Izki Golf

The verdict

Izki sits well off the usual Spanish golf trail, in the rolling, wooded hill country of the Montana Alavesa above the town of Urturi, an hour or so south of Bilbao and within reach of the vineyards of the Rioja Alavesa. It is a different Spain from the sun baked fairways of the costas: green, forested and cool, the kind of landscape that recalls the heathland and woodland golf of northern Europe more than the Mediterranean. The course was designed by Seve Ballesteros, the great Spanish champion, and opened in 1994, and it has quietly earned a place among the best courses in the country.

That reputation rests on the quality of the golf rather than any resort gloss. Izki is a public course, open and affordable, yet it plays through mature woodland with the strategy and shot making that bear Seve's signature. At about 5,958 meters from the regular tees it is a fair test, but the back markers push it past 6,500 meters and turn it into a genuine challenge. For the traveling golfer willing to leave the coast behind, it is one of Spain's most rewarding finds and a natural anchor for a Basque Country and Rioja trip.

The holes worth the trip

Izki plays through woodland and over gently rolling, sometimes steep mountain ground, and the design asks for thought from the first tee. Ballesteros routed the holes to reward the player who shapes shots and picks lines, with the trees defining the strategy and the contours dictating how much you can take on. The greens are generous in size but well contoured, so position on the fairway and the approach matters far more than length, in keeping with the short game genius who designed it.

The variety is what stays with you. There are holes that open out with mountain views and others that tunnel through the forest, par 3s that demand precise irons and par 5s that tempt the bold. From the regular tees at about 5,958 meters it is a fair and enjoyable test for the visiting golfer, but the championship tees past 6,500 meters give it the teeth that put it on national rankings. The cooler, wetter climate of the Basque hills keeps the course green and the turf lush, a contrast to the parched costas in high summer.

Izki suits the discerning golfer who values design and setting over resort facilities, and who wants to combine quality golf with the food and wine of the Basque Country and Rioja. It is a destination round, best built into a wider tour of northern Spain rather than played in isolation.

Where to stay nearby

Izki is rural, so plan your base around the wider region. The cathedral city of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the port city of Bilbao both lie within about an hour and offer the full range of hotels, while the wine towns of the Rioja Alavesa, Laguardia chief among them, make a characterful and scenic base with boutique hotels among the vineyards. Pairing the golf with the food, wine and culture of the Basque Country is the whole point of a trip here.

Izki is a destination round rather than part of a tight cluster. For a wider Spanish golf trip, see our golf in Spain hub, our best golf courses in Spain ranking and our list of hidden gem courses in Spain, or plan a Spain golf holiday. Those after sun and a different style can compare it with the Costa Brava resorts at Peralada Golf.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in the Basque Country and Rioja.