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fun holiday golf or a serious championship
test, with lots of water and large, slick greens.
It’s busy, too, with members and visitors; as
a single, I was out with a Spanish father and
son from Madrid, who come to La Manga
Club for a week each year because “it’s the
best golf resort in Spain”. Though the fairways
are generous and the rough sparse, it’s no
pushover; there’s water on the first seven
holes, plus seven on the back nine – including
the last three. Big palm trees line the short
grass, too. I’d describe it as a resort course
with bite. Pleasant surprise No.4.
By all accounts the North course, which
utilises the same kind of land, is similar, if a
little tighter. But the West, which is routed
through the hills to the north of the resort, is
an altogether different challenge.
My 7-iron off the par-4 1st tee was followed
by several 5-irons (including one on the par 5
3rd, with a barranca across the fairway about
230 out), lots of 3-woods and a handful of
drivers. There are no imported palms here,
just the natural scrub and woodland. And
there’s not much water (two holes). But it’s so
tight, so fiddly, so testing that you can’t let up
for a shot – every one needs to be thought
about. Spanish resort golf where you need to
think your way around? Pleasant surprise
No.5.
An early morning tee time for both rounds
meant the afternoon could be spent with thefamily by the pool, before walking back to the
apartment and getting a shuttle down to one
of several restaurants (the Italian on the main
strip comes highly recommended).
Was I pleasantly surprised by La Manga
Club? Absolutely. Did the family enjoy
themselves? Totally. Would it make a perfect
two or three-night break for a group of
golfers? Definitely.
The big test for any holiday is whether
you’d go back; I’ve already booked another
week at La Manga Club for 2018.Off-course
travel guide
WHERE TO STAY
There are multiple options for couples,
families or groups, from the five-star hotel to
private villas. We stayed at the Las Lomas
apartments, a self-contained resort within the
resort which is perfect for families or groups.FOOD AND DRINK
With more than 15 bars and restaurants,
you’re spoilt for choice at LMC. There’s
something for all tastes and budgets with a
taste of Italy (Luigi’s), America (Uncle
Sam’s) and Asia. For a special treat you
should book a table at the resort’s famous
La Cala beach-side restaurant overlooking
the Med and follow up with a visit to either
traditional Irish pub Mulligan’s or the
recently renovated Piano Bar, offering live
shows throughout the week.OTHER ATTRACTIONS
With so many activities on site you probably
won’t have any reason to leave the resort,
but if you do venture out, we can
recommend visiting the city of Murcia with
its grand cathedral, a masterpiece from theTop and bottom: The South is a championship
course with plenty of water and sand as protection.Vast resort La Manga Club has everything required
for the perfect golf group break or family getaway.Tight and testing Routed through the hills, the
West course requires you to think your way round.Playable
The North course
here is regarded
by most as the
easiest of those
on site.