A former fishing and mining village, Marbella became from the 50s, with the creation of the Marbella Club hotel, a resort popular with aristocrats and showbiz stars. The Mediterranean climate, its rather mild winters and its numerous routes now attract customers from all over the world. A few years after learning golf for the purposes of filming Goldfinger , Sean Connery, addicted to the little white ball, even took up residence there in the 70s by offering himself a sumptuous villa. The opportunity to follow in the footsteps of 007 on the countless steep fairways in the area.

Flamingos, a postcard decor

On the heights of Marbella, the Villa Padierna hotel is THE golfing spot, with no less than three courses entwined around this luxury resort and the Michael Campbell Academy, the only school in Europe specializing in small games. Embedded in the hills, TheAlferini is a championship course, which regularly hosts international competitions and requires length and precision. The Flamingos is an 18-hole hilly gem, sculpted by Antonio Garcia Garrido, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. After surviving a rather technical go, you will have to face the formidable hole 10, one of the most difficult par 4 in Spain, where the slightest club error pays off in cash. The rest is a magnificent and eventful Andalusian stroll.

(https://www.villapadierna.es/golf/en/)

Gibraltar on the horizon

Still in the heights, the Marbella Club hotel course is a hilly oasis designed by Dave Thomas. On a clear day, you can even glimpse Gibraltar and the African coastline. Here, all the blows are allowed as the route is undulating. The stake is preponderant, in all senses of the word since hole n ° 1, a par 4 as narrow as it is long (especially if you start with white balls) immediately tests your composure. Here again, the panorama is worth a glance with the Mediterranean on the horizon and fairways embroidered with wild flowers, fine grasses, carobs and olive trees. Like many golf courses in Marbella, the maintenance of the 18 holes is impeccable and some tees are damn spectacular, like holes 7, 9, 16 and 18.

(http://www.marbellaclubgolf.com/golfcourse/golfcourse-fr.html)

La Quinta, a perfume from California

Next to the Westlin hotel, La Quinta includes three 9-hole American-style holes, beautiful waterfalls and a wide variety of threats that make this course particularly challenging, with some fairways that appear, in windy conditions, almost as long - but not as wide - as the Champs-Élysées. Here, it is a question of being precise… including at the practice, where the driver is contraindicated because of the proximity of the road. Certain sumptuous views offered by this emerald-colored course will allow you to better accept the double bogeys which may spice up your score card ...

(https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/golf-courses/agpwi-the-westin-la-quinta-golf-resort-and-spa-benahavis-marbella/)

The Marbella Golf Country Club for the brave

We recognize Robert Trent Jones' leg. Ten minutes from the historic center of the city, the Marbella Golf Country Club (not to be confused with the course at the Marbella Club hotel) is a furiously exciting 18-hole course that offers some sections as steep as they are breathtaking. In particular, it will be necessary to show courage, even recklessness on hole 4, a short par 4 drivable backed by a ravine. Or on the 6, a par 5 which conceals many traps, like the 7 and the 12, two pure visual wonders. There again, the sky reflects the blue of the Mediterranean, which snorts not far from there. In short, a fun and spectacular golf course that you must have tried at least once in your life.

(https://www.marbellagolf.com/en/)

Many golf jewelry

Fans of Robert Trent Jones will be able to discover two other quality courses designed by the master, to the west of the city: the Royal Las Brisas (http://www.realclubdegolflasbrisas.com/) and The Orange trees (https://www.losnaranjos.com/). Let us also quote, among the plethora of fairways which have spread around Marbella but which we did not have the opportunity to test: Valle Romano (https://www.valleromano.net/) and Santana (https://santanagolf.com/), two 18 holes signed Cabell Robinson, architect in particular of the golf courses of Hossegor and Limere, near Orleans. Because to take advantage of all the golfing offer in the region, you would have to take a month's vacation or ... buy a pied-à-terre, like Sean. It's up to you.

Frank Crudo

Where to stay?

Marbella Club

The legendary hotel in Marbella, where Brigitte Bardot, Kim Novak, Ava Gardner, James Stewart and Maria Callas, among many others, were once the guests of honor. Always on top, the Marbella Club offers top-of-the-range cuisine, a refined spa with a graceful blue indoor swimming pool that seems to flow into the Mediterranean, a botanical garden, a kid's club (with an astonishing 5-way course), a beach club and a spectacular golf course located ... about twenty minutes (shuttles are available). A 5 star hotel, in every sense of the word.

https://www.marbellaclub.com/en/

Villa Padierna

Overlooking the Mediterranean in the natural setting of the Guadalhorce valley, this palace designed like a Tuscan palace even has an ancient amphitheater. Decorated with numerous sculptures, the hotel has four restaurants and one of the most famous spas of the Old Continent, which includes two saunas, three hammams and a Turkish bath. It is the ideal place for a long golfing weekend because the resort has three courses. Ask for a room with a view of the Flamingo: the picture, with verdant fairways that seem to run aground in the sea and the azure horizon in the distance, is worth a look.

https://www.villapadierna.es/landing/?lang=fr

Westlin laQuinta

Chiseled in the heart of the Sierra Blanca in a Moorish style, this 5 * hotel backs onto the 27-hole course of the Quinta. The establishment features three Mediterranean and Japanese restaurants, two bars, three outdoor pools and a kids' club. Another quality spot for a golfing holiday with, as a bonus, a superb panorama.

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/agpwi-the-westin-la-quinta-golf-resort-and-spa-benahavis-marbella/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2

Fuerte Marbella

A crush and an excellent value for money. Ideally located by the sea and very close to the historic center, this 4 * hotel does not offer a golf course but is located just 10 minutes from the Marbella Golf Country Club. The staff are very attentive to you and the buffet, varied and quality. One of the two pools is covered (transparently with sea view) and heated in winter, which is a real plus. Flamenco shows are regularly organized.

https://www.fuertehoteles.com/fr/hotel/fuerte-marbella/lhotel/

Mariposa Málaga

The nearest airport to Marbella is in Malaga, around 1881 minutes' drive away. Renowned for its skyscrapers, the city is culturally rich, with the Alcazaba palace-fortress, the ruined Gibralfaro castle and the unmissable Picasso museum, born here in 400. Located in the center -City, 4 meters from Calle Larios (Malaga's popular shopping street), the Mariposa Hotel is the perfect place for a day's stopover. This XNUMX * has modern art-deco style rooms, a solarium, a rooftop bar and a gym. Breakfast is served until midday. For more information, do not hesitate to contact the hotel manager, Amélie Pignol, who is French.

Finally, just behind the hotel is a small museum, highly rated on Trip Advisor: the Museum of Imagination. The opportunity to discover astonishing visual effects or to take unusual and funny photos. A good time guaranteed if you have children.

https://mariposahm.fr/

https://www.museopicassomalaga.org/

http://www.museoimaginacion.com/

To go further, check out one of our other articles on the same subject:

Marbella Club: In the wake of the great people of this world…