Gramacho

Scattered with almond, carob and olive trees - many, centuries old - and with natural rocky outcrops, he envisaged the construction of two courses with the minimum of environmental disruption: Pinta - a conventional layout of 18 holes; Gramacho - unique in Europe with it's 18 tees, 18 greens, but only 9 fairways.

The present course is the result of a conversion from an original, unique double-nine layout by architect Ronald Fream. The opening holes remain as they were, but the new holes, five through thirteen, are those which bring the course to a potential championship status. All are on undulating land, with narrow fairways demanding careful play. As with its sister course, Pinta, the condition of Gramacho is maintained to a high standard all year round.

Pinta Course

A challenging course for golfers at all standards. The exciting features provided by nature are embellished by well-positioned bunkers and two ornamental lakes. All of the par 4's and par 5's are dog-legs to some degree or another, emphasising the requirement for accuracy of drives.The introduction to the course is via three par 4's. The fourth is a magnificent par 5. You will need an accurate drive - to the marker post - to avoid the area of rough on the right and 'out of bounds' to the left. The second shot is over land which slopes steeply away downhill.. This needs to be carefully thought out because there is a bunker at the foot of the hill, which comes into play for a full shot. The fairway is also extremely narrow there. The green is well bunkered, two tiered and lightening fast.

The fifth is a great par 3, both aesthetically and golf-wise. The green is way down below the tee, making clubbing a nightmare. There are deep bunkers on the left and lake to the right and behind. And then there's the wind waiting to take the shot off line. The par 4 thirteenth (336 metres) plays over a lake, to the far side of which there is a long bunker. Effectively this adds a further 25 metres. The 'safe' tee shot is to the right of the water of this slight dog-leg. You will probably have a sloping lie for the approach but, with a contoured green well-shaped and protected by two large bunkers, a good shot will find the putting surface.

The last hole is again a par 5 - about 581 metres. It's a very long three shots to the green. There's 'out of bounds' to the right and rough on the left. Ironically, the second shot must 'flirt' with the bunkers and trees to your left if you have thought about the third, approach shot. If the wind is against you, al long iron or even a wood may be needed. Then, after that, the green itself isn't exactly easy: a par here really is a good score.

Gramacho Course

The relatively short opening hole is a par 4 with an outcrop of rocks and trees dominating the fairway. The par-5 second has strategically located lone pines potentially forcing the drive too far to the left. After holes three and four - par 4 and par 3 respectively - you temporarily leave Fream's original double-nine layout and head into a new nine designed by Rick Eliot and Nick Price.

The par 4, 342 metre fifth drives to a narrow landing area. The land to the left inclines towards the middle of the fairway and you need to get to the top of the incline to fully appreciate the complexity of the next shot. The hole is a dogleg left and the fairway narrows down to a tight entrance at the green. The putting surface is fraught with borrow and suddenly what looked a generous green is anything but welcoming.

The par 3 seventh plays 153 metres off the back tees, from an elevated tee to a green protected by a single olive tree waiting to knock the ball off course as it comes to land. The best line it appears to be right of centre, but think carefully about that slope and exactly how it may affect the end of the shot. The signature hole is now probably the par 3 tenth - a picturesque hole, playing from an elevated tee to a green half surrounded by a lake, a tumbling fountain and tall palms which certainly add an exotic touch.The layout incorporates no conspicuous rough - bushes, scrub, sandy tracks or delineating fairways. So perhaps the wheel has indeed come full circle. Gramacho still offers something rather unique: 'Wall to wall golf' is the concept here.