Where the courses sit
Twenty-two courses ranging from genuine European Tour venues to quieter, less-visited gems. Green fees from €20 to over €200. I'm a PGA Advanced Professional based on the island, working my way through every course. Courses marked ★ I've played and reviewed first-hand.
Best time to play: October–November and February–April. The island plays year-round — in January, when courses in much of the rest of Europe are unplayable, the fairways here are immaculate.
5–12km from city
7 coursesPalma · 11km from city centre
My most-played course and the one I recommend most often for a serious round. Thomas Himmel's 2007 design sits in its own wind ecosystem in the hills above Palma — I've left my house on a calm morning and arrived at the first tee to find it blowing hard. It stays that way for four hours. The greens are fast and raised; where you miss matters enormously. The bunkering is aggressive and strategically placed — there are so many of them, and they seem to grow larger the longer you stand looking at them.
The closing stretch — holes 15 to 18 — is among the finest four holes in European golf. The estate grows its own grapes and olives. Rafa Nadal plays here regularly — his stated favourite on the island. Barack Obama played here in November 2024. Low season (January): €80. Peak (March–May and September–November): €165.
"The course I play most on the island. The wind, the bunkering, and that closing stretch make it unlike anything else in Mallorca. Worth every cent of the green fee."
Arabella · Son Vida, Palma
The current holder of Best Golf Course in Spain at the World Golf Awards — voted by golfers worldwide. Designed by Kurt Rossknecht, embedded in the Na Burguesa mountains above the Bay of Palma. Wide fairways reward confident driving; the greens are technically demanding. Hole 15 is home to an ancient olive tree declared a natural monument — roughly a thousand years old.
"Five minutes from Palma, best course in Spain according to the 2025 World Golf Awards. Not to be skipped."
Arabella · Son Vida, Palma
The oldest course in Mallorca, opened 1964 — a genuine piece of the island's sporting history. Seve Ballesteros won here in a European Tour playoff in 1990. The layout winds through the residential Son Vida neighbourhood with tight routing and elevation changes. The 18th hole is a par 5 with a water carry on the second shot that tempts many into a decision they later regret.
Arabella · Son Vida, Palma
The most approachable of the Arabella courses. Long, open fairways and four different tee positions make it genuinely suited to any level. From hole 8, the highest point on the course, you tee off facing directly toward Palma Cathedral. Tiger Woods played here with his son Charlie in July 2022. The stone walls are in play — not just decoration.
Palma · 10km from city centre
The only Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Mallorca, opened 2006 and completely renovated in 2022. Nicklaus designed it to follow the existing land without modification — no artificially flattened fairways. Native pines, wild olives, and carob trees form the rough throughout with no buildings visible from any hole. Uses dynamic online pricing — booking ahead usually gets the best rate.
Arabella · Central Palma
Nine holes, par 27, 638 metres total. The only official pitch & putt course in Mallorca. All nine holes are par 3s ranging from 50–100m, demanding accuracy rather than power. The natural starting point for beginners and juniors, a good warm-up before a full round elsewhere, or a useful option for a non-golfing partner who wants to try the game.
Santa Ponsa & Camp de Mar · 20–40km
6 coursesSanta Ponsa · 20km from Palma
The only public course in the Santa Ponsa group with genuine European Tour pedigree — it hosted the 2021 DP World Tour Mallorca Golf Open. One of the longest courses on the island; the 10th hole at 590m is one of Europe's longest par-5s. Several partially blind tee shots and water hazards. Holes 5, 6 and 7 offer some of the best Tramuntana mountain views on the island. The par-3s are long with small greens — damage limitation, not birdie chances.
Santa Ponsa · 20km from Palma
Members-only and usually quiet. Many tee shots make the driver a poor choice — a hybrid to control position is often the smarter call. The tree-lining is heavy and a ball in the wrong place usually means chipping back out. The 18th: a par-3 with a green shaped like the island of Mallorca itself — a detail worth knowing before you get there. Play here can be arranged for clients.
"The 18th green is shaped like Mallorca itself. One of those details you want to know before you get there."
Santa Ponsa · 20km from Palma
Nine holes winding through a residential community. Most holes are short — well-suited to beginners or to anyone who wants to work on approach play without committing to a full round. The second hole is my favourite: requires a precise tee shot despite the short distance, which is exactly the kind of deceptive test a course like this should include. Access can be arranged for clients.
Bendinat · 7km from Palma
Seven kilometres from Palma in a wooded valley — genuinely peaceful for a course so close to the city. Views of the Bay of Palma, Cabrera Island, and the old Bendinat Castle. At par 69 it's not long, but the natural terrain gives variety. Note: the main clubhouse is currently under renovation, with full reopening planned May/June 2026. Limited visitor green fees per day — book ahead.
Calvià · 12km from Palma
Originally designed by John Harris in 1978 and completely rebuilt following a €10 million renovation — new course, new clubhouse, entirely different proposition. Fifteen lakes, open fairways encouraging driver, large undulating greens. The sea on one side and the Tramuntana on the other. Has hosted the Mallorca Open. Dynamic pricing — book early online for best rates.
