It is said that the first golf course in Mallorca dates back to 1934 and was located in Puerto de Alcudia. This course was part of an urbanization project called Platges d’Alcúdia and it was planned to build, in addition to the golf course, a hotel and several private residences in a privileged and unique environment.
In addition to 18 holes, the project had its own aerodrome, as well as a jetty for seaplanes. Players could step off the plane directly onto the tee.
The outbreak of the Civil War in 1936 put an end to this project and the golf course was converted into an airfield.
It was not until May 1964 that the first golf course on the island was inaugurated: Son Vida Golf.
The 1960s were the decade of splendor for Hollywood and the European aristocracy, and Mallorca was the chosen destination for Ranier of Monaco and his flamboyant wife and actress Grace Kelly for their honeymoon in April 1956 – Room 322 of the now defunct Hotel Formentor.
In June 1961 the luxury yacht Christina O. docked in Palma, with Aristotle Onasis, Maria Callas, Grace of Monaco and Prince Rainier on board. They stayed at the Castillo de Son Vida, hosting a legendary party that included Stephen A. Kusak, a former US Army pilot, and Jose Luis Ferrer, a Mallorcan winemaker, who years earlier had teamed up to build a luxury residential complex with a hotel (El Castillo de Son Vida) and topped it off with the construction of a golf course.
The Son Vida golf course, designed by F.W Hawtree, was inaugurated on the 14th of May 1964, with Ranier of Monaco as the godfather, who hit the first inaugural shot on the 6th hole. Dressed in a white shirt, polka dot tie, dress trousers and leather shoes, he surprised the press and fans with his good shot.
From that moment on, this course became one of the most emblematic.
In 1990 it was the venue for the Balearic Open – with Seve Ballesteros winning the play-off against the Swede Magnus Petersson.
Barry Lane won the Balearic Open in 1994 when the tournament was host in Son Vida golf course again.
In 2001 the course was redesigned by Kurt Rossknech and in recent years the clubhouse has been renovated.
¡Play this emblematic course with your Golfpassmallorca!
