Catalonia is one of Europe's most rewarding short golf breaks: a cluster of fine courses on the Costa Brava north of Barcelona, led by the Stadium course at Camiral that will host the 2031 Ryder Cup, with the city and the beaches an easy drive away. Here are the ten we rate most highly, ranked, with our verdict and how to play each.
Photograph: Camiral A Quinta do Lago Resort, Camiral A Quinta do Lago Resort, via Google
Golf in Catalonia is concentrated and high in quality. The European Tour built its own answer to Sawgrass here in the late 1990s, the Stadium course at what was then PGA Catalunya and is now Camiral, and around it grew a Costa Brava golf scene that takes in the forest and dunes of Emporda, the old links land at Pals and the mountain views above Platja d'Aro. Inland, the great members club of Barcelona, El Prat, completes the picture.
We weighed design quality, conditioning, championship pedigree and the pleasure of the round, and we noted access plainly, because the best members clubs admit visitors only on limited terms. Every fact here, from designers and opening years to host events, was checked at the time of writing. Green fees are indicative and spring and autumn are ideal. The verdicts are ours, the order reflects our editors' view, and if you want these built into a costed trip, that is exactly what our concierge does.
Formerly the Green course at PGA Catalunya, the Stadium was built by the European Tour to rival TPC Sawgrass and has ranked among Europe's best ever since it opened, an hour north of Barcelona through pine and lake. It will host the 2031 Ryder Cup. Open to resort and visiting golfers.
The tighter of Emporda's two routings near the Costa Brava coast, Robert von Hagge's forest track twisting through umbrella pines, most often paired with the open Dunes course for one of the best 36 hole days in Spain. Open to visitors.
The leading members club of Barcelona, relocated inland to Terrassa with 45 holes by Greg Norman; the Pink course is the championship pick and a regular in Spain's top ten. Polished, demanding and beautifully kept. Private, with limited visitor access.
The resort's gentler second course, shorter and more forgiving than the Stadium but a fine round in its own right, sharing the same pine and lake setting north of Barcelona. The ideal complement to a Stadium round. Open to resort guests.
The open, links like half of Emporda, exposed and rolling, the perfect foil to the Forest and a favourite of travelling golfers on the Costa Brava. Together the two courses make a superb day. Open to visitors.
A mountain course set high above Platja d'Aro, with sweeping views over the Costa Brava and the Mediterranean, dramatic elevation changes and a memorable, holiday feeling round. A scenic change of pace from the lowland courses. Open to visitors.
One of the oldest courses on the Costa Brava, a classic Hawtree design through tall umbrella pines near the beach at Pals that has hosted the Spanish Open in its day. Mature, atmospheric and full of character. Open to visitors.
South of Barcelona near Tarragona, Greg Norman's Lakes course at Lumine is a modern championship layout that has hosted European Tour qualifying, part of a large coastal resort with golf, beach and a marina. Open to resort guests.
A well regarded resort course in the wine country near Figueres in the northern Emporda, attached to a castle hotel and spa, gentle, scenic and a relaxed counterpoint to the championship tracks of the coast. Open to visitors.
A parkland course on the hills above Girona, handy for the city and the Costa Brava resorts, mature and good value, a sensible add to a Catalonia golf week for groups based near the airport. Open to visitors.
Designers, opening years and host history verified June 2026. The leading members clubs admit visitors only on limited terms, noted where relevant. Green fees are indicative only. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
Tell us whether you want the Costa Brava, Barcelona or both, and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
The Stadium course at Camiral, formerly PGA Catalunya, near Caldes de Malavella north of Barcelona, is rated the best course in Catalonia and among the finest in continental Europe, and it will host the 2031 Ryder Cup. Emporda and Real Club de Golf El Prat are the other leading names.
Catalonia's golf clusters on the Costa Brava north of the city, around Camiral, Emporda, Pals and Platja d'Aro, with El Prat inland at Terrassa and Lumine to the south near Tarragona. Spring and autumn are ideal. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
Costa Brava tee time windows, the road to the 2031 Ryder Cup at Camiral and the trips our concierge is quietly building. Every other week.