Monte Mayor Golf and Country Club

11-09-2010 - Played Monte Mayor with my group of 28, having read reviews we were looking forward to the challenge, it seems that the course up keep has slipped and there were not many people playing the course ?, it was an interesting drive up the mountain to the course but it is very attractive and the pro shop and bar are really comfortable, we got on the course and as said the tees were a bit ropey, the fairways are ok and the greens were very good overall, it is very tight at certain places and wayward shots are rarely seen again, i would say it's not a relaxing days golf as you need to be on top of your game all the time, having said that it was a great matchplay course as good shots get double reward as this proved in our Ryder Cup event, with sleepy and stuart little getting a good beating with a great putt on the 17th hole, all in all on relfection it's a hard course but i would go back as playing just once doesn't help, afterwards the bar was perfect and very accomodating but it seems the course is being left a bit, really worth a visit to taste how straight you really can hit the ball. Jason Cattle.

This is a very mountainous course set in a steep-sided valley. The fairways are not exceptionally narrow - but if you miss them you are unlikely to find your ball. It will be in "jungle" or will have fallen of a cliff! Many of the holes have large elevation changes. The course was in excellent condition with true fast greens and fairways and bunkers well-maintained. You probably won't have so much fun if you spray the ball a lot or are intimidated by carries across the rough. It is well worth the visit and is competitively priced. It's not easy to find - head North out of Cancellada, crossing the A P-7, pass the Marbella Club and it's on your right. It was mis-located on some maps we had.

Played monte mayor in february 09 for first time with party of 11 mixed ability golfers ( pro upto 27 handicap ) Wow what a course!! played off crazy white tees, lost 11 balls( i have a 12 handicap) , got 21 pts and finished 3rd !! Pro won with a fine 27 pts with an excellent eagle on the plateau par 5 next to waterfall. One of many endless stunning holes. When we asked group for this years courses, all insist on this course again......one of guys only got 11 pts..... 10pts on back 9 Highly recommended

Wow what a golf course!! I played this more than majestic golf course for the first time in March 2009 with my girlfriend and her more than generous parents (thanks Rob and Carole!!!!). Joining a family of 'golfers' my golf is getting a lot better, and was introduced to Spanish golf firstly playing Rio Real, Santana and Santa Maria at which I did okish at. Then it was up the mountains to Monte Mayor, I was warned ahead of time of its ability to eat golf balls. Word of advice: If your golf ball (or your partners golf ball) goes over ‘the edge’ don’t try and be a hero in retrieving it. I climbed down what I thought was a safeish incline, found said ball, only then realizing just how far ‘down’ was ‘down’ and almost had a heart attack when I realized how over the edge I really was!!!! It was beautiful, breathtaking and frustrating all at the same time. I must have lost 10-15 balls around our 18 holes but I loved every single minute of it. I can’t wait to come back (June 2010) to loose potentially even more balls (now I’m actually hitting the ball further with my driver the inevitable draw and fade are creeping in.) around this amazing golf course. My favorite place to play golf in the whole wide world!!!!!! If you’re planning playing in this part of gorgeous Spain then this really, really is a must!!!

Played Monte Mayor for the first time on a golf trip in Aug 08. Good condition but fiddly, unfairly punishing on good shots, tricked up and in the end laughable that this appears to be considered a good all round course. Designed in mountain territory that only a sherpa would bother to trek. Not the place for a golf course and not the place for a serious golfer looking for a fair and playable challenge. Excellent condition and service throughout.

We have been to Monte Mayor quite a times. I have always recommened this course and today I thought of visiting the web site to reminish. To find the course the first time round was a task in itself, we got lost in the mountains and when we asked a farmer to the directons he purposefully gave us the wrong directions! After an hour or so we doubled back and caught the farmer laughing away - you almost felt like teeing off his head with a Big Bertha but clearly he must have done this many times and strangley we saw the funny side too and laughed along! When we eventually found Monte, little did we know what a treat we were in for. This course is probably the hardest course you will ever play. The scenery is awesome, the fairways and greens are always in imaculate condition. How on earth anyone has managed to build a golf course here is unbelievable. This course is not for the faint-hearted. After you have lost about 5 balls (every 3 holes!) take a deep deep breath and look around you, admire the scenery and instantly you will melt away and be raring to continue. No golfer likes to loose balls but here its part of the fun - believe me you wont be the only one! Look out for the "ball boys" - take up their offer and buy as many as you can. You will need them! They must make a healthy living from this joint! As I was reading all the other feedbacks, I couldn't help but laugh and cry at the comments most were making. They are so so true! Finally, if you are ever in Spain (let alone in the South) this is a MUST course. You will not be disappointed.

