Spain By The Golf Planet Holidays Team · Golf-travel specialists since 1981 · Published 28 June 2026 Some courses sit lightly on the land. This one climbs. The measured terrain shows 279 metres of total ascent across the eighteen, which is a serious amount of up and down for a single round, and you feel […]
Some courses sit lightly on the land. This one climbs. The measured terrain shows 279 metres of total ascent across the eighteen, which is a serious amount of up and down for a single round, and you feel it most on the closing stretch where the last two holes both tilt against you. The prevailing wind comes out of the north, so it rarely sits still on the exposed sections. Water is in play on a good number of holes too, which keeps the second shots honest. The short version: this is a thinking player’s round where reading the slope matters as much as the swing.
The signature hole is the 6th, and it earns the billing. It plays uphill and into that northerly wind, so whatever the card says, it plays longer. The data flags it as a three-shot hole where position beats power, and that is the line to take. Resist the urge to chase it. A sensible drive, a lay-up that leaves a full wedge rather than an awkward half, then a committed shot into the green. Trying to bully a hole that runs uphill into the breeze is how good cards come undone.
It is also one of the three toughest holes here, alongside the 8th and the 13th, and the contrast between them is the interesting part. Both the 8th and the 13th play downhill and are reachable in two if you fancy it. They reward the opposite instinct to the 6th.
The 8th tumbles downhill with a crosswind across it. Reachable in two, so the green is on if you are swinging well, but the wind drifts the ball sideways and you have to allow for it. Aim into the breeze and let it bring the shot back rather than starting it at the flag. Get greedy without respecting the drift and you bring the trouble into the equation.
The 13th is the most tempting of the lot. Downhill and downwind, which is a lovely combination off the tee and into the green. The ball flies, the slope keeps it running, and two good shots can leave you putting for an eagle. The note from the data is to take less club, because everything carries further with the wind behind. Most players over-club downwind and sail the green. Trust the conditions and the contour to do the work.
Where our specialists would stay in Spain
| Hole | Par | Plays | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (signature) | Around a par 5 | Uphill, into the wind | Three-shot hole, position over power, club up |
| 8 | Around a par 5 | Downhill, crosswind | Reachable in two, allow for the drift |
| 13 | Around a par 5 | Downhill, downwind | Reachable in two, take less club |
| 18 | Around a par 4 | Uphill, into the wind | A genuine finishing test, it plays long |
(Pars and lengths above are derived from terrain and layout data, so treat them as the character of each hole rather than the official scorecard.)
This one rewards a player who enjoys reading a hillside and adjusting for wind, more than one who just wants to stand up and hit driver. If you like a course that asks questions, you will get on with it. Higher handicappers can still have a fine day, provided they play the lay-ups the slope invites and do not fight the gradient.
On walkability, be honest with yourself. With 279 metres of climbing, the terrain is genuinely hilly and a buggy is advised. Take one. It saves your legs for the swing and keeps the round moving, and on a layout with this much elevation change that is no small thing. The northerly wind and the open hillside mean the shoulder seasons tend to play best on the Costa del Sol. Spring and autumn give you warm, settled golf without the height of summer heat, which on a climb like this is worth having.
The climbing is the thing to know before you book. Two hundred and seventy-nine metres of ascent is a lot, and the round finishes on two uphill holes, the 17th and the 18th, the 18th into the wind as well, so the hardest walking and the most demanding tee shots arrive when you are already tired. If gentle, flat golf is what you are after, this is not that. Hire the buggy, pace yourself, and it becomes a pleasure rather than a slog.
We arrange tee times at Los Arqueros Golf & Country Club as part of a tailor-made trip to Spain, with a hotel to match and the rounds you want to play. See what it’d cost
Our specialists’ favourite stays in Spain
What our golfers say
4.997 reviews
If you are going to play golf, there's nothing better than playing in the sunshine so my wife and I had an item on our bucket list to take a month driving around the Iberian peninsula playing golf, staying at good hotels and eating well! …
We recently used Golf planet Holidays for our annual golf trip to Spain, I can honestly say that the service provided was second to none, an absolutely first class experience.. well done the team at Golf planet holidays..
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.
