Anoreta Golf

The verdict

Anoreta holds a small place in Costa del Sol history as the first 18 hole course built east of Malaga, opening in 1990 at Rincon de la Victoria. The designer was Jose Maria Canizares, the Spanish Ryder Cup player, and more than three decades on the course has matured into a settled, well treed parkland that feels established in a way newer layouts cannot match. Its position on the eastern side of the city, away from the busier resort strip toward Marbella, gives it a calmer, more local feel.

Playing to a par 72 of about 6,016 meters from the back tees, and a touch under 5,850 from the regular markers, Anoreta is a fair length for all standards. The defining feature is water, which comes into play on eleven holes and reaches its most memorable at the par 3 17th, where the green is ringed on three sides. With sea views from the higher holes and mature trees lining the fairways, it is an enjoyable, characterful round and a natural inclusion on a trip that takes in the eastern Malaga courses.

The holes worth the trip

Anoreta is a course where water and maturity shape the test. Three decades of growth have given the fairways defined corridors of trees, and the lakes and channels that Canizares worked into the routing come into play on eleven of the eighteen holes. That makes club selection and a steady nerve the priorities: there are birdie chances for the player who attacks the right pins, and there is real trouble for the one who misses on the wrong side.

The hole everyone remembers is the par 3 17th, a short one shotter whose green is surrounded on three sides by water, demanding a precise and committed strike late in the round when the card is on the line. It is the signature moment, but it is far from the only place water dictates strategy, and the variety of holes keeps a group engaged from the first tee to the last. The higher ground offers views down to the Mediterranean, a reminder of how close the course sits to the coast.

Anoreta suits a group that enjoys a mature, strategic parkland with a strong water element, away from the busier western resorts. It pairs naturally with the other eastern Malaga courses for a relaxed few days of varied golf within easy reach of the city and the airport.

Where to stay nearby

Rincon de la Victoria is a relaxed coastal town on the eastern edge of Malaga, with beach hotels and apartments and the city itself only a short drive away. It makes a good base for a golf trip that mixes the eastern courses with the culture, dining and nightlife of Malaga, and the airport is one of the closest on the whole coast.

Anoreta is best built into a multi course Costa del Sol itinerary. Pair it with the value round at Baviera Golf further east in the Axarquia, the parkland at Guadalhorce near the city, and the inland layout at Lauro Golf. See our Golf on the Costa del Sol hub and our best courses on the Costa del Sol ranking, or browse Costa del Sol golf holidays.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Rincon de la Victoria.