Posted on Tuesday, 26 May 2015

Golf is a wonderful distraction anytime of the year, but coupling the game with a holiday in a sunny country can make for some fantastic summertime memories.

Spain is a great choice for sun-seeking golfers, boasting well over 400 federated courses nationwide and warm weather for most of the year. Spain owes much of its thriving golf scene to its very well developed tourist industry, together with a large, golf-loving ex-pat community.

If you fancy a golfing holiday to Spain this summer, here is starttravel.co.uk's pick of the best golf courses on offer.

PGA Catalunya – Girona

This striking course has found its way into a number of respected rankings lists – often appearing in European top 10 course lists and frequently cited as the best in Spain. PGA Catalunya is by no means an easy course. Trees crowd onto the fairways; bunkers and lakes present hazards that can seriously damage your scorecard. But the sheer number of challenging, quality holes ensure that many golfers return time and time again to hone their skills.

Valderrama – Cadiz

You may be familiar with Valderrama having watched the 1997 Ryder Cup Matches and the 2000 World Golf Championships. This stunning private golf course can be played by members of the public during a two-hour tee time each afternoon. Even if your golf isn't up to this highly strategic course, you can absorb the beauty of the cork forests that envelop Valderrama – one of the finest venues for a spot of golf in Continental Europe.

Sotogrande - Cadiz

British-born Robert Trent Jones designed more than 500 golf courses globally – and Sotogrande was one of his favourites. Opened in 1964, Sotogrande is a typical Trent Jones course, seamlessly integrating natural features whilst presenting seasoned golfers with a stern challenge – but without frightening away less experienced players.

El Saler – Valencia

Set in the spellbinding Dehesa de El Saler forest, El Saler is still a hugely memorable experience for any golfer despite having been designed over half a century ago. Javier Arana, arguably Spain's finest golf course architect, identified the potential for a golf course in the forest in the early 1960s. The result is a course with wide fairways, tough greens and more than 100 bunkers – all carefully integrated into the beautiful surrounding pine forest and the natural sand dune that separates the trees from the sparkling Mediterranean.

Las Brisas – Málaga

D. José Banús founded 'Club de Golf Nueva Andalucía' in 1968, enlisting the legendary Robert Trent Jones to design it. The course, which was later renamed Real Club De Golf Las Brisas, features a number of water hazards, and is typified by raised greens protected by numerous bunkers. Precision is a must for anyone attempting this stunning course, which at the time of its design was most unique – and continues to attract high praise for its challenging holes.

Heading to Spain for a Spot of Golf?

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