Club de Golf Las Ramblas, Orihuela

The outrageous hazards make this course an enjoyable challenge for golfers

The course
The unusual course at Las Ramblas de Orihuela, designed by Pepe Gancedo, first opened in 1991, and has been frustrating and delighting players of all levels ever since.

Some purists will complain that at 5,806 metres (6,350 yards) from the white tees it is short for a par-72 course, but for most the challenges presented by the hilly terrain and outrageous hazards make playing Las Ramblas an enjoyable experience. The fun starts right on the first tee, which is on top of a rocky outcrop surrounded by pine trees, but the green of this left-to-right dogleg is not visible despite the panoramic views. Whether you choose to play safe with an iron to the corner of the dogleg or risk the driver may depend on nothing more than how you feel that day!

One of the landmark holes is without a doubt the par-5 fourth. A good lay-up with your second shot will leave you the choice of attempting to clear two ravines with your approach or chipping onto the plateau between them. Not a hole for the faint-hearted…

A couple of ravines, blind tee shots and spectacular views later, the tired golfer reaches the ninth in need of relief, only to be met with another raised tee looking out over a sharp right-to-left dog-leg. At only 301 metres it is possible to clear the lake in the corner and aim directly for the green, but a clean strike and a following breeze are essential.  

The back nine continues in the same vein, ending with a beautiful par 5 lined with pine trees which takes the tired golfer back up to the clubhouse, either celebrating a fantastic round or complaining of the trees which appear to pop up suddenly in the middle of the fairways and spoil otherwise perfect tee shots!

The Clubhouse
The new club house is far more impressive than the one which originally opened with the course in 1991, and offers all the facilities one might expect: club and buggy hire, golf shop, pro tuition, practice balls, café/bar, restaurant, ample parking and changing rooms. There is also a practice green, a driving range and a chipping practice area.

Address: Ctra. Alicante-Cartagena, km 48
T/F: 96 676 5170
Click for map: Club de Golf Las Ramblas, Orihuela
 
How to get there
From the coast: Turn off the N-332 at the northern end of the Campoamor residential area, at the roundabout where there is a large chemists and private medical centre on the inland side of the road. Although the most prominent signposting indicates that this is the road to the Campoamor golf club, follow the signs; it’s the same road.

Follow the road inland for about 3.5km, over the AP-7 motorway and past numerous residential developments on the right. Eventually the road bends round to run alongside the Tajo-Segura water supply canal, and at the bottom of the dip a right turn would take you over the canal into Campoamor golf club. Instead, go straight on and the road leads you up into the centre of Las Ramblas and the clubhouse.

From Orihuela: Take the CV-95 out of town past Bigastro, and on reaching the outskirts of San Miguel de Salinas turn right towards Los Montesinos on the CV-940. Then turn right again almost immediately following the “Ronda” towards La Dehesa de Campamor. Follow the road around the west of San Miguel, leaving town on the CV-941: follow this road for around 4km, and then turn left into Campoamor golf course. Drive right through the course and out of the other side, turning right onto the Las Ramblas development.
 

More information about the Orihuela municipality