Home to renowned golfers like Sergio García, the Spanish region of Valencia welcomes three new 18-hole golf courses: La Galiana, Las Colinas Golf Country Club and Font del Llop Golf Resort.

With year-round sunny and temperate weather, this region on the Mediterranean now boasts 28 eighteen-hole golf courses.

Long a popular golfing destination and site of numerous championships, with famous courses like La Sella, Valencia will host the Castelló Masters Costa Azahar – one of the tournaments on the PGA’s European tour – October 21 to 24 at the Mediterraneo Golf Club in the province of Castellon.

Expected to open this fall, La Galiana (www.lagalianagolf.com) is near the town of Alcira, south of the city of Valencia. The 18-hole, par-72 course enjoys a spectacular setting in a valley surrounded by pine and orange groves. More than 5,000 local species of plants and trees were used in the landscaping, and water consumption will be minimized through a sophisticated rainwater collection and drainage system. Designed by the Spanish firm Moon Masters, La Galiana will be open to non-members who can use the facilities. New golf schools are also planned for the area.

Opened in May, Font del Llop Golf Resort (www.fdlgolf.es) is a new 18-hole course located near the historic town of Monforte del Cid, in the Vinalopo valley, just minutes inland from Alicante. Designed by Blake Stirling and Marco Martín, the par-72 course blends naturally with its scenery and has great views of the surrounding mountains. Recalling some of the best Scottish and American courses, the layout of Font del Llop’s fairways – around a small river connecting five lakes –make for a technical game that challenges players to use all golf clubs.

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club (www.aworldapart.es) opened in June and is located in Dehesa de Campoamor, south of Torrevieja in the province of Alicante. Designed by Cabell B. Robinson, the 18-hole championship course has been carved out of a spectacular gorge and has breathtaking panoramic views of the nearby coastline and a nature reserve. Managed by Troon Golf, the par-71 course offers a great variety of short and long holes, with five unique par 3’s presenting an array of challenges of varying length and topography. Key features of this course’s design are water hazards and dramatic bunkering.

On October 21, golf greats like Paul Casey, Michael Jonzen, Henrik Stenson and Camilo Villegas, as well as Spanish champions like García (whose father is the pro and who won the first masters here in 2008) along with José María Olazábal, José Manuel Lara and Álvaro Quirós will compete at the Castelló Masters Costa Azahar. Designed by Ramon Espinosa in 1978, the par-72 course is at the Mediterraneo Golf Club is in the province of Castellon. (www.castellomasters.com and www.ccmediterraneo.com)

Photo: Las Colinas Golf Country Club