro is one of the oldest, most traditional and most exclusive golf clubs in Spain. Six years after the club's formation, nine holes were ready for play at the Hippodrome la Castellana.

In 1907, fuelled by golf's growing popularity, a new course was laid out at Cuarenta Fanegasone, one kilometre from the Hippodrome, but the city's expansion forced the club to relocate in 1912 to a much larger site in the neighbourhood of Puerta de Hierro a few kilometres north west of Madrid city centre.

The club commissioned Harry Colt to lay out the first 18 holes, which were ready for play by 1914. Ten years later, Tom Simpson was called in for a remodel and in 1931 Colt was called back to make further changes. Interestingly, Tom Simpson lived at the club between 1946 and 1949, adding nine new holes to the original eighteen. In 1968 John Harris added a fourth nine and re-routed the holes to form today's 36-hole configuration.

The Arriba (Upper) course comprises of fifteen holes from Colt's original course, and three from either Tom Simpson or John Harris, we're not entirely sure of the provenance so we've credited both architects. Kyle Phillips renovated greens, tees and bunkers in the late 1990s.

Like the Abajo course, the Arriba begins with one of four par threes to be found on the course. Every one of the short holes is at least 175 yards from the back tees so a quartet of threes on the scorecard will be hard earned. There are a couple of short par four holes to be played on either nine (at the 8th and 13th) and it’s good to see such old fashioned holes retained in the recent upgrading work.

Puerta de Hierro is a private and exclusive club where non-members can only play if they are the guests of a member but the club has been very accommodating to professionals for many years. They hosted the Madrid Open from 1972 to 1993 (except for three years within that period) and there have been four golfers who’ve worn the coveted Green Jacket at the Masters amongst the winners – Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer and Sandy Lyle.

Frank Pont has been involved in a gradual restoration of the Arriba course since 2018.