San Roque (Old)

San Roque (Old)

Nearby Courses

2 miles away

Sotogrande

11 miles away

Finca Cortesin

21 miles away

Villa Padierna

Designed by Dave Thomas at the foothills of the Sierra Bermeja, where the mountains meet the sea, the Old is a well-balanced mixture of exacting holes and aesthetic holes.


It begins with a downhill hole that has a number of beautiful villas lining the fairways and ends on a two-tiered, long and narrow green with a tree standing watch.


Similar fare greets you on the downhill 2nd but this time the views of villas sees them set in wooded hills behind, notable for the pastel colours of their walls – burnt oranges, yellows, and reds – topped with tiled roofs of the kind you expect in the Far East. There is a bunker on the left side of a narrow fairway that turns to the right while the tiny green has a small entrance and a pot bunker.


It is noticeable how little distance there is between tees and greens here, testament to the negligible restrictions on Thomas but also on his skilful routing.


There is a superb conclusion begins on the Old's nicest driving hole, with small trees sparsely lining the fairway with bunkers peeping out at you. So you need to draw it off them as you absorb the beautiful scene of the forested hill behind.


This risk and reward test is the best hole on the course, with a lake eating into a fairway off the right. You end up playing to a large green with a step in it and a fountain gurgling away.


To conclude, water lies all the way up the left side on the last hole, ensuring a brilliant finish.


It then turns left and you have to nervously chip your way round the corner with bunkers on the right so there no real bail out as it covers the last two thirds of the hole, cutting across in front of the hole to the right.