Uraburu Golf, a Stunning Jose Maria Olazabal Design in the Mountains of Cantabria

Uraburu Golf is located in the Cantabrian mountains about 20 minutes from the centre of Bilbao It was designed and opened in 2003 by two-time Masters winner and former Ryder Cup Captain, José María Olazabal. It is one of three or four courses on offer in the “Land of Legends” packages offered by a local destination management company (DMC), Costa Verde Golf.

Costa Verde Golf offers tailored packages for all groups of golfers from two or four players right up to very large groups. The founder and CEO Tony Fuller Melia resides in the region so his knowledge of where to golf, where to stay and most importantly where to eat and drink is unsurpassed. Tony and his team have created a high-quality travel destination and cannot wait for you to discover this fantastic region.

Mountain views from the Uraburu clubhouse

Built on the side of a mountain, the course has a challenging layout with narrow fairways and substantial elevation changes. It is walkable but we would highly recommend taking a buggy for maximum enjoyment of your round

Play from the Yellows!

The course is 6,100 yards from the yellow tees, which is long enough with the elevation changes. It’s also ideal because if you played from the back tee on the first hole, it’s a blind downhill tee shot on a 400-yard hole with trouble left and right. From the yellow tee, you can see the green so you have something to aim at.

Our favourite holes on the front nine were the 2nd, the 5th and the 9th. A par 3 and two par 5’s. If you make par on all three, you will be delighted.

The 2nd hole

The 2nd is a lovely par 3 over a lake. From the yellow tees, it plays 143 yards. There is no bailout option on this hole, it’s either wet or on the green and its surroundings. You could aim right but then you are left with a pitch from the rough over the water to the green. It’s a tough tee shot so early in the round so concentration is key as is taking enough club to carry the water. Once on the green, there is no guarantee of two putts as there are plenty of slopes and borrows to challenge even the best putters.

Testing Par 5’s

The 5th hole

Standing on the 5th tee of this 506-yard hole, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of fairway in the landing area however there is more room to the right of the bunkers than first appears. Don’t go left of the cart path unless you are 50 yards left as you may then find an adjoining fairway. Play right of the bunkers then lay up short on the green. Only take the green on in two if you can carry the yardage you have left. Play conservatively to make an easy par.

Don’t miss right or left on the 9th hole

This 550-yard par 5 is a tough hole. You simply cannot afford to miss the fairway off the tee. It’s much better to be short and on the fairway, than to be longer and offline! I know this for a fact…Keep it straight off the tee. Once on the fairway, the second shot is another layup. Again, you have to keep it in the short grass to be able to reach the green in three. Do that and you may just walk off this green with a five! We think this is the hardest hole on the course although the card says the 4th and 16th holes are harder. We beg to differ..

The Glorious Back Nine

There are several stunning holes on this nine. Our favourite holes were the 10th, the 11th and the 16th, which is Uraburu’s signature hole although we think that the 11th would be a challenger too.

The 10th hole

At 183 yards, this par 3 is no pushover. Visually it looks intimidating and tight but there is more room for error than first appears, as long as you don’t go right. Apart from the four bunkers on the right, there is a steep slope. Go right and you may not see your ball again. Off the tee, aim down the left side where you may get a favourable kick off the bank onto the centre of the green.

A Visual Delight

The approach to the 11th green

Our favourite hole on the course was the 11th, a 610-yard par 5. The tee shot on the 11th hole does not give you any indication of what lies ahead. The line off the tee is over the tree on the left. Once on the fairway, the hole plays downhill, which is beneficial on such a long hole. This is such a picturesque hole, beautifully framed with the mountains in the background. Don’t get too distracted by the views though, this is another tough par 5.

The Signature Hole

The 16th hole

The 16th is Uraburu’s signature hole. A 400-yard par 4, the hole sweeps from right to left and the second shot is over water to a narrow undulating green. Pick a club off the tee that will leave you short of the water. From there take enough club to reach the centre of the green. The 16th is an excellent par 4. Find out how we did when we played this hole by watching our video below.

The 16th hole

In Our Opinion

José María Olazabal has done a magnificent job of sculpting this course on the side of a mountain. No matter when you play this course, the setting and the views are outstanding. We have played this course twice now, once in April and again in September. On both occasions, the course and especially the greens were in excellent condition. We highly recommend a visit to Uraburu Golf. Yes, it is a challenging course where you have to hit it reasonably straight. It is also very different to any of the other courses in the Costa Verde region.

Next week’s article is about Club de Golf Larrabea. Larrabea is the Home of Jon Rahm, where Master Champion Jon learned to play golf and still plays when back in Spain. If you would like to find out more about golf in the Costa Verde, contact Tony Fuller Melia by email at [email protected] or visit their website by clicking here.

At a Glance:

  • 18-hole championship course
  • Driving range
  • Fabulous mountain views
  • Unique terrain
  • Hard walking course, take a buggy
  • Only 20 minutes from Bilbao city centre
  • For more info on Uraburu Golf, click here
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