The Costa del Sol is famous for its golfing. Please find a useful list of golf courses within easy reach of the Puerto Banus Apartments below:

ALOHA GOLF COURSE Urb, Aloha, Nueva Andalucìa, MARBELLA Tel. (95) 281 23 88....Fax (95). 281 23 89

Located in Marbella's golf valley, this splendid 18 holes course has hosted numerous and important international competitions since its opening in 1975. Enriched by a luxuriant vegetation, wide fairways and broad greens, you find the complication of some trees in the centre of the course, if you hit straight and manage to stay on the ample fairways, you will be safe. D. José Luis Mangas is the club's professional, and besides the services of its bars and restaurant, clubs, bags and buggies are available for renting.

ARTOLA GOLF COURSE Crta. de Cadiz Km. 194. MARBELLA Tel. (95). 283 13 90....Fax. (95). 283 04 50

Located on the east side of Marbella, this nine holes pitch and putt is an ideal course for learners. Its privileged situation almost on the seaside, with a luxuriant vegetation, and the course characteristics with its flat fairways and oval greens, provides players with an ideal form of relaxation. Clubs and bags are available for rent and the Hotel Artola restaurants and bar offers a fine service.

DAMA DE NOCHE Camino del Angel, Rio Verde. MARBELLA Tel. (95). 281 81 50....Fax (95). 281 70 06

Located in the international Marbella, very near Puerto Banus, Dama de Noche ("Lady of the Night"), is Europe's first 24 hours a day golf course. The course is a nine holes par 36 layout 2.700 metres long, on both sides of Rio Verde. Palms and other trees help giving a special charming to this very well maintained course. The lighting system is arranged so as to cast no shadows thus giving daylight quality and maximum visibility and the absence of rough ensures a round of golf here doesn't become a farce of hunt the ball. The club offers a nice restaurant and clubs, bags and buggies to hire.

GREENLIFE GOLF

Greenlife Golf Club is a nine hole Par-3 course of 1.142 metres. With narrow, well prepared fairways, the holes run from the shortest at 89 metres to the longest at 169 metres. the greens are large and offer a considerable variety of pin placing. The course is ideal for starters and expert golfers wishing to keep their eye in. The layout is well defined by its abundant vegetation including palm trees and oaks. Water features on the first and second holes and there is a river adjacent to the fifth and ninth. The club has a golf school and, for members, a heated pool, clay-court tennis, gym, jacuzzi, sauna, etc. The restaurant is open for lunch and offers á la carte menu for diners.

GUADALMINA NORTH Urb, Guadalmina Alta. 29678 MARBELLA Tel: (95) 288 33 75 Fax: (95) 288 3438

More recently opened than Guadaamina South (in 1975), it has a shorter course and more undulating, with water traps hidden in the rough what forced the player to go by the centre of the fairways. The 7th. hole, a par four, is a difficult one, out of limits on both sides. Considered less difficult than the south course, this was designed by Folco Nardi forming two loops of nine holes, the course starts and ends at the club house. Bar, restaurant, swimming pool, tennis courts, bags and buggies rent, are other offer of the Club together with the technical advise of its professional Francisco Hernandez.

GUADALMINA SOUTH Urbanizacion Guadalmina Alta. San Pedro Alcantara, MARBELLA Tel. 34-5-288 33 75..Fax. 34-5-288 34 83

Guadalmina South, considered the most difficult of Guadalmina's 45 holes, was opened in1959. It has wide fairways free of rough and with no water, as an alternative it offers mature shade-giving trees. Holes 14th. and 16th. are rather complicated and need accurate shots. From the 9th. and 10th, holes you can enjoy a beautiful view over the Mediterranean Sea. At 15th. there is a bunker waiting to catch anything that falls short , and from the tee, tunnel vision is an advantage in order to successfully drive between two stands of tall pines. Bar, restaurant, tennis courts, swimming pool, bags and buggies are the club offer.

LA QUINTA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Crta. de Ronda km 3'5, Benahavis/Marbella (Malaga) Spain Tel.34-5-278 34 62 ...Fax. 34-5-278 34 66

Located in Marbella's golf valley, with a tortuous but designedly to give leisure to the player. The rounds call for accuracy and stamina, Its fairways are wide but the deep bunkers wait for a straight approach shot to the greens. The second hole has been redesigned and now goes softly and straight towards a slightly raised green. The eighteenth, with a lake in the middle of the green is a challenge to experienced players. La Quinta is one of the most attractive complexes in the Costa del Sol, directed by Mr. Lies Bruinenberg under the chairmanship of D. Ricardo Arranz, it has recently built a further 9 holes course, where you can play, either the nine holes of it, or combined with the rest of the course. Hole fourth goes parallel to the river on the club foot hill, being the most difficult of the course, a par four dogleged to the left. The club, also offers buggies, clubs and bags, a selected bar and its famous restaurant La Dorada.

