Golf Course Review – La Serena
The La Serena Beach and Golf Resort is located close to Los Alcazares and within a short 10 minute drive from San Javier airport.The main feature of the course is the 500 year old Torre del Rame, which I am informed was originally built as a watch tower for pirates from North Africa.The course designer was Manuel Pinero the former Ryder Cup star from the winning 1985 team who has created an excellent test of golf with water hazards on sixteen of the eighteen holes positioned to catch shots which are short in length and with a left to right ball flight.
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To find the golf course travelling on the AP7 motorway from the North leave the motorway at exit 790 and follow signs for Los Alcazares (centro).After immediately passing under the AP7 motorway, take the first exit signposted ‘camino’ and La Serena golf and follow this narrow road for approx 1km passing the course on your left and with the motorway parallel and to your right. At the junction at the end of the road turn left passing over a small roundabout and the clubhouse is on your left after approx 150 metres. Travelling from the south also leave the motorway at exit 790 but then turn immediately right and you will be on the narrow road to the course as described above. |
The clubhouse is modern and large in size with excellent restaurant, shower, toilet, locker and changing facilities suitable for one hundred players and a well stocked professional shop.
In my opinion this is what I call a ‘Marmite’ golf course because you will either love it or hate it.
The designer has included water hazards on sixteen of the eighteen holes and additionally has strategically positioned bunkers in the ‘bail out’ areas on the opposite side of the fairway to the water hazards.Whilst this appears at first to be a golfer’s nightmare, in truth any player of average playing ability should be able to position the ball away from the trouble on the course.
If however you hit the golf ball short and ‘crooked’ to the right with a big slice you will find this course testing on the patience and costly on the pocket given the price of new golf balls.
The course opens with a difficult long 494 metre or 544 yard (yellow tees) par 5 hole, which is flanked for the whole length by water on one side and out of bounds on the other and you, will be more than happy to start your round with a par on this hole.The front nine holes do present the better golfer with some good birdie opportunities but if you get too aggressive and take liberties with the course it will jump up and bite you.The back nine is the tougher of the two ‘halves’ and there are some ‘interesting’ holes and in particular the 292 metre or 321 yard (yellow tees) 10th and the 275 metre or 303 yard (yellow tees) 13th holes with water in front of the greens are ‘make your mind up’ holes where you can either play the ‘percentages’ or hope that ‘fortune favours the brave’ and take on the course designer and be more positive with your shot selection.The course is usually in good condition and well maintained and is one that you should seriously consider playing when arranging your golfing trip, if you like Marmite of course!