Around and about the Courses – Roda
Roda Golf is yet another of those courses designed by Dave Thomas of ‘The Belfry’ fame. The natural terrain in this area is actually ‘flat’ so the designer has managed a minor miracle by producing a golf course that gives the impression of ‘rolling’ countryside while incorporating the use of the local ‘Levante’ sea winds.
The excellent and modern clubhouse includes a lower level entrance complete with impressive water feature and an upper veranda area giving views over the practise area and the 9th green plus excellent changing, toilet and shower facilities and a bar and restaurant which have food and beverage but at resort prices. The pro-shop is large and is one of the best stocked golf shops that I have seen at any golf course in Murcia and with staff that are always welcoming and efficient.
This is not the longest course in Murcia but is appealing to the eye and with accommodatingly wide fairways just seems a pleasure to play. The course itself reminds me of the Jack Nicklaus designed St Mellion course in Cornwall in the UK with rolling fairways flanked by gently sloping hillocks and banks. The signature hole is the 7th which is a par 3 of 151 metres or 166 yards (yellow tees) to an ‘island’ green and usually into the prevailing wind will be a long iron or hybrid recovery club for the majority of golfers. Without the wind this course would be ‘there for the taking’ by the better golfers amongst you because there are numerous short par 4’s of little more than 300 metres or 330 yards (particularly on the back nine) and the par 5’s are all reachable, at times with relatively short clubs. However there lies the ‘rub’ because there are very few days where the ‘Levante’ wind doesn’t blow. The 18th hole pretty well summarises this golf course because the par 5 hole is 454 metres or 499 yards (yellow tees) but usually downwind, the green is in reach but is protected by a large lake to the front and side while the green is relatively narrow from front to back and is a test of the proverb that ‘fortune favours the brave’. This golf course is always in excellent and manicured condition with large greens with a good putting surface and should be on your agenda if you plan a golfing trip to Murcia.