Lo Romero

Lo Romero golf course is situated in Pilar de la Horadada, just ten minutes from the new Murcia International Airport ( Corvera)
This course is always in excellent condition and well maintained a good day’s play at Lo Romero . It is one of the latest courses on the Costa Blanca, Lo Romero opened in April 2008 and plays as a well-established course after 13 years.

Hole 1 Par 4, 338 Metres,

The opening hole at Lo Romero is a straight par 4 played from an elevated tee, the fairway looks quite narrow when you see out of bounds down the left hand side and a water hazard running down the right hand side. The fairway slopes slightly from left to right making this a tricky opening hole, also watch out for the large shallow bunker out to your right as it can come into play from the tee. Confident drivers will fancy taking a driver off the tee as the slope can carry the ball comfortably to within 50 metres of the front of the green. Other players may opt to find the fairway with a rescue club or fairway wood. The green is long from front to back and it is protected by water which runs around the back of the green from the right hand side. There is also a green side bunker front left. A well placed drive on this hole will give you the confidence to attack the green. With the OB in play, a 3 off the tee is a realistic possibility, so a few drives on the driving range to loosen up may be a good idea. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Hole 2 Par 5, 489 Metres,

This long dog leg right par 5 has more than one playing option. Longer hitters finding a solid drive will have the option to attack the green in two, typically with driver from the tee then a well hit 3 wood, this is a high risk shot as there is a large bunker that covers the middle back edge of this green and just short of the green you will find a steep bank and if you do land short the ball will kick down into the water hazard. The conservative option is to find the corner of the dog leg in two. This will leave a relatively straight forward short iron approach to this long narrow green. Again the drive off the tee is narrowed by out of bounds down the left hand side and a water hazard down your right that continues all the way up to the front edge of the green. You will again have to opt for the right club selection to find the fairway. A drive safely down the fairway will leave a comfortable layup second out to the left to leave a good line into the green. For anyone attacking the green from further back down the fairway, there is water in front and behind this green. Players finding the green should pick up a par but the pin position can be tricky as this green is slightly tiered sloping from back to front edge. You should pay close attention to the pin position on approach before choosing your club. This is a challenging par 5 and is stroke index 2 on your score card.

Hole 3 Par 4, 385 Metres,

This is the second longest par 4 on the golf course and requires a solid drive and a good second to secure a par. This hole can play even long into a prevailing wind. From the tee there is plenty of fairway to your left, however to the right there is a long red hazards that you need to avoid. Once again out of bounds runs down the far left hand side. However, on this occasion you have plenty of room to get a drive away safely. This green is large and slopes from back to front, club selection is always important, you should have few difficulties if you miss the green. The only bunkers are down the left hand side.

Hole 4 Par 4, 364 Metres,

From the tee this hole appears to play as a slight dog leg right to left but don´t be fooled, there are bunkers just out of sight around the corner past the trees that you can see from the tee. Longer hitters of the ball should be aiming at the corner of the dog leg with as slight fade on the ball to leave a short iron up to the green. The best line for most golfers at this hole is up the middle right side of the fairway avoiding all the trouble to your left. After three difficult opening holes, you should be rewarded with a fairly comfortably par 4 at this hole. A decent drive should have little difficulty finding this wide fairway, leaving a straight forward approach up to the green. The green is unprotected so you can be aggressive and go for the pin.

Hole 5 Par 3, 168 Metres,

This short par three is a good test of golf for any player and needs a bit of thought as to what club to play as it is all carry to the putting surface. There is a series of bunkers to the front of the green with small shrubs and trees at the back. This green is large but appears wide and not very deep, when viewed from the tee. This green also has a bank all the way around it, if you land on this the ball will take a nasty kick away from the green. Players finding the putting surface should expect to make quite an easy par depending on the length of the first putt, but anyone missing the green will require a very well played delicate pitch to secure an up and down for par.

Hole 6 Par 5, 499 Metres,

Now for the second off four par 5’s on this great golf course, this is the second longest on the course but probably the easiest. The 6th is a slight dog leg right to left but the drive off the tee is made more difficult with the fairway sloping left to right towards the water hazard. You should opt for an aggressive line down the left hand side but there are two small fairway bunkers which are blind from the tee. The longer hitters with a nice draw should land on the down slope which will gain a few extra yards. Any player finding the fairway with a solid drive will have a good chance of reaching the green in two as this fairway slopes down hill to the green. The ideal safe line is again down the left hand side but players approaching the green from the right, should be wary of the only green side bunker, located front right. This is a nice par 5 which many players will hope for a birdie opportunity.

