Marbella Golf & Country Club – Two Very Different Nines

Gunnar Kobin

Jan 24

3 min read

Updated: Oct 12

Marbella Golf & Country Club is located right next to Santa Clara Golf, and it has surprised me multiple times, though not always positively.

I was shocked to find out that this was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. Although parts display some signature RTJ style, the entire experience feels inconsistent. The two nines differ completely in how they play and how they feel.

It's almost as if two distinct courses share a clubhouse.

Marbella Golf & Country Club is located in the rolling hills just east of Marbella, right next to Santa Clara. This placement creates a unique setting for both courses. While Santa Clara has an open and modern feel to it, Marbella Golf & Country Club has a rough and severe feel. Most notably, the terrain plays a large role, mostly in the earlier parts of the round.

The first nine holes present a number of problems. The hills are extremely steep and inconsistent, making the course virtually unwalkable. You can't consider a buggy an optional feature here, it is going to be completely necessary.

The starting holes are dominated by steep hills. Many of the tee shots are completely blind. You will often find yourself hitting into steep hills or large open valleys. This can put a lot of pressure on the pace of play.

The 4th hole is the most congested hole on the course. It is a drivable par 4 and has a tendency to jam the course. Almost all of the groupings will sit and wait to see if the green opens up. Even if you decide not to go for the green, the hole creates problems, as a lay up will leave an awkward second shot over a tree to the green, and is going to be a time consuming shot to judge. After that, you will then hit down a valley and will be forced to wait for the group ahead to clear. The front 9 has a lot of this, constantly stopping and starting. A lot of holes will have the same jarring feel and interrupt the flow and rhythm. Then everything changes

The back 9 is the complete opposite. The flow and feel of the course improves as it becomes more flat and the terrain makes the sightlines and landing areas more clear.

Immediately the flow and pace of the course improves, and the back 9 gives you the rhythm that is no longer present on the front 9.

This is where the RTJ influence makes more sense. The golf feels strategic rather than chaotic, demanding, but not disruptive.

Marbella Golf & Country Club offers a split personality that is difficult to assess. The front nine is hilly, blind, slow, and frustrating. The back nine is flatter, clearer, and far more enjoyable. There are good holes on both sides, but individually, the course as a whole lacks cohesion. It feels as if two design philosophies are stitched together.

Maybe they were. I don't know the history, but there is a compromise here between competing ideas.

The turf quality and conditioning are generally solid. It's the layout that has the biggest impact on how much you enjoy the round, not the condition of the course.

Marbella Golf & Country Club is a course of contrasts. The front nine is hilly, blind, and prone to congestion, making the round slower and more frustrating than necessary. The back nine is more enjoyable due to its logical design, clearer sightlines, and better overall flow and rhythm.

It's surprising that Robert Trent Jones Sr. is the designer of this course, not because of the course's quality, but more because of how the design consistency and flow usually associated with his work are absent. The design makes it so that Marbella Golf & Country Club will only be visited out of curiosity. Especially with the more open and playable Santa Clara Golf Course right next door. If I'm back in the area and someone suggests it, I'll definitely be suggesting Santa Clara instead. It's too much time spent waiting in a buggy on blind hillside holes.