What a course! Fabulous condition, spectacular location, quiet and no houses nearby, very difficult, steady play required. If you are a sprayer, go somewhere else. First day, I payed 2 balls. The 1st conservative, the2nd aggressive. The 1st score was 80, the 2nd 88. I thought I would play better the second day and I did as I was befriended by some members who taught me the idiosynchrosies. Have you ever putted uphill and the ball picks up speed? It does here when putting towards the sea. Can a putt break against the slope? Yup, if you putt away from the sea. Played much better with local knowledge.

I am in total awe of the people who have built this course, who could have imagined building a course in such a mountainous area. The course was in excellent condition, greens fast but true. I think a sherpa may have been more use than a buggy to a first timer on this course. some truly spectacular holes in amazing scenery, I am sure if I could play this course again I could knock a few dozen shots off my score, I particularly like the strategically placed local with a fresh supply of balls, its as if they have calculated that you will lose on average 10 balls by the time you have reached the 13th hole. My handicap is 13.5 I felt like a 28, If a ball goes off the fairway, play a provisional (or 2) you wont find it! you may be able to see it along with the balls of other poor souls but you wont be able to get to it down the ravines, up the sides of very steep banks on in bushes with the sharpest spines ever encountered. I experienced such pain and should feel gutted but I would recommend this course to anyone (cos I have a sadistic streak) try it!

Monte is simply unique in the challenge that it offers. So far I haven’t quite found another course that offers such a mix of challenge and stunning scenery. Set way up in the hills out of Marbella (high above the Marbella Golf Resort) I’m still amazed that anyone even thought of building a course in such a place. The world is much better place because they did! Firstly the challenge. Monte is full of ravines and cliffs that cross or border practically every hole. There are very few shots on very few holes where you will play a bad shot and find your ball. If you are a timid player then this is not for you, but for the bold or the mad (preferably both) this is nirvana. You get given a buggy in the price for a reason. They aren’t doing this because they are generous people, they are doing it because otherwise it would take 7 hours to play and anyone not fit enough ride a Tour-de-France might not make it back at all. Virtually every hole features large elevation changes which just adds to the spectacle of this course. This is a course where you have to think about every shot, it’s not hugely long and good play will be rewarded, but you have to be on your game all the way around; there’s no chance to catch your breath here. There’s no real point picking holes because they are all worthy of praise, you’ll probably remember best the ones that you score well on / visa versa. To pick one I’d go for the 1st, a big par-5 up right side of the valley, 2nd shot to the top of the hill, 3rd a short pitch down again to a green set back to the left. An evil start to one of the biggest tests in golf us amateurs will ever get. The Club House has had extensive work over the past years and is now a great little oasis at the bottom of the course. There are a few practice nets and places to practice putting, but no driving range. This course should be on everyone’s list. At the very least you should play it once in your lifetime; for most people though once won’t be enough ! This years Spain trip is being extended to 10 days especially so we can play Monte twice…

played this course 8th August 2006,a group of 8 in a stableford format.Never scored a point for the first three holes then hit five straight pars-highlight of the round.Absolutely stunning peaceful views,a truly remarkable golf course,not for the faint hearted .Of the courses i played that week this course is the one i most enoyed.

Played Monte on 3/6/06 and all of the below is spot on. If you've never been intimidated on a tee you need to play here. Plus the buggies are fitted with GPS yardage guides which are fantastic. Having said that the course was not in good nick. The greens are infested with ants to the point were your ball could be covered in them by the time you got to the green. Also the fairways had had the hollow tinnings treatment which left your lie very dodgy indeed and not lookng great. However, it did not overly detract from the day and left alot of good memories.

This is a course that should be played twice, prefferably after a 3 year break between rounds. We returned this year, having played it last in 2003 to see if it was as good / tough as we remembered it...It was. I can't add any more to the remarks made by other contributors about the course...Spectacular / tough / challenging / lost balls etc but, if you are travelling as a group I would suggest a 2 man Texas Scramble format. This worked for us and everbody got more out of the experiance than if they had been playing medal or stableford. Clubhouse is now completed and facilities are good. The Monte Mayor tag line is "Have you got the balls to play it". Unless you own titelist may I respectfully suggest you probably haven't !!

