La Zagaleta
La Zagaleta is the most exclusive golf address on the Costa del Sol, a gated estate in the hills above Marbella with two private courses and no public tee times. The Old Course, a Bradford Benz par 72 of about 6,010 yards from 1991 and reworked by Marc Westenborg in 2016, plays through cork oak and pine with the Mediterranean, Gibraltar and the coast of Africa on the horizon.
Photo: Club de Golf La Zagaleta via Google.
The verdict
La Zagaleta is less a golf club than a private world. Set on a vast gated estate in the hills of Benahavis above Marbella, it offers 36 holes reserved almost entirely for residents and members, with no public tee times and a level of privacy that is rare anywhere in European golf. The Old Course, designed by Bradford Benz in 1991 and revised by Marc Westenborg in 2016, is the senior of the two, a par 72 of about 6,010 yards; the New Course, by Steve Marnoch, opened in 2005 as a par 70.
For the travelling golfer this is aspiration rather than itinerary, since access depends on owning or knowing the right door. What it represents is the very top of the Costa del Sol property and golf market, a benchmark of exclusivity against which the many fine public courses of the region are measured. If a round is even possible for you, arrange it well in advance through the estate, and plan the rest of your trip around courses you can actually book.
La Zagaleta at a glance
- Opened
- 1991 (Old Course)
- Designer
- Bradford Benz, Westenborg revision
- Type
- Private parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,010 yds
- Green fee
- Members only
Designers, opening years, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. The Old Course was designed by Bradford Benz in 1991 and reworked by Marc Westenborg in 2016, a par 72 of about 6,010 yards; the New Course, by Steve Marnoch, opened in 2005 as a par 70. La Zagaleta is a private residents and members club with no public green fee and no published visitor access. Any access is arranged privately, so always confirm directly before making plans.
The holes worth the trip
The Old Course is the one most associated with La Zagaleta, a parkland routing that climbs and falls through the cork oak and pine of the estate. It is not a long course by modern measure, but the elevation changes, the tree lined corridors and the constant Mediterranean views make club selection and nerve the real test rather than raw distance.
The best holes open to long views over the Alboran Sea toward Gibraltar and the African coast, and the greens are set to reward the approach played from the correct side of the fairway. The New Course offers a second, slightly shorter par 70 in the same secluded style, giving members 36 holes without ever leaving the estate.
Because there are no tee times and play is light, the courses are kept in pristine condition and rounds are unhurried in a way no public resort can match. That combination of seclusion, conditioning and view is the whole point of La Zagaleta, and it is what places it at the very summit of Costa del Sol golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private residents and members estate; no public tee times and no published visitor access |
| Green fee | No public green fee; play is reserved for residents, members and their guests (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | There is no tee sheet to book; any access is arranged privately through the estate |
| On the day | Buggies standard on a hilly estate; discreet members club etiquette throughout |
| Getting there | Benahavis, in the hills above Marbella, about 40 minutes from Malaga Airport on the AP7 |
| Best months | Spring and autumn for the most comfortable golf, though the Costa del Sol plays year round |
Access verified June 2026; La Zagaleta is strictly private and policies change, so always confirm directly before making any plans.
Where to stay nearby
Visitors to this corner of the coast base themselves in Marbella, around Puerto Banus or along the Golden Mile, a stretch thick with five star hotels, marinas and restaurants and within easy reach of the public courses of the region. A Marbella base puts the best of the Costa del Sol dining and beaches close at hand.
Since La Zagaleta itself is private, build a golf trip around the courses you can play, pairing the headline names of the area such as Finca Cortesin with the resort tests at La Quinta and Los Naranjos. It is an ideal region for a luxury golf break, with La Zagaleta as the unattainable benchmark on the hill above it all.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near La Zagaleta.
Build a Costa del Sol golf trip
We arrange tee times at the best courses you can actually play on the Costa del Sol, from Finca Cortesin to the Marbella resorts, and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
La Zagaleta questions
Can visitors play La Zagaleta?
No. La Zagaleta is a private residents and members estate with no public tee times and no published visitor access. Any access is arranged privately through the estate.
Who designed La Zagaleta?
The Old Course was designed by Bradford Benz in 1991 and revised by Marc Westenborg in 2016. The New Course was designed by Steve Marnoch and opened in 2005.
How many golf courses does La Zagaleta have?
La Zagaleta has two private 18 hole courses, the Old Course, a par 72 of about 6,010 yards, and the New Course, a par 70, giving members 36 holes within the estate.
Where is La Zagaleta?
La Zagaleta is in Benahavis in the hills above Marbella, about 40 minutes from Malaga Airport on the AP7.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, opening years, par and yardage verified June 2026; access verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.