The Real Golf Club of Seville is a beautiful course set on the edge of Seville in fabulous parkland.
Real is the Spanish name for Royal, and Real golf courses are always very special in Spain. The cracking course at Seville is no exception.
On arrival, you are immediately aware of the exceptional condition of the car park, clubhouse, practice facilities and surrounds – and that’s before you even step foot onto the course, which is also immaculately groomed.
The first hole from the clubhouse terrace. Much care has been given to the presentation.
First class practice facilities are available to all golfers visiting the club. There is a superb covered driving range measuring 120m wide and 260m long with various astroturf greens for players to aim for, along with half a dozen putting greens and chipping areas. The greens themselves are identical to the course and prepared to the same high standards. They are super quick and will surprise many golfers as they adjust to the never-ending roll of a lightly struck putt.
The course was designed by Jose Maria Olazabal (Integral Golf). The par 72 layout is available to play from six different sets of tees. At over 6500 m from the very back tees, the course is well over 7000 yards and a stiffish test, particularly if there is any sort of wind. The beauty of having so many different lengths of course to play is that golfers of all abilities can have a worthwhile game together. Youngsters can play from the very shortest tees and still enjoy a great time with the parents or grandparents who may prefer a slightly longer test. There are no ladies tees and this allows golfers to choose the length of course they want to play, check the slope rating for the day and then receive the number of shots that their handicap index suggests for this particular length of course.
The bunkers and fairways are beautifully trimmed with a one metre band of different grass. This all adds to the elegant finish of this beautiful course.
The course features wide fairways, planted with Bermuda 419 and undulated greens of Agrostis Stolonifera A1, and is very well protected by 90 bunkers and 9 lakes over three hectares. The greens were recently renovated in 2012 and 2013, and the course is known for being extremely well maintained. The course was recently ranked in the Top 5 in Spain by prestigious magazine Golf Digest.
For a top-quality golfer, the course is in reality quite easy but for those wishing to enjoy their golf it is a delight to play. Few balls are lost, although many may find their way into the strategically placed water hazards. There are gentle undulations but it is a long way from being in any way hilly. The greens have interesting run-off areas and the bunkers take meaningful bites from both fairways and greens. The lakes are a particular feature of the course and are fringed with palm trees and beautiful plants – golfers play around and over them at their peril.
The water features at the Real Golf Club of Seville present serious hazards for the golfer, but greatly add to the splendour of the complex.
There are over a dozen robotic mowers cutting the rough on the course. These silent GPS controlled mowers from Husqvarna perfectly stripe and trim the semi rough so balls can be instantly found. The striping is possible due to the GPS system which allows the green keeping team to decide on the type of cutting pattern best suited to the hole. The mowers do not distract golfers as they are virtually silent and so get on with their business without pausing for golfers to play their shot.
The whole robotic system has been well thought out and should a ball be in line with a cutting unit, it is gently pushed to one side by the mower as it advances along its chosen line. The mowers contain three cutting heads and yet are very light so ground pressure is minimal. This means they can be used throughout the year, even after heavy rainfall, which is very rare in these parts.
There are also smaller robotic mowers set to lower heights around the clubhouse. This allows for a superb finish with a tightly cropped lawn presented throughout the year. Increasing numbers of golf courses are now turning to robotic mowing as part of their green keeping solution.
There are over a dozen robotic mowers working at the club. They quietly trim the areas around the clubhouse and most of the rough, delivering closely clipped and perfect playing surfaces.
The club is very inviting and friendly. making all visitors feel most welcome. It is quite easy to book a round here and enjoy this beautifully conditioned championship course. Green fees start at 125 Euros in low season, rising to 175 Euros, with buggies costing 40 Euros.
There is a large fleet of Club Car buggies at the course.
The club has hosted a number of prestigious events including the Spanish Open in 2008, 2010 and again in 2012; in addition it was the venue for the 2004 World Cup and the Andalucia Open in 2009.
The course is located about 20 minutes’ drive from the city centre. Seville itself is the most beautiful of Spanish cities and is still a vital port, despite being many miles from the coast. It has a rich cultural history and was a key global trading station for many hundreds of years. The city boasts many impressive monuments, from the striking Cathedral – the largest Gothic temple in Europe – to the stunning Plaza de Espana, Real Alcazar, and the mushroom shaped Setas en la Encarnacion, and much more. Flamenco dancing is a particular speciality whilst the tapas bars and restaurants are at every turn, nestled in amongst courtyards of orange trees and pretty narrow back streets. It is a relatively easy city to navigate, with extremely reasonably priced taxis to ferry you around, so there is no need to drive within the city itself, which makes for a very relaxed experience.
More details are available here: www.sevillagolf.com
