DESTINATIONGOLF. TRAVEL MADRID & CENTRAL
Greater Madrid is one of Europe’ s greatest regions, blending stunning architecture, cultural riches, glorious gastronomy and vivacious nightlife with a passionate spirit that captivates your heart and lifts your soul. It is also the highest European capital at almost 700 metres, its altitude and proximity to mountains giving it one of Europe’ s most variable climates for a capital but also making it one of its sunniest cities.
The home of Spain’ s royal family and seat of the country’ s government, Madrid’ s cultural treasures include five UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city centre added in July 2021, augmenting four other existing sites in its environs.
Madrid also makes the perfect golf city break, as it is blessed with more golf courses within a 30km radius than any other European capital.
Founded in 2014, the non-profit association promotes Madrid as a golf destination nationally and internationally as well as promoting the golf courses in the Community of Madrid, its golf industry and the region’ s tourist attractions.
Centro Nacional de Golf
Among member courses, Centro Nacional de Golf( National Golf Centre) was created by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation It is regarded as the home of Spanish golf and is less than 15 minutes from the city centre with metro and bus stops right on its doorstep.
The 18-hole course, designed by Dave Thomas and opened in 2005, suits all abilities. It has hosted top tournaments including the Spanish Open and Madrid Masters. Facilities at the centre include a golf school, Toptracer range, a short game area and one of most modern technology centres in Europe.
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, near the centre of Madrid, is one of the city’ s most historic sports clubs and one of Europe’ s largest, covering 250 hectares.
Madrid Barajas Airport( MAD), the largest and busiest airport in Spain and the primary hub for the Spanish flag carrier Iberia.
Getting there is easy, too. Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport is just 12km from Madrid and is served by direct flights from across Europe and many other parts of the world, while you can be in the city in 20 minutes by train, metro, taxi, express bus or rental car.
Madrid is the epicentre of Spain’ s extensive road and highways network and has fast train connections with cities throughout the country as well as with neighbouring France and Portugal.
Once in Madrid, its excellent public transportation and roads make it easy to combine a few days of golf on top-notch layouts with exploring this beguiling city and experiencing some of the best it has to offer visitors.
It offers two 18-hole golf courses, a nine-hole par 3 course and extensive practice facilities. The club’ s original 1932 golf course was badly damaged in the Spanish Civil War, being replaced by the Black course by Javier Arana that opened with 18 holes in 1956. One of Spain’ s most prestigious courses, it has hosted nine Spanish Opens and nine Madrid Opens.
The second nine holes of the Yellow course were designed by Seve Ballesteros.
The club also incorporates an equestrian centre, hockey pitches, 35 tennis courts, ice skating rinks, Olympic-sized swimming pool and squash among its amenities.
The 18-hole course at Real Club de Golf Lomas-Bosque. was designed by Robert Dean Puttman and inaugurated in 1973. The undulating front nine weaves between pines, oaks and ravines while the flat back nine holes are laid out round a large lake.
At the end of your break you will leave with a huge smile on your face while wanting to return as soon as possible to do it all again.
Madrid Golf Courses
The Madrid Golf Courses Association( Asociacion Campos de Golf de Madrid) has almost 20 golf venue members, all close to the heart of the Spanish capital and all welcoming visiting golfers.
They include several top-drawer courses, with the likes of Robert von Hagge, Rees Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Spain’ s Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal among designers to have left their mark on them.
Real Club de Golf Lomas-Bosque
The many tournaments it has hosted include the Ibergolf Trophy won by Gary Player in 1975 and the Madrid Open championship the same year.
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