In the 1980s Robert Naify had a vision to create an exclusive members’ club among the olive groves in the heart of Marbella. To design his dream course, Naify chose one of golf’s most prolific course architects and golf legend, Robert Trent Jones Senior.
Working closely with Trent Jones was Cabell B. Robinson, one of Europe’s most prestigious golf designers, who had been based on the Costa del Sol for many years and who was responsible for overseeing and carrying out the plan. In November 1994, with the strong support of the founding members, Naify’s dream finally became reality and the 18-hole course was officially opened, with the green of the olive trees blending into the greens on the course of beautiful Marbella Golf Country Club.
The Robert Trent Jones design at Marbella Golf Country Club has fast, undulating greens that stretch among the gentle olive groves of the original landscape. Its higher greens are protected by well-positioned bunkers and there are several lakes forcing a player to think carefully about which club to take out of their bag.
The beautiful views over the Mediterranean follow the golfer on this par 72, with a narrow and short front nine leading into a longer back nine where a player can really let themselves go.
The layout has not seen any great change since 2010 and maintains the essence of the original design devised by Trent Jones. However, the club facilities, course upkeep and customer service have all been updated, creating a modern course with everything a player needs to enjoy their golf.
In terms of maintenance, recent activity has included replacing the grass on the green of the first hole and half of the green on the 15th with new Agrostis L93 turf. All the greens and tees have had hollow tining as well, to improve growth and enrich the subsoil, and the club has bought the latest generation Toro rough-grinding equipment to start to give shape to the fairways by cutting the rough to the target height.
As for news on latest additions to the team; although Monty Bordelon has been working with the club for almost 10 years, he has now been appointed General Manager of Marbella Golf.
Marbella Golf Country Club is just five minutes from the centre of Marbella and, if you haven’t started playing golf yet, this is the place to come. The club has designed different programmes, led by its four professionals, for either teaching or coaching any type of player.
When you are a member of a club like Marbella Golf, you are part of a real community united by golf. The club has three types of membership: Hole in One, with unlimited golf and shared buggy; Eagle, golf six months of the year with unlimited golf and buggy; and Albatross, which includes 75 green fees in a year with buggy. There will also be a fourth type launched soon; the Birdie membership, with 50 green fees.
All memberships include benefits such as three weekly competitions, preferential tee times and discounts. The club has also created other types of course passes, such as monthly memberships or packages of 10 green fees, plus the Marbella Passport, for those who are on holiday and don’t want to miss out on their favourite sport.
For enquiries about membership and passes, contact Satu Kääriäinen, Director of Sales and Marketing, who will be pleased to help those wanting to try the Marbella Golf experience.
The Marbella lifestyle has been perfectly encapsulated at Marbella Golf; a club where cuisine takes centre stage in the form of its El Olivo Restaurant, run by Francesc Hormigo and now joined by Ecuadoria-born chef Walter Chaglia. His dishes are inspired by Spanish-American Mediterranean cuisine and use seasonal produce, with the menu changing throughout the year to offer diners the best of every season, along with a range of classic dishes. A wide variety of events are held on the terraces of the Marbella Golf clubhouse, which is surrounded by impressive views of the golf course and the Mediterranean.
Marbella Golf Country Club is definitively a club full of life.
Marbella Golf Country Club
Email Contact: info@marbellagolf.com
Tel. Reservations: +34 952 83 05 00
Email Reservations: reservas@marbellagolf.com