Golf Course Review of the Month for May 2010 - Mosa Trajectum

[Mike Probert]

‘Golf Course Review of the Month for May 2010 – Mosa Trajectum by Mike Probert (sponsored by Costa Blanca Green Fee Services).

This month’s golf course review will concentrate on one of the more established   golf resorts in Murcia, namely Mosa Trajectum.

Introduction
This  golf course will probably be the first ‘desert’ type golf course that many of you will have every seen with something like 20,000 cacti and more than 8,000 palm trees planted on the course which is constructed on terrain reminiscent  of  Arizona in the USA. Designed specifically to incorporate a number of ecological firsts in the region, the course has numerous varieties of special plants and a unique irrigation system which uses up to 70% less‘re-cycled’ water which is vitally important to such an arid region as Murcia.

Location and Contact Details
Mosa Trajectum, Autovia San Javier-Murcia km4, 30155, Banos y Mendigo, Murcia.
Telephone: 00 34 968 607 209 or Fax: 00 34 968 950 438  or Email:info@thekeyforgolf.es Web-site: www.thekey.es

Directions
Travelling on the AP7 motorway from either the North (direction Cartagena) or the South (direction Alicante) leave at exit 782 onto the C-3319 signposted Balsicas-Murcia and continue for approx 13km, where you will see a distinctive ‘Roman’ wall to your right which marks the boundary of the course and take the slip road to the resort entrance which is also to your right.

Clubhouse Facilities and Services
The reception area and caddy master’s offices have only recently been opened but the club house facilities are generally based in and around a 300 year old ‘Parador’ type building arrangement which incorporates a small 18 room hotel, restaurant and even a small chapel. The long terms plan for the resort is to have THREE commercial areas including 5 star hotel, shops, bars, restaurants, pharmacy, medical centre, private school and a sports centre.

Prices
Public Green Fee (18 Holes) = €70*.     
 *Discounted Green Fee rates are available from Costa Blanca Green Fee Services including day tickets,27 hole tickets and 18 hole green fees from as little as €35 per person (including buggy) by calling 966 704 752 or 661 345 931 or e-mail info@costa-blanca-greenfees.com.

Course Review
The 18 hole course that you actually get to play will be a permutation of the THREE main 9 hole courses which can be summarised as follows:

Stone Course
Strictly for the lower handicap golfer this 9 hole course of 3,174 metres or 3,491 yards (yellow men’s tees) and 2,455 metres or 2,700 yards (red ladies tees) is one of the hardest courses that you will ever play with tight narrow fairways, strategically placed bunkers and water hazards plus the numerous rocks and boulders which flank most of the fairways and this is a ‘marmite’ course because you will either love it or hate it. The 392 metre or 431 yard (yellow tees) par 4 hole is a prime example with a drive over rocks to a narrow ‘hogged backed’ fairway and then a second shot over water to a long narrow green lying at angle across the shot making it appear even smaller than it is. By the way, the other holes are not much easier!

Olive Course
This 9 hole course gives you some respite after playing the Stone course at 2,819 metres or 3,100 yards (yellow tees) but holes like the par 5 third hole at 520 metres or 572 yard (yellow tees) with water the full length of the hole on the right and out of bounds on the left get your attention as does the 378 metre or 416 yard (yellow tees) par 4 seventh hole with a ‘ravine’ the full length of the hole on the right.
My only observation is that the fairways and banks on some of the holes have areas of poor growth and patchiness which doesn’t look good aesthetically.

Pine Course
This is by far the easiest of the main 9 hole courses at 2,951 metres or 3,246 yards (yellow tees) and offers the most birdie opportunities but holes like the par 3 third hole at 176 metres or 194 yards (yellow tees) to an ‘island’ green and the par 5 eighteenth hole at 461 metres or 507 yards (yellow tees) with water the full length of the hole to the right are potential card wreckers.

General Comments
Over the last few years this course has suffered due to the lack of water in the region culminating in problems with the fairways and the water hazards but the course is now recovering and there are some very good green fee deals to be obtained in these difficult economic times

This  article was written by Michael Probert who is the published author of a  book called a Golfing  Guide to Murcia  and published by Lean Marketing and which is available on amazon.co.uk  and  more information on this book can be obtained by calling 966 704 752 or 661 345 931 or visit the web-site at www.costa-blanca-greenfees.com.