Golf courses around Palma

The centre of Palma is within 15 - 20 minutes of six superb golf courses: Bendinat, Santa Ponsa, Poniente, Son Vida, Son Muntaner and Son Termens. More golf courses are planned to open near to Palma making it a superb base for any golfing holiday.

Santa Ponsa and Poniente are two of the oldest and well-established golf courses on the island - and they've hosted many international tournaments. Have a llok in the clubhouse at Santa Ponsa and you will see signed photographs of many American presidents who have played its fairways.

Nearby you will find are Son Vida and Son Muntaner golf courses. Until recently you had to pay to stay in one of the adjoining five star hotels in order to be permitted to play.  However, it’s possible to purchase green fees at this course. Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta-Jones can sometimes be seen teeing off from these courses. 

Son Termens is a shorter and more recent course that cuts into the surrounding mountains. There are some cleverly designed holes here, although you're bound to see eagles rather than put for one during the course of your round.

A bit further out is Andratx - a superb golf course that challenge golfers of every level of capability. Some holes can only be described as challenging - but you'll have to play there to discover what that means!

Some Palma history

The 17th century was characterised by the division of the city in two sides or gangs, named Canamunts and Canavalls (from Majorcan Catalan "the ones from the upper/lower side"), with very severe social and economical repercussions. During this period the main port became a corsair's haven. During the last quarter of the century, the Spanish Inquisition reinforced its prosecution of the Jews, locally named xuetes.

The fall of Barcelona in 1714 meant the end of the Spanish Succession War and tsignalled he end of the Crown of Aragon, and this was reflected on the Decretos de Nueva Planta, issued by Phillip V of Spain in 1715. This decree changed the government of the island and separated it from the municipality's government of Palma, which then became the official city name.

By the end of the 19th century, the term Palma de Mallorca was used in written Spanish, although it is still colloquially named Ciutat (City) in Catalan. In the 18th century Charles III of Spain removed interdiction of commerce with Spanish colonies in America and the port and ithe commercial activity of the city grew once again.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Palma became the place of refuge of many who had exiled themselves from the Napoleonic occupation of Catalonia and Valencia; during this period freedom flourished, until the absolutist restoration.

With the establishment of the contemporary Spanish state administrative organisation, Palma became the capital of the new province of the Balearic Islands in 1833. The French occupation of Algeria in the 19th century ended the fear of Maghrebi attacks, which favoured the expansion of new maritime lines, and as a result, the economic growth of the city, which suffered a demographic increase, with the birth of new nucleus of population.

Since the 1950s, the advent of mass tourism has radically changed the physiognomy of both the city and island, transforming it for visitors and attracting workers from mainland Spain. This contributed to a huge change in the local traditions, the sociolinguistic map, urbanisation and government.

In the 21st century, urban redevelopment, by the so-called Pla Mirall (English "Mirror Plan"), has attracted important groups of immigrant workers from outside the EU, especially from Africa and South America.