Why PGA Catalunya Belongs on Every Golfer's Bucket List
- Andrea Gerber
- Apr 10
- 4 min read
Category: Golf · Day Trips · Sport Read time: 6 min
A course with a serious pedigree
Before we talk about the experience of playing it, some context: the Stadium Course at Camiral Resort was designed from the outset to meet Ryder Cup standards, built under the guidance of European Tour legends Neil Coles MBE and Ángel Gallardo, with spacious holes and banking designed to allow 30,000 spectators an unhindered view.
That ambition was not unfounded. Camiral has now been confirmed as the host venue for the 2031 Ryder Cup — golf's most prestigious team event, and one that only plays on the world's most celebrated courses. The Stadium course has been ranked in Europe's Top 100 ever since it opened, and was named Spain's number one golf course between 2012 and 2019. Its signature 13th hole has been named one of Europe's Top 100 individual holes.
In short: this is not a resort course designed to flatter visiting amateurs into a good mood. It is a genuine championship layout that happens to be open to the public — and that happens to be 45 minutes from my apartment in Tossa de Mar.
The two courses
The Stadium Course is the flagship — the culmination of more than a decade of planning and design, built to rival the PGA Tour's TPC Sawgrass. Stretched to 7,333 yards, it is a serious test. Water features prominently — the lakeside 3rd green, the expansive par-3 11th, and the 18th fairway will all demand your full attention and probably a spare ball. The rough is genuine rough. The greens are immaculate. Brilliant marshals who are realistic about the fact that we are not all golfing stars make the experience warm rather than intimidating.
The Tour Course is the more forgiving of the two — shorter and more fun, without sacrificing the quality that defines the resort. If it's your first time here, or you're playing with a mixed-ability group, start with the Tour Course. Come back for the Stadium. You'll want to.
The buggy toastie
There is a particular pleasure unique to golf that no other sport quite replicates: the mid-round food stop. At PGA Catalunya, this comes in the form of the buggy refreshment service — and the toasted sandwich that arrives in a white cardboard box, eaten in the shade of a pine tree between the 9th and 10th tees, gloves off, score quietly reassessed, is genuinely one of the better meals you'll have in Catalunya. The Clubhouse Café has a relaxing atmosphere, a delicious menu, and a terrace with beautiful views over the course — but honestly, the buggy toastie has its own distinct charm.
The resort itself
Set within 540 hectares of Mediterranean forest, the resort has evolved considerably since its original incarnation as PGA Catalunya. In 2022 it rebranded as Camiral Golf & Wellness — a decision that divided opinion among regulars but changed nothing about the quality of what's on offer. The five-star Hotel Camiral sits at the heart of the property; the rooms are of great quality, the food genuinely excellent value for a resort of this calibre, and the staff consistently warm and service-minded.
For a full golf break rather than a day trip, the resort offers villas and apartments alongside the hotel — it makes for a very civilised long weekend, particularly in October when the light is extraordinary and the fairways are yours.
The 2031 Ryder Cup
This is worth flagging now, because it changes the calculus for planning a visit. Hosting the Ryder Cup is the realisation of a long-held dream for Camiral — and for the communities of Girona, Costa Brava and Barcelona, it will drive golf and leisure tourism significantly in the years leading up to 2031.
What that means practically: the course is already in exceptional condition, but the investment and attention heading into a Ryder Cup decade will only raise the standard further. If you're a golfer and you're coming to the Costa Brava any time in the next five years, playing PGA Catalunya before the crowds descend is not just a recommendation — it's a mild obligation.
Getting there from Tossa de Mar
The resort is approximately 45 minutes from the apartment — a straightforward drive inland via the AP-7 motorway towards Girona, exiting at Caldes de Malavella. The postcode for your sat-nav is 17455. Arrival at the resort is its own small pleasure — the approach road through the forest gives nothing away until the clubhouse suddenly materialises, which is the architectural equivalent of a good opening drive.
The details
Full name: Camiral Golf & Wellness (formerly PGA Catalunya Resort) Address: Ctra. Nacional II, km 701, 17455 Caldes de Malavella, Girona Website: camiral.com Two courses: Stadium Course (championship, challenging) · Tour Course (accessible, still excellent) Green fees (guide): Stadium Course from €125 · Tour Course from €101 — confirm current pricing directly with the resort Tee time booking: Book well in advance, particularly weekends and peak season From Tossa de Mar: ~45 minutes by car via AP-7 Stay: Hotel Camiral, villas, and resort apartments available 2031 Ryder Cup host venue
This is one of those places that makes the Costa Brava more than just a beach destination. For golfers, it's the single most compelling reason to base yourself here rather than anywhere else on the Spanish coast — and with the Ryder Cup coming in 2031, the window to experience it without the fanfare is now.
Staying with us in Tossa? We'll help you plan the perfect golf day — including which course to play first.
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