Designed by Jose Maria Olazabel, the Costa Ballena course occupies a 400-hectare site close to the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated within the province of Cadiz between the towns of El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar, and has recently hosted the semi-finals of the European Tour Qualifying School. The national golfing federations from several countries, including Finland, Sweden and England, regularly use Costa Ballena’s excellent practice facilities for their winter training programmes.

The original 18 holes opened in 1997, with a further nine holes added afterwards. As a result, Costa Ballena now boasts three contrasting sets of nine holes, although they also share certain characteristics such as relatively flat fairways and open terrain. Holes 1 to 9, known as Los Olivos, should not present too many difficulties as they gently wind their way through the pleasant surroundings. The next nine holes, named Las Palmares, are situated close to the beach and are therefore more links in style. Strong sea breezes can often cause problems on the Las Palmares section. The final set of nine holes, Los Ficus, is the shortest section of the Costa Ballena course.

Some of the trickiest holes on the course include the 7th, a long par-4 with a dogleg to the right and a well-protected green, and the 16th (par 3), which has a tiny green on three levels, protected by a couple of bunkers and a large lake. Another tough hole is the 22nd, a long par-3 with a deep bunker to the right of the green.

Facilities
The practice facilities at Costa Ballena are amongst the best in Spain. As well as an excellent par-3 course, there is also a putting green, pitching green, several practice bunkers, and a floodlit driving range which, at over 300 metres wide, is one of the largest in Europe. There are more amenities available within the clubhouse, including a well-stocked pro shop, gym, Jacuzzi and sauna. Costa Ballena is home to a Cranfield Golf Academy, whose holistic coaching programmes emphasise both the mental and physical, as well as the technical aspects of your game.

How to get to Costa Ballena
Costa Ballena is situated just off the A-491 road a few kilometres west of El Puerto de Santa Maria. The nearest airports are Jerez (30 kilometres) and Seville (100 km) and Gibraltar (120 km).

Essential Information
Holes: 27 (+ par 3 course)
Par: 72
Official website: ballenagolf.com

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