Canary Islands Golf: 2026 Season Outlook
When northern Europe locks up for the winter, the Canary Islands stay open for golf. A short flight off the coast of Morocco, the islands offer year round sun and a serious headline collection on Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Here is the 2026 outlook, the courses worth the flight, and how to time a trip.
The headline: Europe's winter golf capital
The defining fact about Canarian golf is the climate. The islands sit far enough south to enjoy sun all year, with average temperatures around 19C in the cooler months and 23C in summer, which makes them the standout winter golf destination for Europe. While courses on the Spanish mainland and across the Mediterranean wind down from November, the Canaries are at their busiest, full of golfers extending the season or starting it early.
That winter strength shapes any 2026 plan. The peak window of November to March is reliably warm and dry but also the most in demand, so the leading resorts fill early and rates are at their highest. Spring and autumn are quieter and only slightly less certain, while high summer is hot in the south but still very playable, especially early in the day. For most travellers the islands are a winter proposition, and the trip should be booked accordingly.
The courses that anchor a trip
Tenerife holds the headline names. Abama Golf, on the island's southwest coast, is a Dave Thomas design that winds through banana plantations and gardens with views to the Atlantic and the island of La Gomera, and is widely rated the best course in the Canaries. Nearby, Buenavista Golf is a dramatic Seve Ballesteros layout set hard against the ocean in the northwest, a course that trades on its cliff top setting as much as its golf.
Gran Canaria answers with variety. Anfi Tauro, in the south of the island, is a striking Robert von Hagge design that mixes lakes, dunes and ravines into a desert style test, while the older Maspalomas course is framed by the protected Maspalomas dune reserve, a rare and characterful setting. Between the Thomas and Ballesteros courses on Tenerife and the von Hagge drama on Gran Canaria, the islands offer enough quality to fill a week, with a short flight or ferry linking the two for a combined trip.
How to plan it for 2026
Unlike many of golf's great destinations, the Canaries are an open resort market, so the leading courses sell visitor tee times and most travellers play on stay and play packages built around a single base. That makes the trip easy to confirm, but it also means winter demand is the real constraint: the best slots at Abama and Anfi Tauro go early in the peak season, so booking well ahead is the single most important step.
For structure, decide between one island and two. A single island week, most often on Tenerife, keeps drive times short and pairs golf with a strong resort base, while a combined Tenerife and Gran Canaria trip adds variety at the cost of a short inter island hop. Treat any quoted green fee or package price as indicative for the 2026 winter season and always confirm directly before booking, and lock the marquee rounds before the rest of the trip falls into place.
What it means for your trip, and our take
For a 2026 Canary Islands golf trip, plan for winter, base on Tenerife or Gran Canaria, and book the headline courses early because peak season demand is the limiting factor. Add the second island only if the variety is worth a short flight to you.
Our take is that the Canaries earn their billing as Europe's winter golf capital on climate alone, and the best courses, Abama above all, are good enough to stand on their own merits rather than just the sunshine. The trip is reliable, accessible and easy to confirm, which is half the appeal in December. Book the peak slots early, choose your island base with care, and the Canaries deliver dependable, high quality golf when almost nowhere else in Europe can.
Plan your Canary Islands golf trip
From Abama and Buenavista on Tenerife to Anfi Tauro and Maspalomas on Gran Canaria, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, securing the winter tee times, with no obligation.
Questions
When is the best time to play golf in the Canary Islands?
The Canary Islands play all year, but their great strength is winter. With average temperatures around 19C in the cooler months, November to March is peak season for sun seeking golfers escaping the northern winter, and demand at the leading resorts is highest then.
Which Canary Island is best for golf?
Tenerife and Gran Canaria hold the headline courses and the largest concentrations, so most golf trips base on one or both. Tenerife is led by Abama and Buenavista, while Gran Canaria offers Anfi Tauro and the dune framed Maspalomas, with a short flight or ferry linking the two for a combined trip.
Are Canary Islands golf courses open to visitors?
Yes. The Canaries are a resort golf destination and the leading courses, including Abama, Buenavista, Anfi Tauro and Maspalomas, sell visitor tee times, often as part of stay and play packages. Winter is busy, so booking ahead is strongly advised.
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. Season, course and access details verified June 2026 from club and golf travel sources; conditions, access and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.