Golf Holidays in the Canary Islands
The ‘Forgotten’ Golf Holiday Destination
Have you ever thought, I would like a Golf Holiday but its November or its January and there is nowhere really to go where I will be able to wear shorts to play golf or be able to get in the pool?? Well me too!!
Having been to all the four main Canary Islands (spent Christmas and New Year in both Lanzarote and Gran Canaria) I can confirm that the Canaries can fill that void of somewhere to go on a Golf Holiday in our cold winter months!
With average temperatures of circa 20c between October – February and serious lack of rain, Beer at around 2-3 euros a pint, Full English at about 5 euros and due to this being the low season cheap flights you could be set for a relatively cheap winter Golf Holiday in the SUN.
The great thing about the Canaries is there is an option for all budgets, you can have an all-inclusive big hotel complex, self-catering apartments and villa’s there really is something for everyone at extremely good value in comparison to other options at this time of year.
Lanzarote Golf Holidays
If you look out of the left window as you come into land you will see Lanzarote Golf Club, one of two courses on the Island. The course is in the lovely resort of Puerto del Carmen (well just outside of the resort as most golf courses are) If you are going to stop in Puerto del Carmen it is only about 5 or 6 euros in a taxi from your hotel to the golf club. The course is not long but that depends on which way the wind is blowing off the sea (and it does blow) on 10 you can be driver – wedge or driver – 5 iron. Lush green spongy like fairways dotted with tall palm tree’s and receptive greens. An absolute must is making sure you have enough time after your round to sit on the patio area with a cold beer taking in the amazing views down over Puerto del Carmen and out to sea. If you are feeling peckish speak to one of the best chefs on the Island, you will find Antonio and his wife in the 19th and they will make you feel at home on your Golf Holiday.
Lanzarote’s second Golf Course is in Costa Teguise approximately 20 mins from Puerto del Carmen ( so with Puerto del Carmen 5-10 mins from Arrecife airport and Costa Teguise 15-20 mins away probably one of the shortest transfers you could ask for) and with Lanzarote being a small island it doesn’t matter where you stay on your Golf Holiday travelling time to either course will not be an issue. Costa Teguise Golf Club is the more challenging with over 3500 palm trees and the greens are much faster and more undulating than at the Lanzarote Golf Club however both courses are a lovely to play and at good value too.
One thing to note is that both courses do not have rough they have volcanic ash/stones which you can play from, if you have an old 9 iron knocking about take it with you otherwise you will be able to hire one for a couple of euros extra.
The island has no fewer than 9 Golf courses so plenty to keep you occupied on a Golf Holiday if you prefer variety. Tenerife is home to arguably the best golf course in the Canary Islands, The Abama Golf Club which was only built in 2005 alongside the 5* Luxury Ritz Carlton Hotel Resort. The course was built into a mountain, so buggies are a must (probably why a buggy is included in the price of a round). This is a true test of golf with many water hazards and thousands of tall palms, many second shots play uphill where you are unable to see the surface of the green and when you get on the greens you will need your wits about you as they are extremely fast and undulating. All in all if you are after 5* Luxury coupled with a championship golf course for your Golf Holiday Abama is where you should go.
As this Island has so many golf courses there is something for everyone and not everyone wants to play tough championship style courses on holiday. Las Americas Golf is between the 2 most popular destinations for holiday makers in Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristanos. Some would say a much more playable course for the higher handicapper (I am not a single figure golfer but would prefer the harder tests of say the Abama but I also like the variety of playing more than one course). Las Americas however has its own challenges with an abundance of water in play and can turn into a very different courses if the wind blows.
The Island has another luxury Golf Holiday destination which Costa Adeje Golf is where you could stay in the nearby 5* Royal Garden Villas and Spa. The Costa Adeje Golf Course is many peoples favourite when going to the Island of Tenerife for a Golf Holiday, it is a championship golf course that is playable for all levels with large open fairways and fast and true greens. The club played host to the European Tours Canarias Open de Espana in 2003 with the likes of Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and the great Seve Ballesteros all playing in very strong field.
Like Tenerife, Gran Canaria has quite a few golf courses for a relatively small Island.
The Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort just 15 minutes from Masapalomas is an Arizona type feeling and layout of 36 holes, one thing you will notice here on both courses is the vast amount of risk and reward holes there are but unlike so many others these courses often give you 2 options.
Anfi Tauro Golf is probably one of the nicest golf courses not only in Gran Canaria but in the whole of the Canaries! The layout, playability, conditioning is all excellent. The course demands such a variety of different shots and gives you playing off cliffs with amazing views. Anfi Tauro is a must if on Golf Holiday in Gran Canaria!
Golf is relatively new to the island with its first 18-hole golf course The Fuerteventura Golf Club being built in 2004. The Golf Clubs on the Island seem to have been strategically placed with two golf clubs being within 8km of the airport around the area of Caleta de Fuste, you have the Fuerteventura Golf Club and the Salinas de Antigua both within a few minutes of each other and with an abundance of ‘Golf Hotels’ or self-catering apartments in the locality there are options for all budgets on a Golf Holiday in Fuerteventura. Salinas is a links type golf course with large greens which are protected by huge dunes, the course is right on the sea, so the wind will play a part here like it would on any British links. The Fuerteventura Golf Club is the largest golf course on the island with very big greens and extremely forgiving (to the eye) fairways, sometimes up to 50 metres wide. As like the Salinas course the front nine here play adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean even though provides a lovely back drop can play havoc due to the wind.
There is also a new course built in the south of the Island (Jandia) This course was still under construction when I was there circa 2006/2007 and then went under further redevelopment and re-opened in 2014. Reports suggest this is a quirky golf course and a test of golf not found elsewhere on the island, so I will also be keen to play this whenever I get back to this lovely island.
Golf Blog written By Dan Parker, Golf Holidays Direct, Golf Travel Specialist