Golf on the Costa Tropical and next door

Plenty of people assume golf is the first thing they give up when they move to the coast. Then they find themselves on a fairway in January in a fleece, with the Mediterranean on one side and the Sierra Nevada inland. Here is what is within reach of the Costa Tropical, from the Motril end of the coast to the Málaga side.

Starting at Motril

Los Moriscos Club de Golf sits in Playa Granada, on the Motril side of the coast. It has 18 holes, though the listings disagree on the par: most give 70, one gives 72, so look at the scorecard before you book. The course opened as nine holes in 1974 and was extended to 18 in 2006. Expect water in play on several holes, sea views from parts of the layout, and an island green on a par three on the back nine.

Prices are where the listings disagree most. One current aggregator shows €63 for a full round and €45 for a round starting after 15:00, while an older guide quotes €50 in high season and €45 in low season. Ring the club for the current rate. Bring a valid handicap certificate, which the club asks for.

Inland, near Granada

The Granada Club de Golf in Las Gabias is about 8 km from the city, which makes it the one to pick if you want to combine a round with a day in Granada itself. It is an 18-hole, par 71 course with water on holes 5, 16 and 17, and those lakes also serve as irrigation reservoirs, so they are part of the design. From the white tees it is rated difficult, with a slope of 128.

Listings put green fees at €37 from Monday to Thursday and €52 from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays. Confirm them with the club before you plan a week around a round.

Next door on the Málaga coast

Baviera Golf sits in its own urbanisation a short drive from Caleta de Vélez, on the eastern Costa del Sol. It is an 18-hole, par 71 course designed by José María Cañizares, and it is the one we would point a golf-minded buyer towards if they were torn between the two coasts. The listed green fee for 2026 is €97 for 18 holes from 16 January to 31 May and again from 16 September to 15 January, and €74 from 1 June to 15 September. So the higher winter rate applies in November.

Añoreta Golf lies in Rincón de la Victoria, between Málaga and Torre del Mar. It opened in 1990, is an 18-hole, par 72 course by José María Cañizares, and has a lake that comes into play on the par-three 17th. The 7th has sea views. Listed prices range from about €56 to €103 for 18 holes, which is a good reason to phone rather than trust a website. The club has a driving range, a putting green and padel courts.

Winter golf weather

Winter is when golf on this coast suits northern visitors best. Motril's long-run averages for 1981 to 2010 put the January daytime high at 17.6°C and the night low at 9.0°C, with February only a little warmer. December is the wettest month at 70 mm, with 63.8 mm in November and 49.2 mm in January. The summer is the mirror image, with July and August almost dry and daytime highs close to 30°C. Those are long-run figures, so any given week can run cooler or wetter.

If golf is one part of a wider search, our pieces on the beaches of the Costa Tropical and the weather through the year will help you pick a base. Those planning Granada days should read about the city and the Alhambra. Once you know which town suits you, the house search takes you straight to listings, and the Costa Tropical guide covers the rest.