Golf
Golf in Mallorca: A Year-Round Playground for Serious Players
Twenty-three courses, a Mediterranean climate, and a small handful of layouts genuinely worth flying for — the considered guide to playing in Mallorca.
Twenty-three courses, a Mediterranean climate, and a small handful of layouts genuinely worth flying for — the considered guide to playing in Mallorca.
For travellers whose holidays revolve around the game, Mallorca occupies an unusual position in European golf. The combination is rare: a Mediterranean climate that makes January golf as comfortable as June, more than twenty courses concentrated on a single island, and a portfolio of layouts shaped by architects whose names matter — Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones, John D. Harris among them. Every level of player finds its match here, from those still working on the short game to the genuinely scratch. The pro shops are well-stocked, the teaching professionals are serious, and the practice facilities at the leading clubs would feel at home in southern California.
Below, the courses worth knowing — and the way the island’s golf landscape actually breaks down for visiting players.
A handful of Mallorca’s layouts have earned reputations that extend well beyond the island.
Son Gual, the German-owned championship course east of Palma, is regularly cited among the finest courses in Europe. Ian Woosnam, Sam Torrance, and Mark James have all played it; Woosnam compared it to Augusta. Its standing in the major European golf guides is by now well-established, and the course alone justifies the trip for many serious players.
The Arabella Golf estate in Son Vida offers a different proposition entirely: three 18-hole courses — Son Muntaner, Son Quint, and Son Vida — sharing one prestigious property overlooking Palma. Son Vida is the oldest of the three and carries the heritage; Son Muntaner is the celebrity favourite; Son Quint is the newest, and includes a nine-hole par-3 Executive course that doubles as Mallorca’s only public pitch-and-putt — a useful option for warming up or for travelling families with mixed-ability players.
Golf de Andratx in Camp de Mar holds a particular kind of cultural standing. The course has hosted Boris Becker, Claudia Schiffer, Michael Douglas, and Catherine Zeta-Jones at various points, and contains the longest hole in Spain. The Golf Academy here is one of the most respected on the island.
Three coastal courses round out the headline group: Club de Golf Alcanada in the north, Capdepera Golf set against the Llevant hills, Canyamel, and Vall d’Or further south — all of which offer Mediterranean views that change the experience of the round itself.
Narrowing the island’s offerings to eleven is an exercise in compromise; the breadth of the field makes any short list somewhat unfair. The following stand out for craftsmanship of design, condition, atmosphere, and the quality of the surrounding experience.
Golf Son Gual — The championship course that Ian Woosnam compared to Augusta. Among the finest in Europe.
Golf Son Vida — The oldest of the three Arabella courses, set on the historic Son Vida estate above Palma.
Son Muntaner Golf — A celebrity favourite on the same estate, with views across the city.
Son Quint Golf — The newest of the Arabella trio, including the par-3 Executive course open to the public.
Club de Golf Alcanada — A genuinely spectacular 18-hole course on the northern coast, with challenging bunkering and demanding driving holes. A course for experienced players.
Golf de Andratx — Beautiful southwestern layout, the longest hole in Spain, and one of the strongest golf academies on the island.
Real Golf de Bendinat — An 18-hole course in the southwest with a strong reputation and an established member base.
Capdepera Golf — A mature course set against the Llevant hills, balancing challenge for accomplished players with accessibility for less experienced ones.
Golf Pollensa — A 9-hole course of unusual character, with mountain and north-coast views that elevate the experience well above its size.
Golf Santa Ponsa I, II and III — Two full 18-hole courses plus a 9-hole layout, making the area a substantial golfing micro-region in its own right.
Steigenberger Golf & Spa Resort — In Camp de Mar, combining serious golf with one of the strongest hotel wellness offerings on the island.
Top-tier course design, professional practice and pro-shop facilities, and PGA-qualified instruction combine to place Mallorca firmly among Europe’s leading golf-holiday destinations. The structure of a trip rewards a little planning.
Several properties are positioned specifically for golf-focused travel. La Reserva Rotana is a rural retreat with its own private 9-hole course on the grounds — uncommonly rare in Mallorca, and a substantial part of its appeal. Hotel Golf Santa Ponsa sits within the golfing micro-region itself, with discounted green fees for guests. Gran Hotel Son Net in Puigpunyent welcomes golfing guests with the kind of considered service its country-estate setting allows.
Most of the serious golf hotels operate relationships with nearby courses that translate to meaningful savings on green fees for resident guests. It’s worth asking specifically when you book — preferred-rate access can amount to substantial value across a week. Guests at the Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel, Castillo Hotel Son Vida, and St Regis Mardavall have full access to the three Arabella Golf courses, a particularly strong arrangement for serious players.
Club hire is widely available at the leading clubs, removing the hassle of flying with your own bag if you prefer to travel light. One practical note: a handicap certificate is required at several of the island’s courses, so it’s worth packing your CDH card or equivalent documentation alongside the rest of your travel papers.
The breadth of Mallorca’s golf is what makes it work. A serious player can build a week around the championship circuit — Son Gual, the three Arabella courses, Alcanada — without repeating a single layout. A family with mixed-ability players can split days between the headline courses and Son Quint’s executive layout. A more casual golfer can move between coastal courses and beach time without forcing either to dominate the trip.
Few European destinations offer this many quality courses within a one-hour drive of one another. Combined with a climate that supports comfortable golf almost every week of the year, the case for Mallorca as a serious golf destination is more or less unanswerable.
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