Villamartin

The California-based architect Robert Putman – who also designed the North and South golf courses at La Manga, just a 45-minute drive further south – laid out the course at Villamartin, cleverly routing the holes over the natural, undulating terrain. The layout first opened for play in 1972 so it's one of the more established courses in the region with a classic golf atmosphere that will be enjoyed by players who know a good course.

The course opens up with a lovely left doglegging par five over rolling ground with the narrowing fairway framed by olive trees and then, a familiar site at Villamartin, a green with even more olive trees as protection! Another fine example of this arboreal defending is found at the short par four 7th, where the fairway veers right and downhill to a bunkerless green that's completely surrounded by olive trees.

The pick of the holes on the back nine are the 14th and 17th. The 14th is a difficult par five (rated stroke index 1) with a gorge running along the left of the fairway before a ditch then cuts across in front of the green. The par three 17th can genuinely be described as one of the great European "short" holes, measuring 220 metres in length, with a deep gully located between the tee and a multi-tiered green.