REAL CLUB DE GOLF LA HERRERÍA

Real Club de Golf La Herrería brings together an 18-hole, par-71 course and a woodland setting beside the Monastery of El Escorial. The club is in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, in the Community of Madrid, and opened in 1966. For a visiting golfer, the monastery and the surrounding Bosque de La Herrería give the round a clear sense of place.

The monastery is particularly prominent from the 9th hole. It can also be seen from the club’s 1,800-square-metre clubhouse, providing another perspective on the building away from the course.

The course and practice facilities

Antonio Lucena designed the course, with José Gancedo later remodelling the front nine. The holes run through woodland with a varied mix of trees and shrubs. Native Pyrenean oak, known locally as rebollo, is the principal tree species in the forest.

The listed distances provide a useful reference when comparing tees:

• White tees: 6,122 metres.
• Yellow tees: 5,957 metres.
• Blue tees: 5,222 metres.
• Red tees: 4,940 metres.
• Orange tees: 3,441 metres.

Alongside the course, the club has a golf academy and driving range for learning and practice. A golf shop is also among its facilities, bringing the main golf services together at the club.

Caring for the woodland

The course occupies part of a protected wooded area. Its setting is supported by ongoing work to conserve the vegetation, rather than being simply a backdrop to the holes.

Periodic inspections of the vegetation have taken place since 2009, alongside annual plant-health monitoring. Since 2015, the club has also monitored and controlled an insect affecting the forest’s Pyrenean oaks. The 2022 inspection recorded a notable improvement in the vitality of both trees and shrubs.

This attention to the woodland is part of the story of La Herrería. The course sits within a diverse living environment, with conservation of its vegetation forming an important part of its upkeep.

Beyond the round

Food and drink facilities include Restaurante La Herrería and Kiosko Espacio Herrería. The clubhouse and its monastery views add a social setting to the golf facilities.

The club’s wider offering includes swimming pools, tennis and padel, a card room and event spaces. Wash & Golf is also listed among its services. Together, these facilities give La Herrería a broader sporting and social role, with dining and activities beyond golf in the same San Lorenzo de El Escorial setting.