There comes a point when even the hardiest of all-weather golfers has to admit defeat. For me, this was mid-March 2024. The start of the year had been dominated by one thing - rain - leading to persistent course closures and a truly colossal stockpile of mud.
That’s why, when my alarm burst into life at 4.15am on March 18th, I peeled myself out of bed and made for the airport with a spring in my step. My destination for the next three days was the Spanish island of Mallorca.
After a short two hour flight from London Gatwick to Palma and a 45-minute drive, I arrived at my home for the next few days, Carrossa Hotel & Spa. It lies in a quiet, rural location towards the north east of the island with stunning views across the undulating countryside and out towards the sea. As I settled in after the journey, I was particularly pleased with my junior suite (pictured within the gallery below) that provided a modern, luxurious space to rest.
There are four golf courses within a 15-minute drive of Carrossa but, as tempted as I was to venture out on my first afternoon, I spent the rest of the day lying by the infinity pool and lapping up some much-needed Mediterranean sunshine.
The following morning, I made the 45-minute drive to Alcanada Golf Club. From the moment you arrive, you get a real sense for what the next few hours have in store. Unlike Carrossa, this is a coastal location but due to the typical topography of Mallorca, you play from the hills above the Mediterranean. This makes for some truly epic views and that’s why, no matter what your golfing ability, there is plenty to enjoy here.
From a golfing perspective, Alcanada is a proper Championship test. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr, it plays host to the annual Challenge Tour Grand Final (the last hurdle between those at the top of the Tour rankings and the next level up, DP World Tour). As such, you’ll certainly need to strike the ball well to register a good score. My advice would be to choose a set of tees that aren’t too far back and give yourself a chance of hitting the large, immaculate greens in the right number.
After Alcanada, it was straight back to the hotel as I had two important appointments to make. The first was a 25-minute Swedish back massage at the hotel Spa. In my experience, some massages can feel like a test of your pain threshold - but not this one. As a way to kick start a relaxing holiday, I couldn’t recommend this highly enough and any lingering thoughts of the bad shots I’d hit during my morning round soon faded. It was bliss.
My second appointment was in the atmospheric Bodega (pictured below) for a local wine tasting. Carrossa’s in-house sommelier took us through the story of Mallorcan wine, stopping along the way to sample a range of interesting varieties. As something of a wine enthusiast (whose knowledge is admittedly fairly limited), this was an intriguing and highly enjoyable part of the trip.
It is also worth saying at this point that the food is one of the stand-out features at Carrossa. Having recently taken on a new executive chef, Angel Zapata Martin, the menu is refined, elegant and lives up to the luxury feel of the overall experience. You can expect to see some creative Mediterranean dishes including a show-stopping knuckle of veal!
My final day in Mallorca was spent at Pula Golf Club which provided an interesting contrast to the challenge of the day before. Where Alcanada is grand and epic, Pula is more compact and quaint. This charming rustic setting is more a test of accuracy and short game skill than brute force. You certainly don’t need to be able to drive the ball 300-yards to enjoy this one but to score well you will need a smart strategy that avoids the many water features around the layout.
The greens are much smaller than at Alcanada and so not getting drawn into taking on tight flags is a must. Either way, it offers seriously enjoyable holiday golf. As I’d quickly come to expect from Mallorca, the hilly landscape provides a memorable aesthetic for a friendly golf course that weaves its way through the countryside. The post round burger (pictured in the gallery above) was pretty good too!
And with my final putt at Pula, so it was time to pack up my things and head back to a soggy London. From this trip I was expecting to enjoy the golf (particularly with the sun on my back) and it certainly didn't disappoint but what took me by surprise was how much I enjoyed the rest of my stay. From the cocktail bar and the food to the relaxed luxury of Carrossa itself, this is a great getaway for golfers no matter how strong your interest in the game is. For me, it provided the perfect respite from a difficult winter but no matter what time of year you choose, Mallorca clearly has plenty to offer.
Carrossa Hotel & Spa: 5-Night Golf Package
You can enjoy a five night, half board stay at Carrossa Hotel & Spa with three rounds of golf (Alcanada, Capdepera and Canyamel) for €1,090 per person.