LAS BRISAS 1D. Street Nueva Andalucia, MARBELLA Tel.. 281 08 75......fax. 281 55 18

Las Brisas A very well designed layout, to play here is an achievement in any golfer's yearbook. It has hosted the World Cup in 1974 and 1989, and the Spanish open three times. The Mediterranean Open Tournament is another achievement. Las Brisas Golf is located in Marbella's golf valley, and very closed to Puerto Banus. The club has a fine restaurant, clubs, bags and buggies available to hire and the additional sports facilities include a swimming pool and tennis courts.

LA ZAGALETA GOLF CLUB Carretera de Ronda Km. 38 Benahavis. Tel.- (95) 278 68 00..........Fax. (95) 278 2208

La Zagaleta, a complete country club with its golf course, hunting reserve. equestrian centre and other sports installations, with a fantastic clubhouse, is located on the Marbella to Ronda road and is, possibly, the best and most breathtaking on offer on the Costa del Sol, with its magnificent facilities and views. The nature reserve where diverse species of both, vegetation and wildlife inhabit the zone, provide the course with a special character, where nature if very important. Strictly private for the pleasure of members and their guests only. LOS ARQUEROS Crta. Ronda Km.42,9. Finca Torre.

BENAHAVIS Tel.(95).278 81 30....Fax. (95). 278 81 30 Los Arqueros

This is the first course designed by Spanish golf champion Seve Ballesteros. Located on the Ronda road, it is 5kms. from San Pedro de Alcantara, in the municipality of Benahavis. Under the chairmanship of Mr. Ake Olafsson, and the professional advice of Gary Vautier and Juan Miguel Borrego, the whole layout and the winding design of some of its fairways are clearly visible from the roadside. Set in rolling hills, course construction involved a huge earth moving operation. Seve Ballesteros considers that the course offers something for players of all standards, including professionals. Buggies, bags and clubs are available to rent, as well as a nice bar and restaurant service.

LOS NARANJOS Nueva Andalucia . MARBELLA Tel. (95). 281 52 06....Fax (95). 281 14 28 Los Najanros

The orange tree, synonomous with the area, has been used extensively on this course, located in the Marbella's golf valley and opened in 1977. It has hosted important international competitions, so it has been renewed, with a newly built clubhouse in the purest Andalusian style and the redesign of some of the fairways. Its 18 holes are set in broad sweeping fairways with gentle slopes. Its course is not easy and you need long accurate shots to comply with each hole par. Clubs, bags and buggies are available in the Clubs, as well as a nice bar and restaurant.

MARBELLA CLUB GOLF RESORT

The latest edition to Andalucia's golfing family is the Marbella Club Golf course located in the foothill of the Benahavis' mountains. Designed by Dave Thomas of Belfry and San Roque Club fame, Marbella Club Golf winds between pines, cork oaks, quejigos and other indiginous vegetation offering marvellous views down to the sea and across to North Africa. The layout's variety means that players will use all the clubs in their golf bags as the course demands precision and not a little technique. The 3rd., with a slight dogleg uphill to the right requires care over the second shot to avoid the large lake in front of the wide, horizontally laid green. The 9th. offers a spectacular finish from high tees. There is plenty of room, but two trees in the middle of the fairway will give pause for thought and further down a 150 years old quejigo tree guards the approach to the green some seventy yards out.

MARBELLA GOLF CLUB Crta. de Cadiz Km.188. MARBELLA Tel. (95). 283 05 00....Fax. (95). 283 43 53

This Marbella course is located near the Hospital Costa del Sol on a scraggly landscape. The course, with magnificent views, is difficult for amateurs. The third hole requires a long and straight drive to avoid a deep ravine. On the fourth hole, a par 3, it is easy to come out of the course limits if the shot is not accurate, as it is just tee and green where everything in between, is bandit country. The Club offers buggies, bags and clubs, a nice bar and the exquisite service of its restaurant The Fairways.

RIO REAL GOLF CLUB Crta. de Cadiz Km. 185 Urb, Rio Real. MARBELLA Tel.(95).277 95 09...Fax. (95) 277 21 40

Rio Real is located only a 3 km. from Marbella centre, in a beautiful and quiet zone right on the seaside with plenty of trees, it is intersected four times by the river whose name has the course. Its views over the Mediterranean Sea are wonderful and the gradual inclination of the land down towards the sea, enables you to enjoy them from any corner of the course, which is almost plain. The greens are rather flat and protected by bunkers. The fourth hole, in very close to the sea and offers splendid views, the tee shot is not difficult, but the access to the green, close to the beach, may take the ball to any of the near bunkers. The Club offers a very good service of bar and restaurant as well as buggies, bags and clubs and a splendid swimming pool.

SANTA MARIA Crta. de Cadìz Km.192. Urb. Elviria, MARBELLA Tel. (95). 283 03 88....fax. (95). 283 08 70

Located opposite Hotel Don Carlos, East of Marbella, opened its first nine holes in 1991. The course traces the contours of the valley and offers beautiful views over the Mediterranean. The par three 6th. hole is especially challenging and is situated on the highest point of the course. Take a breather here and be master of all your survey before tackling the formidable tee shot down towards the guarded green some 180 mts. away. A nice bar and restaurant and renting of clubs, bags and buggies, are the extra offer of the club.