Hole 7 Par 3, 195 Metres,

This is a straight but long “Short” hole, the longest of the four par 3’s on this course. The green is very large and there is plenty of room in front and to the left of the green, so you won’t be punished for missing the green. The main consideration from the tee is the green side bunker to the right. Club selection is the key, as is the pin position. With the pin at the front of the green, you will be left with a down hill putt if you find the centre or back of this green. Par at this one is always welcome and keeps your score going.

Hole 8 Par 4, 366 Metres,

Please take note that this fairway is to your right from the tee!. Players have been known to play down the 17th fairway on this hole. The 8th is one of the most challenging par 4’s on the golf course and requires a very good drive. The fairway looks narrow from the tee with large fairway bunkers near to the ideal landing area and a water hazard to your right. You also need to carry roughly 150m off the tee to reach the fairway over a small brook which runs left to right. A good drive is key to this hole but the approach is also difficult. The green is slightly elevated and protected across the front by twin bunkers. You will have to carry your approach shot onto the putting surface, yardage is the key as anything long will find water at the rear of the green and bunkers if you come up short. A tough hole but an excellent par 4 and is also stroke index 4 on your score card.

Hole 9 Par 4 , 325 Metres,

Now for the final hole on the front nine of this super golf course. This short par 4 heads back towards the clubhouse and should yield a good chance to have a birdie putt or par for most players. A confident drive down this wide fairway will leave a comfortable pitch over a narrow water hazard up onto this large green. There are fairway bunkers to your left and right, with a water hazard that runs down the right hand side between the 1st and ninth fairways.

This green is protected by a very large bunker that covers most of the front and middle right side of this green, so don,t be to bold with your wedge.

This is a very nice looking golf hole and finishes of the front half in style.

Hole 10 Par 5, 511 Metres,

Now for the long walk or short buggy ride round the back of the ninth green past the second putting green and onto the tenth tee where you will be greeted by a very long par 5 which plays slightly uphill from tee to green. With a small green protected by bunkers back left and front right, this is not a hole worth attempting in two shots. You should try and avoid trouble from the tee and drive down the left hand side of the fairway. There is out of bounds down the entire right hand side of this hole and a series of bunkers also down the right hand side, a good position is key from the tee. Most players actually need a good drive from the tee even to reach this fairway. Your second shot should be placed up the left side of the fairway taking all the bunkers out to the right out of play, this will also give you a good line into this green. Take care with the approach as the hole plays uphill and most players come up short, so be bold with your pitch. This hole should be treated with a bit of respect and three well placed shots should reward you with an out side birdie chance or good par.

This hole is stroke index 5 on your score card.

Hole 11 Par 4, 297 Metres,

This is a super golfing hole fraught with danger right, left and down the middle, but two good shots make it an easy par 4 and well worth a side bet with your playing partners to see who can drive the green. Depending on the tee position on the day, most long hitters will be tempted to take on the green with a driver. (If scoring via staple ford, stroke play could be a little different) From the tee, you get a view of the green cut through pine trees. These trees line the whole fairway right and left, they surround the green and also cut into the fairway at about 50 metres short of the green. In summary, a lost ball looks likely. To make things even more interesting, the fairway can only be reached with a carry of about 150 metres. Anything short will find a deep hollow which will leave you with a blind shot up to the green. There is room for a fairway wood down the right side, so you have the option to avoid trouble but a straight long drive has a realistic chance of finding the green. This is a rather unique hole on the course and one that is sure to have a few anecdotes after the round. This hole is stroke index 17.

Hole 12 Par 3, 196 Metres,

The scorecard suggests at stroke index 7 that this is the most difficult par 3 on the course but that is yet to come. On this par 3 you have plenty of room to the right if you fail to land on the green. An up and down is still make-able as the green is quite generous and relatively flat. There is however water which suggests the hole should be more difficult to play but the water hazard shouldn’t really come into play as it is well over to you left from the tee, however a miss hit or hook from the tee will find this hazard. With so much room on the right and behind the green, you have plenty of space to take the water out of play. You should trust the yardage as the distance can look misleading from the tee. This is a very good looking golf hole with the green surrounded by a bank with many trees and bushes, one good iron shot should give you an easy par.

Hole 13 Par 4, 321 Metres,

This is yet another very good golf hole. This tee shot looks quite intimidating from the tee, you must decide weather to play to the right or left of the fairway bunker which is just in the perfect landing area from the tee. If you decide to play short of the bunker you will be left with a long blind shot uphill over the gully to the green, so most players will need to hit driver on this hole. The green is surrounded by pine trees and you have to clear a large gully to land safely on the putting surface. To clear the trees, you will need a lofted club, so players who find the fairway bunker or who are short off the tee will have to think about laying up short of the gully. Any player who finds themselves out of position can easily get into a lot of trouble if they take on the green with a long iron or fairway wood. An excellent par 4 and one that tests players shot making and course management to the fool.

