I have done my fair share of winter golf trips. Whether it is a pre-season tune-up in or an autumnal holiday to try and extend summer a little, there are plenty of decent resorts to consider. But, as a lover of practice more than just playing golf, I feel like I’ve never been anywhere where I could comfortably spend all day beating balls and practicing my short game.
This all changed when I visited The Alto Club in Sotogrande, Spain, in July.
Perched on the top of a hill looking down at the Alboran Sea, just down the road from Marbella and a stone’s throw away from Valderrama and San Roque, sits The Alto Club.
The facilities are vast. They include an 18-hole golf course, a 9 hole par 3 course, a golf academy with Top Tracer driving range, a Professional practice area,a Callaway custom fitting centre and if that wasn’t enough, it is attached to SO/Sotogrande hotel. The hotel boasts a gym, spa, indoor and outdoor pool, multiple bars and restaurants and so much more.
I was lucky enough to make the trip out on the final day of the LIV Golf event at Spain. Jon Rahm was making a final day run at Valderrama. The weather was perfect and the course was impeccable. The whole experience offered a flavour of what is available for avid golfers visiting the area.
The big draw of the Alto Club is the new partnership with Solheim Cup legend Suzanne Peterson. Peterson was deeply involved with the design of the facilities, having been a long-time visitor to Marbella. She wanted to create a facility that had everything on-site so there could be no excuse to not improve your game whilst visiting the club.
Peterson has gotten stuck into designing adult and junior coaching programs with the hope of developing the next European superstar. What struck me was just how convenient the academy set-up was. The Top Tracer driving range had its own cafe bar. It is also located right next door to the vast short game area and just a 2 minute walk from the first tee of the par 3 course.
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You could spend days at the academy alone, having extremely well-structured practice days, developing your whole game. What pleases me is just how much thought has been put into the academy as well as the golf course. It is not just a generic add-on, like a lot of resorts do.
I was fortunate enough to play the course at The Alto Club. It was in superb condition and offered a narrow, tree-lined challenge designed to test your game. We also played at La Reserva, which was a serious championship test. Here at NCG it has always ranked extremely highly as one of the top courses in Spain.
If you needed a break from golf, Marbella is not far up the road, or a trip to La Reserva’s beach club is fantastic.
The Alto Club at SO/Sotogrande is a luxury retreat that is a winter haven for any golfer, so rather than booking that default trip to the Algarve this winter, take your practice seriously and visit The Alto Club to really improve your game.
- NOW READ: La Cala Resort Nominated for Spain’s Best Golf Hotel 2025
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Have you ever played golf in Sotogrande? If not, would you be tempted to go now? Tell us on X!
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