Maspalomas Golf
The grand old course of the south, laid out in 1968 by Mackenzie Ross on the edge of the most famous dunes in the Canary Islands. Maspalomas is flat, wide and lined with palms, the kind of warm winter round that has anchored Gran Canaria golf holidays for half a century. Not a championship test, but a genuine pleasure, and a short drive from the beach.
Photo: Maspalomas Golf via Google.
The verdict
Maspalomas is the original Gran Canaria golf course and still one of its most loved. Mackenzie Ross, the Scottish architect who restored Turnberry's Ailsa course after the war, designed it in 1968 on the flat sandy ground just inland of the great Maspalomas dunes. It is a par 73 of around 6,400 metres, generous off the tee, with mature palms framing the fairways and the odd glimpse of the dunes and the Atlantic beyond.
This is holiday golf in the best sense. It will not bully you the way a modern resort course can, and a steady player will find plenty of birdie chances, but the length and the breeze keep it honest. It suits the couple or the group that wants reliable winter sun, a walkable layout and a clubhouse terrace for a long lunch, all within a few minutes of the beach resorts. For a serious championship test you look elsewhere on the island, but for a relaxed warm weather round with a sense of history, Maspalomas is hard to beat.
Maspalomas Golf at a glance
- Opened
- 1968
- Design
- Mackenzie Ross
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 73
- Length
- ~6,400 m
- Green fee
- Around €130
Design, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the club and course listings. Maspalomas Golf opened in 1968 to a Mackenzie Ross design, a par 73 of around 6,400 metres. Green fees are indicative, around 120 to 143 euros for a 2026 round with resident and twilight discounts available. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The character of Maspalomas comes from its setting and its trees. The fairways run flat and wide across the old dune flats, framed by tall palms and the occasional pine, so the round walks easily and the ball sits up to be hit. Mackenzie Ross built large greens and used water and well placed bunkers rather than length to defend par, which is the right balance for a course that earns its living from visiting holiday golfers.
The dunes of the nature reserve sit just to the south, and on the right hole you catch the light off the sand and the Atlantic, a reminder of exactly where you are. The breeze off the sea is the main defence, stiffening the par 73 on a windy afternoon and turning a benign looking hole into a proper test of ball flight.
It is a course to be enjoyed rather than survived, which is precisely why golfers have returned to it for more than fifty years. Pair it with a couple of the island's newer designs and you have a varied, sun soaked Gran Canaria week.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A public pay and play course welcoming visitors every day, bookable online or through the club |
| Green fee | Around 120 to 143 euros for a 2026 round (indicative); resident and twilight rates lower |
| Booking | Book ahead in the busy winter months, when northern European golfers fill the south of the island |
| On the day | Buggies and trolleys available; a flat, walkable layout with a relaxed clubhouse and terrace |
| Getting there | In the south of Gran Canaria, minutes from Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles, around 30 minutes from the airport |
| Best months | Year round, with the cool, bright winter the prime Canary Islands golf season |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club and public listings; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The resorts of Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles are on the doorstep, with everything from large beach hotels to quiet villas a few minutes from the first tee. It is one of the easiest golf bases in the Canaries, with the famous dunes and a long stretch of beach for the non golfing half of the group.
For a quieter feel, the smaller resort of Meloneras sits beside the lighthouse and the better hotels, while the rest of the island's courses lie within an hour for a varied week. Gran Canaria Airport keeps connections from northern Europe quick and frequent.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Maspalomas.
A Gran Canaria golf trip
We pair Maspalomas with the best of the island's other courses, set you up in the right resort for your group, and arrange transfers and tee times for a warm winter week. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Maspalomas Golf questions
Who designed Maspalomas Golf?
Maspalomas Golf was designed by Mackenzie Ross and opened in 1968. Ross, who also restored Turnberry's Ailsa course, laid out a flat, wide par 73 in the dune fringed south of Gran Canaria.
How long is Maspalomas Golf?
Maspalomas Golf is a par 73 measuring around 6,400 metres from the back tees, roughly 7,000 yards. It is long but flat, with wide fairways and large greens that suit a relaxed holiday round.
How much does it cost to play Maspalomas Golf?
Indicative 2026 green fees are around 120 to 143 euros for an 18 hole round, with discounts for residents and twilight play. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Where is Maspalomas Golf?
Maspalomas Golf is in the south of Gran Canaria, beside the Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve and close to the Atlantic, a few minutes from the resorts of Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles and around half an hour from Gran Canaria Airport.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.