If your Spanish golf vacation calls for history, nature, and one of the best golf courses in Spain, San Roque Golf Club should be on your list. Having undergone a multimillion-dollar redesign and refurbishment in 2021, the San Roque Old Course has transformed from one of the best courses in the region to one of the finest in the country.
With new practice facilities and intelligently designed holes, the setup here is worthy of a round that more than stands up to its prestigious neighbors, La Reserva and Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.
Similar to many other courses in San Roque and Sotogrande, if you stray offline, there is little rough to collect your ball as the landscape quickly transforms into the unforgiving shrubland of the Andalucian hills.
While beautiful, with stunning scenery at every turn, this course tests the skills of amateur and professional golfers alike, creating both a fun and challenging game. Such is its prestigious location, guests will notice the point in the round when the course backs on Real Valderrama
San Roque was first introduced to the international golf scene as the team’s accommodation during the 1997 Ryder Cup, which took place at nearby Valderrama. A collection of Hacienda style villa’s combine to create a village feel to the resort.
During your time in Sotogrande, we recommend staying at 5* SO/Sotogrande hotel, which served as one of our premier offerings for the 2023 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin.
In the Sotogrande area, guests can choose from the 27 holes of Alminra golf course, part of the SO resort, as well as the prestigious Real Club do Golf Sotogrande, Real Valderrama, La Reserva, with San Roque and Alcadeisda also on your doorstep.
San Roque is tucked away into the oak-covered hills of Southern Andalusia in the Sotogrande region, between Marbella and Gibraltar, and lies on a 340-acre former aristocratic estate.
The club’s forest sanctuary setting is a tranquil oasis offering gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains and ocean. San Roque’s natural terrain makes it ideal for year-round golf, and the views never disappoint.
San Roque hosts two fantastic golf courses: the Old Course (opened in 1990 by Dave Thomas) and the New Course (Opened in 2002 by Perry Dye). Both courses are highly regarded worldwide.
The Old Course has narrower fairways, challenging bunkers, and subtle, more traditional parkland-style flair throughout. The New Course is more modern, with more dramatic elevation shifts, water features, and larger greens.
Considered the crown jewel of San Roque golf resort, the Old Course opened in 1990 but was further refined by Seve Ballesteros. The course winds through gentle hills, cork oak forest, and boasts a compact and classical route. The traditional parkland design is full of tight fairways, strategic bunkering, and smaller but well-protected greens.
Standout holes include the 2nd par 5, which features a sharp right running near deep bunkers, and the 10th par 4, which challenges players to manage risk and reward by having water features front the green. The 17th par 3 is framed by elegant and mature treelines as well as elevated tee boxes. The final 18th hole is also noted as being an uphill finisher that heads back into the clubhouse. In general, the Old Course rewards precision over power and is a fair course, but it can heavily punish too many mistakes.
Designed by Perry Dye and opened in 2002, the New Course is the modern contrast to the Old Course. The course is situated on the eastern edge of the estate and features more open terrain, larger greens, bolder changes in elevation, and much wider fairways. The course includes more water hazards, waste areas, and is often compared to American golf courses in style, but the native grasses and vegetation, as well as the sea views, give it the Spanish flair tourists desire.
Standout holes include the 9th par 5, which has water features around the green and landing area. The 12th par 4, which has a downhill sloped putting surface (considered to be a hallmark of Perry Dye design), but one of the most widely known is the 18th par 5, which can be achieved in 2 shots, but severely punishes and mistakes with its water areas and deeper bunkers. Generally, this course is more forgiving off the tee than the Old Course, but needs confidence around the greens.
There’s a range of accommodation options in this southern region of Costa Del Sol, two of Premier Golf’s recommendations, SO/ Sotogrande and Fairmont La Hacienda, are located only a short transfer from San Roque Golf Resort. Finca Cortesin, home of the 2023 Solheim Cup is another exceptional property located 20 minutes to the north.
Marbella, Spain’s Costa del Sol cultural and nightlife capital, and neighboring Sotogrande have a world-renowned golf scene. Offering a collection of Spain and Europe’s best courses, after golf you can enjoy Marbella’s large stretch of bars, clubs and restaurants, as well as miles of Mediterranean coastline and beaches.
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You can book a stay at the San Roque Golf Club Resort through Premier Golf as part of a Sotogrande tour or vacation and the team can offer any advice or suggestions to help you make your trip as hassle-free as possible.
San Roque has two golf courses you can book tee times for, these are The Old Course and The New Course, the San Roque has a website where you can book a time slot online.
The San Roque Golf Club Resort offers guests the following amenities: A bar, beach access, buggie hires, club hires, car parking spaces, play spaces for children, a gymnasium and fitness suite, food and dining facilities, including a restaurant, massage options, outdoor swimming pools, room service, and an outdoor tennis court.