Some of these golf courses we play have names that you might think were named after famous Spaniards from the past, or even Spanish opera stars or the operas themselves. Today we play Dona Julia, having already played Attalaya……La Reserva…….and will be playing Sotogrande, Santa Clara, and Santa Maria…….just something that crossed my mind.
My morning routine has become riding the bike out on the shore trail…….heading south this time, away from Estepona towards Gibraltar, although I would never make that ride these days, it would have been a snap in the past. I am finding my way pretty easily now, and getting used to the places when I have to ditch off the coast and head inland where the coastal trail vanishes. Sibylle happened to notice a sign for a clothing optional beach as we were touring down the highway to golf………..wish she had noticed it a couple of days earlier because I am sure I stopped my run south this morning just a km or so before the hot spot. Plenty of days left though.
Dona Julia, like so many of the courses we are playing, is just 15 mins from the condo……….I barely need the nav system anymore…….just tell me the exit to get off at and I will be fine. DJ is a funny kinda place………obviously well attended by locals, many of whom are either seasonal or permanent residents from UK, and after checking in at the pro shop, there is no outside service except for the cart jockey, who says nothing, does not respond to questions short of grunting and pointing, and seems to pride himself on his ability to wheel golf carts out of the storage shed at top speed, before slamming on the brakes, flipping it into reverse, and all in one motion, back that puppy with precision, inches from the last one he brought out. The lack of customer service at some of these courses is just astonishing………you could pay an energetic go getting teenager just to stand out there and direct traffic and answer questions and I am sure they would at least double their wages in tips, and be responsible for multiple return visits to their courses. We head up to the first tee maybe 15 minutes early and figure the starter will have us wait……….no starter………we look around for the group that is supposed to be teeing off now…………no group……..there is a foursome in the fairway and we decide to follow them……….shit man, we could have teed off half an hour ago and nobody would have said anything. OK, enough bitchy bitchy shit………let’s golf. The Dona Julia starts at the base of a canyon that runs up between two of these shore mountains (too big to call hills), and it goes up, and up, and up, right into the wind, for seven full holes. A tree line separates us from the other side of the canyon and the holes coming back down………I cannot wait to make the turn…….is that going to be fun or what! We honestly thought this course had the makings of being a scrapper, but it is actually turning out to be a lot of fun. I stand accused of using the hillside carom technique that Sibylle has almost perfected, and must say that I am guilty……..it works.
Number 8……..we make the turn……..576 meters for me off the gold tees (612m from the whites behind me) and I make that a 630 yard, par 5, straight downhill……..what a beauty. I would have stood on that tee box all day until I hit a good one, but luckily I caught one first try…….it was launched baby, and can’t wait to see where it ends up. Sibylle and Jutta hit bombs also……..this is fun. I ended up with 210yds into the pin, so 400+ on the drive…….I haven’t done that since I caught one in my younger days while living at altitude in Colorado during a drought in the middle of summer……..the fairways were rock hard, and I think I got a bounce off a sprinkler head to boot.
We are allowed to think we are big hitters for 4 more holes before the course takes a temporary jog around a construction site resulting in three par 3’s in a row………..spoiled things a little, but the course finished strong and it was a great round.
The goats investigated a property just down the beach from us on the way into town…….”EVA”……..we thought at first it was a hotel, but we come to find out it is a beach club, with a few floors of condos on top. Interesting concept……..large restaurant bar with seating inside or out…….elaborate furnishings and decor……huge open main kitchen……..big pool…….access to the beach……….the dinner bell is ringing.
Nothing short of fantastic……..are we just lucky or what! The goats will tell you they shared the best Greek salad they have ever had, then a smoked artichoke musaka dish……..I opted for the baba ghanoush followed by the truffle linguini……..even Sibylle’s take home bag was over the top. This place is easy walking distance from the condo……..no question we will be going back.
Goodnight folks.
HUGEBLOGSITE 
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