Golf trip to Spain? Marbella on the southern coast?

BEND, Ore. - Ready for a golf get-away to Spain? Marbella in particular, where it’s called Costa Del Sol for a reason, where beautiful courses and beaches are waiting for you.

If this sounds like a sales pitch, you’re right, it is. In April I hosted a golf trip to Portugal for my Austrian friend Stephan Guertler, who has started a golf travel business called My Golf Concierge.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not doing this for personal financial gain. But yes, Stephan did pay my way to Portugal. And my wife and I had a great time, as did the five others who joined me on the trip.

I want to help Stephan get My Golf Concierge up and running. He’s had several groups from his hometown of Vienna take golf trips, but he’s looking to expand into the United States.

The Portugal trip was a bit of a surprise for me in a good way. I didn’t know what to expect, but everything there was exceeded and then some. From the accommodations to the dining, and the golf courses were tremendous too.

This Marbella trip looks to be equally as good if not better.

Let’s start with this…

In the week that you’re there, you’ll get unlimited golf and range balls at six different courses, three of which are super close to where you’ll be staying at the Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Resort. (Please click on the link to see the hotel and resort).

Flamingos Golf Club

Flamingos: The original course near the resort, offering outstanding views of the Mediterranean Sea with glimpses of Gibraltar and Africa.

Alferini Golf Club

Alferini: Set in a peaceful valley surrounded by mountains, this par-73 course has long fairways, wide greens and a 19th hole that can’t be beat.

Tramores Golf Club

Tramores: A par-3 executive course that is bound to be the site of late afternoon cocktailing and gambling games if I have anything to say about it. You’ll also get more of those views of the Mediterranean at Tramores too.

The other three courses are a short drive away and look to be just as spectacular.

Attalya’s Old Course

Attalya Golf and Country Club: Only 14 miles away, Attalya has the Old Course, a magnificent layout winding through lakes and streams; and the New Course in a quiet setting with wildlife galore, requiring accuracy over length.

Atalya’s New Course

Los Arqueros Golf and Country Club

Los Arqueros Golf and Country Club: Just six miles away, Los Arqueros is designed by the legendary Spaniard star, Seve Ballesteros. It’s located close to the mountain village of Benghavis, and the layout blends harmoniously with the natural surroundings.

Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Resort

You’ll wake up and return from the course to the Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Resort - seven nights in a deluxe room, including daily breakfasts and three-course dinners.

You can choose from six different restaurants, and if you need help with sore muscles and joints like I will, the Anantara Villa Padierna Palace has a spa with 10 treatment rooms, a heated pool and hot tub.

It even has a cold plunge pool where you can take a dip, but I won’t - I’m out on whatever benefits cold plunges give you because it’s not worth it to me to freeze my butt off.

One of the deluxe rooms at the resort.

All transfers to and from the airport and golf courses are included along with one night at a four-star hotel in Malaga, where you’ll fly in and out of.

Airfare is not included, but I’m offering other bonuses like picking up rounds of drinks from time to time and bringing comical relief when you see how bad I am as a chipper.

I’m not sure what the Spanish words are for “I suck,” but I’ll find out before we go.

Seriously, I’ll do my best as Stephan’s designated host to see that everyone has a good time. And Stephan was on hand in Portugal to make sure that everything came off flawlessly. I’m expecting he’ll be in Spain with us too.

The trip is planned for Oct. 31st through Nov. 8th and the cost is $4,049 per person. There’s an upcharge of $925 for a single room.

Feel free to bring your wife or husband - even if they don’t play golf, they’ll enjoy the trip. My wife had a blast in Portugal just hanging out at the pool and beach and joining us for dinner.

And ladies, if you want to go on your own and play with the guys, please do. Joanna Johnson of Woodinville was in Portugal with us and since she’s a Coug, it was no surprise to discover that she was a world-class drinker. Maybe I can talk her into coming to Spain too.

For more information, please contact me here in the comments section or at jimmoorethego2guy@yahoo.com. You can also reach Stephan at MyGolfConcierge.travel.

The deadline for signing up is Sept. 15th, but I’m thinking that date is a little flexible as are the dates for the trip - within reason anyway, as long as they’re in the same neighborhood.

We’re looking for at least seven players to make up two foursomes on this trip.

If it ends up like the Portugal trip, you’ll make new friends along the way like I did - I stay in texting touch with Andrew the golf pro in Arizona and James Dahl the Husky in Kentucky.

Joanna the Coug is coming down to Bend next month, and I’m already saving up to stock my liquor cabinet to prepare for her arrival.

This promises to be a trip of a lifetime, and based on what we experienced in Portugal with My Golf Concierge, I don’t think I’m overhyping this at all.

Thanks for your consideration.

Go Cougs.