Mar Menor at Mar Menor Golf

Mar Menor Golf Resort features two distinct eighteen-hole courses designed by prominent architects from different eras of golf design. The Old Course, designed by Dave Thomas and opened in 1976, represents one of the earlier championship layouts in Spain's southeastern region. Thomas, a former Ryder Cup player who became a prolific course architect across Europe, created a parkland-style design that incorporates mature vegetation and water features across relatively flat terrain characteristic of the Murcian coastal plain.

The Nicklaus Course, added later to expand the resort's offerings, brings the design philosophy of Jack Nicklaus to the Mediterranean setting. Nicklaus designs typically emphasize strategic options from the tee, large undulating greens, and carefully positioned hazards that reward precise shot-making. The layout takes advantage of the region's natural topography and climate, with the design accommodating year-round play in one of Europe's sunniest areas.

The resort sits inland from the Mar Menor lagoon, Europe's largest saltwater lagoon, in a region that has developed into a significant golf destination due to its favorable weather and proximity to Murcia and the Costa Cálida. The courses serve both resort guests and members, with the facility offering the contrast between Thomas's more traditional European parkland approach and Nicklaus's American-influenced strategic design. The setting provides views toward distant mountain ranges that frame the Murcia landscape, with the courses benefiting from the area's mild winters and dry summers.