Santa María Golf & Country Club

Santa María Golf & Country Club is in Marbella, in Málaga province on Andalucía’s Costa del Sol. For golfers considering a round in this part of Spain, its defining feature is the setting: an 18-hole, par-72 course winding through a valley in the Andalusian hills, among pine trees, cork oaks and native vegetation.

There are few buildings in the surrounding setting, giving the woodland a prominent role in the course’s character. Golf is accompanied by a restaurant, tennis facilities and a pro shop, bringing several elements of a club visit together in one place.

Woodland, a stream and four lakes

The route follows the valley alongside a stream, with pine woodland and cork oak forest forming the landscape around the holes. Water is more than part of the scenery here: four lakes come into play on five holes.

For a visiting golfer, that combination is a useful starting point when choosing between courses in Marbella. Santa María’s identity rests on its wooded valley, native planting and the presence of water within the layout. The limited development around the course is another part of that setting, alongside the trees and the stream that accompany the route.

The course and its development

The design is credited to D. Antonio García Garrido and the club’s technical team. The second nine holes were designed by that team and opened in November 1996. This date relates specifically to the second nine, which form part of today’s 18-hole, par-72 layout.

The club team’s involvement in those holes is part of the story behind the course as it stands today. Together with the woodland setting and the lakes, it provides a picture of Santa María beyond its location on the Costa del Sol.

Beyond the round

The club’s other facilities each have their own entry in the guide:

• Restaurante Hoyo 19 is the club’s restaurant.
• The tennis facilities offer another sporting option alongside golf.
• The Pro Shop is the club’s specialist golf shop.

For travellers looking at what a club offers beyond its course, these are the additional facilities to consider. Santa María combines its woodland golf layout with dining, tennis and a golf shop at the same club in Marbella.