A fantastic golf course, I played it on 27/12/05 and it was in excellent condition with superb, fast, true greens. The layout is incredible with many raised tees and plateaued greens that are alsmost like island greens. The course is a very strong test of your game and is extremely technical but I would definitely not say it is unfair. It requires use of every club in your bag and strategic thinking. True, you need to be straight and accurate but surely that's how golf should be. Those who say this is a joke golf course or unfair either had a bad day, didn't think their way around the course or are just bitter about losing a few balls! Enjoy the golf, take in the breath-taking view and enjoy the ride! Would definitely recommend this course to anyone in the area.

Catch Monte Mayor on one of your good days, and you are in for the treat of a lifetime. Catch it on one of your bad days and be thankful you brought enough balls, or that you bumped into the ball seller on the course. The scenery is breathtaking and the quality of the course is first class. It is probably one of the most severe tests of golf and the most penalising you will ever play (although a few others on the Costa Del Sol will give 'Monte' a run for its money in terms of fairness). It can be beaten though, one of our members playing off thirteen has managed to put 39 points on the board without losing a ball, although we have a four handicapper who has lost ten. I lost twelve this time and would expect to do the same again next time given the hangover was the norm. We play it every time we're in the area and will do for a long time to come.

8TH November 2005 Just returned from playing this unforgetable golf course Magnificent,stunning irresistable course with superb scenery.Whoever decided to put a golf course in that setting deserves immense credit for their foresight. Yes we lost lots of balls and yes there were unfair bounces off decent shots but golf is a game to be enjoyed and enjoy this round we certainly did. Without doubt the best quality golf course we have ever played and an experience we cannot wait to repeat. If you are in the area Monte Mayor is a MUST.

An amazing course we played Sep 05 and were blown away by the layout. You hardly see another person whilst out on the course and when you look back its hard to believe that there are actually 18 holes there to play. Its true that it is very challenging and you will loose balls, however the experience is worth it and you will remember it forever. The greens were in excellent condition and were the quickest i've ever played on but extremely true as well. Can't understand how any one could dislike this course it is simply awsome. Much better than the run of the mill courses in the area. An excellent golfing experience

I played Monte Mayor this week for the first time. My expectations had been managed by reading the comments on this site previously. My opinion of visiting this course is that it is like going on a safari during which you will hit, and occasionally find, your golf ball. I dont think this is a course to be enjoyed by those who take golf too seriously. Bearing that firmly in mind, I would recommend anyone to play here, particularly those who like a new golfing challenge and can control their temper.

A joke golf course. In very poor condition - rewarded lucky bounces far more than good shots. Greens had bare patches and areas which were just mud. Rough round the greens was clearly cut by a drunk with a poorly maintained lawn mover. Eight players in our group - four single figure handicap players - the rest 18 or below. Universal opinion - this is the worst golf course we have ever played in Spain. Those who say it i the best - should get out more.

We played again this September, 72 holes in two days, wonderful, just simply a breathtaking course, all 6 of us loved it, to tell you how difficult it is i am a 15 handicaper and my best score was 93 including my 1st ever eagle on the long par 5 16th. The 3rd is the best, 1st proved the hardest for all of us, an excellent course with lovely staff. Not one complaint.

I played today for the 2nd time and once again lost a ridicules amount of balls. However once again just sat down on a few tee off benches and looked around at the amazing scenery. It is unfair to say that you get punished when you hit the fairways by getting bad bounces, if you hit a straight shot you are fine. However anything wayward and you are hiding the scorecard in the pocket until you are safely in the car. Quite simply the best course on the coast!!!!!

This course was extremely tough and whilst in magnificent condition it is bulit on land usuitable for golf. Good shots are punished by cruel slopes and wicked bounces. Every hole is bounded by a lateral water hazard, stray off the fairway and the ball is lost. I am all for being punshed if you hit a bad shot but this course not only punishes but drains confidence form your game. As anyone reading this will no doubt gather our party will not be back

HAVING PLAYED THIS GREAT COURSE A FEW TIMES I ACTUALY MANAGED TO GET MY FIRST EVER HOLE IN ONE HERE ON 06/11/04 AT THE 3rd HOLE 181yds PAR THREE IF YOU VISIT THE COSTA DEL SOL THIS IS A MUST PLAY COURSE BUT TAKE PLENTY OF BALLS (IT TAKES BALLS TO PLAY IT)

we have played this course for the last 2 years. Challenging but a great test of golf - not for the faint hearted but i would strongly endorse all of the positive comments - we are playing their again in April 05

I totally disagree with all the favourable comments about this course. It is a nightmare to play for even a competent golfer. A golf course which has to define all areas either side of every fairway as lateral water hazards because they are inpenetrable masses of scrub opens itself to ridicule.

spectacular but very hard one of the very best in spain