Tecina

Tecina is one of the most spectacular courses in the Canary Islands, occupying a sensational cliff top setting within a former banana plantation on the south side of the small island of La Gomera. Laid out by Martin Ebert when he was part of the Donald Steel design company, the course opened for play in 2003 and its 18 holes are laid out above the upmarket Hotel Jardín Tecina complex.

Indeed, the fairways at Tecina are routed in a most ingenious way, slaloming down a hillside with a drop of over 500 feet between the first hole at the top and final hole at the bottom, next to the clubhouse.

Indigenous plants, shrubs and cacti have been planted over substantial swathes of the property and these extravagant botanical arrangements – along with wonderful views of the Atlantic and Mount Tiede on nearby Tenerife – present a beautiful backdrop when playing at Tecina.

It’s not often a course can justifiably lay claim to possessing a trio of signature holes but Tecina certainly can and downhill shots played to the exposed greens at holes 4, 10 and 12 are golfing highlights during a round here that will live long in the memory.

The club hosted the Canary Islands Championships in 2005 and more recently, Welshman Rhys Davies claimed first prize in the inaugural Fred Olsen Challenge de España event on the European Challenge Tour in September 2009. This tournament was hosted at Tecina until 2016.

The Fred Olsen shipping company own the course and it offers either stay and play packages through its Hotel Jardín Tecina facility or day excursion trips by fast ferry from Tenerife so it’s very easy to sample some holiday golf on the beautiful island of La Gomera.