by LARRY HALL
MADRID, Spain – Golf has always seemed somehow spiritual to me. Combine the serenity of the game, the beauty of nature, and a little bit of luck with the rich history of golf, and you have what I consider one of the world’s most treasured pastimes.
It was this pursuit of stories that brought us to Madrid, Spain, to explore its golf, culture, and city life. We were guests of Greater Madrid Golf, and our host, Alvaro Sevilla, who shepherded us through the city with the care and watchfulness of a shepherd tending his flock on the Spanish hillsides.
Our first day began with an introduction to one of the sponsors of our visit, the VP Plaza España Design Hotel, a five-star property located in Madrid’s historic district, just steps from the Royal Palace. The hotel features a private art collection of more than 300 original works displayed for guests to enjoy.
Its 214 luxury rooms are described as “Rooms to Fall in Love With,” and the hotel’s generous accommodations and panoramic city views make for a strong first impression. With more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space, the VP Plaza is also an attractive destination for conferences and business gatherings in central Madrid.
Dinner that evening required nothing more than an elevator ride to the top of the building, where we discovered Ginkgo Skybar. Spanning the rooftop, the restaurant and bar offer an unobstructed, 360-degree view of Madrid. After dark, the city was a spectacular sight. The Royal Palace appeared almost directly beneath us, illuminated in shimmering white against the night sky.
Dinner at Ginkgo Skybar was a carefully orchestrated introduction to Spanish cuisine. Our shared starters included Iberian ham, anchovies with dried tomatoes, Spanish potato salad with tuna, and creamy ham croquettes. The main course featured Iberian pork loin with rustic potatoes, followed by a fabulous creamy cheesecake. And of course several bottles of fine Spanish wine, naturally, accompanied the meal.
With our appetites satisfied and Madrid glowing beneath us, we were ready to get down to business. It was time to discover the golf.
GOLF FOR EVERYONE
Our Madrid golf adventure began the following morning at Centro Nacional de Golf, Spain’s National Golf Center. Created by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation as a public-access facility in the heart of Madrid, the course was designed to make golf more accessible and encourage more people to take up the game.
That mission had a particularly important champion. On opening day in 2006, Spain’s most celebrated golfing hero, Severiano Ballesteros, was there to lend his support.
Seve was a passionate advocate for expanding access to golf, and his words on that occasion remain relevant today:
“Considering golf as an elitist sport is out of fashion and no longer corresponds to reality. Golf generates a lot in Spanish society and should be a much better valued sport. Young talents work in these facilities every day that will one day be great and will give us a lot of satisfaction.”
The course certainly appeared to be fulfilling its mission. Golfers filled the fairways, looking almost like ants traversing a hillside. It was an encouraging sight for anyone who believes golf should be available to everyone, not just those who can afford an exclusive club membership.
There was, however, one cultural difference I couldn’t help noticing. Unlike many of us Americans, who will choose a golf cart whenever one is available, European golfers usually prefer to walk, pulling their clubs behind them.
Whenever one of those walkers glanced in my direction, I wondered whether he was thinking, He must be handicapped. I had my answer ready: No, just lazy. The clubhouse also houses the offices of the Spanish Golf Federation, making the facility an important center for the administration and development of the game in Spain.
The golf course itself reminded me of the rolling terrain of the Texas Hill Country. Its fairways and greens were a lush green, contrasting with the browner surrounding rough as the seasons changed. The hills provided plenty of elevation changes and attractive views, while the Madrid skyline rose in the distance, its skyscrapers standing tall above the city.
Although it might not be considered the course’s signature hole, the par-four 16th was my personal favorite. From high ground, the hole offered a striking view of the surrounding landscape, with an uphill approach leading back toward the clubhouse.
Seve’s words about making golf accessible to everyone seemed particularly appropriate as I looked around Centro Nacional. His message was simple: “golf should no longer be reserved for aristocrats and the wealthy. It should be a game for anyone who wants to play.”
At Centro Nacional de Golf, I believe that vision has become a reality.
That evening, we were given free time to explore Madrid. Some of our group headed into the city, while others chose to rest and recover from the combination of travel and golf. With our limited time, Katherine and I found Madrid to be vibrant, urban, and cosmopolitan, with a feel not unlike Chicago.
There was also something familiar about the countryside we encountered on our daily drives to the courses outside the city. The rolling hills, farms, and tall cypress trees lining the roads gave parts of the landscape a distinctly Tuscan feel.
It was a beautiful setting for a golf trip, but our next round would bring us closer to the man whose presence seemed to follow us everywhere.
WALKING IN SEVE’S FOOTSTEPS
Our second day of golf took us to El Encín Golf Club, where we had been entered in the Greater Madrid World Heritage Masters tournament, courtesy of our hosts at Greater Madrid Golf.
