You know very well that taking care of your mental health is important, and at least once a year, taking a trip with friends is a must. Leaving the wife and kids at home to reconnect with friends who, like you, share a passion for golf is surely something you’ll have in mind.
Far from aiming to win a Major, the idea is to have fun, reminisce about past times, and play again like a child with lifelong friends.An Investment in Everyone’s Well-being
The money you invest in the trip will not only reflect on your health and well-being but also on that of your surroundings, especially your family. Your partner will find you with renewed energy and in a better mood, your children will see you relaxed and eager to share a game with them, while you’ll have a fresh mind to return to work.
Making Up for Lost Time
If it’s been a while since you’ve played golf with your friends, this year is the time to do it, and the clubs near Barcelona are ideal for it. The Catalan capital is surrounded by some of the best golf courses in the world, suitable for both experienced players and beginners.
As there is a wide range of options, we have chosen three of the most well-known and traditional ones and based on them, we organize a trip for you to fully enjoy.
Here’s what I suggest: a 4-day tour, visiting 3 different golf courses, 4 dinners, 4 lunches, 25 bad jokes, 100 memories of shared times, and 15 new memories created.First Step: Gathering in Barcelona
Since your friends may be scattered all over the world, I advise starting your golf trip in the city of Barcelona (Spain).
From Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport to the center of Barcelona (where we recommend looking for accommodation), it’s only 12 kilometers. This distance can be covered by metro or bus from Terminal 1 or by train from Terminal 2. Of course, I also suggest having a minibus transfer service for the whole group.
After spending the first night in a hotel, all together you can start your tour of the 3 golf courses in Catalonia.The 3 best golf courses near BarcelonaDay 1 – Golf at Real Club de Golf El Prat
Your first day of this golf tour begins in grand style at El Prat. Located 25 minutes from Barcelona and at the foot of the La Mola mountain, it has positioned itself as one of the most exclusive golf clubs not only in Spain but throughout Europe. I assure you, you’ll have a great time!
This prestigious club, founded in 1912 (one of the first in Barcelona), is recognized worldwide thanks to its 45 holes of high competition and its Clubhouse designed by architect Carlos Ferrater. This has led El Prat to host 10 editions of the Spain Open and to be part of the top 125 golf clubs in the world.Available Courses
In 2020, improvements were made to the courses so that members and visitors can enjoy a pleasant experience at the club. Currently, the courses where you can show off your golfing talent are the pink and the yellow.
Pink Course
The pink course is the most challenging, but that doesn’t mean your group can’t have fun on it. It has a distance of 6,492 meters and 18 holes. Of the total, the first 9 are narrow and very technical, although the most outstanding and challenging holes of the course are the 6th and the 17th. With this course, you can check if your friends’ talks about improving their handicap are really true.
Yellow Course
The yellow course (also 18 holes) is 6,673 meters long with a first round simpler than the second, where the 9 holes are longer and more demanding. The course is open, and you’ll definitely feel the effect of the wind. Let’s see if you’re skilled enough to overcome it!
The course features wide fairways, elevated greens with interesting slopes, and competition-level rough. It’s ideal for all levels of amateur golf.
What else to do at El Prat golf?
Real Club de Golf El Prat offers members and visitors a wide practice area with putting greens, practice tees, and approach areas where you can improve your swing.
The club’s amenities also include a snack bar, three restaurants with terraces, two outdoor pools with views of La Mola hill to enjoy in the summer season, changing rooms, club and buggy rentals to facilitate transportation around the course.Lunch at the club
Since you surely have a lot to talk about, booking a table on the terrace of the Bar Restaurant Inglés and choosing a dish from the menu (such as shrimp, squid, and artichoke rice) is a cool plan.Reservations and Costs
The cost of a Green fee ranges from €85 to €115 for either of the two circuits.Location – How to Get from Barcelona?
Real Club de Golf El Prat is located at Plans de Bonvilar, 17, in Terrassa. The nearly 30 km distance between the city center and the course is covered by the C-58 highway.Dinner at a Restaurant near the Club
To end this first day of golf with friends, we suggest dining at one of the restaurants near the club.
La Vinya Grill (at Plans de Bonvilar, 17, Terrassa) is a good place to do so. The house specialty is grilled meats, although they also prepare dishes based on fish and seafood, rice dishes, and tapas.Day 2: Golf at Club de Golf Barcelona
After a restful night at your hotel and with recharged energy, you’ll start a second day of golf by visiting one of Catalonia’s most traditional clubs: Club de Golf Barcelona. A challenging day awaits you where you can determine who among the group will be the successor to Tiger Woods!
The club was founded in 1989, although at that time it was called “Club de Golf Masia Bach.” Throughout its history, it has been the venue for many national and international tournaments. Today, it remains one of the best options for enjoying a day of golf without straying too far from the Catalan capital. Its family-friendly and sporty atmosphere will allow you to enjoy a second day of pure challenge and laughter.
Courses
Club de Golf Barcelona offers two different courses designed by José María Olazábal. One of them is the Masía Bach Course, 18 holes, and the other is the Executive Course, 9 holes. The latter is less demanding and offers a pleasant gaming experience. In other words, the first is perfect for the most competitive in the group, and the second for those who just want to have fun like kids (or are not daring enough to face the more skilled players).
Masía Bach Course
This attractive and varied course was the first to be designed by Olazábal. It consists of 18 holes, par 72, and 6,271 meters, offering a good challenge. Many international professional championships have been played on its holes.
