North Course at La Manga Club

The North Course at La Manga Club takes a different approach to its South and West siblings. It's a touch shorter off the tips, but that doesn't make it the soft option. What you lose in length, you gain in the need for smart course management and a reliable short game.

The routing weaves through mature palms, skirts natural barrancas (dry gullies that punish anything slightly offline) and brings a handful of lakes into play at just the wrong moment. This isn't one for simply gripping it and ripping it. The fairways reward position over power and the USGA-specification greens have enough subtle movement to make pace control count. Leave yourself above the hole and you'll soon find out.

If you enjoy plotting your way round a course rather than overpowering it, the North will suit you down to the ground. I've always felt it's at its best when you commit to leaving the driver in the bag once or twice. It's also a great middle round if you're playing all three at La Manga, with a different feel to the South's more expansive, American-style routing and the West's tighter, tree-lined corridors.

Who is this for?

Golfers building a La Manga break who want variety across the resort's three courses and a round that rewards strategy as much as ball-striking.

Who is it best for?

Mid-handicappers and mixed-ability groups who prefer an accuracy-first test, plus anyone looking for a strong option when the driver doesn't need to be the hero on every hole.