Golf de Pals carries an important place in Catalan golf history. Opened in 1966, it was the first course on the Costa Brava and later staged the 1972 Spanish Open, the first PGA European Tour tournament held in Spain. Fred Hawtree routed the 18-hole course through dunes and an established pine forest close to Platja de Pals, creating a par-73 test that feels more enclosed and traditional than many modern Mediterranean resort layouts.

The pines dictate strategy from the opening holes. Fairways can appear generous from the tee, but the preferred landing area is often much smaller once the next shot is considered. Drives that finish against a trunk or on the wrong side of a corridor may leave no direct route to the green. Hawtree’s bunkering reinforces those angles, and the sandy ground gives the course a firm, quick character when conditions allow. Water appears selectively rather than defining the whole round.

Five par fives and four par threes create an unusual rhythm for a par 73. The longer holes offer scoring chances to confident players, yet the tree lines make a three-shot plan perfectly sensible. On the shorter holes, club selection can be affected by shade, coastal air and wind moving through the canopy. Visitors generally score better by choosing a marker appropriate to their handicap, prioritising the fairway and accepting the centre of greens instead of forcing recovery shots through narrow gaps.

Golf de Pals offers visitor tee times alongside member and competition play. The club can advise on practice access, equipment hire, trolleys, buggies and current handicap requirements. Maintenance, tournament dates and seasonal conditions should be checked when the round is booked. The on-site restaurant provides a convenient place for a post-round meal, and La Costa Beach & Golf Resort gives hotel guests direct access without a transfer.

Its historical role is only part of the appeal. The combination of mature forest, Hawtree strategy and a flat walking landscape provides a distinctive contrast to the hillier courses elsewhere in Girona. It can be played as the main round of a beach-based stay or combined with Empordà, TorreMirona and other Costa Brava venues for a varied multi-course trip.

Hashtag Golf Travel can arrange Golf de Pals with accommodation next door or from another regional base, then order the itinerary to avoid unnecessary travel. For golfers who value accuracy, course management and a sense of established character, this is one of the essential rounds in the north-east of Spain.