Golf at Lumine

It's hard to choose a region of Spain for golf but in Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Community we have found a gem

It's hard to choose a region of Spain for golf but in Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Community we have found a gem

When you think about golf in Spain you really are spoilt for choice. With nine different regions to travel to it's hard to find the perfect one for you

I recently travelled to Costa Dorada to sample golf at the Troon Golf managed Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Community. The golf resort is located near the seaside towns of Cambril and Tarragona (around 65 miles from Barcelona) and is home to 45 excellent holes of golf, from the Greg Norman designed Lakes Course which hosts the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 and the more traditional Hills course which runs through pine and olive trees with spectacular views of the nearby coastline, in particular the Port Aventura theme park, which is home to the tallest rollercoaster in Europe! The two championship courses are further complimented by another Greg Norman designed nine hole course called the Ruins, as the name suggests the course is built around Roman archaeological remains dating back to the second century BC.

I managed to play both the Hills and Lakes courses during my short stay and I must say that both courses are absolutely fantastic. Personally the Hills course was my favourite due in part to the fact that it is the more scenic of the two. There are fewer water hazards on the Hills course, which is probably obvious by the two names; however accuracy is still a must. The course features holes which are cut out of the land which makes some holes look beautiful. Our group played the course from the yellow tees which meant the course measures 6,541 yards. This makes some par 4's very inviting but tee shots are risk/reward, if you don't know the course you could end up in a water hazard! The course has some very tough par 3's, the 8th is classed as the hardest hole which is not surprising given it's 200 yards over water. My favourite hole on this course was the par 4 13th. It's not really the longest of holes measuring at just under 400 yards from the yellow tees but it's the approach shot which makes the hole. The green is surrounded by rock which has been cut back to give the feeling you are playing golf in a valley.

The Lakes course, as you can imagine has plenty of water hazards and is located between beautiful wetlands, with native flora and fauna. In fact if I remember correctly there are only around four holes which water cannot be seen. This doesn't mean that the water comes into play on all the holes. Most of the time your best shot is away from the hazards, but the fact your mind knows it's there makes the shot more daunting. The water makes some holes look fantastic and perfectly suits my game as, I like to plot my way around a golf course and my usual tactic is to put the ball in the best position to attack the pin off the tee. The Lakes course invites you to hit your driver on most holes which makes this tactic a lot harder, especially on the 15th which is a 445 yard par 4 with water to the left of the green, soft fairways meant that your approach shot is with a long iron or wood making attacking the pin very difficult. My favourite hole on this course was the par 5 18th. Going for the green in two is possible, however not advised as there is a huge lake guarding the green.

For more information on Lumine Golf Club visit - www.lumine.com

Where to stay?

During my stay in the delightful town of Cambrils I stayed, at the Hotel Tryp Port Cambrils. The rooms are large, airy and very comfortable and the hotel is located a mere 200 metres from the beach and the marina. There are also a good number of bars and restaurants, offering a wide selection of choice for all budgets, plus the golf course is just a ten minute drive away.

For more information click here

Other than golf?

The obvious choice for me here is the Port Aventura theme park. In fact when given the choice of wine tasting at the stunning La Boella estate that features a boutique hotel, restaurant, olive oil mill, wine cellar and gourmet shop or the theme park it was a no brainer. When you are out on the Hills golf course you can see the Shambhala rollercoaster (the tallest in Europe at 76 metres in height), Screams can be heard from the massive drop when you're out on the fairway and if you are into your theme parks like me you couldn't travel all the way to Spain without paying a visit. Other white knuckle rides include the Dragon Khan with what feels like 50 loops and the Furious Baco which launches you to 84mph in 3.5 seconds!

For more information visit - www.portaventura.co.uk

If you're not into your theme parks (or too scared!) you can take a nice relaxing trip in a catamaran on the Balearic sea. The trip lasts for three hours with all drinks and a fine selection of snacks included. If conditions allow, you can have a dip in the sea or snorkel. There is also a sunset experience which is highly recommended. You can sit with your feet over the edge, sipping on cava watching the sunset, it really is bliss.

For further information visit - www.cataventure.com

For the more sophisticated of you, the Costa Dorada region really is one of the finest destinations for exquisite cuisine and wine and there is no better place to experience this than lunch, olive & wine tasting at La Boella.

More information is available at www.laboella.com/

If you are thinking about a trip to Spain for your next golf trip I can highly recommend Lumine and the Costa Dorada region. The resort is only an hour's drive from Barcelona airport and there really is something for everyone when you get there. The golf courses are always in pristine condition and offer a test for players of all abilities and the staff at Lumine are also amongst the most welcoming of any golf facility that I have vistited - they really can't do enough for you.