Real Club de Golf El Prat

Real Club de Golf El Prat traces back to 1912, when Count Churruca founded it as Barcelona's first golf club; a royal visit from Alfonso XIII later added the ''Real'' to its name. Airport expansion forced a move in 1997, and the club reopened in 2003 on the Bonvilar estate between Terrassa and Sabadell, where Greg Norman designed all 45 holes from scratch. It has hosted the Spanish Open ten times since, a record few Spanish clubs can match.

The Pink course, Norman's own favourite of the layouts here, opens with a tight, technical front nine before a longer back nine that punishes anything but a controlled recovery shot. Elevated, well-guarded greens and fairway bunkers set close against the fairway edge keep the course honest even for scratch players, while the Yellow course offers a different, equally serious test alongside it. Pine woodland and glimpses down to the Mediterranean run through both.

A clubhouse by architect Carles Ferrater, a 300-metre driving range and full practice facilities round out the visit. Book Real Club de Golf El Prat for a genuine test with a century of history behind it, and play both courses if your schedule allows: the contrast between them is worth the extra round..