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Located a few kilometres to the west of Maspalomas on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria, the Anfi Tauro Golf Course is one of Spain’s hidden gems that is destined for a place in the Spanish Top 100 rankings.
Anfi Tauro was a gargantuan design achievement from the firm of von Hagge, Smelek & Baril, who spent years in the planning phase with the late owner and Norwegian industrialist Byorn Lyng. The golf course is at the heart of the Anfi Tauro resort and residential development and it’s set with a contrasting backdrop of dramatic, dark, volcanic mountains and the shimmering aquamarine Atlantic Ocean.
The build project was considered to be one of the most ambitious ever attempted in Europe and it literally required the movement of mountains. More than three million cubic metres of earth were shifted to create today’s emerald fairways that snake across ground that was formerly barren rock.
Nine holes first opened for play in 2006 and twelve months later the second nine came on stream. The result is an 18-hole course that bears more than a passing resemblance to an Arizonan desert course with craggy rock formations and vast sandy waste areas that are punctuated by three lakes.
With five tees in play, Anfi Tauro can be stretched from the gentle 4,448-metre forward tees to a stern 6,325 metres from the tips. Factor in the ever-changing wind and you’ll find the Anfi Tauro golfing test is rather exacting. There is interest aplenty here for even the most demanding golfer but we particularly like the one-shot holes, especially the 6th which plays straight into the prevailing Atlantic wind and also the 13th, which is literally cut into the side of the mountain where an old fashioned stone wall on the left serves as a hard reminder to keep your ball to the right. The Tauro Valley provides a most remarkable setting for what is a golf course design achievement par excellence, so we doff our hat to von Hagge, Smelek & Baril. | 
My favourite par-3 on the front nine is the 6th ranging from 168 to 229 yards and with a deep bunker protecting the left-side having the sea in the back-ground makes this a good looking hole. The 8th green has a unique story, dynamite was used to blow-up some of the mountain to create the location, crazy but true. Water on the last third of any par-5 is a recipe for success in my book and the 9th hole is brilliant; dog-legging left through palm trees with an accurate lay-up essential to attack the massive green (doubles up for the 18th hole too). The course elevation takes on new heights on the back nine with the highest point being the 13th tee; a par-3 that will stick in the memory for a long time length around 120 to 220 yards with hardly any bail-out at all (especially left as it is a 100 feet drop back to the 12th fairway!) the green has no bunkers and is perched majestically over-looking the whole resort a certain photo opportunity. The memorable holes continue at the very next; the 14th tee is at a similar height to the 13th green, so another tee shot with extra hang-time
the fairway below is not that wide and is a par-5; water front left and six bunkers at the green. Every hole on the course has a story to tell and the 18th is worth a mention, very similar to the 9th but with the water on the right of the hole this time and another seven cavernous bunkers at the green. It is pleasing to see Anfi Tauro as a GEM on the Top 100 site but this must be only temporary, surely a ranking next time? Having a look at the Spanish positions this must have a case for being Top 50 already and after playing 50+ Spanish courses, my own view would say Top 30. 