Travel
Life's a beach...
by Richard Simmons
Since its origins in the 1960s Sotogrande has earned a reputation not only for its world-class golf but its “low-key” – yet illustrious – lifestyle elements that appeal to the discerning traveller. And now, with the unveiling of La Reserva's innovative Beach Club, golfers can at last look forward to relaxing in a sand trap....
Sotogrande – for golfers familiar with this iconic luxury playground in the Andalusia region of southern Spain, the name simply oozes nostalgia. Officially opened in 1964, the original Robert Trent Jones layout – the famed architect's first design in Europe – blazed a trail for the new-fangled concept of an all-inclusive golfing “resort”, while the brilliance of his craft produced a course that quickly established the reputation of Sotogrande as a true golfer's paradise.
In its original format the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande was the centrepiece of a bold development of a luxury residential urbanisation located in this choice enclave in the south of Spain, a few miles from Gibraltar, 30 minutes or so west of Marbella. And it was the express wish of Joseph McMicking – the true pioneer behind the over-arching masterplan – that Trent Jones hand-picked the real estate upon which to create his vision...and no expense was spared: Sotogrande would be the first course on this side of the Atlantic to be seeded with Bermuda 419 and, notably, the first to boast a fully automatic irrigation system.
Such was the quality of the design and unrivalled conditioning of the layout, Sotogrande quickly earned a reputation as a player's course, and in 1966 the club would stage the Spanish Open Championship – won by none other than Argentina's Roberto de Vicenzo (who would in 1967, at the age of 44, go on to become the oldest winner of the Open Championship in the modern era, achieved at Hoylake). In 1970 the Sherry Cup was created, considered to this day to be one of the most prestigious titles in amateur golf, and the list of great champions to have graced the emerald fairways reads like a ‘Who's Who' of the game – Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Rory McIlroy prominent among those to list victory at Sotogrande on their C.V.
For further information and reservations, e-mail lareserva.booking@sotogrande.com or call +34 956 785 252.