La Moraleja Course 1
La Moraleja Course 1 opened in 1976 as one of the earliest designs of Jack Nicklaus's architecture career and his first in Spain. A par 72 parkland of about 5,867 yards in the affluent suburbs north of Madrid, it is a private members club round prized for its strategy over sheer length.
Photo: Real Club La Moraleja via Google.
The verdict
La Moraleja Course 1 carries a notable place in golf history: it opened in 1976 as one of the very first courses Jack Nicklaus designed, and his first in Spain, built in the smart residential district of the same name on the northern edge of Madrid. It is the original of what is now a four course members club, and the round that announced Nicklaus the architect to Europe.
At about 5,867 yards it is no monster, and that is the point. This is a par 72 of position and angle, where the smart line off the tee and the controlled approach matter more than raw power, a tidy, mature parkland that rewards the thinking golfer. For the traveling player it pairs naturally with its longer sibling Course 2 and the capital's classic tests; see our best of Spain ranking for context.
La Moraleja Course 1 at a glance
- Course opened
- 1976
- Designer
- Jack Nicklaus
- Type
- Mature parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 5,867 yd
- Access
- Members and guests
Designer, year and par verified June 2026 from the club and recognized course databases. Course 1 opened in 1976 to a Jack Nicklaus design, among his earliest and his first in Spain, a par 72 of about 5,867 yards. Real Club La Moraleja is a private members club with limited visitor access; any guest green fee varies by day and season in 2026. Indicative only; always confirm access and the current rate directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
What makes Course 1 worth seeking out is its place in the Nicklaus story and the character of an early, restrained design. Before the era of long, muscular Signature courses, this was Nicklaus working with a compact site to produce a strategic par 72 that asks for placement and judgment rather than brute carry.
The corridors run through established trees, so accuracy is the currency, and the greens reward the approach played from the correct half of the fairway. It is the shorter of the club's two early layouts, a course that flatters the player who plots a way around rather than tries to overpower it, and a satisfying counterpoint to the longer modern golf nearby.
Add the setting, a leafy, exclusive enclave minutes from central Madrid, and Course 1 becomes a quietly rewarding round on a trip built around the capital's history laden golf. It is access, not length, that defines a visit here.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club with limited visitor access; arrange in advance, generally midweek |
| Green fee | No published public rate; any visitor or guest green fee is arranged through the club and varies by season in 2026 |
| Booking | Contact the club well ahead; an introduction or a trip specialist helps secure a tee time |
| On the day | Walkable parkland; a smart golf dress code applies |
| Getting there | Alcobendas, north of Madrid, about 20 minutes from the city center |
| Best months | April to June and September to October for warm, settled play |
Access verified June 2026; La Moraleja is a private members club with four layouts, so confirm you are booked on Course 1 and check any guest rate directly with the club or your trip planner before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Central Madrid is the natural base, around twenty minutes from the club, with hotels to suit every taste from the grand classics near the Prado to design led stays in Salamanca and Chamberi. Golf in the morning and the city's art, markets and dining by night is the formula, with two airports within easy reach.
For a golf focused week, Course 1 pairs with its longer sibling Course 2 and the capital's championship parklands at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, making Madrid a genuine short break for the traveling golfer.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near La Moraleja.
Build a Madrid golf trip
We arrange access where the members clubs allow, pair La Moraleja with the best of the capital's golf and book the city stay around it. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
La Moraleja Course 1 questions
Who designed La Moraleja Course 1 and when did it open?
Course 1 was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1976, among the earliest course designs of his career and his first in Spain.
What is the par and length of La Moraleja Course 1?
It is a par 72 parkland of about 5,867 yards, the shorter and more strategic of the club's two early Nicklaus layouts.
Can visitors play La Moraleja Course 1?
Real Club La Moraleja is a private members club with limited visitor access, generally midweek and by prior arrangement. Any guest green fee is arranged through the club and varies by season in 2026.
How does Course 1 differ from Course 2?
Course 1 is the original 1976 Nicklaus layout, shorter and more positional, while Course 2 is a longer 1990 Nicklaus and Ron Kirby design a short drive away at Alcobendas.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, year and par verified June 2026; access verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.