7 Must-Play Courses Within 70 Miles of Madrid

Madrid may be more commonly associated with football, but the city is also a great base to explore some of Spain’s finest golf courses. One of Europe’s most magnificent cities, the Spanish capital has it all, with a buzzing nightlife, stunning architecture and world-class golf. From European Tour hosts to lesser-known gems there are over 20 courses in Madrid and the surrounding area. We take a journey through Madrid’s best golf courses.

Golf Santander

Ranked 6th in Spain and 31st in Continental Europe.

Golf Santander is ideally located just 10 minutes outside Spain’s capital city. The course is the brainchild of the giant banking group Santander, who wanted to build a course for its city high fliers and clients.

Once a rubbish dump, the course has grown from its humble origins and is now one of the country’s finest layouts.

Freckled with flowers and fauna the layout was built the bank’s strict environmental specifications. As a result, golfers will find a picturesque and charming course, that will test every element of your game.

Designed by Rees Jones and Seve Ballesteros at the helm, Golf Santander is a long and extremely tough course, although accessible thanks to numerous tee positions on each hole. The course has gained considerable plaudits since opening in 2005. Already ranked in Europe’s top 100, this is a course that looks set to shoot up the rankings in the years to come.

Centro Nacional de Golf

Opened in 2005, this charming course consists of 18 diverse holes located on the fringes of Monte del Pardo Park. Home to the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, Centro Nacional de Golf is among the most recognisable in Spain. The layout would welcome Europe’s finest for the Open de Espana this year, which was won by local hero Jon Rahm. Just North of Madrid, the layout is ideal for championship golf, with the final three holes played through a natural amphitheater.

The venue is also a great choice for visitors to the capital, with nearby metro stations making this must-play course easily accessible from across the city.

Real Club de Golf La Herreria

Real Club de Golf La Herreria is set in a magnificent location at the foot of the Monte Abantos in the Guadarrama Mountain range. A beguiling layout, the course borders the 16th Century Monastery of San Lorenzo de Escorial, one of the region’s most historic monuments. Just 45km outside of Madrid, golfers will find a championship layout set in a stunning natural environment.

Ranked among the country’s top layouts, the course boasts several memorable holes. Nowhere more so than the 18th, a stunning dog-leg left that forms one of the most breath-taking finishing holes in Spain.

Golf la Dehesa

Nestled in the foothills of the dramatic Sierra de Guadarrama, Golf la Dehesa has quickly risen to become one of the finest courses in Spain. Just 45 minutes from Madrid city centre, the beautiful course opened for play in 1992. Meandering its way through rolling wooded terrain, Club de Golf la Dehesa is gifted a superb location. Visitors will find a varied course composed of two vastly different nines. The opening nine runs parallel to the river and serves up a selection of scenic golf holes. The closing stretch is by far the more technical of the two 9’s, with a number of blind shots necessitating precise club selection.

Club de Golf Retamares

Located 30 minutes from Spain’s vibrant capital, Club de Golf Retamares was masterminded by the great Jose Maria Olazabal. Set against the backdrop of the mountains, here is a championship test which combines the beauty of the natural surroundings with a creative and clever design.

The recent addition of five lakes has further enhanced the layout. There are now eight water hazards in total so remember to bring plenty of balls!

Club de Golf Lomas-Bosque

Club de Golf Lomas-Bosque is home to one of the region’s finest courses. Since opening in 1973 city dwellers have made the short 30-minute trip to play this immaculate layout. Meandering its way over undulating fairways, the course takes in varied terrain, with woodland, lakes and ravines all coming into play. With bunkers guarding many of the greens accuracy takes precedence, with water also coming into play throughout. The club also boasts fabulous practice facilities.

Golf Negralejo

Golf Negralejo is located next to the Vega del Jarama, in Rivas Vaciamadrid. It is an accessible parkland layout suitable for all levels of player and a great place to start your golfing adventure in the city. With eighteen holes of pitch and putt, and good practice facilities Negralejo is a fun and affordable place to play golf.

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