Anfi Tauro Golf

Anfi Tauro Golf sits in the municipality of Mogán in the southwestern corner of Gran Canaria, part of Spain's Canary Islands. The course was designed by the team of Robert von Hagge, Rick Baril, and Mike Smelek and opened in the late 1990s as part of a larger resort development in this arid, volcanic landscape. The design takes advantage of the dramatic terrain characteristic of this part of the island, where deep ravines and elevation changes shape the routing and create a distinctive playing environment quite different from traditional European parkland golf. The layout moves through barrancos—the steep-sided gullies carved into the volcanic rock—requiring carries over these natural hazards and demanding accuracy from elevated tees. The architects incorporated the raw, desert-like topography into the design, with fairways that rise and fall considerably and greens positioned to emphasize the contours of the land. Water features appear on several holes, contrasting with the surrounding dry landscape. Views extend across the rugged interior terrain and, from higher points on the property, toward the Atlantic coast. The course serves both resort visitors and local members in a region of Gran Canaria known more for tourism and beaches than for golf. The climate allows year-round play, with warm temperatures and limited rainfall typical of this southern exposure. Anfi Tauro represents one of several courses developed in the Canaries during the 1990s expansion of golf tourism in the archipelago.