Golf in and around Aguilas
Plenty of desert course opportunities for golfers in the area around Águilas
The town of Águilas in the south-west of the Region of Murcia is usually associated first and foremost with the spectacular 28-kilometre coastline and beautiful beaches which run along the shore of the Mediterranean, but among the wide range of other attractions it boasts is a selection of nearby opportunities for golfers to indulge in their favourite sport while taking a day off from the sand and swimming!
While there are no full 18-hole courses close to the town centre, a stay in Águilas provides an ideal base for short trips to two inland courses in the mountains which stand behind the coastal plateau, both of them relatively recently established and offering a series of challenges unfamiliar to those who usually play in the north of Europe!
LORCA GOLF RESORT
This par-71 course was designed by Dave Thomas and features large, undulating greens which are strategically placed among natural hazards to present an interesting round for golfers of all levels. The fairways are mostly wide but the 26 bunkers filled with white sand are a constant threat, and while the lack of water hazards will be relief to some this has the feel of a true desert course!
At the same time, this course is unique in the Region of Murcia in that it lies right next to a protected nature reserve in the Sierra de Almenara, and it has hosted numerous tournaments since opening in 2011.
The course is located in the mountains almost exactly half-way between Águilas and Lorca, just off the RM-11 motorway – a 20-minute drive from the centre of Águilas. Click for map.
Contact: telephone 968 113535, email infogolf@lorcaresort.com.
AGUILÓN GOLF
A 20-minute drive south-west from Águilas will take you out of the Region of Murcia and into the mountains of the province of Almería (one of the preferred locations for filming the classic spaghetti westerns of the 1960s and 70s. It is in this landscape that golfers are drawn to Aguilón Golf, considered to be among the best desert courses in Europe.
The course is located on the undulating land in the southern foothills of the Sierra del Águilón, and although the vegetation is typically desert-like there are six water hazards to negotiate, coming into play on numerous holes. The course opened in 2008 and features very tricky par 3s as well as a spectacular and challenging par-5 9th hole, where the tee shot requires good drivers to leave the ball between two ravines (unless you fancy the carry of 240 yards to clear the second of them!)
The closing hole is also a difficult one, a spectacular par-5 protected on all sides with the danger of going out of bounds off the tee and a lake in front of the green.
Not much further down the road, in Antas, is the renowned Desert Springs course, where the England cricket team enjoyed a few days “bonding” prior to the Champions Trophy in 2017.
To reach Aguilón Golf from Águilas take the RM-333 road towards San Juan de los Terreros and turn off towards Pulpí on the A-1205. Click here for map and further instructions.
Contact: telephone 950 109518, email aguilongolf.info.
9-HOLE PAR-3 COURSE AT ISLA DEL FRAILE RESORT
This lovely pitch and putt course is just outside the town centre of Águilas, in the Urbanización El Fraile Resort and just inland from the mountain road which leads to the islet known as Isla del Fraile and Playa Amarilla. Click for map.
Contact: telephone 661 443143, email aguilasgolf@gmail.com.
18-HOLE MINIGOLF
The Hotel Puerto Juan Montiel has an enjoyable minigolf course among its many facilities: click for map.
For more information about sporting opportunities in Águilas, and other aspects of the tourist attractions in and around the town, don’t hesitate to contact the local tourist office (click here for map, telephone 968 493285, email turismo@aguilas.es).
Or for more local events, news and visiting information go to the home page of Águilas Today.
