Warm Summer greetings from the Costa del Sol. While many of you are basking in a hot summer the Costa del Sol is probably one of the coolest places on continental Europe.
Well, what a summer of Sports we’ve had. From Spain winning the World Cup to Wicklow winning the Tailteann Cup*. And in between these two mega events we have Malaga F.C. being promoted to La Liga after an exciting play-off series which is something that is already grabbing the attention of our clients.
Many of you like to take in a “La Liga” game if such would coincide with your golf trip to the Costa del Sol. Malaga F.C. have a great supporter base and their stadium “La Rosaleda” has a capacity of 30000. So, while tickets can be had – the sooner the better. And before you ask, no we can’t! You are on your own with this.
Malaga FC back in La Liga for the first time since 2018.
And what about Spain in the World Cup. You’ve got to hand it to the Spanish. An amazing sporting nation, be it Football, Tennis, Basketball or Golf they are never far from the top!
The Morning after! Lorena and Mari at least they turned up!
Unfortunately, we have had some tragic inland fires with considerable loss of life. Following a very wet winter we had an unusual amount of dried vegetation on our mountains which, once a fire takes hold is very difficult to extinguish.
Looking forward to 2027.
Our constant mantra about booking early has never been as important as now. Already some of the popular Costa del Sol courses such as Santana, El Paraiso, Torrequebrada and Atalaya Old are getting difficult to get good times on certain dates in 2027. Dynamic pricing by hotels and certain golf courses mean only one thing – the earlier you book the better the deal and condition. This applies especially for larger groups of 10 +. One or 2 consecutive tee-times are ok, but when you need 3 or 4 that’s when it becomes a challenge. We already have bookings for 2028 which will give you an indication of the way some groups are planning ahead.
While Spain is busy, Golf on the Algarve requires even earlier bookings. Compared to the Costa del Sol with 70 courses between Malaga city and Sotogrande the Algarve has only about 20 of similar quality.
When planning for a 2027 trip take note that Easter Sunday is on 28th March. “Holy” week – the one leading up to Easter tends to have more expensive accommodation rates but tee-times are more readily available. Flights also tend to be more expensive.
Gibraltar welcomed to Schengen area.
From July 15th the last remaining border post in the EU was removed. Each day 10,000 workers cross the border to work on “The Rock”. Apart from the ease of passage the real difference will be that arrivals at Gibraltar airport and cruise terminal will now clear Gibraltarian and EU border control at the ports. This is the last remaining post Brexit deal and will see a gradual harmonisation of taxes in the area to prevent trade distortion. The days of long queues to enter and exit should now be over.
This will have implications for clients renting cars on arrival at Gibraltar or clients on excursions to The Rock. We will keep you informed when the dust settles on the agreement. Already there are differing interpretation with the agreement in relation to what Taxis from either jurisdiction can or cannot do!
The agreement could also see the commencement of flights from the EU – watch this space!
Removal of border at La Linea / Gibraltar.
Camiral Golf
Costa Brava – Ryder Cup 2031
Further to the announcement that the Ryder Cup is returning to Spain in 2031 we have noticed more interest in the Costa Brava area (Girona – Playa D’Aro). We have widened our product in the area to offer a better range of packages. Clients are opting for flights into Barcelona and increasingly Girona airports. Flights to Girona can be seasonal but it’s worth checking availability (mainly Ryanair).
Nova Sancti Petri
We have also extended our offer in the Cadiz area where there has been considerable investment in the Golf and Accommodation sector in recent years. A new “Amare” (Fuerte Group) has opened in Sancti Petri. Air access is best through Seville, but Malaga or Jerez may also work.
5 star Amare Hotel Nova Sancti Petri.
Camiral´s “Stadium” Course
Golf Courses – Costa del Sol.
The closure of Mijas (Los Olivos) has been extended until March 2027. This will mean that the course will have been closed for a full year – such was the damage to greens caused by saline water.
The popular Estepona course, Valle Romano also suffered a similar fate at the end of 2025 but due to quick remedial action we expect it to be back to normal by the end of summer and perfect for September.
Valle Romano hole 3
Below is a press release from Valle Romano regarding the course condition.
First of all, we would like to sincerely thank you for the support, understanding and trust you have shown over the past few months. We are fully aware that the situation with the greens has been a challenge for both you and us, and we greatly appreciate the effort you have made in continuing to place your confidence in Valle Romano Golf.
We are pleased to inform you that, after an intensive recovery process carried out by our entire maintenance team, the current condition of the course is very good. The greens have reached approximately 95% recovery, and their progress continues to be very positive. If everything goes as expected, they will be fully recovered in the coming weeks, reaching the level of quality that has always characterised Valle Romano.
In addition, the works on the new pumping station and the repair of the path on hole 5 have now been completed, meaning that all issues affecting the course over recent months have been resolved.
For this reason, we would like to convey a message of reassurance and confidence ahead of the upcoming autumn season. The course is in excellent condition and will be ready to welcome your clients with the quality and service standards they expect from us.
Valle Romano once again offers the playing experience that has always set us apart. Our commercial team remains, as always, at your disposal for any questions or needs you may have.
Once again, thank you for your patience, your support, and the trust you have placed in us during this period. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and welcoming many of your clients in the coming months.
Kind regards,
Valle Romano Golf & Resort
Hotels
Gran Melia Don Pepe reopening.
Major refurbishment works on Marbella’s Gran Melia Don Pepe and the Senator Marbella are continuing a pace. We expect both popular properties to reopen by Spring 2027 which should relieve pressure on the limited accommodation supply in the ever-popular Marbella.
Refurbishment work in progress at the Gran Melia Don Pepe.
Club hire from Golf Experience.
Over the summer we have invested heavily in new sets of clubs to hire. It would seem that more and more clients are reluctant to haul their clubs from northern Europe to our Costa.
We now have a total of 100 sets split evenly between “standard sets – Spalding” and premium sets – “Callaway XR”
We have both Ladies and gents and right and left-handed sets of both.
Tailteann Cup* – A Gaelic football championship for 2nd tier counties!