DESTINATION GOLF 2022
comprising seven par 3s and two par 4s , which can be combined to give 18 holes . In addition , it has a golf school with a Toptracer range .
Enjoying possibly Spain ’ s most magnificent and certainly most historic setting , Real Club de Golf la Herreria has long been associated with royalty and was called “ the club of kings and the king of clubs ” by US President Gerald Ford .
It lies surrounded by oak trees and at the foot of a mountain within the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial , a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the monumental 16th century monastery alongside the club which was long the residence of Spain ’ s royal family and where most of its sovereigns were buried .
The club ’ s 18-hole golf course opened in 1966 and was remodelled in 2000 by Jose Gancedo . It is complemented by a golf school , driving range and short game zone besides other sport and leisure facilities .
Although the Real Sociedad Hipica Espanola Club de Campo has only been on its existing site since the 1990s , its beginnings date right back to 1901 when it was established as the Real Sociedad Hipica ( Royal Horse Society ), merging in 1942 with the Sociedad Deportiva Club de Campo ( Country Club Sports Society ) to form the RSHECC as it is today .
Its first 18 holes on the current site opened in 1997 , with a second course again designed by Robert von Hagge , added later . They are augmented by a par 3 course , a driving range and approach area and practice putting greens , while the club also has an equestrian centre , croquet , tennis and paddle-tennis , a gym and swimming pools .
Four Jack Nicklaus courses , two of them signature designs , make Real Club la Moraleja Madrid ’ s largest golf venue and one of Spain ’ s top private clubs .
The first course opened in 1976 , followed in 1990 by the second course , the other two opening on a nearby site in 2012 .
The quartet have seen some of the world ’ s top golfers compete in prestigious events including the Spanish Open , Madrid Open and the World Cup of Golf over the years .
The club was a pioneer of paddle-tennis in Spain and has 12 courts , five of them covered , along with eight tennis courts , squash courts , a gym and indoor and outdoor pools .
MADRID ATTRACTIONS
Join the throng of tourists along the city ’ s Gran Via thoroughfare to browse the shops and admire the buildings , then stop for a refreshing drink at one of the street-side bars .
A visit to Madrid ’ s so-called Art Triangle is a must , to take in the grand , colonnaded Museo del Prado . The national art museum of Spain , it is lauded as one of the world ’ s finest art institutions and houses a vast collection of Spanish and European artworks spanning seven centuries , many by some of the greatest artists . You can gaze at more masterpieces at the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza .
The museum lies along the impressive , tree-lined Paseo del Prado , one of Europe ’ s most famous streets and one of two newly-recognised UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the capital , the other being the adjoining Retiro Park with its neo-classical monuments and boating lake .
Other top sites include the Royal Palace , the Spanish Royal Family ’ s official residence , and adjacent Catedral de la Almudena , as well as the bustling Plaza Mayor square and historic Puerta de Alcala gateway , which is lit up after sunset .
Grab a selfie with El Oso y el Madrono , the bronze sculpture of a bear and a strawberry tree in the very heart of the city in the Puerta del Sol square that is Madrid ’ s symbol . It is just a short stroll from Plaza Mayor .
Eating is a passion bordering on religion in Spain , and in Madrid you can feast on regional cuisines from all over the country and beyond .
Palacio Cristal
18 Patones de Arriba
Greater Madrid - Aranjuez