Aloha Golf Club

Aloha is the course the locals quietly rate above half the flashier names on the coast, and once you've three-putted its greens you'll understand why. Opened in 1975 as the last design Javier Arana ever completed, it sits in the heart of Nueva Andalucía's so-called "Golf Valley," a short buggy ride from Puerto Banús. The yardage is friendly enough on paper, but Arana was too clever an architect to rely on length — he hand-drew every green, and the result is a set of subtly contoured putting surfaces that punish a lazy read. Mature pines, gentle water hazards and the settled calm of a club built for the long haul rather than a quick tourist buck all add up to a genuinely classy round. Aloha hosted the Andalusian Open three times, so don't be surprised if your caddie has a story about a famous miss on the 18th.

Aloha sits in Nueva Andalucía, about 8km from central Marbella. From Málaga Airport, take the AP-7 motorway westbound and exit at Puerto Banús, then follow the signs inland towards Nueva Andalucía — around 45–50 minutes in total. From Puerto Banús itself it's a 10-minute drive. A hire car or taxi is recommended, as there is no direct public transport to the club entrance.