Golf in Majorca

Golf has developed into an intrinsic part of daily life for the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands and Majorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, is where the royal and ancient game flourishes most.

Along with its sister islands of Minorca and Ibiza, it lies in the Mediterranean Sea off the South East coast of mainland Spain and is approximately 2 ½ hours flying time from the UK.

Since the mid-1960s Majorca has witnessed a huge boom in its tourism industry and the region is now one of the most popular in Spain for a holiday.

The island provides ideal conditions for golf whatever the time of year. In the months of spring and autumn the weather is mild and pleasant, while the winter months are still mild with a little more chance of rain. However, many believe Majorca's beauty is at its best during this time as the almond trees are in full bloom.

Summer time, of course, the weather is extremely hot so if you like playing golf with a blazing sun on your back then this is the best time to come. There are 21 courses to be played in the Balearic Islands and 10 of them are in Majorca. Andratx golf course is situated in one of the busier tourist resorts of Majorca and, as such, is very popular. The course has 18 holes, nine of them in a residential area and the other nine making their way through the countryside, totally surrounded by trees and Mediterranean vegetation.

Real Golf de Benidnat enjoys a privileged setting for a golf course as it is situated only ten minutes from Palma and very close to Illetas Beach and the marina of Puerto Portals. Designed by renowned course architect Martin Hawtree the course manages to offer a perfect combination of flat areas and slopes, which render it playable by both beginners and more experienced players.

The Son Antem golf club has two courses, the East and the West, both of which are a delight. The East features wide, long fairways and is designed for lower handicappers, but it still features five lakes to catch out any over confident visitor. The West is a championship standard course that is laid out in spectacular surroundings with the Randa mountains in the background.

Narrow fairways and raised greens are the order of the day here and, being built in the Majorcan countryside, the course enjoys an idyllic, tranquil setting. The Poniente golf course is located in the tourist municipality of Calvia, less than a mile for the busy resort of Magalluf and 10 miles from Palma. Designed by John Harris and inaugurated in 1978, Poniente is an 18-hole course with beautifully kept greens and wide fairways that run through pine and olive greens groves and Mediterranean flora.

Another beautiful setting is to be found at Pula, the longest and most demanding of all Majorca's courses. It underwent some major surgery a few years ago and is now a stunning championship that has hosted various international events through the years. The Santa Ponsa golf club is home to three courses, all of which provide for a great days golf. The No.1 course hosted the Balearic Islands Open for six years, where the likes of Jose Maria Olazabal, Seve Ballesteros, Jesper Parnevik and Miguel Angel Jimenez all teed it up at some point.

The No.2 and No.3 course should not be ignored, however, as they feature a collection of some quite stunning holes. Since Majorca is best known for being one of Europe's leading holiday destinations, there are plenty of tour operators that will find you the best accommodation near the courses and the best tourist attractions.

The restaurants and bars are fairly cheap, meaning that your days can be spent on the golf course and your evenings nursing the tipple of your choice until the sun comes up. Basically, that's what a great golf holiday is all about.