The Indiana Course at Desert Springs, Spain.

[Slime]

Anyone know much about it?
Four of us are thinking of having a trip mid May next year.
Any hints and tips, do's and don'ts?

 

[IanM]

Played it lots of times... if not for a little while.

Always been excellent condition...interesting layout...well worth going! Good off course facilities.

Conversely it’s out on its own so car needed. Miss fairway, you’re playing off concrete (well hard desert!) Last time I went, I put electric insulation tape on the sole of my irons! Or you ruin them! Play Val del Este too near by.

We have a guy on here who is local...he’ll be in soon

 

[Slime]

Played it lots of times... if not for a little while.

Always been excellent condition...interesting layout...well worth going! Good off course facilities.

Conversely it’s out on its own so car needed. Miss fairway, you’re playing off concrete (well hard desert!) Last time I went, I put electric insulation tape on the sole of my irons! Or you ruin them! Play Val del Este too near by.

We have a guy on here who is local...he’ll be in soon

Thanks Ian.
I've played Valle del Este a few times and always enjoyed it.

 

[Hobbit]

I play it at least once a month. Narrow but in great nick.

If you're over I'd recommend a game at Aguilon. Probably the best course in the area at present. Marina probably the worst but still would visit.

The following are courses I play regularly; Marina(Mojacar), Valle Del Este, Desert Springs, Aguilon, Lorca, La Envia, Alboran. At least 2 a week.

La Envia is about 1hr from Mojacar. Lorca and Alboran about 45mins, Valle Del Este about 25 mins, Desert Springs and Aguilon about 35mins.

Stay in Mojacar. There's some decent hotels. There's plenty of places to eat. A car is a must.

Anything specific you want to know, just ask.

 

[User20205]

I enjoyed the course and the set up off course a couple of years ago. Condition wise it was fine. The only thing that irritated me were the par 5s that I felt forced you to play a certain way.
We were advised to take a 15th club to play out of the desert, it’s gravel not sand. The accommodation was good, we stayed in an apartment around a central courtyard. The clubhouse was nice, but shut at 11pm 😱😱😱
You deffo need a car as it’s in the middle of nowhere. I preferred the course to la Cala but not as good apres golf.

 

[IanM]

No idea why I couldn’t remember it was Hobbit nearby! Is Aguilon the one past Mojcar that you can see from the road? It was being built last time I was there! Now you’ll tell me it’s 10 years old!

 

[Hobbit]

No idea why I couldn’t remember it was Hobbit nearby! Is Aguilon the one past Mojcar that you can see from the road? It was being built last time I was there! Now you’ll tell me it’s 10 years old!

You’re thinking of Maceanas, about 5 miles south of Mojacar. It long since closed. Aguilon is up near San Juan de Los Terreros, about 25 miles north up the coast.

 

[Slime]

I play it at least once a month. Narrow but in great nick.

If you're over I'd recommend a game at Aguilon. Probably the best course in the area at present. Marina probably the worst but still would visit.

The following are courses I play regularly; Marina(Mojacar), Valle Del Este, Desert Springs, Aguilon, Lorca, La Envia, Alboran. At least 2 a week.

La Envia is about 1hr from Mojacar. Lorca and Alboran about 45mins, Valle Del Este about 25 mins, Desert Springs and Aguilon about 35mins.

Stay in Mojacar. There's some decent hotels. There's plenty of places to eat. A car is a must.

Anything specific you want to know, just ask.

I'll speak to the others but may well take you up on your offer of advice.
How would you rate Aguilon and Desert Springs compared to Valle del Este?
I played V de E a few times a few years ago, so I can use that as a point of reference.

 

[Hobbit]

Aguilon is by far the best course. I had my son and his mates over in early Oct - pros and Cat 1’s. We played Ag and DS. They rated Ag the best too. VDE is a better layout than DS, just, but DS greens are far better at present. I expect VDE’s greens to be back to their best by the time you come over.

DS’s only downside is if you have a few guys off their game they will not enjoy it. Several holes are very tight and, as Rod says, some of the par 5’s are so tight you’ll be hitting irons or hybrids off the tee.

Aguilon a definite, after that....you wouldn’t be disappointed with either DS or VDE.

 

[Slime]

Aguilon is by far the best course. I had my son and his mates over in early Oct - pros and Cat 1’s. We played Ag and DS. They rated Ag the best too. VDE is a better layout than DS, just, but DS greens are far better at present. I expect VDE’s greens to be back to their best by the time you come over.

DS’s only downside is if you have a few guys off their game they will not enjoy it. Several holes are very tight and, as Rod says, some of the par 5’s are so tight you’ll be hitting irons or hybrids off the tee.

Aguilon a definite, after that....you wouldn’t be disappointed with either DS or VDE.

Thanks for that.
I was looking at reviews which just back up what you're saying.
A couple of reviews suggested taking a 15th club with you when playing DS, just for when you miss the fairways because the sand is very gritty and will really scratch your club, hence an old wedge for just that situation.
I also looked at Aguilon's course and I think I've played it!!
It would have been whilst staying at V de E for a week. We took a day out to play a brand new course nearby and I'm sure it was Aguilon .................. it would have been about ten years ago.
I seem to remember it was very long and very difficult. Maybe we'd played off the wrong tees!
Oh, and plenty of walking between some holes.

 

[Hobbit]

Aguilon has a few very long walks. One of the societies I play with uses the blue(forward) tees on a couple of holes, one being the first. The opening tee shot of the day, off the yellows, is a 100yd carry over water.

There’s some good ‘fly-over’ vids on YouTube and on the clubs website.

 

[OLgolfer]

I’ve played both desert and aguilon on numerous occasions and aguilon is the better course. The only thing desert beats aguilon on are the greens.

Desert provides such little interest and is so uninspiring. The practice facilities are amazing though.

12th at aguilon off the whites or tips is stunning

 

[Slime]

I’ve played both desert and aguilon on numerous occasions and aguilon is the better course. The only thing desert beats aguilon on are the greens.

Desert provides such little interest and is so uninspiring. The practice facilities are amazing though.

12th at aguilon off the whites or tips is stunning

Thanks OLgolfer.
What handicap are you playing off? The course looks huge if played off the tips!

 

[OLgolfer]

Thanks OLgolfer.
What handicap are you playing off? The course looks huge if played off the tips!

I’m off 9 and have played the back tees a couple of times. I can’t remeber exactly but with the slope system I was given 12 or 13 shots of the back.