Course of the Month - Lloret Papalus, Lloret de Mar, Catalonia.

Our August 2008 course of the month is Papalus on the Mediterranean coast, just north of Barcelona. This beautiful course is located in the resort town of Lloret de Mar. The course layout is very varied and is very technical with bunkers protecting practically every green. The surroundings are very picturesque with lots of vegetation, bushes, shrubs and of course, pine trees. The course hosted the 2001 European Team Championships. The Lloret Papalus club (driven by Proprietor Medi Giralt and his family) was a flawless host venue on that occasion. The team from Ireland, led by captain Ray Murphy and manager Myles McMorrow, emerged victorious in those championships.

The course boasts some wonderful holes. The 2nd (Stroke Index 1) is the longest and most difficult hole on the course. Out of Bounds looms to the right of the fairway and a pretty big bunker is sited to the left of the green. The hole plays uphill to a sloped green. Par here is always a good result.

The 9th hole (Stroke Index 18) is probably the fairest hole of the course with no obstacles between tee and green. The green is big and flat.
The 15th (Stroke Index 15) is a hole of 67 metres. It is complicated by the enormous pine tree centre left of the fairway, just in front of the green. From the tee, there are two options. Aim high with an open wedge or push the ball low under the branches. The green itself should pose no problems.

The 16th is a short hole, by Catalan standards, at 65 metres. but is occasionally “blind to the pin” with the added inconvenience that of the teeshot requring to carry the pond to get to the green. And then again take care not to send you ball long since there is "Out of Bounds" just behind the green. One of those ‘psychological’ holes!

And what of the 18th. Hole? The finishing hole is tricky with out of bounds on the left (practice range). If you overshoot the green you might end up in the clubhouse! The green itself is fairly big and smooth.



The address of the Lloret Papalus course is: Ctra. Lloret a Blanes, Urb. Papalus, 17310 Lloret de Mar.
(tel. +34 972360314)
Some of the other services provided at Papulus are: practice range, putting green, classes, club hire, bar, restaurant and swimming pool during the Summer.

Contact Lloret Papalus Pitch and Putt at golfpapalus@telefonica.net.

(special thanks to Quim Riera and Martin Whitelaw for the information provided for this article)