• On the Course

Falling short in the heat of battle

The North Course offers the chance to score if you keep the ball in play © La Manga

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ESPN's maiden foray into competitive golf ended in disappointment, as I failed to make off with any of the loot from the Murcia Golf Open held at the stunning La Manga Club.

It is fair to describe ESPN's finest left hander as something of a fair-weather golfer, so the prospect of a bit of golf in the depths of winter did not appeal. Not until being told the destination was southern Spain. Clubs were pulled out of winter storage - the shed - and ferried down to Gatwick for the two-and-a-half-hour flight to Alicante.

Now we're not talking the riches of the Race to Dubai, but £8K of prizes is not to be sniffed at. That was the consensus from the 106 players who teed it up for the 11th iteration of the event held over three days on the championship South Course and less penal North Course.

Luke Donald is famed for his meticulous attention to detail. Sadly I am not and a schedule clash resulted in me missing out on a practice round - an error as it turned out.

Standing on the first tee at a tournament is a daunting prospect, but the nerves seemed okay - even after the starter had announced my name to what is best described as a polite ripple of applause.

Three wood in hand the plan was a simple one: find the fairway. A solid swing sent the ball soaring away, towards the lake that sat 20 yards to the right of the fairway. Three off the first tee, the shame. Arguably the only thing worse is the failure to knock it past the ladies' tee and the embarrassment that comes with. To walk off the first green with a gutsy six was a notable effort.

Having sunk without trace on the first and stared down the lake on the side of the second green, it was quickly apparent that the South Course possessed more than its fair share of water. And my balls (plural is not a typing error) appeared drawn towards it. Finding water on the third, twice, brought a sympathetic smile from a Spanish playing partner. The language barrier was quickly overcome as 'blob' appears a universal term on a golf course.

The 11th hole on the South Course does play as good as it looks © Getty Images

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Things improved marginally by the sixth, as I avoided a verbal volley by not knocking my ball into Kenny Dalglish's garden that lines the left-hand side of the fairway. But hitting the turn in seven stableford points left me with much to do.

Things get no easier after the turn, with water in play on a series of holes. None more so than on the 11th where two lakes will gobble any tee shot that drifts to the left, while the mid-iron approach must carry water to find its target - a wide, narrow two-levelled green. The 11th was the stand-out hole, with the view that accompanies the approach shot nothing short of breathtaking.

La Manga's South Course will punish wayward play, but if you keep it in play and hit the correct side of the pins you can score. My 23 stableford points did not reflect this, but a playing partner who amassed 42 points would suggest otherwise.

If golf is not your thing, you still have a range of options at La Manga. The tennis centre is one of Europe's finest outdoor facilities - featuring 28 courts. British No. 1 Elena Baltacha has based herself at La Manga in preparation for the European clay season, while it has played host to Davis Cup and Fed Cup matches. A host of Europe's top football teams have used La Manga as a base for their pre-season and mid-season camps. The resort offers outstanding facilities, while a top-class spa and gym is another attraction for the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich who have been regular visitors.

La Manga sits in 1400 acres, and boasts that it is three times the size of Monaco. Such a sprawling resort, as you would expect, offers a range of dining options. Fifteen restaurants offer a range of cuisines, while the likes of Mulligan's boasts giant TV screens with the best of international sport, and the Piano Bar has live acts each night of the week.

The 18th on the South Course is a fine closing challenge © Getty Images

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Having toiled on the South Course on day one, I took on the challenge of the North Course more in hope than expectation. The North Course is 600 yards shorter than the South and plays far easier as a consequence. Generous fairways offer inviting targets and provided you keep the ball in play, you are approaching the greens with shorter irons in your hands. The 18th on the North Course really is an exceptional closing hole - an accurate second is needed to carry a ravine in order to find a green that resembles an amphitheatre on account of it being flanked by the hotel terrace.

Like the South Course, the greens on the North are testing yet true and a confident putter will enjoy the challenge. Improved play as opposed to an easier course, fuelled by a late night in the Piano Bar, helped me surge into contention with 42 points.

Repeating the trick of a late night in the Piano Bar sounded like the right move at the time, but it proved anything but as any thoughts of bidding for glory in the final round disappeared in a hurry as the water on the South Course gobbled up my wayward play with alarming regularity.

A failure to challenge for a prize would have left many disappointed, but taking part in an event at such a prestigious venue that is still pulling in golfers in its 40th anniversary year was an experience to savour - as was playing 54 holes in short sleeves. Fair weather golfer? Absolutely. Budding Open champion? Unlikely

Golf:
La Manga Club
Cartagena
Murcia
Spain
www.lamangaclub.com

Getting there:
Leading leisure airline Monarch operates year round flights to Alicante from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester airports with fares, including taxes, starting from £35.50 one way (£61.50 return).

In addition to year-round low fares, Monarch also offers a bespoke "build your own class of travel" range of products and services both on the ground and inflight. All customers are allocated a seat at check-in but for those wishing to select where in the cabin they sit to ensure that families and groups are seated together, seats can be pre-booked from £4.99 per one-way flight. For customers looking for added comfort, extra legroom seats are also available offering up to six inches of extra space from only £9.99.

Passengers travelling on scheduled flights can also avoid the queues at the airport and take advantage of online check-in which is available between 18 days and 4.5 hours prior to departure. For more information or to book, visit www.monarch.co.uk.

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