Nov. 16, 2004 – The 1st of January will see the long awaited inauguration of Santana Golf & Country Club in the 'Valle del Golf', 10 minutes from Fuengirola and La Cala and 20 minutes from Malaga Airport. The Costa Del Sol already knows many golf courses, but Santana really is the jewel in the crown.
Santana is an 18 Hole golf course par 72 of approx. 6306 meters (just under 7000 yards) in length, set in 138 acres of picturesque parkland. The course, sympathetically laid out by the architect Cabell B. Robinson, is set in a former avocado plantation, which provided a natural setting.
The final result is a magnificent course with wide and well-defined fairways on level terrain, hence easily walkable, where water features play an important albeit not excessive part in the overall design. Each hole has two championship tees and two tees for general play for both men and ladies – wide and well-manicured putting greens surrounded by strategically placed bunkers, filled with sand produced from crushed marble. Buggy paths are provided throughout the course, beautifully integrated between the rows of fruit trees.
Despite its previous use, the Avocado Tree is not the only tree present here as many other species like eucalyptus, orange and lemon trees, cactus, pines, fig trees, olive and mango trees make up the varied vegetation of this beautiful enclave, together with a varied population of indigenous birds, with amongst others the calzada eagle. The cork oaks along the 5th hole deserve special mention, as they have been present here for more than 500 years. The beautiful environment with its natural surrounding will give the golfer the overriding impression of an existing maturity in every aspect of the course.
However it is not only the beauty of the landscape and its flora and fauna that will impress the player as the golf course itself has been provided with superb attributes to please the most discerning golfer. The course has been constructed with the best materials and expertise available and can boast automatic irrigation throughout the course as well as a sophisticated drainage system which will keep the number of days the course could be closed due to adverse weather conditions to a minimum.
Continuous challenge Santana Golf is technically speaking a demanding course as the unique design of each hole is intended to give a continuous challenge, even for the more experienced player. The layout of the greens, well protected by greenside bunkers, as well as the many water hazards spread throughout the course, will challenge every golfer and require good course management as well as the use of every golf shot in the bag. It is difficult to speak of a signature hole at Santana Golf as they all have something special to offer. The long par 4 18th is one of the most demanding finishing holes along the coast according to the designer, with the lake along the right hand side and a narrow approach to the green.
The 4th hole can only be defined with one word: spectacular. The views from the tee are magnificent and the 'Campillos' stream provides a challenging approach to the green; or what about the 8th hole, with a length of 595 meter (650 yards) considered to be the longest hole in the Costa del Sol and favoring the longer hitter; not to forget the 12th Par 3, playing downhill, with a very large undulating green, many a golfer would be happy to walk away with a three here... One of the most outstanding features of Santana Golf is without a doubt the variety in design, as each and every hole is differentiated by its own characteristics.
The Santana motto "Quality without compromise" is underlined with a generous 10-minute interval between tee-times. Slow play is not allowed and a handicap certificate is required, maximum handicap for Men is 26 and 34 for Ladies. To sum it all up, we are dealing here with a magnificent and spectacular course, where all these combined elements, together with the superb climate of the area and the expertise of the friendly Santana team under guidance of Golf Director Salva Jaime Gallardo, turn Santana Golf into a course beyond your dreams, golfers' paradise, "an area of outstanding beauty where golf and nature are one"
