Alenda

Designed by Roland Favrat and opened in 1997, Alenda Golf Club is a varied course with well distributed holes.
Alenda boasts an excellent 18 hole par 72 golf course, with a friendly clubhouse, tapas bar and restaurant.

This course offers golfers a splendid 18 hole golf course, the par is 72 and measures 6240 metres, on a mountain course overlooking the sea. The clubhouse is modern and spacious and built on three levels. You will find a restaurant cafeteria with a large sun terrace over looking the course. The changing rooms have showers and towels so you can freshen up after your round. The golf shop is well stocked with Hugo Boss stock.

The first 9 holes are very entertaining and easier to play. With wide fairways which help find the fairway from the tee and keep out of the pine, carob and palm trees. On the contrary, the second 9 holes require a higher concentration being more technical and precision is more important than distance. The course has great views across the mountains and the Mediterranean. The tee shots require good positioning, and the elevated greens offer a challenge to any standard of golfer.

Hole 1 Par 5, 505 Metres,
You come out through the tunnel of this stunning clubhouse and down to the first tee.
This par five is a long hole to start your round off. From an elevated tee you will find quite a wide fairway that slopes from left to right, so it can be difficult to keep your tee shot on this fairway. Things to watch out for from the tee are 1, the out of bounds all the way up the left side of this fairway to the green and 2, there is one large bunker in the semi-rough to your right waiting to catch any wayward drives. Once on the fairway you will find many undulations and tricky lies to play from all the way to this green. Your second shot needs to be hit up the middle left side of the fairway to avoid the two bunkers out on the right side of the semi-rough about 100 metres short of the putting surface. As you approach this green you will also find one bunker short left and one large bunker out to the right side of the green. Your third shot should only be a short iron to this large sticky green. It worth going up to have a look to see where the pin is on the day you play, as there is like a valley in the centre of the green with two plateaux one left the other right. Played well you should get an easy par at this opening hole.

Hole 2 Par 4, 356 Metres,
This hole plays as a slight dogleg to your left and is quite short as its all down hill to the green. To the left side of the fairway you have out of bounds and to the right there are two bunkers in the semi-rough then the first fairway so tee shot down the middle or right is the best line into the green. Once on the fairway you will find its only a short iron up onto the putting surface. there is one small bunker out to your left and one short middle. This green slopes from back to front and is receptive to a well hit shot so this should be a good birdie opportunity.

Hole 3 Par 3, 188 Metres,
Hole three is back up to the club house and its all about good club choice at this hole as its all carry to the green. The only two bits of trouble here are the very large bunker out to the left below the green and the driving range at the back of the green if you over club. The green its self is long, wide and quite flat, so good chance of making par at this one.

Hole 4 Par 4, 281 Metres,
You have a short walk past the clubhouse and driving range to the 4th tee. Once on the tee you will see the green over the trees to your right. This maybe a short hole but it can be tricky if you don’t find the fairway. From an elevated tee its a three wood or rescue club to make sure you find the fairway. There are only two bunkers on this hole and they are both together in front of you as you look down the hole. Once at your ball you should only have a very short iron over the edge of the water hazard and onto this very receptive green ( The water covers the whole of the right side of the green). This green is quite a large target to hit but make sure you don’t pull your second shot left as there is a very steep slope which will kick your ball down onto the buggy path and make it difficult to make par. Played well its a good birdie chance.

Hole 5 Par 3, 147 Metres,
This is a good short golfing hole. From the tee its all up hill to the green, which is large and flat. There are to bunkers at this hole one long and narrow to the left and one out to the middle right. If the pin is in the centre of the green you will have to carry over this bunker in order to get close to the pin. If you over shoot the green its ok as there is a steep bank at the back which will stop your ball. Club selection is the key to making par on this hole.

Hole 6 Par 4, 423 Metres
From the tee this hole is a long sweeping dogleg to the right with trees dotted at both sides of the fairway. The tee is set back high in the trees and there is about 120 metres to carry to the first cut of fairway. Way out to your left the water hazard could come into play with a wild hook, but hit down the middle will set you up nicely for your approach shot to the green. Even with a good tee shot its still quite a long second shot up to the green. This green slopes from back to front and is quite large so give it your best shot and who knows you might get and easy par at this one. Even if you miss this green you still have a good chance of getting up and down in two.

Hole 7 Par 4, 328 Metres
Yet another good looking golfing hole on this super golf course. From the tee it plays as a dogleg to your left, but the best line here is up the middle or just right side. There are trees running up the extreme right side of the fairway but shouldn’t come into play. Once at your ball its a medium short iron up onto the green. If you have a buggy its worth while going up to have a look at where the pin is on the day you play as there can be three clubs of difference from the front to back of this large green. This green slopes from left to right and has many challenging puts if you don’t get your second shot close here.

Hole 8 Par 4, 403 Metres
You play from an elevated tee at this hole and the fairway is quite flat, then at about 150 metres from the front edge of the green it plays down hill to the putting surface. The only place not to go from off the tee is left as its out of bounds. If you block your drive right you will still be fine and on the 9th fairway or in the semi-rough. There are a few trees out to your right but not really a problem. The second shot is a long iron or rescue club down to this large green. The green itself slopes from back left to front right and will hold a well struck shot. If you go through the back at this hole you will be left with a tricky pitch up the steep slope to try and make par.

