Baviera Golf

The verdict

Baviera Golf sits in the Axarquia, the quieter, more Spanish stretch of coast east of Malaga around Velez-Malaga and Caleta de Velez. Opened in 2001, it carries the name of a Ryder Cup man: it was designed by Jose Maria Canizares, the long serving Spanish professional, and his work shows in a layout that asks fair questions without ever resorting to gimmickry. The setting helps, with the Sierra rising inland and the Mediterranean just down the hill, and the course makes good use of the rolling ground it occupies.

Playing to a par 71 of about 6,050 meters, Baviera is a comfortable length that rewards a wide range of golfers. The greens are the talking point, large and full of movement, so approach play and putting are where scores are won and lost, while a variety of obstacles keeps the round interesting from the first tee. Add some of the friendliest green fees on the coast and you have a course that earns its place on a Costa del Sol trip as the value round of the week, easy to pair with the bigger names to the west.

The holes worth the trip

Canizares built Baviera to be enjoyed rather than endured, and the round flows accordingly. The fairways run across gently rolling coastal ground with the mountains behind and the sea in view, and the obstacles are placed to make you think rather than to punish: water and bunkering frame the strategic holes, while the wider corridors give the higher handicapper room to keep the ball in play.

The defining feature is the greens. They are big and full of subtle movement, so a missed approach can leave a long, breaking putt, and reading the slopes correctly is the key to a good score. That emphasis on the short game, rather than length off the tee, is what makes Baviera a fair test for all standards: the low handicapper has to be sharp with the wedge and the putter, and the social golfer can still enjoy a manageable round without losing a sleeve of balls.

Baviera suits a group looking for an enjoyable, well priced round to balance the more expensive marquee courses further west. It pairs naturally with the other eastern Malaga layouts and the Costa del Sol names for a varied few days, and its value makes it an easy addition to any itinerary.

Where to stay nearby

The Axarquia around Velez-Malaga and Torre del Mar offers a more relaxed, authentically Spanish base than the busier resorts to the west, with beach hotels, apartments and the white villages of the hills behind. It is well placed for a golf trip that mixes the eastern courses with day trips toward the city of Malaga, and the airport is a straightforward drive away.

Baviera is best built into a multi course Costa del Sol itinerary. Pair it with the nearby eastern layout at Anoreta Golf at Rincon de la Victoria, the parkland at Guadalhorce near the city, and the inland round 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 Caleta de Velez.