El Prat Golf Club, Barcelona. (1954 - 2003)

With the city of Barcelona's expansion the Real Club de Golf de Pedralbes was forced to make its first move to new facilities. In 1954 it moved to El Prat de Llobregat beside Barcelona's airport and was subsequently renamed Real Club de Golf El Prat.

The proposed new course was designed by Javier Aram, while the clubhouse was designed by architect José Antonio Cordech Sentmenat. By the end of 1955 the golf course was in operation. The finished work was so successful that only a year later, in 1956, the Spanish Open was played at El Prat, where the likes of Jimmy Demaret, Bob Toski and Peter Allis (who won the tournament) competed. 

In 1968 Javier Arana designed another nine-holes and in 1988 another nine designed by Dave Thomas were added. From 1988 the club had 36-holes.   

In 2002 the expansion of Barcelona airport forced a third change of location for the club. A new course designed by Greg Norman was built 26 kilometers from Barcelona between Terrassa and Sabadell.

The course at El Prat was closed at the end of 2003. El Prat hosted the Open de España de Golf eight times in 1956, 1959, 1963, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1998 and 1999.

There are a few holes of the course remaining and not yet covered by the airport. There have been plans of a holiday resort for airport employees including use of the old clubhouse, beach house and golf facilities.

 

El Prat Golf Club, Barcelona. Course layout 1955.

Plan of the course from 1955.

 

Measurements of the above layout:-

Hole One, 375 metres, par 4; Two, 270, 4; Three, 160, 3; Four, 310, 4; Five, 380, 4; Six, 205, 3; Seven, 370, 4; Eight, 350, 4; Nine, 400, 4; Out – 2,820, 34.

Ten, 480, 5; Eleven, 140, 3; Twelve, 470, 5; Thirteen, 350, 4;Fourteen, 400, 4;Fifteen, 510, 5; Sixteen, 400, 4; Seventeen, 170, 3; Eighteen, 370, 4; In – 3,290, 37.

Total – 6,110 metres, par 71. 

 

El Prat Golf Club, Barcelona. Course layout 1988.

Layout after 1988.

 

El Prat Golf Club, Barcelona. Scorecard cover.

 

El Prat Golf Club, Barcelona. Scorecard course plan.

Above, the El Prat Scorecard cover.

 

The Google Map below pinpoints the area of the former course near the airport.

  


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