Hole 9 Par 5, 446 Metres
This hole takes you back up to the clubhouse and plays very long as its uphill all the way to this medium sized green. To the left you have out of bounds the full length of the hole and to the right there are a few scattered trees, but no real problems. So from the tee open your shoulders and hit a good tee shot. With your second shot its again playing for a good position so you can attack the pin with your third shot. Watch out for the two large trees on the fairway up the left hand side about 140 metres short of the green. The most important thing with your third shot is to choose the correct club as this green has many sweeping slopes and undulations on it. Don’t be scared to attack the pin as there is a large flat area through the back of this green.

Hole 10 Par 4, 315 Metres
Once off the ninth green take a left and go down through the tunnel to the tenth tee.This tee is long and narrow, but plays as a straight hole. There are trees and out of bounds up the right side and the fairway slopes from right to left. Down the left side there is a steep bank with thick rough and more trees. At this hole its just find the fairway and give your self a chance to hit the green with your second shot. There is one bunker on this hole about 20 metres short of the green on your left hand side. This is a good chance to a make birdie and get the back nine of to a good start.

Hole 11 Par 4, 347 Metres
This is a great looking golf hole as you look down onto the fairway from an elevated tee. The fairway is banked on both sides and up the left there is thick rough and palm trees. To the right there are more trees but this fairway is very wide and should be easy to find. Your second shot at this hole is all carry uphill to the putting surface. You will find one bunker out to the left side of the green, with one more back middle and one just short centre that you will have to carry to find the putting surface.

Hole 12 Par 5, 544 Metres
This long par five at stroke index 3 has a wide open fairway but there are trees well to your right and a very steep slope with bushes and trees to your left. This hole is all about hitting three good shots and making an easy par. With your second shot here its all about picking a nice safe line to the green with your third shot., middle right is the place to be. This fairway starts of quite flat then at about 150 metres from the green it slopes downhill then back uphill to the green. The only place you don’t want to be on this hole is down the left side as there are many bushes and one large bunker about 50 metres short of the green. The green its self is very long and narrows towards the back , with a sweeping slope through the middle of it, can be tricky to putt on.

Hole 13 Par 3, 194 Metres
This hole is a good test of golf to get close to the pin. It does not look too far from the tee but plays every bit of its length. Down the right side you have out of bounds and the motorway and to the left you have one very large bunker just waiting to gather your ball. This green is very long from front to back and there is a ridge up the middle of the green. The right side of this green is the high side and the left the lower side. I found you could hit a good shot into this green and land on the ridge and the ball will kick down towards that big bunker. Par at this one is a good score.

Hole 14 Par 5, 481 Metres
This long par five is all about keeping your ball on the fairway. It plays as a slight dogleg to the left but the best line from the tee is straight down the middle. There is out of bounds well right and out of bounds for the first 160 metres down the left. Once at your drive you will find that the fairway runs down hill then starts to climb back uphill to the putting surface. The safe play with your second shot here is up the right side this will leave you a good line into the green. If you go down the left side your third shot will be much more difficult as you will have to carry over one very large bunker short left. There are a further two bunkers past this one also out to the left of the green. The green itself is very wide and will hold a well hit shot but watch out at the back of the green as there is one further bunker about 10 metres through the green.

Hole 15 Par 4, 356 Metres
This hole has a wide open fairway with two bunkers very wide left that shouldn’t come into play from the tee. It plays as a very slight dogleg to the right and offers a good birdie chance. For the longer hitter out there you will see one dead tree on the right hand edge of the fairway this is your best line to cut down the length of this hole and get closer to the green. Once at your ball its only a short iron onto the putting surface. The only place not to go is left of the green as there is one very large long bunker that covers the left side. There is also a pond through the back left side so don’t be to bold with your second shot here. This is a great looking golf hole and plays slightly uphill to the green.

Hole 16 Par 3, 165 Metres
This is a super par three as you stand on the tee looking down to the green. Club selection is the key to making par at this one. The green is very large and kidney shaped with a sort of two tiered slope through the middle of it. The green slopes from back to front right but watch out for the two bunkers around the edge of this green.

Hole 17 Par 4, 390 Metres
Now for the final two holes on this super golf course. From the tee its uphill to a wide fairway and the best line is to aim at the apartment that you can see in front of you from the tee. Once at the crest of the hill you will find that the fairway slopes from left to right and will kick the ball to the right side of this fairway. As you approach this green you will find that the fairway starts to get quite narrow to this long green. It plays longer than it looks so take one extra club for your second shot here. This hole is stroke index 1 on the score card.

Hole 18 Par 4, 371 Metres
This is a cracking hole to finish with. Standing on the tee you have two options , one hit a long iron or rescue club to the widest part of the fairway or two hit straight over the lake and find the fairway at the other side, its a gamble that could give you a birdie chance to finish with. If you take the long route round the lake it will leave you a much longer second shot up a very steep hill to the green. If you opt to play over the lake from the tee you will be left with a short pitch with a wedge or sand iron. This green is very wide from left to right but quite narrow. There is one huge bunker well right of the green and one middle back, its a must to hit the putting surface with your second shot as anything short will roll all the way back down the steep slope and make it very difficult to make par. This hole is stroke index 5 on your score card so its not as easy as it looks.

The Course:- This is an entertaining course for any level, requiring skill and precision in both long drives and putts if you want to finish with a sensation of having achieved victory over the course.

Facilities, Driving range, putting green, caddie master, buggy hire, Clubhouse, Changing rooms, Cafe and Restaurant.

Our rating 5 out of 5.

This 18 hole review was written by Steven Franchi.