We began with a shotgun start on the 17th hole, meaning our round would finish on the 16th. As we made our way around the course, we quickly reached the 18th tee box, a hole named in honor of Severiano Ballesteros.
I later learned that course architect Robert von Hagge had been asked to create a fitting tribute to Seve with this par-five hole. Its design offers a classic risk-versus-reward decision: attempt to reach the green in two shots and potentially gain an advantage, or play more conservatively and take the safer route.
That seems a particularly appropriate tribute to a golfer famous for imagination, daring, and an uncanny ability to produce extraordinary shots from seemingly impossible positions.
At the dedication of the hole, El Encín offered this tribute:
“We wanted the 18th hole from tee to green to be a Walk of Fame that reminds us of the most important sporting feats in Seve’s long career.”
Distance markers at 200, 150, 100, and 50 meters carry Seve’s name, turning an ordinary walk down the fairway into a reminder of his extraordinary career.
After passing all the SEVE yard markers, I couldn’t help but wonder: Is Seve watching?
The 18th hole had clearly been designed to make a memorable impression. As we drove to the first tee to continue our round, I thought…perhaps we have seen the best of El Encín.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The course continued to reveal its character as we made our way around its fairways and greens. Each hole offered its own challenges, and the layout proved to be much more than a single tribute to a Spanish golfing legend.
When the round ended, we gathered for lunch and the tournament’s awards ceremony. I was informed that I had finished in 22nd place. In most golf tournaments, that sort of result might earn you little more than an invitation to return next year and try again.
I was more interested in eating lunch than keeping track of the awards. Imagine my surprise when my name was called as the winner of a TaylorMade sand wedge.
Apparently, even a modest tournament finish can have its rewards. For a golfer who has never met a sand trap he particularly enjoyed, the prize seemed especially appropriate.
SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST
The following morning, we packed our bags and checked out of the hotel. Our final round would be at Retamares Golf Club, after which our shuttle would take us directly to the airport.
I hesitate to use the expression saving the best for last, because every course we played had something special to offer. But Retamares was a genuine jewel.
Rather than attempt to describe just how visually stunning the course was, I’ll let the photographs speak for themselves. There were several holes that could have served as the signature hole at many other courses, and the conditioning was nothing short of immaculate.
We finished our round with a lunch at Retamares that can only be described as a feast. The dishes arrived family-style, with everyone sharing from a generous assortment of plates.
I also learned a new Spanish word: raciones. These are larger portions intended for sharing, with diners often ordering different dishes for the table. With 12 people seated around us, I’m certain no fewer than 12 dishes crossed our table.
It was a fitting conclusion to a wonderful golf trip: excellent golf, good company, and a meal that seemed determined to ensure nobody left hungry.
After lunch, we had a little time to wait before our shuttle arrived. Looking back on the day, I realized something curious. We had played what might have been the most visually impressive course of our Madrid visit, and yet I hadn’t heard a single mention of Seve Ballesteros.
Curiosity got the better of me. I struck up a conversation with a local golfer and asked who had designed the course.
He immediately replied, “The golf course was designed by José María Olazábal. He was a student of Seve, you know.”
He wasn’t talking about the Olazábal who won 30 professional tournaments, captured the Masters twice, or represented Europe in seven Ryder Cups.
For this golfer, Olazábal’s greatest distinction was something else entirely.
He was simply a student of Seve.
That brief exchange brought the entire trip into focus.
In Scotland, they remember Old Tom Morris. In America, we celebrate Jack and Arnold. But in Spain, the legend of Seve Ballesteros will never disappear.
He is cherished not only for the championships he won, but also for the seemingly impossible shots he conjured from places where there appeared to be no escape. His influence extends beyond trophies and tournament records. It lives in the golfers who learned from him, the courses that honor him, and the people who still speak of him with a special reverence.
Seve’s legacy is not simply that he was one of golf’s great champions. It is that he helped shape the way Spain sees and plays the game today.
If you ever consider a trip to Madrid to play golf, first reach out to Greater Madrid Golf at the link below – they can help you plan your visit and book the best courses.
And when golfing in Madrid, if you happen to meet a local golfer, just ask:
“Did Seve ever play here?”
Wait and listen and enjoy!
https://asociacioncamposgolfmadrid.com/
https://golfretamares.com/
(Larry Hall, a Jacksonville, Florida-based golf writer, is a member of Golf Heritage Society, Golf Writers Association of America, Historical Writers of America, International Network of Golf and Golf Travel Writers of America. He can be reached at: bgtriptips@gmail.com)
(PHOTO CREDITS: Katherine Hall)