Hole 14 Par 4, 324 Metres,

After the nerves have been shredded on the previous hole, this hole should restore some confidence. This hole is a slight dog leg left to right and the best line from the tee is middle left. There are three different levels to this fairway and your second shot is played uphill to the green, the main objective here is to carry your ball over the gully and safely onto the fairway. There is a fairway bunker to contend with down the left but there is plenty of room to get a decent drive away. Any player pushing anything right could find trouble in the shape of a single bunker or the trees if trying to cut the corner, this is not the place to be. The approach is uphill but you should have little difficulty finding the green in two. The green has a bunker front left but the green is generous and has few borrows, this is a good birdie chance.

Hole 15 Par 3, 184 Metres,

In my opinion this is the most difficult of the par 3’s on this course and yet it is stroke index 13 on the card !!!. From the tee you need to fly the ball all the way to the green, so club selection is very important, most players come up shot so be bold. There is a small run off area in front of the green but not a great deal of room. Anything pushed left or right of the target will again find much trouble. The 12th green is arguably one of the most difficult to putt on never mind landing on from the tee. The green is tiered and a putt across its wide surface from left to right will have to negotiate huge borrows. If you find your selves above the pin you will also have a very quick down hill putt with 3 putts a real possibility. Any player walking off this green with a par or better will have played this hole extremely well. This hole is considered to be the best par 3 at Lo Romero.

Hole 16 Par 4, 427 Metres,

The home run back to the clubhouse at Lo Romero is a difficult one and this long par 4 will test most golfers to the full. From the tee you are faced with a big wide fairway,a good drive is crucial but take care not to catch any of the bunkers out to your right as they come into play from the tee. There are trees wide right and a gully down the left hand side which could catch out players trying to rip a big drive down the fairway. A central position on the fairway is important as the approach shot to this green is made more difficult with water running down the left hand side and a bank that will kick your ball down into the water, there is also a large bunker on the right side of this green. You may opt to play short to take the hazards out of play, hoping to secure a par with a good pitch and putt. This green is quite receptive and slopes from back to front and right to left. At this stage of the round, you may opt to play this hole defensively if you still have a good score going. A deceptively difficult hole, so a par is a good result. This hole is stroke index 3.

Hole 17 Par 5, 478 Metres,

This difficult run in continues with a long par 5 dog leg left that requires a solid drive down the left hand side of the fairway to leave a good line into the green. The fairway slopes from left to right which can carry a drive into the two large fairway bunkers down the right hand side. Players attempting to hit the green in two should pay attention to the water hazard on the right hand side of the fairway, it is wide right but let me tell you it does come into play if you cut the ball. This hole is best played down the left hand side to benefit from the slope and to leave the best approach to the green. This green is tiered and difficult to read, so try and get as close to the pin as possible. If the pin position is towards the right of the green you could struggle to secure two putts as its a wide green and slopes from back to front edge. This hole is stroke index 9.

Hole 18 Par 4, 370 Metres,

Now for Lo Romero’s signature hole and what a great finishing hole to any golf course. The tee position is elevated which give you a good view of the fairway and the island green in the distance and yes water all the way round this green. There is plenty of room on this fairway and with a good drive the downhill slope should give you extra distance off the tee to leave a short iron to this spectacular green. There is a couple of small bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway and one left, you need to avoid the bunkers at all cost if you want to hit this green in two shots. With a good drive you should be left with around 100 metres to the green and should feel confident of securing a par, if however its into the wide this is a very tough hole to hit in two shots for any standard of golfer. What I will say is that from 150 metres from the green it looks like a very small target to hit, but from about 80-90 metres it looks like a huge green. Players further back will have a more difficult and nervy approach to this green, you will see what I mean once on the course. Accuracy and good ball striking is key to finishing this hole without incident, however distance off the tee greatly helps and control with you approach shot also helps. The real danger is not failing to clear the water hazard but failing to stop the ball from running off into the water weather it be off the left, right or back side of this large round green. This is a difficult finishing hole and any player who finds themselves short off the tee will be well advised to lay up and hope to secure a par by making a good up and down. This is a great finishing hole and yes its stroke index 1 on your score card.

With really low cost green fees in the Alicante region its also not too far from Murcia Airport
A must when visiting the Costa Blanca.

Our rating 5 out of 5.

This 18 hole review was written by Steven Franchi.

Golf course update: This golf course is very well maintaned all the year round and the greens are fast and very true. If you have not played at this great course yet its a must when in the area
In May and June this year we had many golfers playing at Lo Romero and all gave excellent feedback. It is still in 2015 a very popular course.