SWING INTO SPAIN
Inspired by the Open? Head to the gloriously testing courses in Catalonia
ASEARiNG 35-degree heat scorches my face as i arrive at the 16th hole of the PGA Catalunya, which is currently rated the number one golf course in Spain. Pulling a five-iron from my bag, i size up the shot ahead. Distance to hole: 160 yards. Breeze: a gentle left-to-right. Too much club, and i’m in the trees; too little and i’m in a sandy bunker so deep i’ll need a bucket and spade to retrieve my ball. This is golf Catalonian-style; sweltering, picturesque, unforgiving.
Anyone watching the action over the weekend at the Open Championship at St Andrews will know that if you like your game steeped in grandeur and tradition, then you should hit the Highlands. if, however, you want to mix some links play with sun, sea and sand, then there is nowhere better than this north-eastern corner of Spain.
The region has attracted golf lovers for years. Spain’s most revered golfing son, the late Open hero Seve Ballesteros, was a regular on Catalonia’s celebrated courses.
Nestled in the Girona mountains, outside the quiet town of Caldes de Malavella, PGA Catalunya is a 45minute drive north of Barcelona city centre and it is a beauty.
The resort is bidding to host the 2022 Ryder Cup with, if all goes to plan, the country’s golfing hero, cigar- chomping Miguel Angel Jimenez as captain.
Rent a buggy (it’s a hilly one) and pack plenty of spare balls, as there are some gorgeous semi-island greens surrounded by lakes just waiting to gobble up your tee shot. For those looking for a supremely convenient golfing weekend away, there are, set within the resort, apartments offering views across the course as well as spacious, semidetached villas in private gardens.
DuRiNG my trip i am lucky enough to watch the aforementioned Jimenez play at Spain’s Open going on up the road at the no less swanky Real Club de Golf El Prat, a 45-hole resort designed by Greg Norman. With its perfect fairways, lightning quick greens and clubhouse as welcome as a cool breeze, El Prat i s as rewarding as it is demanding. Lumine Golf Club, which weaves dreamily among pine woodland and olive groves, should also be on your itinerary. Playing this, with a bucket of icecold Estrella beers in the buggy, while enjoying fabulous views of the Mediterranean, is a joy.
For non-golfers (and those off their game) it is only a short hop from all three of these courses to the seaside resort of Sitges, with its art galleries, shops, neatly kept promenade and exotic nightlife. Do not be put off by the city’s Bohemian reputation; it is a relaxed, authentic sort of place. it is also unspoiled, unlike many of the destinations along the Costa Dorada.
Exploring Barcelona city centre is also worth a day trip. The city’s cobblestoned Gothic quarter houses its medieval cathedral, where every American appears to be a self-appointed tourist guide. Or, follow my lead, and spend the afternoon sampling the hundreds of tapas joints.
Committed gourmands should make for the historic town of Girona. if you are organised, you might even nab a table at El Celler de Can Roca, which was not long ago judged the best restaurant in the world (although with one of the most concentrated areas of Michelin- starred restaurants in the world, you are not exactly wanting for alternatives).
if you need to burn off a couple of bottles of lunchtime rioja, an after noon wandering t he labyrinthine old town streets admiring the architecture will do no harm.
Back on the tee at PGA Catalunya, i am happy to report that my shots sail safely next to the pin.
it is sobering to think that this very hole could be where a future Ryder Cup reaches its thrilling climax. The bid faces competition from Germany and italy, but having been lucky enough to sample the goods, i can attest that Catalonia is more than ready.