Doña Julia Golf Club

Doña Julia doesn't ease you in. Opened in 2006 and designed by Málaga architect Antonio García Garrido, the front nine climbs uphill through a tight, testing opening stretch that has caught more than a few confident golfers off guard before their round has even warmed up. The back nine opens out into wider fairways and medium-paced greens, giving you room to recover some of the shots you lost early on — assuming you kept your composure. Reviewers consistently praise the conditioning here: greens that run true, fairways kept in genuinely good nick, and a "tough but fair" reputation that suits golfers looking for a real challenge rather than a scenic stroll. Just outside Casares Playa, it pairs nicely with a post-round dip in the sea a few minutes away.

Doña Julia is located just off the A-7 at Casares Playa, between Estepona and Sabinillas. From Málaga Airport, take the AP-7 motorway westbound towards Algeciras and exit at Casares Costa (around 70 minutes). From Marbella, allow 30 minutes. The club is signposted directly from the coastal road with parking on site.