Golf Club Alcanada - Challenge Tour Final Course
- Gunnar Kobin
- Dec 11, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 7
Alcanada Golf : October Was the Perfect Time to Play
Set just outside Port d'Alcúdia in northern Mallorca, Club de Golf Alcanada combines championship-level design with scenery so striking it feels almost unreal.
From most holes the Mediterranean Sea is in view, and the Alcanada lighthouse, standing on its own small island just offshore, becomes a constant visual reference point—silent companion throughout the round.
For many years Alcanada has also been a final destination on the Challenge Tour, which speaks volumes about the quality and seriousness of the layout. It's a course trusted to test emerging professionals while still welcoming amateur golfers.
I played Alcanada in October 2024, and it immediately felt like the perfect moment to experience the course. Not just good timing—perfect timing. And I'll tell you why.
The Lighthouse Is Always There
From the first tee the course opens itself to the horizon. Pine trees line the fairways, the air carries a trace of salt, the sea glimmers between the branches.
The lighthouse never dominates the view, but it's always there, quietly anchoring your sense of place. Every few holes you look up and there it is again, different angle, same presence.
October brings a special quality to Alcanada. The intense heat of summer has faded, the colors soften, and the Mediterranean light becomes gentler and more cinematic. The course feels calm and spacious, far removed from the busier resorts further south on the island.
I've played Mallorca courses in July and August where the heat is borderline oppressive. This? This was golf weather. Mid-20s Celsius, light breeze, sunshine without the intensity. Perfect.
RTJ Jr. Designed Something Special Here
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Alcanada is a modern championship course that never forgets where it is.
The routing flows naturally across the hillside, constantly shifting your orientation. Some holes play directly toward the sea, others pull you back inland, a few rise gently before dropping again toward the coast.
These transitions keep the round fresh and demand constant adjustment to wind direction and elevation. You're never playing the same shot twice, never settling into a rhythm that gets boring.
At nearly 6,500 meters from the back tees, the course has real length, but it never feels exhausting. Fairways are generous enough to invite confident swings, yet the angles into greens often determine whether you're attacking or scrambling.
The greens themselves are large, subtly contoured, well protected by run-offs rather than excessive bunkering. They reward thoughtful approach play far more than brute force.
October Golf Is Different
October might well be the best month to play Alcanada. Temperatures are comfortable, greens are fast without being unplayable, and the breeze has just enough presence to add character to every shot.
Tee shots that feel perfect off the clubface can drift a few meters off line. Approaches demand full commitment. Nothing's automatic, but nothing's unfair either.
The opening stretch eases you into the round, but by the time you reach the middle section the course reveals its true personality.
Holes 10 through 14 are Alcanada at its most complete—elevation changes, long views over the bay, constant decisions about how much risk to take.
The par-5 13th, falling downhill toward the sea with the lighthouse framed beyond the green, was the highlight of my round. It invites aggression, but any lapse in discipline gets punished quickly.
I hit a decent drive, had about 220 to the green with a helping wind, and stood there debating for way too long whether to go for it. Finally pulled 3-wood, hit it pure, found the green. Two-putted for birdie and walked off thinking, "That's why you play courses like this."
Everything Felt Dialed In
The conditioning in October was exceptional. Fairways were firm and true, bunkers were consistently maintained, greens rolled beautifully.
What stood out just as much was the atmosphere. Staff were welcoming, pace of play was relaxed, entire experience felt premium without ever becoming formal or intimidating.
Nobody rushing you. Nobody stacked up behind. Just proper golf at a proper course in proper conditions.
That 18th Hole Finish
The closing holes climb gently back toward the clubhouse, and in October the late-afternoon sun bathes the fairways in warm golden light.
The uphill par-5 18th is a strong, honest finish—hole that demands focus but rewards you with panoramic sea views as you walk off the final green.
I stood on that green after finishing, looking back down the fairway with the sea beyond, and thought—this is what golf in Mallorca should feel like. Not crowded resort courses in peak summer heat. This. October. Alcanada. Perfect.
One of Europe's Finest Coastal Courses
Club de Golf Alcanada isn't just one of Mallorca's best courses—it's one of Europe's finest coastal layouts.
It blends scenery, strategy, and serenity in a way few courses manage.
There are flashier venues on the island, but none deliver the same sense of complete golfing satisfaction as Alcanada, especially when played at the perfect time of year.
If you're planning to play Alcanada, try to time it for October if you can. The course is excellent year-round, but something about that autumn light, those temperatures, that quality of air—it all comes together to create conditions that make every shot feel significant and every hole memorable.
I've played a lot of golf in Mallorca. This was one of the best rounds I've had on the island. And the timing had everything to do with it.
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