La Manga South Course
The South is the course that made La Manga famous: the championship heart of Spain's original golf resort, host to several Spanish Opens, laid out by Robert Dean Putman in 1971 and sharpened by Arnold Palmer in 2005. Palm lined fairways, water on 15 of 18 holes and the Calblanque hills behind make it one of the most complete resort tests on the Spanish coast. Here is the verdict, the facts, the holes and how to get on.
Photograph: Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa, via Google.
The verdict
Every grand golf resort has one course the scorecards get compared on, and at La Manga Club that course is the South. Opened in 1971 to a Robert Dean Putman design and remodeled by Arnold Palmer in 2005, it is the longest and most decorated of the resort's three courses, a par 73 of around 6,500 meters from the whites that has staged several Spanish Opens and PGA qualifying championships for both men and women.
It is a proper championship examination dressed in holiday clothes. The fairways are wide and palm fringed, the conditioning is dependable year round, and the Murcian sun does its part, but water threads through 15 of the 18 holes and the front nine asks for two carries at par 3s of more than 200 meters. Add the North and West courses, the academy and the Grand Hyatt on site, and the South anchors one of the most complete golf campuses in Europe. For a group that wants 36 holes a day without moving the car, La Manga remains the standard.
La Manga South Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1971
- Designer
- Robert Dean Putman
- Remodel
- Palmer, 2005
- Par
- 73
- Length
- ~6,500 m
- Green fee
- From around €150
Designer, opening and layout verified June 2026. The South Course was designed by Robert Dean Putman and opened in 1971, then remodeled by Arnold Palmer in 2005 with additional water hazards, new tree planting and rebuilt greens. It plays as a par 73 of around 6,500 meters, roughly 7,100 yards, from the white tees, with water in play on 15 of 18 holes. Indicative 2025 visitor green fees run from around 150 euros; fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The South opens with its sterner face. The front nine is the harder half, built around two par 3s that stretch beyond 200 meters and a run of demanding par 4s where the driving lines are pinched between lakes and bunkers. Putman's original routing used the gentle valley floor cleverly, and Palmer's 2005 remodel raised the stakes, bringing more water into play and rebuilding greens so that a careless approach now finds trouble that the old course forgave.
The back nine is shorter on the card but turns repeatedly, a sequence of doglegs where position off the tee matters more than raw length. The four par 5s give a measured player real chances, which is very much the South's character: it rewards plotting rather than power, and a round built on respect for the water usually beats one built on bravado.
Played in winter sunshine with the Calblanque hills behind the greens and the Mediterranean a few minutes away, it is easy to see why European Tour players wintered here for decades. The South is not a links and never pretends to be; it is the classic Spanish resort championship course, and one of the best of its kind.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course open to visitors year round; resort guests staying at the Grand Hyatt or the resort residences get preferential rates and tee time priority |
| Green fee | Indicative 2025 visitor fees from around 150 euros for 18 holes on the South, with resort guest, twilight and low season rates below that |
| Booking | Book through the resort golf desk or online ahead of travel; spring and autumn weeks are the busiest, and stay and play packages are the simplest route to prime times |
| On the day | Buggies and trolleys, a large practice campus, a par 3 academy course and the North and West courses alongside for 36 hole days |
| Getting there | Above Los Belones near Cartagena, around 30 minutes from Murcia's Corvera airport and roughly 75 minutes from Alicante |
| Best months | October to May for warm, settled Costa Calida weather; summer is hot but playable early and late in the day |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with La Manga Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf and Spa sits at the center of the resort, a few minutes from the first tee of all three courses, with a spa, pools and a string of restaurants across the campus. The resort's apartments and villas suit groups who want their own space, and everything from the academy to the tennis center is walkable or a short shuttle away.
Beyond the gates, the Mar Menor beaches and the old port city of Cartagena are within half an hour, and a longer Spanish trip pairs naturally with the courses of the Costa Blanca to the north, led by Las Colinas, or a flight down to the Costa del Sol for La Quinta and the Marbella valley.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around La Manga, the Mar Menor and the Costa Calida.
Stay and play La Manga
We arrange tee times on the South and build it into a full La Manga stay, three courses, the Grand Hyatt and the Murcia coast, or a wider Spanish tour. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
La Manga South Course questions
Who designed the South Course at La Manga Club?
The South Course was designed by the American architect Robert Dean Putman and opened in 1971 as part of the original La Manga campus. Arnold Palmer remodeled the course in 2005, adding water hazards, new trees and reworked greens, and it remains the flagship of the resort's three courses.
What par and length is the South Course?
The South Course plays as a par 73 of around 6,500 meters, roughly 7,100 yards, from the white tees. Water comes into play on 15 of the 18 holes, the front nine carries two par 3s of more than 200 meters, and the back nine turns through a series of doglegs.
How much does it cost to play the South Course at La Manga?
Indicative 2025 visitor green fees on the South Course run from around 150 euros for 18 holes, with lower rates for resort guests, twilight times and low season. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Has the South Course hosted professional tournaments?
Yes. The South Course has hosted several Spanish Opens along with PGA qualifying championships on both the men's and women's side. That tournament pedigree is a large part of why the South is regarded as the championship test of the La Manga resort.
What else is there to play at La Manga Club?
La Manga Club has three 18 hole courses: the South, the North and the West, plus a par 3 academy course and a large practice campus. The North is the friendlier resort round, the West is a tighter, hillier test cut through pine, and the Grand Hyatt hotel sits in the middle of it all.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening date, remodel and layout verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.