Camp de Mar · 40km from Palma
The hardest course on the island and one of the hardest in Spain. The 6th hole is the longest par 5 in Spain at 609 metres from the back tee. Built into natural coastal topography without compromise — spectacular and unforgiving in equal measure. The Halfway House serves Mallorcan tapas on a terrace above the valley between holes 8 and 9. Handicap limit: 28 for men. Experienced golfers only.
Llucmajor · 15–20km
3 coursesLlucmajor · 20km from Palma
An interesting course in that the front nine and back nine feel like two unique design philosophies — the front nine Scottish and bumpy, the back nine more American in style, flatter. Fifteen minutes from the airport and less crowded than the courses closer to Palma — an underrated option for a first-day or last-day round. Has one of the island's few public grass driving ranges.
Llucmajor · 15km from Palma
Wide, generous fairways welcoming for players still building confidence from the tee, while the length and five lakes keep better players honest. Built on a former hunting estate near Llucmajor, ten minutes from the airport. Designed by Francisco Lopez-Segalés, opened 1994. Part of the Marriott Son Antem resort alongside the West course.
Llucmajor · 15km from Palma
The more testing of the two Son Antem courses and where most of the resort's tournaments are held. Narrower fairways, fewer forgiving rough areas, undulating greens surrounded by bunkers — a step up from the East. Threads through a traditional Mallorcan finca with views of Randa Mountain.
50–65km from Palma · Worth basing yourself here
5 coursesArtà · 65km from Palma
Dan Maples designed this to follow the existing landscape. The first half runs through a wide valley that used to be used for almond cultivation — open, relatively gentle. The back nine climbs into the Levant hills and becomes a much more technical test. Hole 15, up in the mountains with views across the whole valley to the coast, was chosen as the best hole on the island by Mallorca Magazin. Pairs well with Canyamel in the same trip.
Capdepera · 65km from Palma
Each of the first nine holes has its own distinct character. Hole 4 has views across to Menorca on a clear day. Hole 9 has a traditional stone hut in the middle of the fairway — a hazard unique to Mallorca. Hole 18 ends with a triple-wave undulation on the green visible from the clubhouse terrace. Created by José Gancedo who was careful to leave the landscape largely as he found it.
Son Servera · 55km from Palma
Completely redesigned by Olazábal between 2004–2006, subsequently hosting eight European Tour events. Excellent practice facilities including Trackman Range technology. Federer and Nadal played a round here in July 2025. Pep Guardiola is a regular. The restaurant S'Era de Pula — established 1969 with a 6,000m² organic kitchen garden — is worth booking separately as a destination restaurant.
Son Servera · 55km from Palma
Founded in 1967, one of the oldest courses on the island. A parkland course along the Costa de los Pinos with generous fairways and relaxed rough. Holes 3 to 7 are the exception: narrow tree-lined fairways that climb into the hills and weave between lakes — where the scorecard tends to unravel. Water on six holes. Fine views of the Bay of Cala Millor.
Port d'Alcúdia · 55–60km · Alcanada alone justifies the drive
2 coursesPort d'Alcúdia · 55km from Palma
My second anchor course and arguably Mallorca's most scenic. Robert Trent Jones Jr. design — his father designed Valderrama and Spyglass Hill at Pebble Beach. The Alcanada lighthouse, visible from 16 of the 18 holes, is one of Europe's most photographed golf landmarks. Fifty-eight bunkers are placed strategically across the layout — they demand attention on every approach.
The course hosts the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, returning for its sixth edition in October 2026. Standing on the back tees, elevated above the bay, the lighthouse behind you — it's one of those moments. The greens are severely undulating and extremely fast, which is why the course attracts elite-level tournaments. The restaurant terrace after the round is one of the best places on the island. Allow 50 minutes from Palma — it's worth every minute.
"One of the most beautiful rounds you'll play anywhere in Europe. The lighthouse on 17 is unforgettable. The restaurant terrace after is the right ending to the day."
Pollença · 60km from Palma
Nine holes at the entrance to Pollença town, integrated into the hillside with views of the Tramuntana, the bays of Pollença and Alcúdia, and the S'Albufereta nature reserve. Designed by José Gancedo in 1986. Despite the modest par, two of the holes are among the longest on the island. A round takes around 90 minutes — an easy warm-up or good option on a day when you want golf without full commitment.
Bunyola · 10km
1 courseBunyola · 10km from Palma
Probably the course on the island that feels most integrated with its surroundings — it sits in a valley in the Tramuntana with the mountains forming a backdrop on every hole. Short at par 70 and 5,285m, but the terrain compensates with constant elevation changes and narrow fairways — buggy recommended. The restaurant overlooks the 18th green and the Bay of Palma. Ten minutes from Palma, easy choice for a half-day with a good lunch after.
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