Sotogrande Finest Golf Courses
San Roque Club Old Course
A Review by Trevor Ledger
There is very much to like about the Old Course at San Roque – the wonderfully named (and bitchingly penal) Alcornoques (cork oaks) abound throughout the property.
San Roque Old Course was designed by Dave Thomas (he of Belfry fame) and opened in 1990. Despite being a few decades younger that Sotogrande and Valderrama, it was part of the original ‘Golden Triangle’ of golf resorts in the Sotogrande area.
It is truthful to say that the resort as a whole suffered a little bit during the global economic downturn but the current evidence of new building and escalating real estate prices demonstrate a continuing desire for San Roque property.
There is very much to like about the Old Course at San Roque – the wonderfully named (and bitchingly penal) Alcornoques (cork oaks) abound throughout the property and have been beautifully utilised by Thomas as the main line of defence.
There are similarities to The Belfry in so far as the mature trees allow for thoughtful and challenging doglegs to force a golfer to think strategically. But there the similarity ends: this is a superior golfing experience in almost every other respect.
Tees are strategically placed and offer options for all levels of golfer – they are also in excellent condition.
The greens cannot be faulted and the fairway bunkering is well considered – not simply a hazard dropped into place but designed to offer the options of courageous long iron to the green or a stoic sand wedge back onto the fairway.
Perhaps San Roque has fallen a little behind the other members of the Golden Triangle in terms of opulence – as a corporately owned resort versus the private ownership of the other two clubs, the hesitancy to invest is an understandable balance sheet consideration.
Having said that I would suggest keeping a very close eye on San Roque as a real estate investment opportunity: the cranes are going back up, all of the necessary infrastructure is in place and, with a little bit of TLC, it would be offering the same levels of quality as Valderrama and Sotogrande.
As a golfing experience it should not be missed.
This is part of a series of reviews showcasing a collection of Sotogrande’s finest golf courses:
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Trevor Ledger, Golf Collections Project Cataloguer, Special Collections Division, St Andrews University, Scotland.Trevor has worked as an editor and contributor to many golf industry publications. In the past he has held the position of Editor at ‘Golf Course News International’ and ‘The Golf Course Magazine’, as well as Contributing Editor of ‘Golf Inc.’.
In a freelance capacity he has contributed to publications such as Golf Punk, Golf World and Golf Monthly.