Villamartin Golf Course
Orihuela Costa
Alicante
Spain

If you are considering playing at the Villamartin Golf Club (or Campo de Golf Villamartin) for the very first time, these handy tips may help you to enjoy your round there, or then again, they may not! I have played at Villamartin Golf, many times and watched many golfers play there from my own balcony which overlooks the 15th & 18th fairways. Villamartin is the oldest of the golf courses in the locale and many people will tell you that it is the best of the bunch, I would not disagree.

When making a Spanish golf booking, always try to confirm by fax and then print the reply to take there, I personally have had a few tee times missed before, although they have then managed to squeeze me in somewhere, albeit without a golf buggy. Generally there is lots of space to get your driver out, but not on all the holes, so only shoot where you can actually see unless that is, you have the time to go forward to have a quick look. Good examples of this are the 1st, with a hidden fairway bunker plus the big hitters among will end up in a small hollow among the trees, or the tenth (not my favourite place to begin on) where you have out of bounds and villas to the left and a very steep tree covered abyss to the right.

It is certainly not the longest golf course that you will play, so hit well within yourself, try to relax and just enjoy your own game. During each spring and autumn it can get very busy and sometimes quite slow, but during the high summer sometimes it is mostly empty, especially during the heat at noon. I usually use a golf buggy, take my cooler box full of cold drinks and even play 2 balls in July or August, with the golf course to myself.

The green side bunkers have got hardly any sand in them, plus have a very hard base, a quick recipe for thinning a slack shot, many of the local players and club members use their putter (yes, their putter) to get out. Before you say anything may I suggest that you try it at least once, because it really works, although it may raise a few eyebrows, but you will be astounded how near you get your ball to the pin! If you are playing at Las Ramblas Golf Course you can use it there as well.

Where the Villamartin fairways drop into the tree lined gullies, it is usually marked up as a lateral type water hazard (even though there may not be a single drop of water in view), so if your own drive disappears into one of them, do not worry you can proceed to drop where it originally crossed the hazard line without the need to find it. The greens are virtually always in first class condition and almost certainly a lot speedier than you are used to putting on, but try to play positively and you may be rewarded.

For lots more information and help about Villamartin Golf Club please visit Villamartin Golf Course