Empordà Forest occupies the pine-covered side of the 36-hole Empordà Golf Resort near Gualta in the Costa Brava countryside. Conceived by Robert von Hagge with Rick Baril and opened during the property's development around 1990, it is the more intimate half of a facility often recognised for its exposed sister course, Dunes. Mature trees, raised putting surfaces and subtle water features give Forest an architectural identity of its own.
The fairways run through corridors of woodland rather than open sandy ground. A drive has to find the right side of the available space, and an approach may be made from an uncomfortable angle even when the ball remains on grass. The contrast with Empordà Dunes is striking enough to reward two consecutive rounds at the same resort.
Why You Should Play Empordà Golf – Forest Course
Forest is for players who enjoy precision and the feel of working their way through a landscape, not merely looking at it from high tees. Trees influence both the drive and the next shot, and the elevated greens make distance control particularly important. It is a technical test whose visual drama is deliberately quieter than that of an exposed coastal resort.
The course's natural enclosure changes the rhythm of the round. An accurate long iron or a measured driver can earn as much of an advantage as raw distance. The thirteenth, a par five, is a useful example: placement over the first two shots can matter more than an attempt to reach the green at any cost.
Golfers who value more expansive corridors may prefer Dunes or Camiral Tour. For those who like finding a line between trees and then choosing a precise target over sand, Forest may be the more satisfying of Empordà's two courses. There is also a pleasant sense of shelter from the wind that often shapes play on the adjoining Dunes routing.
Architecture, Heritage and Championship Golf
The Empordà project began in the late 1980s, and the first course opened in 1990. Von Hagge's architecture used the resort's contrasting landscapes to create two genuine eighteen-hole experiences. The later investment in the courses, facilities and Hotel Terraverda strengthened Empordà as a convenient multi-day golf base.
Forest is not simply the 'easy' alternative to Dunes. It has different ways of exposing a golfer's weaknesses: positioning, recovery below a green and shot selection on short but narrow holes. It deserves its own round rather than being treated merely as the shorter, sheltered alternative to Dunes.
Forest and the Baix Empordà Golf Experience
Forest is the round to build around when a group values traditional-looking woodland golf and measured course management. Its relationship with Dunes is particularly revealing from a single hotel base: after a day of finding openings between pines, the golfer encounters exposed, sandy-shaped ground and lakes instead. Hotel Terraverda sits on the same estate as both courses, making this a compelling two-round stop on the Costa Brava.
Getting the Most from the Course
Forest is par 72 with four tee sets: White at 6,165 metres, Yellow at 5,866, Blue at 5,244 and Red at 4,959. The different lengths allow golfers to enjoy the same pine-framed design without facing repeated long carries. An accurate drive is only the beginning of the hole; the angle into the raised green often determines how much of the target is available.
Empordà Forest welcomes visiting golfers with an official handicap certificate, with the visitor handicap limit at 36. The 2027 green fee for 18 holes is €125, the same as in 2026. Empordà Dunes is a second, contrasting course on the property, and Hotel Terraverda makes playing both in one stay straightforward. Golf de Pals, the older pine-lined Costa Brava round, offers another architectural comparison.