According to a recent KPMG report, golf tourism generated €161 million for the Balearic Islands in 2011. With Mallorca hosting 24 of the islands’ 26 courses, the impact on its local economy and property market is considerable.
‘With 24 golf courses in just 3,640 square kilometres, Mallorca has a unique selling point to outshine other second home destinations,’ said Daniel Chavarria Waschke, managing director of Balearics Sotheby’s International Realty.
‘The climate allows you to play 12 months a year and usually without having to book far in advance or have a membership. Most of our clients are golfers and they are as surprised as they are pleased that if they buy a home in Son Vida or Santa Ponsa for example, they can access three different golf courses within five minutes,’ he explained.
He added that buyers might pay 20% or 30% more to have a golf front home, but accept that these properties are in demand.
Experts also point out that Mallorca is an island perfectly suited to outdoor living and with an abundance of gold and sailing, it will always be in vogue for second homes.
British, Germans and Swiss are the keenest buyers who want a property next to the fairways and frontline golf property is second only to frontline sea property in terms of demand and price.
Even if they have no intention of ever swinging a club, many families still opt for gated golf communities as they are child friendly and the beautiful green views are protected.
To add to the appeal of golf resorts the second edition of the Rolex World’s Top 1000 Golf Courses published in September features two of the island’s courses, Golf Alcanada and Golf Son Gual. With only 23 Spanish golf courses making the cut for the top 1,000, and some 32,000 golf courses in existence in the world, this is some feat for Mallorca.
Golf Alcanada’s biggest draw it is location at the north of the island. It is the only course in Mallorca to consistently follow the coastline and has views across the Bay of Alcudia including the lighthouse on the island of Alcanada.
Despite being opened as recently as 2003, this Robert Trent Jones Junior designed course is described as having a very mature feel to it. Pine, oak and olive trees flank the well kept fairways and many rare and wild species of bird can be spotted throughout the round.
The €30 million Golf Son Gual opened in 2008 and is a 10 minute drive east of Palma. The 7,250 yard course works its way around 800 olive trees, plenty of bunkers, lakes and even neat rows of vineyards which produce Golf Son Gual’s own wine collection.
The course has hosted tournaments such as the 2008 European Senior Tour packed with golfing legends from Sam Torrance to Ian Woosnam as well as a list of celebrities who choose to play at Golf Son Gual such as Rafael Nadal, Jamie Redknapp, Boris Becker and German national football coach Joachim Löw.
