‘Around and About the courses – VISTABELLA ’
The golf course was officially opened on Saturday 26th September 2009 with a competition for invited guests followed by a golf clinic given by course designer and former Ryder Cup player Manuel Pinero. The course has a par of 73 measuring 6,193 metres off the white tees and 5,844 metres off the visitors yellow tees and is set in beautiful and natural surroundings close to the towns of Montesinos and Jacarilla.
At present the clubhouse facilities are temporary in nature with modern ‘mobile’ type buildings incorporating the golf shop, changing room and restaurant facilities complete with a covered outer terrace area. The practise area is excellent with 20 bays of which 10 are covered located close to the clubhouse along with a practise putting green and they are currently constructing a much needed practise sand bunker.
The golf course currently consists of only 11 holes due a complication over original planning approval with the existing holes being under the planning control of Orihuela and the other 7 holes being under the planning control of Jacarilla and the ‘vision’ is to have these other holes in place by 2018 at a cost of circa €4m.
The course designer has made a wonderful job of this course making the most of the natural terrain while introducing the minimum of water hazards and strategically well positioned bunkers and waste areas.The course is beautiful on the eye with subtle dog legs and changes in elevation and with large undulating greens that will put the utmost strain on the putter if you leave the ball on the wrong part of the green.
For the better standard of golfer you will be impressed by the surface of the greens which roll well but more importantly ‘takes’ a good iron shot without damaging the surface.