Golf de Pals

Golf de Pals opened its first nine holes in 1966, designed by the English architect Fred W. Hawtree, and was extended to a full eighteen in 1970 — the first 18-hole course in Catalonia and still the oldest on the Costa Brava. It was built through century-old pine forest on the dunes of the Arenals de Mar estate, and the story goes that not a single tree was felled without being personally marked first.

The course plays to a par of 73, links in spirit but wooded in character, with narrow fairways threading between the pines and greens well defended by bunkers. The par-four 4th, played from a high tee box, is one of the layout's genuine highlights, and water only comes into play on two holes, so this is a course that punishes wayward shots more through trees and sand than water. It hosted the first Spanish Open of the European professional tour in 1972 and the European Ladies' Team Championship in 1989.

Book Golf de Pals for a round with genuine history behind it, still asking the same searching questions of accuracy off the tee that it did nearly sixty years ago.