How to Plan the Perfect Golf Trip to Mallorca (From Someone Who Lives There)

I moved to Mallorca in March 2025 and have been playing golf here every week since. Before that, eleven years in Shanghai — a city where serious golfers think nothing of spending €200 on a single lesson, where access to a course often means a membership costing more than most people's annual salary. Moving here felt like arriving somewhere that had quietly been one of Europe's best-kept golf secrets.

This is what I'd tell a friend planning a trip. No tourism copy, no padding.

When to Go

October–November and February–April are the best months. Courses in peak condition, comfortable temperatures (18–24°C), lower green fees than summer, fewer groups on the course. October is my personal favourite.

May and June are excellent, but prices rise. July–August: hot (35°C+), expensive, busiest. Early tee times essential. December–January: cheaper, variable weather but often outstanding. A clear January day here is extraordinary.

How Many Rounds?

One round per day is comfortable for most golfers — the courses are demanding, and summer heat is real. In shoulder season, 36 holes a day is possible if you're motivated. Most visitors on a 5–7-day trip play 4–5 rounds.

Which Courses to Prioritise

Serious golfers, limited time: Son Gual and Alcanada. These are my two if I had one week and two rounds.

DP World Tour experience: Son Muntaner (Arabella). Five minutes from Palma, Best in Spain 2025.

Scenic east coast: Canyamel and Pula. Worth combining with a night in Artà or Capdepera town.

Hardest test: Golf de Andratx, southwest.

Beginners or mixed groups: Son Quint (Arabella), Son Antem East, or shorter courses.

Getting Around

A hire car is the most practical option. Most of the best courses are 20–60 minutes from Palma and public transport doesn't serve them. Roads are good; traffic is manageable outside peak summer.

Clubs

Bring your own for three rounds or more. Hire for a mixed holiday with one or two rounds planned. See the club hire guide for recommendations on the best companies — there are some genuinely good options that deliver to your hotel.

What Else to Do

Old town Palma is genuinely beautiful. The northwest coast (Valldemossa, Deià, Sóller) is some of the most dramatic scenery in the Mediterranean. The northeast is quieter and wilder. The food — local seafood, island wine — is excellent.

A golf trip that doesn't include at least one long lunch somewhere unexpected is only doing half the job. The clubhouse restaurants at Son Gual and Alcanada are both worth staying for. In Palma, the old town around La Llotja has excellent tapas and fresh fish.

Build in at least one afternoon where you don't have a tee time. The island rewards it. The golf is the reason to come — the rest is the reason to come back.