Aloha Golf Club

The verdict

Aloha Golf Club is the connoisseur's choice in Marbella's Golf Valley, the celebrated last design of Javier Arana, the most revered of all Spanish golf architects. Opened in 1975 in the Nueva Andalucia hills above Puerto Banus, it is a mature parkland of broad, tree lined fairways and bold, well bunkered greens, framed by the dramatic backdrop of La Concha mountain. Arana never built a course outside Spain and never used water as a gimmick; at Aloha his trademark strategy is everywhere, in the angled fairways, the demanding par 4s and the superb set of par 3s that ask for precise, committed iron play.

It is a private members club with a real pedigree, long enough and exacting enough to have hosted top professional events, yet welcoming to visitors in selected windows through the season. The conditioning is among the best on the Costa del Sol, the practice facilities are exceptional, and the setting, amid the villas and umbrella pines of the Golf Valley, is quintessential Marbella. For the travelling golfer it is the most architecturally satisfying round in an area full of choices, the one the purists single out.

The holes worth the trip

Aloha asks for proper golf from the first tee. Arana's fairways are generous in width but framed by mature trees and tilted to favour one side, so the player who works out the correct angle is rewarded with a clear approach while the careless driver is blocked out or left with a long, awkward second. The greens are large, firm and cleverly contoured, well guarded by deep bunkers, and three putts come easily to those who miss on the wrong side.

The par 3s are the signature of the round, a varied and demanding quartet that calls for every iron in the bag and a confident strike to hold the putting surfaces. The par 4s are strong and well balanced, several of them long enough to test the best, and the par 5s offer genuine risk and reward decisions for those who back their game. Throughout, La Concha looms over the course, a constant and beautiful point of reference as the holes climb and fall through the Golf Valley.

What sets Aloha apart from its Costa del Sol neighbours is the quality and integrity of the architecture. There is no manufactured drama, just Arana's classic strategic design matured over half a century, immaculately presented and quietly exacting. The closing holes return through the villas toward an excellent clubhouse and one of the best practice complexes in the region. Golfers who care about design leave Aloha rating it the most complete and satisfying test in Marbella.

Where to stay nearby

Marbella and Puerto Banus are the obvious bases, a glamorous stretch of the Costa del Sol with everything from grand resort hotels to boutique town options, minutes from Aloha and the rest of the Golf Valley. Staying here puts you close to the beach, the marina and a dozen courses, ideal for a week that mixes golf with the Marbella good life.

The Golf Valley is one of the densest concentrations of good golf in Europe. Aloha's neighbours Los Naranjos and Las Brisas are a short drive away, Finca Cortesin and the Sotogrande courses are within range to the west, and Malaga airport is under an hour, with flights from across the continent. Most visitors build a multi course itinerary, and Aloha is the architectural highlight.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in Marbella and Puerto Banus.