Rioja Alta

First opened for play in 2004, the course at Rioja Alta Golf Club is laid out in the northern hills of Spain, next to the villages of Cirueña and Ciriñuela, in the famous Rioja wine-producing region.

Situated an hour’s drive to the east of Burgos, the historic capital of Castile, the course was designed by Enrique Saenger, with the architect setting out the eighteen holes across a rather serene, gently undulating landscape.

Fairways are set between two natural fault lines, the Barranco de Vaidiau and the Barranco de Puente del Obispo, with ponds or wetland areas coming into play at half a dozen holes, one on the front nine and five on the back nine.

A dense woodland area separates the opening and closing three fairways from the remainder of the course, where four man-made water features provide substantial aquatic challenges.

The uphill 6th is the toughest hole on the front nine, rising steadily to a two-tiered green that slopes from back to front, and the 17th is a memorable hole on the home run, played downhill to a large, rectangular green with a fabulous mountain backdrop.