If you’ve already decided to stay in the south of the island then you may have already chosen to play at Santa Ponsa, the course favoured by American presidents. But if you like to go one step better than everyone else, then Bendinat, the course favoured by Kings has to be the one for you.
In the hillsides beneath the fortress of Castillo de Bendinat and close to the marina of Puerto Portals lies Real Golf de Bendinat.
In the hillsides beneath the fortress of Castillo de Bendinat and close to the marina of Puerto Portals lies Real Golf de Bendinat.
This is no ordinary golf club. Open air concerts with orchestras playing classical music are regular events on the social calendar for the 950-plus members, while the president of the club is none other than the King of Spain, Don Juan Carlos.
Visitors are welcomed with open arms at Real Golf de Bendinat – it’s an excellent place to enjoy holiday golf. And do take time to relax in the 19th hole, where according to Jorge Pando, director of Real Golf de Bendinat, there is deliberately no golf memorabilia or decoration, but a contemporary light airy clubhouse, perfect for drinking and dining.
The course is wonderfully manicured and a fun test. It was originally a 9 hole course, built in 1985, but was extended to a full 18 holes in 1995.
No two holes play the same way, and English architect Martin Hawtree has created a course in two distinct styles. The front 9 winds through a residential area, bordering private villas and exclusive hotels, while parts of the back nine are played in blissful isolation, in a natural and environmentally protected area in the hills. It is here that you will encounter the clubs mascots, the mountain goats that roam the surrounding hills and are soon to be celebrated with a life-size sculpture by the 14th green.
The goats are golfer friendly, and merely graze while you tackle the clubs signature 12th hole. A downhill par 3, you play from an elevated tee looking down on the bay of Palma Nova, to a green guarded by a lake. It’s a stunning sight, and later complemented by holes backed towards the castle, such as the 14th where a 15th-century viaduct flanks the green.
Taking a buggy is sensible as the course winds up and down through hilly terrain, and in the Mallorcan sun, you’ll want to save your legs for a stroll along the nearby marina of Portals Nous.
You may be required to present a handicap certificate at this course;
Key Information:
Handicap Gentlemen: 36
Handicap Ladies: 36
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