Designed by Trent Jones, Los Naranjos is close to its sister golf courses Aloha and Las Brisas in Marbella's golf valley. Los Naranjos opened in 1977, and has just undergone a programme of improvements including new greens and a computer controlled irrigation system.
Like many Robert Trent Jones designs, it features long terraced tees and large undulating greens. The broad sweeping fairways of the front nine holes are significantly different from the back nine, with their extensive orange groves from which the course gets its name.
The renowned golf architect considered Los Naranjos one of his best designs. The stroke index 5 18th hole (525 metres, par 5) is one of the toughest holes on the course. You have to avoid the left side of the fairway, with big palm trees and a small pond. A par on this hole would be great, although a six would be perfectly acceptable as well.
Slightly longer than its sister course from the white tees, Los Naranjos has many strategically placed fairways bunkers and water to catch the unwary. The greens are large, but very well protected. The SSS rating from the white tees is 75, making it one of the toughest courses on the Costa del Sol.
Considerably improved upkeep and the building of a new club house have helped restore Los Naranjos to its former glory.