RTJ Sr - Mijas Golf Club, Spain

[James Edwards]

I had the pleasure of playing this course this week, but did not manage to acquire any additional information on it.

Can anyone enlighten me on the particulars?

I enjoyed the experience immensely, especially the bold bunkering which seemed to be his calling card back then. I have played most of the golf courses in southern Spain and not seen bunkering of that size and scale and impact.

It is clear that this golf course was designed and built before the advent of fairway housing because the fairways are huge and the safety margins are excessive.  In todays money, Id say a fair few dollars could have been made in the void areas which fall between the structures - nice to see all the same though.

The 12th was a fine hole, which incorporated the split fairway, diagonal bunkering scenario, playing uphill making the tee shot ever so slightly blind.

The short drivable 14th is well thought out, as a large bunker sits on the corner of the blind dog leg which entices the golfer to carry her, but with little reward once you arrive at the summit as the green is surrounded on all sides by large bunkers with high lips with a tiny putting surface.

[Jonathan Davison]

Dear Mr Edwards
Mijas I am sure was redesigned or renovated by Cabell Robinson a couple of years ago. I have not played the course but from photos it has some bold bunkering similiar to queenwood without the heather?

[James Edwards]

Jonny,

The golf course bunkering resembled nothing like Queenwood my friend ??  Im interested to know whether the course you are thinking of is indeed different - It had no Mckenzie esq edges? They were large in proportion with long curvilinear edges...

I did play a Cabell Robinson course in Mijas called Santana, which had the design feature which I believe you are thinking about?  Is that the one you mean?  The bunkering there, I would agree was like Mr Kidds Queenwood.

On the trip, I also played San Roque New and Old, the New course designed by Perry Dye and the Old by Dave Thomas.  Almenara also by Thomas and Santa Maria - architect unknown to me

[Jonathan Davison]

Maybe the bunkering was before it was redesigned?
I have some photo's somewhere I will email them.

[Jonathan Davison]

James
What were the San Roque courses like?

[Philip Gawith]

JJSE - what did you think of the new course at San Roque? I played it Easter 2004 and thought there were some good holes - quite a fun short hole at the far end of the course (something like the 5th or 6th hole maybe?)

Do you like Thomas's  work at Almenara and the Old Course at San Roque? Not sure Almenara has too many good holes, though I like the 10th. San Roque, I think, is a better course - I like the 2nd, 3rd and 4th/5th can be pretty daunting into the wind. Back nine also has some nice holes - 11, 12, 13 and 14, 16, and 18 is also a good finishing hole.

[Steve Okula]

James,

It sounds like you're getting quite a lot more golf in these days.

Have you played Valderrama, Las Brisas, or Sotogrande? All RTJ courses on the Costa del Sol and all consistently rated in the top ten, or top 5, in Spain.

I'd be interested in your opinions of those.

[James Edwards]

Steve, All,

Sorry for the slow reply... too busy practising the golf swing  

Jonny,

The bunkering at Mijas, the RTJ Sr course, looks pretty much untouched?  It still looks to have the old face on?  Maybe Im wrong, but Id put my money on it hasnt been altered since he was last there.

The San Roque courses are superb.  I have played the Old many times dating back to the tour school days and of course my last two visits to the area on our annual Ride-Her Cup team event played by 12 members of my club.

The Old course is simply beautiful, great scale balance between structures, surrounds and vegetation - a well thought out routing on top of top class maintenance.
The first falls downhill, classic opening driver tee shot with fairway bunkering on the right side at driving distance, the left side of the green approach protected by the usual cork tree - par 4, the 2nd - par 4 - plays downhill again falling towards the lower end of the course where you get your first sight of the New Course.  Hitting from the top of the hill down towards a well bunkered green to the front sides and vast drop offs at the rear.  From here you can also ssee the early holes on the back nine at Almenara.  The stunning 3rd - par 3 - has the smallest green in Southern Spain, I contend!  Even smaller than the 3rd green at Valderamma!

Anyway, I could go on all day.

The best holes come at the end, the 17th and 18th are superb in my view.  The 17th is a classic par 5 which ends in the decision to go for the green with water guarding the entire right side, like the 16th at Sawgrass - and 18th is one of the most photographed holes in Southern Spain, with water guarding the entire left side of the tee shot and then water guarding the approach to the right side.

The 11th and 12th are fine holes also with water featuring heavily.

[James Edwards]

Philip,

The short hole you are thinking of is the 4th across the ravine, heavily vegetated... The next hole has the 'fill' tee which juts out of the landscape!

What did you think of the cascades par 3?  The bunker which starts at the tee complex and ends at the green.  As you look back, you see the bunker stepping back up to the tee using sleepers...  An absolute headache for the green keeping staff id say, but a beautiful piece of architecture!

I thought the course was very 'Dye' like, as some of the bunkers were extremely angular.  There was one particular bunker on the approach to the 7th which had a bunker which looks like the new bunkers put in the middle of the 4th fairway at the Ocean Course.

Almenara had some good holes - the downhill 3rd is truly magnificent, with the vistas from the tee and the shot value to each of the two shots required.  The 6th, par 4 is one of the most enticing holes I have ever played.  You can drive it off the tee, but its 260 yards all carry over water or its 3 iron, SW on a safe line well out to the left. The 7th par 3 are two more of the better holes on the course!  I agree, the back nine is a little uninspriring.

I agree about your back nine holes - I have listed them in some of my favourites on the Old Course.

[Ville Nurmi]

James,
Which of the courses did you play? There are two courses at Mijas. The Lagos or the Olivos?
Lagos course is much more open and the houses are way back.
The Olivos course was re-done ca. 5 years ago. It has some really narrow corridors with new houses.
The owners had a plan to redo the lagos course also, but havenīt done it.
I played both courses 4 years ago and thought that the lagos course was far better but not condition wise.
I liked the short par4 the 4th(I think) which had bunkers on both sides of the fairway which gradually became narrower. Also the ninth was a good par four with some strategic fairway bunkering.