The wetlands on the west coast of southern Spain and Portugal were at one time beneath the ocean, and it is amid this untamed grassy terrain that Golfo el Rompido is located. There are two courses here, the Sul (South), which opened in 2003, and the Norte (North), which opened three years later and is the more interesting of the pair. Alvaro Arana, whose uncle was the famed Spanish designer Javier Arana, has made the best of the site with a layout that is nicely proportioned and that emerges organically from the landscape. Arana could have created a big, bruising course, but the fact is that major tournaments are going to be played elsewhere in Spain, while the constituency for clubs like Rompido is dedicated amateurs looking for fun. The striking white minimalist clubhouse offers stunning views of the grounds and El Rompido inlet and the marina beyond from its terraces