La Manga Club West Course

The verdict

La Manga Club built its name on the North and South courses, the South in particular a long time host of European Tour and Spanish professional golf. The West is the resort's third course and its odd one out, and that is exactly why low handicappers and repeat visitors come to love it. Dave Thomas took the most broken, undulating land on the estate and shaped a tight, tree lined par 71 that rewards a thinking golfer far more than a long hitter.

At around 5,700 yards it is comfortably the shortest course at La Manga, and the scorecard fools people. Narrow fairways through mature pines, gullies that cut across the line, blind shots over rises and steep changes in level mean club selection and ball flight matter on almost every hole. It is the course that makes a three round La Manga stay feel complete, a contrast to the open, championship scale of the South and the more forgiving North, and a genuinely fun, demanding test in its own right.

The holes worth the trip

The West is all about position and judgement. From the opening holes the fairways thread between stands of pine, and the player who keeps the ball in play and below the hole scores well, while the one who reaches for driver pays for it in the trees and the gullies. The greens are quick and cleverly set into the hillsides, so the approach is as much about the right tier and the right miss as it is about the number.

The elevation is the defining feature. Holes climb and plunge across the slope, several tee shots are semi blind over a brow, and the changes in level make every yardage a calculation. It is a course that asks you to shape shots, to take less club than your instinct suggests off the tee, and to respect the run of the ball on firm Mediterranean turf.

The round finishes in style with a dramatic downhill closing hole, a fitting end to a layout that trades length for guile throughout. For all its modest scale, the West leaves the lasting impression among many who play all three at La Manga, the round they most want to play again.

Where to stay nearby

The obvious base is La Manga Club itself, a large, self contained five star resort with a hotel, apartments and villas, several restaurants, tennis and a spa alongside the three golf courses. Staying on site makes the most of the multi round packages and puts the West, the South and the North all within a buggy ride. It is one of the most complete golf resorts in continental Europe.

Beyond the resort, the wider Mar Menor and Costa Calida coast offers beach towns, marinas and the city of Cartagena for evenings and non golf days, while the warm, dry Murcia climate makes this a reliable year round destination. The West pairs naturally with the South and North courses for a three round stay.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts at La Manga Club.