La Quinta Marbella
In the hills of Nueva Andalucia, a short drive above Puerto Banus, La Quinta is one of the most enjoyable resort rounds on the Costa del Sol. Manuel Pinero's 27 holes spread across three contrasting nines that climb and fall through pine and olive, with the Mediterranean glittering below. It is the kind of golf a group plays twice in a week and never tires of.
Photo: La Quinta Golf and Country Club via Google.
The verdict
La Quinta is one of the great everyman pleasures of Marbella golf, a 27 hole resort complex that opened in 1989 to a design by the former Ryder Cup player Manuel Pinero, working with Antonio Garcia Garrido. Pinero, who won twice in the European jersey and later based his teaching academy here, routed three nines, San Pedro, Ronda and Guadaiza, up and across the wooded hills of Nueva Andalucia, the so called golf valley that also holds Aloha, Los Naranjos and Las Brisas. The result is golf with movement and variety rather than length, played from elevated tees with the coast and the mountains always in view.
What makes La Quinta such a fixture of a Marbella trip is the combination of quality and ease. The conditioning is reliably good, the three loops can be mixed for a different eighteen each day, and the whole thing sits within minutes of Puerto Banus, San Pedro and the smart hotels of the Marbella strip. It is run alongside the Westin La Quinta Golf Resort and Spa, so a group can base on site or drive in for the round. For the travelling golfer who wants character and views without a brutal test, La Quinta earns its place on the itinerary.
La Quinta at a glance
- Opened
- 1989
- Designer
- Manuel Pinero
- Type
- Parkland, 27 holes
- Par
- 71 to 72
- Yardage
- Around 5,900 m
- Green fee
- Around €90 to €150
Designer, year and layout verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. La Quinta is a 27 hole complex of three nines, San Pedro, Ronda and Guadaiza, played in three championship combinations of par 71 to 72 and roughly 5,600 to 5,900 metres from the back tees. Green fees are indicative, running from around 90 euros in the quieter months to about 150 euros in the spring and autumn high seasons in 2026, with twilight, buggy and resort stay and play options. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
La Quinta is a course of slopes and angles. Pinero used the hillside rather than fighting it, so you play uphill drives and downhill approaches, with greens that sit at the foot of falling fairways or perched above them, and tee shots framed by mature pines. The three nines each have their own feel. San Pedro and Guadaiza tend to be the pairing used for the headline championship eighteen, climbing higher into the hills with the boldest views back toward Puerto Banus and the sea, while Ronda is the gentler, more sheltered loop. None of it is especially long, but the changes in elevation and the small, sloping greens keep the better player honest.
The most memorable stretch comes high on the hill, where a run of holes plays across and down the slope with the whole coastline laid out below, the sort of vista that has a group reaching for the camera between shots. Accuracy off the tee matters more than power, since the wooded corridors and the contours punish the wild drive, and the premium is on controlling distance into greens that often fall away at the back. Read the slope, favour the safe side of the pin, and La Quinta rewards thoughtful golf without ever feeling like a grind.
Play it and you understand why La Quinta is such a staple of the Nueva Andalucia golf valley. It is fun, scenic and varied, friendly enough for a mixed ability group yet interesting enough that good players enjoy plotting their way around. Pair it with Aloha or Los Naranjos next door and Las Brisas a few minutes away, and you have the makings of a classic Marbella golf week built around the same quiet hillside.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Open to visitors by advance booking; tee times bookable directly, through the Westin La Quinta resort, or via a trip planner |
| Green fee | Around 90 euros in the quieter months, rising to about 150 euros in the spring and autumn high seasons (indicative 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve ahead in the spring and autumn peaks when Marbella is busiest; stay and play packages with the resort are often the best value |
| On the day | A hilly course where buggies are recommended; smart golf attire expected, as across the Nueva Andalucia clubs |
| Getting there | In Nueva Andalucia above Puerto Banus, about 10 minutes from central Marbella and roughly 50 minutes from Malaga Airport |
| Best months | Spring and autumn for the most comfortable golf; the Costa del Sol plays year round in a mild climate |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with La Quinta or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Westin La Quinta Golf Resort and Spa sits on the course itself, the natural base for a group that wants to roll out of bed and onto the first tee, with a spa, pool and stay and play rates that bundle the golf.
Most visitors, though, base down on the coast around Puerto Banus and Marbella, ten minutes away, where the hotels, marina and restaurants are, and drive up to the golf valley each morning. From there La Quinta pairs easily with Aloha, Los Naranjos, Las Brisas and the rest of the Nueva Andalucia courses for a full Marbella golf week.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near La Quinta.
Build a Marbella golf trip
We pair La Quinta with Aloha, Los Naranjos and Las Brisas, book the tee times in the right order and handle the hotels and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
La Quinta Marbella questions
Who designed La Quinta Golf Marbella?
La Quinta was designed by the former Ryder Cup player Manuel Pinero, with Antonio Garcia Garrido, and opened in 1989. Pinero, twice a Ryder Cup winner for Europe, laid out three contrasting nines, San Pedro, Ronda and Guadaiza, that climb the hills of Nueva Andalucia, and he based his golf academy at the resort.
What is the par and length of La Quinta?
La Quinta is a 27 hole complex of three nines played in three championship combinations, ranging from par 71 to par 72 and roughly 5,600 to 5,900 metres from the back tees. Each combination has its own character, so a group can play a different eighteen on consecutive days.
How much does it cost to play La Quinta Marbella?
Indicative 2026 green fees at La Quinta run from around 90 euros in the quieter months to roughly 150 euros in the spring and autumn high seasons, with twilight, buggy and resort stay and play rates available. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Is La Quinta worth playing?
Yes, especially for a group. La Quinta sits in the heart of Nueva Andalucia's golf valley, a short drive from Puerto Banus, and its three nines give variety, sweeping views toward the coast and a relaxed resort feel. It pairs naturally with Aloha, Los Naranjos and Las Brisas for a Marbella golf week. Always confirm current fees before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, year, par and layout verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.