Club de Golf Ulzama
From Las Margas to Ulzama
We played here on April 5 and 7.
The distance from Las Margas to Ulzama is about 160 km. The drive estimated to take about 2 hours.
The course is placed outside a little village also called Ulzama north of Pamplona.
At the start of our tour it was our plan to spend a day in Pamplona because of its history.
Why? Go to Wikipedia and you can read:
The history of Pamplona as a city date back to the 1st millennium BC. When a settlement of Vascones named Iruña existed. However, traces of human occupation of the area go back 75,000 years.
What most people know about Pamplona are these crazy people running in front of bulls.
But why, what’s the purpose?
I found out that the bull-running takes place as a part of the San Fermin Festival.
Read the following.
Who was San Fermin?
According to legend, San Fermín was the son of the great Roman boss of Pamplona around the 3rd century. A French priest who was visiting here, San Saturnino, converted him to Christianity, so he went to Toulouse (France) to do a bishop’s master’s degree and returned to free the working people from his superstitions. He then returned to France again, Christianized thousands of pagans and stayed to live in Amiens.
He must have had some row with the authorities, because he ended up tortured and slit his throat. His body rests in Amiens, although it is scattered around in the form of relics (in Pamplona there are three).
The truth is that with this curriculum, it is an irony that they give your name to a bacchanalia famous throughout the world. This is life. In any case, not everything at these parties is partying. We dedicate a very beautiful procession to the saint on his name day and he, in gratitude, acts as a doubler for us in the running of the bulls, protecting the runners: it is what we call the famous “capotico de San Fermín”.
We did not make a stop at Pamplona but went directly to a little country ”kind of” B&B hotel not far from Ulzama golf course. A very nice place to stay. The name is Flora de Vide. Very country like.
Rural Hotel Flora De Vide
Stay there if you want to visit Pamplona and want to play Ulzama.
In the back of the garden, you are welcomed by these 2 friendly animals.
Club de Golf Ulzama
Here is the introduction to the history of the club:
At the beginning of 1963, Dr. Oscar Gortari Beiner, director and owner of the gynecological clinic bearing his name in Pamplona, spoke with two of his friends, Felipe Huarte Beaumont and Fernando Redón Huici, about the idea of establishing a golf club in Navarra, a sport not practiced in our land. Huarte, son of the builder Félix Huarte, was President of Imenasa (one of the many companies founded by his father). Redón was already considered a brilliant architect.
The three of them met on several occasions to promote the idea, but they had to admit that their respective jobs did not allow them to dedicate the necessary time to carry it out. They considered it necessary to entrust it professionally to a manager who, under his supervision, would take the necessary steps to establish the Club and search for the land where it could be installed. By indication of Gortari, the appointment fell to Miguel Urabayen Cascante who since March 1963 made those efforts.
As you will see from the pictures, they made a great job.
We learned that the majority of the members comes from Pamplona and all the way from Madrid. Understandable it’s a great place and we got the feeling that this is a real members club not depending on green fee players. Even though I’m sure there are also a lot of them.
The golf course
This is a real forest course. Lots of big trees, mostly oak trees. And very quiet. Only the sounds of nature.
18 holes, par 72, course rating 72,2, slope 132. In a great nature.
What more do you need?
Hole 1. Par 4. 348 meters. A great starting hole
Be sure to be on the left of the fairway with your drive.
Hole 2. Par 3. 117 meters – looks easy. Index 17.
Makes you optimistic and to look forward to the rest of the holes.
Hole 4. Par 4. 297 meters.
Looks easy. Uphill half of the fairway. Downhill to the green. Beware of the water.
The tree in the middle of the fairway is irritating. Your second and/or third shot must be on one of the sides of that tree – not to be in the way of your shot to the green.
And so, I could go on. A very nice and well-maintained golf course, great soft fairways, nice greens, and good sand in all bunkers.
Holes with doglegs left and right, elevated with up- and downhill shots, there are blind shots, but because fairways are so manicured and regular, you can predict the bounce.
Tough it is a forest course, you can always find you ball if out of the fairway.
Finally, it’s easy to walk. And, not to forget. There is fresh cold water in big containers for free all over the course and ball washers at all tee-places (even on the ladies’ tees – should I remember to mention – Eza told me).
The round ends with a very nice par 5. Nice because it’s a good final hole. Why? Because it’s a kind of risk-reward hole. You can play it safe not to lose a stroke or take the risk to win a stroke.
Our second round we played with two of the members. We had a very nice walk and talk. Like playing our home course.
The mental part of the game
I think: no matter your score, you will leave this course in a good mood, eager to come back to try again.
We played the course twice. I didn’t make any record. Just a nice place to get in balance with your inner self. The whole place gives this feeling of harmony. Though I would have liked to play the course some more times. I’m sure that I can play it better.
Next off to Golf Gorraiz
