EL Saler Golf Course, Spain

Spain golf course El Saler, Valencia.

This course was designed by Javier Arana, who is responsible for many of the best new courses in Spain - particularly the Club de Campo outside Madrid. El Saler is considered his finest course. It lies close to the Mediterranean and contains a fascinating mix of inland and sea-side vegetation. The sand dunes that lie alongside the 7th, 8th, 17th and 18th holes are very like the best links courses in Britain and the fairways are flanked by lovely umbrella pines. Bernhard Langer won the Spanish Open here in 1984 with a last round of 62.

Valderrama Sotogrande Golf Course, Spain

Spain golf course Valderrama Sotogrande, Cadiz.

Valderrama was laid out by Robert Trent Jones in 1964 when it was known as

Los Aves. He revised his design in 1985, when the course was renamed, with the object of making it one of the finest championship courses in the world - a Spanish Augusta. The course is now acknowledged as being extremely difficult and the back nine is among the hardest in the world where, rather than birdies, pars are the goals. It is extremely picturesque and the beautiful scenery with the old cork trees, which occur as natural hazards at some holes, may prove a distraction. It was the home of the Volvo Masters before this tournament moved to Wentworth and is due to host the Ryder Cup in 1997.