Cadiz, Spain
Real Club de Golf Sotogrande
Course Highlight
Robert Trent Jones' first European masterpiece (1964) and one of his five personal favorites among 500+ designs worldwide, ranked #2 in Spain and #12 in Continental Europe, granted 'Royal' status by King Juan Carlos I in 1994.
Tournament History
Spanish Open (1966), Andalucía Masters (2023, 2024)
About the Course
Ranked 4th in Spain and 12th in Continental Europe, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande has been a cradle of champions since 1964. Severiano Ballesteros won the Spanish Professional Championship here when he was world number 2 with four Major titles, José María Olazábal captured the 1983 Spanish Amateur Championship before winning two Masters at Augusta, and Rory McIlroy triumphed at the Sotogrande Cup. As host to the DP World Tour's Estrella Damm Andalucía Masters, this course has witnessed the rise of countless legends. The 7th hole stands as one of the world's top-100 golf holes—a 420-yard par-4 from an elevated tee, with a cross-bunker guarding the right side of the fairway and a green flanked by trees left and water right, featuring two distinct platforms that demand absolute precision. The back nine intensifies the challenge, with water hazards dominating holes 12-14 and 16-18, particularly the photogenic par-3s at 13 and 17 that play alongside water. With over 100 bunkers—69 strategically placed around elevated, lightning-fast greens—Sotogrande remains the ultimate proving ground for professional golfers.