Real Club de Golf El Prat: Course Review
One of Spain's very best.
Barcelona's first centenary club Real Club de Golf El Prat is situated approximately 25km North of Barcelona City centre, easily accessible by car.
Spain has been a Mecca for golfers for years with lots of very good resorts that attract thousands of golfers who want to escape to warmer climates and for a new challenge. Real Club de Golf El Prat is special and easily one of Spain’s very best.
El Prat is heaped in over 100 years of History. King Alfonso XIII gave the club ‘royal status’ back when it was known as Golf Club de Pedrables. In the 1950s members of the golf club along with another club Saint Cugat – took upon the challenge of building a clubhouse with international standards on the outskirts of Barcelona between El Prat Llobregrat and the sea. Javier Arana a well-known and respected architect who designed a number of courses in Spain took upon the project.
Due to the expansion of Barcelona Airport in 1997 - the club was forced to relocate once again, this time to the vast 500+ acre estate of BonVilar, where it is today. Construction started in 2002 and the design was left to the Greg 'The Shark' Norman. The course has 45 holes and the option of playing up to seven 18-hole courses.
The club is no stranger to the international scene and has held the Spanish Open 10 times, the last being in 2015 where Englishman James Morrison produced a stunning final round 69 to claim a 4 shot victory over Miguel Angel Jiménez Francesco Molinari, David Howell and Edouard Espana.
From the minute you walk inside the clubhouse you know you are somewhere special. Everything is pristine from the changing rooms to the fantastic practice facilities. El Prat tests the very best golfer, with beautifully manicured rolling fairways, lightning fast greens strategically placed bunkers that will catch out errand shots. It is a real tournament venue, with large greens with subtle undulations and tricky run off areas.
Playing the Pink Course starts with a testing par 5 with bunkers strategically located either side of the fairway at both the first and second swing zones. Reachable in two but will require 2 great hits to find the narrow green. Holes 2-4 you are in the forest and surrounded with trees with trees that demand straight drives and approaches. Holes 5 and 6 are more open but features a tough par 3 on the 6th with its iconic raised green and almost completely surrounded by a bunker that will leave you with a tricky up and down for par if you find the sand, which is quite likely. Holes 7 and 8 again take you back into the wooded area that require accuracy to find the narrow fairways. Hole 9 is a straightforward par 5 that is well reachable in two and gives you a well needed break from the tall pines.
Moving to the 10th brings you another spectacular par 5 this time a dog leg that requires a good hit to carry the riverbed to find the middle of the fairway, the second shot requires you to go around or over a monsterous pine to the uphill green. Holes 10-13 are fairly open but will be a test to every golfers game with lightning greens and deep bunkers. 14 takes you back into the woodland area for a 2 hole stretch of tight fairways and tricky approaches. 16,17 and 18 are all fairly straight but they of course have their perils, with water beside the 16th green. Strategy is needed more than length to post a good score around here.
Real Club de Golf El Prat is an amazing venue, which has you reaching for your camera at every tee box with its stunning views and spectacular surroundings. Although, located outside of Barcelona city it is definitely worth making the short trip. You will not be left disappointed.
For more information on the course go to their website: http://www.realclubdegolfelprat.com/
