Golf Santander

About the club

This club is owned and operated by Grupo Santander, the third largest financial institution in Europe, primarily for the benefit of the bank's employees, and also as a larger part of the firm's tradition of supporting high-profile athletic competitions. Rees Jones, who inspects facilities that host USGA events, worked with Spanish superstar Seve Ballesteros to create a first-rate tournament-ready layout on a site outside the nation's capital; it opened for play in 2005. The club prides itself on having reclaimed a dump into a favorable environment for native flora and fauna, and the thousands of trees and shrubs that were planted during construction are beginning to mature. At 6856 meters, the course is one of the longest in Spain, but a range of a half dozen different tees is provided to accommodate players' various skill levels. Abundant water in the form of ponds and creeks keeps things interesting.