Certainly not at these prices! Nearly all the golf courses between Málaga and Gibraltar have at last accepted that they need to offer something exceptional to attract golfers onto the fairways during the hot summer months. This is partly due to efforts to compensate for the downturn the coast has experienced during the past two or three high seasons, but also in recognition of the fact that overheads remain at least as high during the low summer season and income is essential to avoid red figures in the accounts. The result is a big bonus for resident golfers and visitors alike, as green fees between June and September range from as little as 37,50€ to 60€ and most include a shared buggy. In fact, the Golf Leisure Breaks regular golf competitions were busier than ever during the first week in June, when the “summer offers” first kicked in.

There are two ways for golfers to keep cool during the summer months. One is to take advantage of the (free?) air conditioning available in the hypermarkets; the other is to enjoy a round of golf in a windscreen-less buggy. But you’ll probably spend a lot more shopping with your good lady than you would on the golf course at the green fee prices currently on offer, so its really no contest, is it?

But staying with the theme of reduced summer green fees, there are already signs that the market leaders on the Costa del Golf are now ready to reduce their high season rates, so that they can compete with the many new golf destinations which golf tourists can now choose from. Because golf tourism is a business and like any other business, it must learn to be competitive. There is also the need to recognize that the world economy is entering a difficult phase, which together with a weakening pound, is causing more people to carefully consider which luxuries they can still afford. So price is now becoming a major issue. Fortunately, there are promising signs that our golf tourism industry is now coming to terms with a difficult situation and is reacting positively, so that the Costa del Golf can once again justify its claim to be Europe’s No. 1 golf destination.