Canary Islands By The Golf Planet Holidays Team · Golf-travel specialists since 1981 · Published 2 June 2026 At a glance What are the best golf courses in the Canary Islands? The Canaries offer a remarkable spread of golf across several islands, each with its own character. On Tenerife, Golf del Sur — the home […]
There is a particular kind of golf you can only play in the Canary Islands: a tee shot framed by black volcanic rock, the Atlantic glittering below, and the warm, dry light of an archipelago that sits closer to the Sahara than to mainland Spain. This is golf with a sense of place — sculpted from old lava flows, edged with palms and bougainvillea, and playable on the very days when the courses back home are shut for winter.
What makes the islands special is range. Within a short hop you can move from the manicured resort fairways of southern Tenerife to the windswept, links-like spaces of Fuerteventura, the desert drama of Gran Canaria’s Maspalomas, and the vertiginous clifftop holes of La Gomera. We know these courses intimately, and we build each trip around the ones that will most reward your game.
Tenerife: the archipelago's golfing heart
No island offers more, or more variety, than Tenerife. The sun-soaked south is the natural base — Costa Adeje and Golf del Sur put a cluster of contrasting courses within minutes of one another, and the choice of hotel sets the tone of the trip. Stay at the polished Iberostar Bouganville Playa or the design-led Royal Garden Villas for resort ease, the elegant Hotel Suite Villa Maria in Adeje for villa-style seclusion, or the Hotel Dreams Jardin Tropical for ocean-front comfort close to the first tee.
Golf del Sur, the home course of the 1881 Tenerife Madrigueras Golf Hotel, is the island’s most characterful test — its fairways threaded between jet-black volcanic bunkers, with the Atlantic and the islet of La Gomera on the horizon. For something quite different, head to the lush, green north and the Melia Hacienda del Conde at Buenavista, a Seve-influenced course laid along the cliffs beneath the Teno mountains, where the air is cooler and the views are extraordinary.
Gran Canaria: dunes, mountains and desert light
Gran Canaria gives you two golfing worlds in one island. Down at Maspalomas, the fairways run alongside the famous dunes in a setting that feels genuinely desert-edged — sun-baked, dramatic and reliably warm. The Lopesan Costa Meloneras at Meloneras is the natural luxury base here, a grand resort within reach of several southern courses and the long beaches that bookend a round.
Climb a little and the mood changes entirely. The Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity sits above the coast amid raw volcanic ridges, with golf that plays through ravines and elevation changes you simply won’t find at sea level — a more strategic, shot-shaping test for golfers who like to think their way round. The contrast between the dune courses below and the mountain golf above makes Gran Canaria one of the most rewarding islands to play over several days.
Where our specialists would stay in Canary Islands
Fuerteventura and La Gomera: space, wind and drama
For golfers who relish the elements, Fuerteventura is a revelation. The island’s open, sandy landscape and steady trade winds give the golf a links-like honesty — you must flight the ball, read the wind and earn your score. The Sheraton Fuerteventura Beach, Golf and Spa Resort on the Caleta de Fuste coast and the refined Elba Palace Golf and Vital Hotel both place you directly beside the fairways, with the beach and spa waiting at the end of the day.
La Gomera, reached by a short ferry from Tenerife, is the archipelago’s best-kept secret. The course at Hotel Jardin Tecina tumbles across a clifftop plateau high above the ocean, with holes that play to the very edge of the land — one of the most spectacular settings in European golf, and a fitting centrepiece for the connoisseur’s island-hopping trip.
Building your tailor-made Canary Islands golf trip
The beauty of the Canaries is how easily the islands combine. A classic itinerary might pair the resort golf of southern Tenerife with a ferry crossing to clifftop La Gomera, or twin Gran Canaria’s dune and mountain courses across a single relaxed week. From Kumara Serenoa at Maspalomas to the green north of Tenerife, we hand-pick the hotels and sequence the tee times so each course is played at its best.
Tailor-made trips with us start from
Our specialists’ favourite stays in Canary Islands
What our golfers say
4.997 reviews
Having used Golf Planet Holidays for our Golf trips for a number of years, we of course got in touch with Nigel and Simon to arrange this years trip to Tenerife. As always the trip was arranged exactly as requested and the team at Golf …
Golf Planet Holidays always find us a good location and the facilities we want to make the trip tailored to our needs. The staff offer good advice and present different options. They helped us choose this 10day trip to play golf in Gran Canaria and we…
Stayed at Lopesan Costa Melanoras. Fantastic hotel. Didn't feel too large as there is plenty of space and the gardens are extensive. All golf tee times booked for us at 4 different courses just a short distance from the hotel. Variety of courses :Anfi Tauro and…
Frequently asked questions
Is my Canary Islands golf holiday financially protected?
Yes. Golf Planet Holidays has arranged tailor-made golf since 1981, and your trip is fully protected: we are ATOL Protected for the flight-inclusive elements, and your money is held securely in trust with the PTS until the day you travel. It means you can book a multi-island, flights-and-golf itinerary with complete peace of mind.
Can I play courses on more than one island in a single trip?
Absolutely — island-hopping is one of the most rewarding ways to experience Canarian golf. Short ferry crossings and inter-island flights make it straightforward to pair, say, southern Tenerife with clifftop La Gomera, or to combine Gran Canaria’s dune and mountain courses. We handle all the logistics so the transitions are seamless.
Do I need to be a strong golfer to enjoy the Canary Islands?
Not at all. The islands offer everything from forgiving resort fairways around Costa Adeje and Maspalomas to the wind-tested challenge of Fuerteventura and the dramatic clifftop golf of La Gomera. We match the courses and tee times to your handicap and the kind of test you enjoy, so the golf is a pleasure whatever your standard.
When should I travel for the best conditions?
The Canaries are a true year-round destination, and that is their great advantage. The autumn-to-spring months — when much of Europe is unplayable — are the most popular, offering warm, dry days and reliable sunshine, particularly in southern Tenerife and Gran Canaria’s Maspalomas. We’ll advise on the ideal timing for the islands and courses you choose.
Come and play with us
Wherever you're travelling from, you're welcome on a Golf Planet hosted tour — a small group, a host with you from the first tee to the last, and every round, transfer and dinner taken care of. You just bring the clubs.
