Mallorca is a Spanish Island in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s the largest of the Balearic islands and is loved for its sheltered coves, beach resorts, limestone mountains and simple rustic charm.

There are more than 20 golf courses on Mallorca and most are within an hour’s drive of any point on the island – serviced by a modern road network – making it one of Europe’s most accessible and enjoyable golf destinations.

This Mallorca golf guide provides useful insights into the climate, courses, culture and tourism as well as where to play, stay and visit.

How to get there

Fly into Mallorca’s Palma De Mallorca International Airport which is 8km from the capital city Palma and a short drive from popular tourist resorts and nightlife destinations like Magaluf and Palma Nova.

The capital Palma is a beautiful and historic city with a breathtaking Gothic Roman Catholic Cathedral. The locals call it La Seu and the 121m long church is built on the site of a pre-existing Arab Mosque. It’s a must-visit and a great way to spend time off-course.

Where to stay

Carrossa is a five-star luxury hotel in the northeast of Mallorca, nestled in the tranquil and rolling hills of Levant near the historic town of Artà. There are 76 rooms and suites, many finished with high-quality natural stone.

Wake up to great coffee with an in-room Nespresso machine and enjoy views of the bays of Alcúdia and Cala Millor as you stroll around the country estate. There’s a wellness centre, luxury spa, gym and two pools. The outdoor infinity pool is heated and served by a relaxing terrace and lounge area.

There is no shortage of high-quality accommodation in Mallorca but if you don’t want to drive, you can stay on-site at Pula Golf, the Castillo Hotel Son Vida and Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel, near to Son Vida, Son Muntaner and Son Quint courses.

Where to play

Most of Mallorca’s golf courses are concentrated in the southwest, overlooking the Bay of Palma and near the Port of Andratx and Santa Ponsa. Other courses are further inland from Palma close to the Airport, including Golf Son Gual – Mallorca’s #1 golf course.

This golf course is rumoured to have cost German businessman Adam Pamer more than EURO 30m to build and has fast become the most desired green fee on the island.

The North of Mallorca and the island’s central hinterland are far quieter than the heavily developed Southern coastline with its resorts, marinas, nightlife and year-round tourism.

The terrain becomes more mountainous the further North & West you travel – up into the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range and flattens again when you reach the Northern Coast with its beautiful rural charm, fincas (Spanish country cottages and villas), windmills and old towns like Pollenca.

The similarly sounding Puerto Pollensa – a seaside tourism resort with the renowned ‘pine walk’ – is also well worth a visit, as is the secluded and beautiful beach on the Formentor Peninsula.

There are a smaller number of golf courses but some of the most interesting and attractive lie in the North, such as Alcanada Club de Golf in Alcudia, developed and operated by the Porsche family of Germany.

Para on greenkeeping standards and course conditioning – disparity between #1/2 courses and some of the smaller clubs and courses – especially the Marriott courses at Son Antem

Mallorca’s peak golf season is early Spring (April to May) and Autumn (October to November), when temperatures are pleasantly warm. The high Summer season sees less traffic on the courses as it can be too hot at the peak of the day and the island’s many sun-kissed beaches prove more attractive to holidaymakers. If you visit in the Autumn, be prepared to accept that the courses may still be recovering from the hot summer months and may not be as lush, green or manicured as you’d wish.

MALLORCA FACT-FILE

Currency

EURO

Mallorca Weather

Mallorca enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year, making it a favourite destination for British and Northern European golf holidaymakers.

Warm and sunny year round with an average temperature of 21 degrees, rising above 30 degrees in summer months. Autumn is cool and breezy and a good time to play golf.

Off-Course Highlights

Palma Cathedral, Portals Nous Marina – home of the wealthy stylish jet-set, eating in one of the many off-the-beaten-path Tapas restaurants in Palma.

Cap de Formentor is a 20km long peninsula at the northern tip of the island which Majorcans call the ‘meeting point of the winds.’ If you have a hire car, then it is a pleasant and dramatic way to spend an afternoon or early evening, driving out to visit the white lighthouse at the end of the cape. Along the way, stop at the viewpoints and seek out small coves and beaches, especially Platja Formentor (Formentor Beach) below the iconic hotel which opened in 1930. This is surrounded by sweet-smelling pines and has beautiful views over the bay.

Mallorcan Speciality Foods

Canarian Potatoes – thick skinned heavily salted – served with spicy green tomato salsa.

Ensaimadas – a typical Mallorquin breakfast and the island’s equivalent of a croissant

Pintxos – traditional French bread pinned to slices of jamon Serrano, roasted peppers, prawns and pate.

Famous Mallorcans

Tennis Players Rafa Nadal and Carlos Moya and two-time Spanish Prime Minister Antonio Maura

Famous Mallorcan Residents

Michael Douglas, Boris Becker and Claudia Schiffer – all own villas on the Island.