Golf Course Review of the Month for February 2007by Mike ProbertMar MenorWith a small group of friends and good golfers we descended upon the Mar Menor golf resort as part of the special deal similar to that offered by the sister course at La Torre.
To find this little gem exit the AP7 (direction Cartagena) at junction 790 and follow the signs for Torre Pacheco for a few kilometres and turn right at the start of the numerous large resort flags advertising the urbanisation and then left into the resort after approx 0.5km and after passing security continue to drive directly ahead to the clubhouse.
Easy really but yet again a few direction signs to the course after exiting the AP7 would certainly help flapping golfers late for their start time!
In this instance the offer was 18 holes of golf for only €27.50 plus an excellent lunch in the El Olivo restaurant.
What an excellent meal but as with many eating houses in Spain if you like a beer or two or have coffee injected directly by the vein then you can find that the ‘additional costs’ may make you gasp for air a little.
We approached this visit to Mar Menor with some trepidation because there are only 9 holes open to date and not all golfer like playing the same 9 holes twice in a round, particularly from the same tees.
We need not have worried our pretty little heads one bit.
The course was excellent and the starter was friendly and well organised to ensure that golfers started at the appropriate time to ensure a smooth flow of people through the 10th hole after completing the first 9-hole circuit.
The course itself is longer than La Torre at some 5758 metres from the yellow tees and 5242 metres from the ladies tees and with a par of 72 for 18 holes quickly catches your attention.
In all honesty there is not a bad hole on the course and while there is not the vast expanse of water you associate with new course they are well placed and in some instances the carry to clear them from some tees will trouble some of our shorter hitters
The par fives are reachable for the longer hitters amongst us but you will have to jump out of your shoes and give it a belly wobbler if you do go for the greens in two.
The par threes are a reasonable length for all standards of golfer and without the carry over water that we experienced at La Torre.
The main difference between this resort course and the other local courses is that the houses are located very close to the golf holes themselves.
Unfortunately on the 5th hole, one of our party inadvertently sliced his ball onto the roof top of a house to the right of the fairway only to be faced with the owner standing in an aggressive pose holding the offending ball to ransom.
So you have been warned but if you happen to venture to this part of the course could you ask him if we can have back our Titleist Distance XXX ball with a small cut under the number 4!
Similar to LaTorre the course itself is relatively flat and can be walked by the majority of fit and able golfers without difficulty.
After engaging in a discussion with a courteous and young starter I was lead to believe that when the current deal expires at the end of February 2007 the new deal will be approx €55 plus a lunch to deter the number of golfers currently visiting the course so as not to upset the golf playing property owners.
What a strange world this is when a promotion strategy to attract business is too successful!
I am sure that there is a mid-ground here to keep both deal hunting visitors and golfing property owners happy BUT at approx €55 for a 9 hole course I wonder how many of the visitors will return and how many of the property owners really do want to play golf.
Only time will tell but for now golfers of all ages and abilities should just enjoy this promotion and opportunity.
For more information on golf here on the Costa’s, courses, tuition or club repairs then you can contact me on 966 704 752 or e-mail
michael.probert@terra.es.
Hasta Pronto.
Mike Probert
