
Inaugural Championship | 1970
REAL CLUB DE GOLF LAS BRISAS was founded by D. José Banús in 1968 as “Club de Golf Nueva Andalucía.”
He was appointed its first President until 1981.
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For its design he chose the American, Robert Trent Jones Senior, who was already considered one of the best golf course designers in the world. He had just finished building the golf course at Sotogrande and after Las Brisas, went on to design Los Naranjos and Club de las Aves, afterwards named Valderrama. The course includes numerous water obstacles; there are ten artificial lakes fed by two streams. The greens, the majority of which are raised, are amply protected by bunkers. The results of Robert Trent Jones’s efforts, which we continue to enjoy today, were truly notable and original, creating a difficult and attractive course. He was also original in his choice of Bermuda grass for the fairways and Pencross Bent on the greens unusual species in the Europe of the sixties. The outcome of all this is a round which requires a precise game of golf. As an example of the opinion of great golfers we can quote Paul Azinger (USA), “There is not a single bad hole in Las Brisas. Indeed it is one of the finest courses on which I have been able to play”.
The original design, the Englishman Gerald Huggan was commissioned by D. José Banús to design the landscaping and the course’s arboretum. Gerald Huggan, a great specialist in subtropical plants, had just returned from Kenya where he had designed the Nairobi gardens. Here at Las Brisas we can enjoy his work and imagination, in a place where there are trees representing all the continents of the world: species from Africa like the Cape Chestnut and the Spiny Acacias; the Indian Laurel and the Mysore Ficus from Asia; Chorisia Speciosa from America; the Green Ash from Mexico; and the Blackwood and the Whistling Pine from Australia, together with numerous species of palms and Mediterranean trees which coexist in great harmony, turning our course into a veritable botanic garden.
Sebastián de Miguel, undisputedly the best Spanish player of his time, was chosen as the Las Brisas professional. He represented Spain in the World Cup on twelve separate occasions, being second three times; he has been the Spanish Champion on five occasions, won three Spanish Opens and finished in the top ten at three British Opens. Golf Clubs can be as proud of their sporting history as Las Brisas. In 1970, the year in which it was officially inaugurated together with Puerto Banús, it hosted the International Spanish Open. In 1973 Las Brisas hosted the Amateur Spanish Open and the World Golf Cup, at which the best players of the time competed, with the title being taken by the United States representatives Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller, the latter establishing the course record of 65. The Ladies’ record of 67 is held by the Spaniard Cristina Marsans.
In 1989 the World Cup was held at Las Brisas for the second time and won by the Australian team, led by Peter Fowler and Wayne Grady, with the Spanish team formed by José María Cañizares and José María Olazabal as runners up. During these years Las Brisas attained excellent sporting results with its teams and representatives, especially within Andalucía. Apart from playing host to the best golfers in the world, numerous personalities and celebrities have visited our Club. In 1970 Prince Rainier, Princess Grace of Monaco and Karim Aga Khan attended the inauguration Gala at which a young Julio Iglesias sang. Liza Minelli and Bing Crosby were amongst the celebrities who have been at Las Brisas. The last Head of State, General Franco, his wife and the then Prime Minister, D. Carlos Arias Navarro, have also walked our fairways.
In 2023, Real Club de Golf Las Brisas wrote a new chapter in its distinguished history by hosting the Women’s Spanish Open. This prestigious tournament highlighted the excellence of women’s golf and featured top international players, including Aditi Ashok, who emerged as the tournament’s winner. Furthermore, the club was acclaimed by the Ladies European Tour players as the best-presented course of the 2023 season, showcasing its exceptional maintenance and facilities. The event reaffirmed the club’s status as a top golfing venue and underlined its commitment to promoting the sport in all its aspects. The success of the tournament and the participation of talented golfers significantly enriched the club’s legacy, cementing its position as one of Spain’s most iconic golf courses.
The relationship between the Spanish Royal Family and our Club is particularly noteworthy: Their Majesties the King and the Queen visited us when they were heirs to the throne. The father of the King, D. Juan de Borbón, the Count of Barcelona, played and visited us on numerous occasions, accepting the position of Honorary President of the Club for life and instituting the annual competition which bears his name. On the 23rd of May 1995 His Majesty the King, D. Juan Carlos I, granted Las Brisas the right to use the Royal prefix in recognition of its brilliant past and promising future.
Nowadays, Las Brisas has around 1100 members from thirty different nationalities and its private status allows very few visitors green fees.
Enjoy one of the best golf courses in Spain.
Golf in Andalucia under the sun.
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Designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior, every hole at Real Club de Golf Las Brisas has been carefully considered to be both pleasing to the eye and capable of challenging even the most experienced player. Numerous water hazards and prudent bunkering combine with subtle dog legs to suggest careful planning and good shot making are, required in order to achieve the lowest scores.
Before his death in 2000, at the of age 93, Robert Trent Jones designed and remodelled over 400 courses in 45 U.S. states, and 35 countries around the world – making him one of the most prolific golf course designers of the 20th century. At Real Club de Golf Las Brisas players can enjoy one of his greatest creations, where he has perfectly implemented the many design philosophies which gained him a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Taking quotes from the book ‘Golf’s Magnificent Challenge’ written by Robert Trent Jones Senior with Larry Dennis.
My philosophy always has been that every hole should be a difficult par and an easy bogey. Every course should be challenging, but it always should be fun to play”
A great course must be a source of pleasure to the greatest possible number of players… it must give the average golfer a fair chance, at the same time demanding the utmost from the more skilled player.
Never make a course so penal that a golfer who is not a great player will take so many strokes, be so embarrassed and so miserable that he will give up the game. They are the game.
A perfect shot must be rewarded. A shot slightly off target should give the player some difficulty in executing his next stroke. A bad shot should carry with it a penalty, forcing the player to make a skilful shot to recover.
In 2015, Real Club de Golf Las Brisas underwent a significant transformation, enhancing its prestigious legacy. The club entrusted the renovation to the renowned golf course architect Kyle Phillips, known for his masterful designs and renovations globally. Phillips’ work not only revitalized the course, maintaining its challenging and attractive layout, but also ensured that it continued to meet the highest standards of golfing excellence. This renovation further cemented Las Brisas as a premier golf destination, respecting its historical roots while embracing modern advancements in golf course design.