Elite Golfers taking part in the European Tour Golf Tournament on the Costa del Sol

Spain’s Costa del Sol is also known as the “Costa del Golf”. Along the coast between Malaga and Gibraltar are more than 70 golfcourses, 35 of which lie between Marbella and Estepona.

It is not surprising that Spain’s “Golf Coast” is home to numerous regional golf tournaments. Like the Open de Andalucia, The Mundial Matchplay, and the Benahavis Senior Masters, to name but a few. Renowned international golf tournaments also take place on the Costa del Sol. The Volvo Match Play Championship takes place in May, and since 2010 the Andalucia Masters has been taking place in Valderrama in October.

This year the elite of world class golfers meet for the prestigious European Tour from October 27 to 30. This is the last tournament on European soil, part of the Race to Dubai. Last year, Graeme McDowell took home €500,000 in prize money, after 3 days of exciting play between over 90 other players. The Race to Dubai consists of 52 tournaments on the 2011 European Tour. The winner receives €1.5 mi prize money (from a €7.5 million pool), the Harry Varden Trophy as well as the right to participate in the European Tour for 7 years. The Race to Dubai concludes in mid- November with the Dubai World Championship.

This year there are 96 confirmed participants in the Andalucia Masters. The Italian trio Matteo Manassero and the brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Martin Kaymer. Luke Donald from Britain, who leads the ranking with € 3,778,199, as well as Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland, Charl Schwarzel from South Africa, and Lee Westwood will play at Valderrama.

The official hotel of the Andalucia Masters is the Kempinski Hotel Bahia. Martin Kaymer and the Spanish player Miguel Angel Jimenez have suites reserved. The 5-star hotel is ideally located for golfers, and offers special Golf Packages which include green fees for many prestigious courses in the area. These include the 18 hole Los Flamingos Golf, Alferini Golf, and Los Tramores Golf are all only 12 minutes drive from the Kempinski Bahia. The newly opened Vale Romano is only 17 minutes away.