Location and arrival
Close to Gibraltar, the Finca Cortesin course is located on the edge of the village of Casares on a hill in a secured complex. You tell the friendly security staff at the entrance your starting time (English is no problem in the area if you don't speak Spanish) and they will explain you the way to the golf club.
All around the golf course
Next to the golf course is the exclusive Hotel Cortesin - a hotel built in the Andalusian country house style. The resort also includes villas and other residences; of course there are also sports and spa facilities, a beach club and an exclusive shopping area. As the entire complex is situated on a hill, there are always wonderful views of the Mediterranean and, depending on the weather, you might be able to spot Africa in the distance.
Service
When you arrive at the clubhouse, you are greeted by a caddy master with a cart. He will then load up your golf bag and drive it to your personalized cart at the driving range - although the friendly gentleman will briefly explain where to find which location of the club if you are visiting for the first time.
Once you arrive at the clubhouse, you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee before your round or an excellent meal after your round. We treated ourselves with two different burgers after the round - both tasted great.
The pro shop on site - where you also register - also offers everything a golfer's heart desires. Of course, we also bought a polo - if you're ever in such a well-known and unique place, it's a must for us to take a souvenir of this kind with us.
Before the round, you will find enough water for the round on the cart and fruit (apples and bananas) at the start itself - this ensures that you are well fed for the round. During the round, you are also provided with what we think is a tasty "chicken soup" - you'll be happy to hit the ball a meter away from the flag.
Overall, all the staff are very friendly and concerned about the well-being of their guests - we really liked that. For us, the service is the best we have ever encountered on a golf course - you really get an all-round carefree package for your money - like a vacation within a vacation.
The course
This course is a must for golf enthusiasts! Three Volvo World Matchplay Masters have already been held there and a highlight was the Solheim Cup in September 2023, in which the Europeans successfully defended the cup. This tournament was simply a fairytale, where the Spanish player Carlotta Ciganda won the decisive match for Europe on 17.
After the Solheim Cup, Finca Cortesin would like to build on this successful event with its commitment to women's golf. They are also open to new tournament proposals to add to the legacy of the Solheim Cup - so we can really look forward to seeing what events will follow on this course.
Our highlight of the vacation was set against the mountainous backdrop of the Sierra Bermeja and with wonderful views of the Mediterranean. The golf course is considered one of the best in Spain - and rightly so!
From the back tees, it has a length of 6,727 meters, making it one of the longest courses in Europe. For us, the par 72 of yellow (men - 5,884 m) and gold (equivalent to the ladies' blue at 5,215 m) was good to play. The 18 holes are designed by Cabell Robinson and it challenges the player again and again. All the greens were fast and true to line - making golf really fun!
The start on tee 1 is a pleasant way to begin the round. The tee shot should be aimed to the right of the fairway, as the ball will bounce to the left due to the topography. A precise shot into the green then increases the chance of a par.
The green of 2 - a par 3 - is well guarded by many bunkers - here you have to see how to reach the green best.
Tee 3 is then a wonderful par 5 - with the first view towards the Mediterranean. The water hazard on the left-hand side should be avoided as much as possible - although the shot into the green can also be a challenge here. If you lie in one of the bunkers to the right of the green, the bunker shot needs to be well measured, because if the ball runs over the green too quickly, it will run into the hazard, as there is nothing there to protect the ball from the water.
Hole 4 is a risk and reward par 4 and a long hitter can reach the green - but you should think twice, as there is also a water hazard to the left of the fairway and the green.
At the 5th tee, the optics take full effect. The fairway is narrow and gets narrower the closer you get to the green. The green is also narrow and requires a good shot, as it is also well protected by bunkers.
On the following long par 3, you should aim for the left, as there are deep bunkers on the right that make life difficult for many players.
You then leave the first valley and drive over to the other side, where the rest of the course lies. There you will find the longest par 4 on the Costa del Sol. For men, this hole has HCP 1. It opens up a wide fairway and on the day we played, we also had a strong headwind, which made a GIR impossible. That wasn't a bad thing, though, because you're more likely to have a chip that you better leave a little too short so that you don't have a nasty downhill putt.
On hole 8, you are well served with a fade, as there are a few bunkers lurking on the left. It is also better to keep to the right on the second shot - there are also bunkers in the zone. Once you have mastered this, you also have a good opportunity to get into the green with your third shot.
The first nine holes end with a par 4, which is reasonably short. The view of the hotel/the clubhouse in the background is beautiful. A straight shot straight ahead or right into the fairway also makes it easy to reach the green with the second shot.
After a short buggy ride past the driving range on the left, you reach the most spectacular par 3 on the course: you can see some villas on the left and the mountains of Estepona straight ahead. The green in the shape of a guitar lies in the valley of this hole - so it plays shorter than it is. Nevertheless, the golf club needs to be chosen well, depending on the wind conditions.
Tee 11 is then a par 5 where you have to hit fairly blind into the fairway because you have to dogleg into a small hill and a bunker in front of you. The second shot is better hit to the left of the fairway to give yourself a good chance of reaching the green comfortably with your third shot.
Another par 3 follows, but it is fair and easy to play. The tees are slightly elevated and allow a good shot into the green. This is where the ball should land at best, as the green is once again defended by many bunkers.
This is followed by a beautiful par 4 - a great landscape - with a view of Finca at the end. It is the signature hole and a real pleasure to play. The tee shot should be placed and not too long, as a water hazard runs along the left side of the fairway and crosses the fairway completely before the green. The green is large and undulating - so you have enough space to reach the green with your second shot.
Hole 14 is then a short par 4 - here, too, you have a good chance of reaching the green with your first shot. As usual, however, this requires careful consideration, as there are several bunkers around the green. At least this green can be easily reached with a short second shot if the tee shot is well placed. The green of the 14th is also what you can see from the clubhouse behind the driving range.
The 15th is another spectacular hole - at least from the side tees. Unfortunately, gold was behind red and behind the fairway that day - the tee shot from yellow was more fun. For the second shot, it is advisable to take at least one more club, as the fairway rises towards the green.
The fairway of the 16th has a large dogleg from left to right and the landing zone is not too big. You have to think carefully about where to place the ball. Long hitters play just over the trees on the right - a blind shot and you have to be surprised whether the ball is still in play (depending on the wind direction). The green also has its challenges - there are bunkers on the left and if you are on the right, you have a nasty downhill putt or chip.
The shortest and now the "Europe retains the Solheim Cup 2023" hole (as previously described) requires precision because it is well defended and the green also has exciting slopes that demand a lot of putting skills. The view of the Estepona mountains in the background is once again beautiful.
Finally, you come to a par 5 with 519 meters that is easy to play. The fairway is one of the widest on the course. Here, too, the second shot needs to be carefully considered, as there is a bunker in the landing zone. The green is narrow, well defended by bunkers on the right and the out of bounds beckons on the left. A great finish with plenty of opportunities for the last hole of the golf course.
Conclusion
It is certainly a great golf course, challenging in terms of play but yet good and fair to play. The greens are a dream - the entire course is in excellent condition (early January 2024).
The service is the best we have ever encountered - you simply feel at home on this course. We will be back.
