| When
the Costa del Sol experienced
a renaissance as a winter golf resort in
the late eighties, the phrase "Costa
del Golf" was coined. Between
1985 and 1991, no fewer than 17 new golf
courses appeared, bringing the total along
this 50 mile stretch of coast up to thirty.
This concentration of quality golf courses,
combined with the unique sunny and warm
winter climate enjoyed by the region, led
to its becoming unrivalled as a winter golf
destination for northern Europeans, who
while emerging as a serious force at all
levels of golf, were deprived of the opportunity
to play during the harsh winter months.
When Valderrama
was chosen to host the Ryder Cup
in 1997, the Costa del Golf
received universal recognition as the finest
winter golf resort in Europe, Advance reservations
for the millenium led to a flurry of new
golf courses to be constructed.
For a snowbound, frustrated golfer, desperate
to play in the sunshine, the Costa del Golf
is proving irresistible. Golf course owners
are re-investing in their courses to improve
their quality still further and there are
no longer any weak links, each course offering
its own kind of challenge on perfect fairways
and greens. The general infrastructure from
Malaga to Gibraltar has improved beyond
recognition.
As Andalucia
marches confidently in the new millenium,
preparing to welcome a record number of
golf tourists this winter, the moral is,
book your golf holiday early!
|