Executive Course
The Sant Esteve course has 9 holes, par 31, and 1,780 meters. It’s a flatter and more relaxed course, perfect for golfers who want to spend an enjoyable day playing both long and short shots.Lunch at the Club
For lunchtime, you’ll want to stop by the Racó Canela Golf restaurant, where we recommend ordering fresh mackerel with sautéed scallions. As the saying goes, “a full belly is a happy heart.”Reservations and Costs
The cost of green fees ranges from €45 on weekdays to €85 on weekends.What else does the club offer?
Club de Golf Barcelona also features restaurant services, a shop, a meeting room, and the 4-star Double Tree by Hilton Barcelona Golf Hotel, which overlooks holes 1 and 18.
The club has a practice area with enough capacity for many players, long enough to train with all clubs, and wide enough to practice different effects. Ready to achieve your best fade and draw? It’s also equipped with distance markers of 50, 100, 150, and 200 meters, with flags to aim at.
If you want to enjoy a different sport, you can use one of the 7 paddle tennis courts.Location – How to get from Barcelona?
Club de Golf Barcelona is located 27 km from Barcelona, on the border with the Penedés wine region, in a peaceful and natural environment. From its position, you can appreciate the rugged silhouette of Montserrat Mountain. The journey is made via the A-7 highway. Your Barcelona minibus driver will find it without any problems.Dinner at a Restaurant near the Club
It’s time to return to the hotel for a well-deserved rest, but before that, you’ll surely want to grab a bite to eat. Not far from the club (7 km away) is Restaurant Les Vinyes (at Francesc Pujols, 4, Martorell), a good place to have something before ending the day.
According to TripAdvisor reviews, the Andalusian-style squid and the vegetarian paella are very good!Day 3: Golf at Club de Golf Llavaneras
On the last day, we leave the mountains behind and take you to discover a golf club located on the Catalan coast. Yes, playing golf with sea views is also possible. Best of all, without moving too far from Barcelona.
Club de Golf Llavaneras is the fourth oldest in Catalonia and another top choice near Barcelona. In addition to offering views of the Mediterranean Sea, it offers various courses across its 18 holes, a private club, and a wide range of services. It’s the perfect finale for your tour!Course
The golf course is set on 34 hectares of gently sloping land overlooking the sea. It consists of an 18-hole course, Par 70, and is 5,028 meters long, with narrow fairways and medium-sized greens protected by bunkers that add a certain difficulty. Nevertheless, the course is suitable for all types of players, including novices and experienced ones.
The club also has a practice area for members and visitors where you can train your swing before heading out onto the course. It includes an approach area, a bunker, and two putting greens. Although, having already visited two other golf courses, you surely have your senses tuned to deliver your best shot.Lunch at the Club
As on previous days, we suggest enjoying lunch at the Club de Golf Llavaneras restaurant. Due to its proximity to the sea, the house specialty is dishes made with fresh, high-quality fish and seafood. While the Llavaneras peas and the tuna belly and anchovy salad are excellent choices, what customers most rave about are the views of the Mediterranean.Reservations and Costs
The green fee for playing on the course is €100 on weekdays and €200 on weekends and holidays.What else does the club offer?
The Clubhouse is the heart of the place. Strategically located with views of the sea, it has all kinds of facilities, including meeting rooms, changing rooms, terraces, a fitness room, and several game rooms. It also has a shop where you can purchase all the necessary equipment for your golf practices.
Are you a beginner? The Sant Andreu de Llavaneras golf school has been teaching people of all ages who want to start in this sport for over 20 years. The classes offered are both individual and group, and family lessons, adapting to the needs of each individual.Location – How to Get from Barcelona?
Club de Golf Llavaneras is located 30 km from Barcelona and offers shuttle service. To get there, take the C-32 and drive for half an hour.Dinner at a Restaurant near the Club
Just a few meters from the club, we find one of the best restaurants to end this last day of golf with friends. El Racó del Navegant, at Puerto Balís in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, invites you to enjoy delicious dishes with sea views. Don’t miss trying the gratinated sea urchins and the oven-baked sea bass supreme. According to TripAdvisor reviews, they come highly recommended!Minibus hire for your group and golf bags
Transfers for your group between the hotel and golf courses and restaurants can be done by taxi. However, you might prefer to travel together in a hired minibus with driver from Barcelona. It can be helpful to have a driver who knows the area well and can store your golf bags during visits to restaurants. Is there anything better than traveling with friends without having to worry about anything? Definitely not!
The rental of a van or bus in Barcelona can cost between €600 and €900 per day, although this may vary depending on several factors. For example, it may depend on the number of hours included in the plan, the size of the minibus, or whether it includes tours to beaches or other city attractions.
Note that when renting a minibus in Barcelona, the vehicle has sufficient space in the luggage compartment. For example, 12 or 16-seater buses only accommodate 8 people with hand luggage and golf bags.The Best Months for Playing Golf in Catalonia
Catalonia is a golf paradise. Its mild Mediterranean climate allows you to enjoy this sport practically all year round. Catalans are avid golfers, and the courses are distributed in natural environments ranging from the foothills of mountains to forests, plains, and even the sea.
Of course, weather conditions depend on where the golf club is located. But, avoiding the heat of July and August, any time is ideal for escaping to play golf in Catalonia. And if it’s with friends, rain or shine, hot or cold, you’re sure to have a great time!
Are you ready for a weekend full of golf?
