As soon as you get off the plane in Santander, you start to feel you are on the right track.
On the small airport building, writ large, is the name of one of golf’s all-time greats, Seve Ballesteros, who was born in nearby Pedreña, the village where he started hitting stones on the beach with a home-made 3 iron.
His home club, Real Golf de Pedreña, located only 6 km east of the airport, boasts a well-crafted tree-lined layout containing plenty to challenge the golfer as well as some beautiful views of the river Cubas and Santander Bay. Inaugurated in 1928, this natural 18-hole course was extended in 1991 with another 9 holes designed by the 3-time British Open winner himself.
Just half an hour to the west the small Campo de Golf Santa Marina was one of the latest courses to be designed by the charismatic Spaniard. This unique course sits at the heart of the Oyambre Natural Park, a protected coastal area of great ecological value composed of cliffs, beaches, dunes and estuaries and has the beautiful Picos de Europa mountains as a backdrop.
In the wake of Ballesteros’ success, other golfistas from northern Spain have achieved excellent results, José María Olazabal of course and currently the meteorically up-and-coming Jon Rahm who’s already inviting much comparison with the great Seve. The talented Basque has just won the Spanish Open for the second time resulting in 5 major European Tour wins out of 39 appearances – giving him a better record than Ballesteros. No airport has yet been named after him, but maybe it is a matter of time…
With such a magnificent golfing heritage it should come as no surprise to hear that all along the north coast, from the Basque Country through Cantabria to Asturias and Galicia, there are some wonderful links courses where you can practice your swing while surrounded by breathtaking views.
Though we’re not dedicated golf specialists we know the area intimately and will be delighted to assist in putting together a more rounded itinerary, where you can enjoy some truly sensational courses whilst at the same time discovering the gorgeous scenery, rich cultural heritage and world-class gastronomy northern Spain has to offer.
Practicalities:
Green fees are generally very reasonable and there are several excellent municipal courses but you do need to carry your handicap card and it is advisable to book ahead for the more popular courses (please ask for advice or check out camposdegolf.pro). Most courses rent equipment or you can come by ferry and bring your own!
Casas Cantabricas specialise in independent self-drive touring holidays, Caminos, as well as a fine selection of hand-picked holiday houses, luxury villas with pools, and small charming hotels.
Most of our villas are reasonably well placed to play a round so please check out our website, or if you prefer a camino then we can recommend NC9 Discover Cantabria, NC8 Discover Asturias and NC5 Discover Galicia or combine all three with NC1 Camino del Norte.
