[Philip Gawith]

Has anyone played this course? Interested in any views on it's merits and the resort as a destination. Elsewhere online it seems to attract some very high praise from golfers who have visited and played.

Philip

[Adam Lawrence]

Lots of fun holes but not sensibly walkable. Modern Spain defined, really.

[Will Lozier]

Has anyone played this course? Interested in any views on it's merits and the resort as a destination. Elsewhere online it seems to attract some very high praise from golfers who have visited and played.

Philip

Just know that it hosted the Volvo World Match Play 3 of the last 4 years. 

Cheers

[Joey Chase]

I enjoyed playing this course more than most Cabell Robinson courses.  It was in good condition when I played it, the bunkers are visually attractive.  Like Mr. Lawrence said, not walkable.

[Niall C]

Can't disagree with most of the comments here. Typical Costa Del Sol with the course built round a mountainside. Personally I quite like Cabell Robinsons courses there with Santana (spelling ?) a favourite. He does however overdo the raised front at the front of the green.

Niall

[Philip Gawith]

Thanks for replies. I had been thinking of a sunshine alternative to winter UK for a long weekend. I was originally thinking of San Roque  and then this course came on my radar. Not being able to walk it is definitely not ideal but seems, with that caveat, it may be one of the better options in southern Europe for this time of year.

[Mark Alexander]

Philip,

I photographed the course a few years ago and was very impressed with what I saw. The management had recently spent a fortune relocating electricty pylons which was a necessity for the course to work properly.
As has already been mentioned, it's a very long course that will require a buggy. Also watch out for the wind which can be pretty gusty.
Saying that, the hotel is fantastic, the food wonderful and service just right.
Here's a link to my images. Let me know what you think.

http://www.markalexanderphotography.co.uk/FincaCortesin/

[Niall C]

It also has one of the steepest downhill driving ranges you'll find whichmakes you feel like a world beater before you go out on the course.

Niall

[Anders Rytter]

Philip,
It's a very tough walk. A Long and very hilly site. The resort is very nice, buts sits rather lonely between Sotogrande and Estepona (for good and bad).

I like the course but i didn't find the short game overly exiting. Sticky and long grass close to the greens, but i recall the greens as interesting.

For what it's worth, i think my wife considers it one of her favorite places to play

[Philip Gawith]

Mark, thanks for those pictures. I like the look of the course within the landscape - as opposed to the course as a pure GCA construct, if that makes sense. I can see what Adam means by it being representative of modern Spanish courses. I prefer flatter courses where you can walk so at least these pictures open my eyes.

Brian - i have long wanted to go to El Saler, but on this occasion it is Anders (and Mark) who are speaking the right language as i would be travelling with my wife which means that that the overall experience including hotel counts for more than GCA purity!

In fact the other course i have been toying with against these criteria - not quite so warm at this time of year, but still not bad - is Oitavos near Lisbon. I have played there once quite a while ago and i thought it was a great course - which has since added on a decent looking hotel. Will keep you all posted if i get to either.

Philip

[Adam Lawrence]

Philip, if I were you I'd take a look at Mazagan in Morocco. Plenty of flight to Casa, not really significantly further than southern Spain, hotel is super, big casino if you like that sort of thing, great food, fabulous spa, beautiful beach. The golf course is the best work I've seen by the Player group, you could comfortably walk it if you wanted, it's in a wonderful patch of dunes and there's a bunch of good holes. The paspalum means it doesn't quite play as linksy as it looks, but I'd recommend it over most comparable options in Spain, I think Morocco is a lot more interesting than the Costa del Sol, and it could well be better value than Cortesin.

[Aidan Bradley]

Philip,

Oitavos is 30 to 40 minutes from Lisbon, depending on the traffic. Beautiful area.

Aidan.

[Bill_McBride]

Lisbon and Estoril are a three day trip on their own.  Taking the elevator up to the Alfama, hiking up the twisting narrow streets to the Castelo San Jorge where the Moors were repulsed in the 15th C., fado singers in tiny bars.....and I think a very favorable price structure within the Euro scheme. 

[Mark Pearce]

I played Finca Cortesin today.  I agree with all the comments on this thread.  A good course in its style.  Not remotely walkable.  Great service everywhere at the club.  This is my first golf trip to Spain and I have been really struck by the poor state of the greens, it seems that the grass used really marks up badly, even with soft spikes and the number of deep, unrepaired pitch marks is embarrassing.

[Niall C]

Mark

Don't know for sure but suggest that the state of the greens might have something to do with over watering and time of the year ? Not big on agronomy but generally fast and firm doesn't exist in Spain.

What other courses are you playing ?

Niall

[Alfonso Erhardt]

Niall,

The problem with the South of Spain is generally the choice of grasses. They should have bermuda to promote firmer courses, but since their high season is in the winter, they want to accomodate northern European golfers with green colour and therefore courses have winter grasses (agrostis, ryegrass).

The result is that for the summer months courses are overwatered to keep them alive. On top of that,  firm and fast is nowhere in the agenda of Spanish clubs or golfers. Only a handful of private clubs are focusing on such maintenance practices.

Regards,

Alfonso

[Niall C]

Thanks Alfonso. As I said, not big on agronomy. When I played Finca Cortesin a few years back (played in middle of September), the greens and fairways were fine but green surrounds looked and played like grass had died off. Presumably different type of grasses ?

Are courses in the north of Spain a good bit firmer ?

Cheers

Niall

[Ville Nurmi]

Hello Philip!
If you consider having a few drinks at the hotel (which is really nice!!), they were a bit pricey at least for me
GT was 18 euros a few years back.
But it was delicious!
Yours,
Ville

Ps. Valencia is only 10 minutes with a taxi from El Saler! So lotīs to do even without golfing.

[Alfonso Erhardt]

Niall,

Courses further North are better but very dependent on the season. Hard to get them firm until it starts getting cold as summers are really hot and courses need to be watered thoroughly to avoid turf loss. Best times would be October-May in Madrid and May-October in Atlantic area. Not so sure about the Northern Mediterranean coast (Valencia, Barcelona) as I don't go there that often.

The other problem is that we don't have good soil, so the only courses that are firm are those spending money and time on aeration and topdressing. Not all of them can afford that....and as I said in an earlier post, in many cases, people still want to see green and don't really care about firmness.

[Joey Chase]

I wonder how much the course design plays into the soft conditions on many of the courses.  Most are set up for aerial approaches in the RTJ mold. 

I remember the first time I played Valderrama, I was beyond underwhelmed by the condition of the greens.  They were soggy and on more than 1 hole my ball actually plugged in the green.  I hoped this was an unusual circumstance but after subsequent visits, it is just how they maintained it.  I asked why, and they told me that the small size of the greens made it impossible to allow them to firm up as the course would be near unplayable.

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