Golf Course Review – Saurines
This golf course is located only 20 minutes drive from San Javier airport and the beaches of the Mar Menor and close to the town of Roldan and is one of the many courses in the area designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Travelling on the AP7 motorway from either the North (direction Cartagena) or the South (direction Alicante) leave at exit 782 onto the C-3319 signposted Balsicas-Murcia and continue for approx 6km as far as the exit for Roldan. Take this exit and follow signs for Roldan which take you immediately over the C-3319 along which you were travelling. Continue in the direction of Roldan and after a few roundabouts you will see La Terrazas de la Torre Sur on your left and take the last exit from the roundabout.
The clubhouse is located in a bar which most visitors for the first time will consider unusual but somehow it works.
The course is a par 72 measuring 5,938 metres (6,531 yards) from the yellow tees which is relatively short by modern standards but is ideal for resort and society golf.
Unusually the course is very lightly bunkered has only two lakes but one of these measure some six hectares in size and plays a strategic role on a number of key holes which wrap themselves around this vast expanse of water. While being promoted as a desert style course by the designer it actually gives a ’links’ feel with many of the holes snaking between ‘dunes’ with rolling fairways and undulating greens. The par 5 holes all measure under 480 metres and so are reachable for the longer hitters wanting to give the ball a ‘belly wobbler’ but danger lurks for the errant shot particularly on the opening hole. The par 3 holes will give society organisers a problem for nearest the pin prizes with two of them over 200 yards in length and even the 6th which is the shortest at 126 metres (138 yards) is over water to a long narrow green making accurate club selection critical. The course greens are generally fast, undulating, elevated and with many run off areas on the aprons.
In summary this course is ideally located with easy access and with competitive prices available from agents such as Costa Blanca Green Fee Services should be played if you are on holiday in the area and will be included in the schedule of many local societies.