valderrama

Very good golf course with some excellent holes in very good condition. Some really standout holes but a green fee of 300 euros I expected more. The club house was ok and the staff friendly but again I expected more. So if it's on your bucket list give it a go but you may feel a little let down.

The course is magnificient. The ambience of the course and clubhouse monastic. The interior was recently 'upgraded' to a souless modern style. The service varies from non-existent( I have played twice and arrived at the clubhouse to find both bar and restaurant closed!!!)to just ok. Smiles are hard to come by and I have lost count of the times that the member/host has lost the plot because of incredible time delays in bar service. This is a MUST PLAY course for the aficionado of the game, but not worth the visitor prices. To be fair to the club, it has gone through some major changes of late..... but any club that lacks a friendly face, co-operative and helpful staff doesnt deserve any stars! Bring lots of balls.....and leave your temper in the car. Both course and club will test you!

But what top golf course isn't? Played in a tournament here and suffice to say none of us played to our hc. It is very tough and the greens are unbelievably fast. One of my partners putted his ball off the 17th green into the pond. But you have to play at least once in your life. So go.

Even for people who do practice golf...The maintenance of the greens and surroundings is outstanding.

Course in absolutely pristine condition No such thing as a bad lie Cork trees, 2500+, line and behind each hole, canopies touching. Very difficult course, but not overly long and as beautiful as can be. Nice small place to eat and a deck overlook s the first tee. Staff very courteous and attentive to guests Got me a caddie on 60 minutes' notice

OK it's expensive. Really expensive. One of those bucket listers that'll bust the bank. But then what did you expect?I expected an unbelievable experience, to play astounding holes, impeccable green-keeping and a sensation that at long last I would fulfil all my golfing dreams. Well.....Once you've found the place, away from the glitz and glamour and yet located amidst a millionaires housing estate, the first thing you notice is how understated everything appears to be.Park up and walk through to the practice ground and club shop (large though it may be) and aside from the gorgeous looking driving range all is tranquil and serene giving you an exclusive but 'whats all the fuss about' vibe.However setting foot on the first tee changes the dynamics greatly. Ignoring the fact that every single blade of grass seems to have been personally groomed, every tree hand crafted and placed what sets the golfing flames roaring is the mind-blowing cleverness in Valderrama's design. Every hole (yes every) is magnificent, challenging and demanding. The majority of the tees (especially if you're playing further back) require negotiation of a tunnel of trees mapping the exit to fairways. You really need to keep on top of yardages as nothing is what it seems due to the beautiful undulations misleading the eye.Possibly the craziest, mind-warping emotion is derived by what happens in between holes as the course steers you through tree covered corridors to the next tee. This magical, mystery tour ensures you never know whats coming next until you emerge into the sunlight again just to be stunned by the next staggering vista.Someone had warned me in advance of the biggest issue here from a playing perspective. "The greens are difficult to get on and even more tricky to get off" was the advice. And he was right. I've played here several times now and learned more every time. The crucial element about getting "up" is to scrutinise each hole and every yardage. You literally have a landing zone on each drive of about 20 yards square. A well struck drive down the middle just isn't anywhere near good enough as to leave an entrance for approach to many greens you'll need to be in exactly the right spot. Don't worry if this sounds like it's a course you need to play more than once to play well (it is) as you'll definitely want to return.The greens are as true as you'll find but of course aren't a simple test. Pace, once you've worked it out is totally uniform throughout so it's line that needs your utmost attention to post anything half decent.All too quickly you're at the 10th tee and before you know it putting out at 18. In between you'll have the time of your golfing life swept along on a wave of expectant trepidation and awe. Every hole is a highlight but 17 is predictably the one most want to conquer. Sevy has redesigned it three times (for the princely sum of 1million euros a time). It's doable if you're thinking glory. You'll need to smash your best drive straight at the bunker on the left. Carry that and the fairway will give you enough downhill momentum to reach with a 5 wood. Many pro's bail out to the left to be sure but if you have a high ball flight and you crush one you might get lucky and catch the front elevation enough to stay on. If not you'll be in the rear bunkers and facing a shot back to the water but on the right day with the right bounce you can tame the beast and walk off with a bird rather than a treble!Valderrama staggers, beggars belief at times. The fees to visitors are severe but at £150,000 to be a member i'd say reasonable!?So in answer, does it fulfil your golfing dreams? Abso-flaming-lutely.

Played two rounds in November. Impeccable golf course. First round was memorable because I really wanted to play that golf track at least once in my life. As a big bonus I played it twice and found it a little easier than the first day.

It was a dream of mine to play this course and I was hoping that I would not be disappointed. It was a truly fantastic experience and it definitely lived up to its reputation. Service is superb and the golf amazing. The starters make sure no one goes off too quick so there is generally no waiting on the course. The greens were so quick giving us a taste of what the pros have to deal with. There are no two holes the same and will test every level of golfer. The caddy's were very knowledgeable and should definitely be trusted! We had relatively calm weather so were not bothered with the twigs on the greens. Was a little disappointed with the ladies selection in the pro shop but everything else was first class.

Never crowded. Just golf, no fuss. Beautiful scenery and holes that are non of them alike. Perfect upkeep and perfect clubhouse. Wonderful personnel.

Played as a guest so fee affordable this time . There had been strong winds 3 or 4 days prior and it was continuing so leaves and twigs and nuts had all fallen off the many cork oaks that line the course. Made it very tricky.Despite this still loved the experience of playing this course.Best time to play it is when there is no wind. The twigs leaves etc did spoil it but they were dropping every second so nothing anyone could do.

If you are a golfing nut then you will play this course regardless of price and so you should. However it is vastly overpriced , living off past reputation and has lost its status as a course on the European Tour. When we played it was in so so condition , it had been windy and the cork trees had shed a lot of leaves and we were made to wait an hour whilest members claimed the right to tee off in front of us, even though we had pre booked tee times.Personally I hate to hit good tee shots , find the fairway and am then stymied by a tree!La Reserva next door, less then half the price and as good once you have stripped away V`s reputation and they also collect you from the carpark put your clubs in a buggy and clean everything when you have finished.

Great place to play golf if lucky enough to get an invitation..!Super golf....enjoyed a great round there and would love to go back for more...

Returned after playing first nearly 10 years ago and it was as good as I remembered. Very friendly staff, clubs cleaned after the round and carried back to the car. The drinks cart appeared virtually every other hole with free water and bananas, little touches such as that make the difference.If you play golf, a must do for your list.

Played Valderrama for business in September 2013. It was expensive, but for a course of this caliber and having hosted many pro tourneys along with a Ryder Cup, it was worth it. Fantastic conditioning, very friendly people, great caddies - an awesome day all around.

Best golf course in Europe continental. A great experience which any golfer must do at least once, but even better the second time or third time. It is expensive but worth every Euro!Lunch on sunday is also a must, or diner in the member dining room.