TRAVEL FEATURE: FINCA CORTESIN, SPAIN - Golf Information | Golf Journal

course and its many challenges proved invaluable. As you’d count on, the course was in unimaginable situation, with the fairways like carpets and the greens operating at about 12.5 on the stimp.

They might have held the Solheim Cup once more that day, it was that good.

We began at what is often the fourth gap, which is likely one of the course’s many signature gap
– a downhill 280-yard par 4 that wraps round a lake.

It’s drivable for the massive hitters, however the good play for many is an iron up the proper and a wedge on. From there the course meanders its manner across the numerous website, with elevation adjustments coming all through in addition to doglegs, stunning views in all instructions, and loads of selection.

We stopped for a meals break on the tenth tee, which will need to have spurred me on, as I made birdie on this beautiful par 3, which performs severely downhill with a backdrop of the mountains.

All of the quick holes are very good, with my favorite being the twelfth, the place Denmark’s Emily Pedersen loved a hole-in-one for simply the second ace within the historical past of the Solheim Cup.

The par-4 fifteenth is one other visible deal with and it’s one of many hardest par 4s on the course, the place you drive over the homeland earlier than turning uphill and left.

Nacho’s clubbing was an incredible assist, and this paid off after I holed a 5-iron from 180 yards on the par-four sixteenth for a uncommon eagle.

Being somewhat grasping and making an attempt to go eagle-birdie, I went immediately on the flag on the par-3 seventeenth, with the pin simply over the bunker and making an attempt to emulate Carlota Ciganda’s birdie over World No 1 Nelly Korda that noticed Europe retain the Solheim Cup, as they tied 14-14. Sadly, it didn’t repay for me and I discovered the bunker.

The dogleg-left par 5 finisher performs downhill on the second shot after which rises again as much as a inexperienced that could be very nicely guarded with bunkers. It’d supply the occasional birdie however it’s positively one the place you’ll be comfortable to complete with a par.

Grinning like proverbial Cheshire cats, our group left the 18th inexperienced on a {golfing} excessive, having skilled one in every of Europe’s most interesting programs offered in very good situation.

SUPERB SPA

Needing to wind down after such a high-octane morning, I spent the afternoon in Finca’s spectacular 2,220m2 spa having fun with the steam room, Turkish bathtub, sauna and ice bathtub mixture to ease some drained limbs.

The spa additionally boasts a 25m indoor saltwater pool, a Technogym, Snow Cave, and 10 rooms for a variety of Oriental-themed therapies, whereas there’s a outside swimming pool and for racquet sports activities followers there are tennis and padel courts.

PRIVATE VILLAS

That night we had dinner in a personal villa – one in every of 16 on the property – which presents a unique kind of lodging for households or bigger group of mates.

The villas, which boast 5 en-suite double/ twin rooms, characteristic non-public gardens and swimming swimming pools and revel in magnificent views of a mountain vary and the ocean.

Following a superb dinner within the villa, we headed again to the resort the place we had been royally entertained by the resort’s resident band, which took request after request from our group, regardless of a few of very questionable musical decisions.

The resort, which was designed by the late Portuguese designer Duarte Pinto Coelho, has
a classically Andalusian really feel, with darkly cosseting lounges, fabric-swathed partitions, and the suite doorways that after sealed the rooms of Benedictine monks.

Regardless of being unquestionably upmarket, it nonetheless feels very homely, and that is all right down to the workers, who seamlessly mix in with the company, whereas anticipating their each want with virtually alarming accuracy.

The next day we performed the golf course as soon as once more, however this time because the member or common inexperienced payment participant would do. It made for a barely completely different, however nonetheless memorable expertise, with alternatives to be extra conservative on some holes and extra gung-ho on others following our earlier day’s expertise.

SEAFOOD HEAVEN

After lunch within the clubhouse and one other go to to the spa, it was time for our farewell dinner at
REI, one other of the resort’s 4 eating places, with this one specialising in Japanese delicacies with a Mediterranean affect.

With so many tempting dishes to decide on, I wouldn’t hesitate to advocate the tasting menu, which features a heady mixture of seafood, together with wild purple tuna, smoked salmon sashimi, sea bass (pictured under), oysters, razor clams, prawns, scallops and squid.

For these nights while you need one thing a bit easier, Don Giovanni presents an Italian menu with a Sicilian twist, with recent pasta, pizzas and steaks among the many common decisions, whereas the Seaside Membership, which is situated 1km from the resort within the Bahia de Caceres, additionally has a restaurant, the place paella and freshly-cooked Mediterranean dishes are the order of the day.

Our ultimate day of our action-packed itinerary allowed us simply sufficient time to brush up on our {golfing} abilities on the driving vary and have lunch on the Poolside Bar earlier than I headed again to Malaga to catch my flight again to Gatwick, and to the cruel realities of life outdoors the luxuriously welcoming bubble that’s Finca Cortesin.

For particulars of all of the golf packages out there at Finca Cortesin, together with inexperienced charges, stay-and-play charges, and the Finca Cortesin Expertise, go to fincacortesin.com or electronic mail [email protected]