Santa María Golf & Country Club

Few clubs on the Costa del Sol carry the pedigree of Santa María Golf & Country Club. Designed by the prolific Spanish architect Ramón Espinosa and opened in 1991, the course occupies a privileged position in Elviria, on Marbella's eastern flank, where the Sierra Blanca foothills begin their gradual descent toward the Mediterranean. Espinosa gave it a mature, parkland character unusual for this stretch of coast — broad fairways lined with cork oaks, umbrella pines, and established Mediterranean vegetation that provide both strategic interest and generous shade during the long Andalusian summer.

Santa María has built a quiet reputation as one of the more refined private clubs on the Costa del Sol, attracting a membership that values discretion and quality over spectacle. The layout rewards controlled, thoughtful play rather than raw power, with water coming into play on several holes and a routing that makes good use of subtle elevation changes without resorting to artificial drama.

For visiting golfers, access requires a member introduction, which suits Santa María's atmosphere — unhurried, genuinely private, and a world apart from the busier resort tracks that dominate the surrounding coastline.