Played there in 2011, about three weeks before Andalucia Masters or maybe it was Volvo Masters.
I saw it then as one of the most beautiful and difficult courses I had played up to that time. With any slight deviation from the optimal landing area, single or multiple cork trees obstructed the line to the green or required shot elevations and/or shapes that exceeded what I could handle. At the time, rough had been grown to severely penal length. I was back in the area and attended the tournament one day. For the pros, the course presented many of the same kinds of shot demands.
Nearby Sotogrande and La Reserva were more enjoyable and cost 1/3 to 1/2 of Valderrama. I played La Reserva twice.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest where abundant trees were part of the original terrain or grew over time on many of the better courses I played when younger, so I tolerate trees better than many. The Cork trees had a special kind of beauty and a lower and spreading shape with nice canopies - very beautiful but made my shortcomings clear.
Charles Lund