Where to Stay: Mar Menor Residences Resort
The Mar Menor Golf course is situated near the town of Torre Pacheco in Murcia
Mar Menor Golf Club is in the province of Murcia, in south-eastern Spain. Close to the town of Torre Pacheco, the golf course gets its name from the Mar Menor, which is a large inland sea.
Based on the site of a former citrus orchard, the mountain views from the course are fantastic but you cannot afford to switch off for too long, on what is a demanding test of golf. A par-72 course, playing to just over 6,700 yards, most amateur golfers will need to be on good form to score low.
An 18-hole course has an interesting feature in that the front and back nine holes were designed by different people, something you do not see very often in golf course design.
The front nine of this golf course in Spain were designed by David Thomas, while the back nine holes were completed by Jack Nicklaus. Therefore, you can expect to play a good variety of holes during your round.
The nine holes designed by Thomas are by far the longest and stretch to over 3,500 yards from the back tees. The greens are well protected by water and sand but it is very little rough evident on the course. Water comes into play on three consecutive holes, which are 3 to 5 and this is also a feature on the back nine holes.
The Nicklaus nine are shorter and play to a par 35 in comparison to the front nine which play to a par 37. The nine holes measure in at just under 3,150 yards from the tips and water comes into play between holes 13 and 15.
The back nine holes offer wider fairways and are rough than the front nine holes and the large lake is a prominent feature, especially around holes 13, 14, and 15. The remaining holes are well protected by strategic bunkering.
Perhaps the toughest hole at Mar Menor is the par-4 3rd hole, which has two fairway bunkers on the left side to avoid. When playing an approach shot to the green, there is a large lake to the front-right. This protects the whole of that side, meaning the only bale-out area is short and to the left of the green. If you decide to attack the pin with your approach shot, there is another bunker just short of the green and these hazards combine to make the 3rd hole at Mar Menor very tricky.
The par-4 13th is also a memorable hole, with a dogleg right and water down the right side of the fairway. There are also bunkers on both the right and left sides of the fairway, in addition to one in the middle, so accuracy off the tee is a must. The green is guarded with water to the right side, so there are plenty of hazards to keep you thinking about on this hole.
Mar Menor golf course is always very well maintained and is generally flat, is good for those who like to walk. Medium handicappers will find this course a good test and it is regarded as a must-play when visiting Murcia.
