Market Insights 2026: The golf property advantage, revisited

In late 2024 we looked at why homes beside established golf courses tend to hold their value. Two years on, the case rests on firmer ground. The Costa del Sol has posted its strongest tourism figures on record, Benahavís prices have continued to rise, and the market as a whole has settled into a more measured rhythm.

That last point matters. In a market that rewards selectivity, the qualities golf locations offer (protected open space, controlled supply, year-round demand) carry more weight. This update sets out the current figures and what they mean for buyers weighing a golf property in 2026.

The numbers behind the green

Golf tourism continues to grow faster than most travel segments, and the Costa del Sol remains its centre of gravity in Europe. Technavio now forecasts the global golf tourism market to grow by USD 12.2 billion (approximately €10.5 billion) between 2025 and 2030, a compound annual rate of 7.7%. Its 2024 edition forecast 6.72%.

On the coast itself, the figures for 2025 set new records:

The Costa del Sol was also named best European golf destination for 2025. Turismo Costa del Sol describes its strategy as quality over quantity, and the visitor profile reflects that: hotel occupancy dipped slightly in 2025 while revenue per available room rose 7.2% to €108.2.

The link between golf visits and property ownership is well documented. A study by IE University and the Spanish Golf Courses Association found that golf tourists have invested €4.2 billion in Spanish property, buying more than 280,000 homes. More than 102,000 foreign golfers own homes in Andalucía alone (Olive Press).

Why golf locations hold a premium

The most detailed study of golf resort pricing remains the European Tour Properties survey of 500 completed sales across nine resorts, including Finca Cortésin and PGA Catalunya in Spain. Homes within the resorts sold for 19% more on average than equivalent properties outside them. Within the resorts, homes facing the course carried a further 9.5% premium (European Tour Properties).

Two findings from that study are often overlooked. Most buyers were not golfers, and 84% were international. The premium reflects the setting, the services and the security as much as the sport. Local agents report a similar pattern on the Costa del Sol today, with a golf setting adding around 5% to 12% to a home's value, and more in established addresses (DM Properties).

The reasons are structural:

• Permanent open space. A golf course is land that will not be built on. The view a buyer pays for today is the view they keep.
• Controlled supply. Plots beside established courses are finite, and new courses on the coast are rare.
• Year-round demand. Golf on the Costa del Sol peaks in spring and autumn, when beach tourism is quieter. This evens out letting demand across the calendar.
• A broad buyer pool. Families, retirees and investors are drawn by the same qualities: space, management, privacy and a recognised address.

Benahavís and Marbella in 2026

Benahavís prices are still rising faster than Marbella's, even as sales volumes ease. The DM Properties Knight Frank Market Report 2026 puts the average price in Benahavís at €4,112/m², up 9.24% year on year, against €4,424/m² (+7.67%) in Marbella (Andalucía Golf).

Sources: Drumelia (idealista data); DM Properties, Marbella Property Market H1 2026. Asking prices are advertised, not completed, and idealista revised its methodology in July 2026.

Transactions have slowed. Between January and June 2026, 3,422 homes changed hands across Marbella, Benahavís and Estepona, against 4,313 in the same period of 2025. Prices have held and continued to climb. That combination points to a market where buyers are more selective and sellers of well-located homes are under little pressure to discount.

Rental demand within the resort is measurable. Engel & Völkers puts average asking rents for apartments at the Marbella Club Golf Resort at €18.79/m² per month in 2026 (Engel & Völkers).

What has changed since 2024

Three developments shape the picture for buyers this year.

• The Golden Visa has closed. Spain ended residency by investment on 3 April 2025, including the €500,000 property route (Flatio). Existing holders keep their rights. For EU buyers, nothing changes. Non-EU buyers can still purchase freely and look to other routes, such as the non-lucrative visa, for residency.
• Letting is more regulated. Short-term rentals in Spain now require registration in a national register, alongside regional licensing in Andalucía. Investors planning holiday lets should confirm requirements for the specific property before purchase.
• Growth forecasts have firmed. Projections for golf tourism have risen since our 2024 article, from 6.72% to 7.7% a year globally, and the Costa del Sol has added visitors and revenue in each of the last two years.

What to evaluate in a golf property

Not every home near a course captures the premium. In a selective market, the details carry the value:

1. Position within the resort. Course views, orientation and distance from the clubhouse matter more than the resort name alone.
2. Density. The share of land built on determines how much open space each home keeps, now and in the future.
3. The course and its operator. Design pedigree, maintenance standards and tee-time intervals shape the experience and the resort's reputation.
4. Membership terms. Check what access comes with the property and what annual fees apply per player.
5. Stage of development. Earlier phases of a project typically offer more choice of position. Completed phases provide comparables.
6. Evidence, not averages. Municipality-wide figures hide wide variation. Completed sales within the same urbanisation are the stronger guide.

Marbella Club Hills within the resort

Marbella Club Hills sits within the Marbella Club Golf Resort in the hills of Benahavís. The 18-hole course, designed by Dave Thomas, runs for 6,247 metres through cork oak and olive groves, with tee times at 30-minute intervals. The clubhouse is run in the tradition of the Marbella Club Hotel, which lies around 20 minutes away on the coast alongside Puente Romano.

The estate covers 158,000 m². Around 10% of it is built on, across 120 residences in four phases. The rest remains fairways, resort grounds and mountain landscape.

• Phase I is complete and fully sold.
• Phase II comprises 30 residences across six blocks: penthouses, first-floor apartments and duplex garden apartments, each block holding five homes. Construction began in Q2 2025, and the April 2026 price list starts at €840,000 plus VAT.
• Later phases will bring a collection of villas with private pools.

Residents have access to the golf course (annual fees apply per player) and to the Marbella Club Equestrian Centre. On the estate, the North Club offers a heated pool, gym and spa. The South Club, delivered with Phase II, adds an indoor pool, a second gym and courts for tennis, padel and pickleball.

From the terraces, the fairways fall away towards the coast, and on clear evenings the light settles over the Strait of Gibraltar.

Capturing the golf property premium

The evidence from 2025 and 2026 supports the case we made two years ago. Golf tourism is growing, Benahavís prices continue to rise, and the homes that hold value best are those with protected views, low density and a recognised address. For buyers taking a longer view, those qualities matter more in a measured market than in a fast one.

To discuss available residences or arrange a site visit, contact our team.

About Marbella Club Hills

Marbella Club Hills is a residential development of 120 homes within the Marbella Club Golf Resort in Benahavís, on 158,000 m² of mountain land overlooking the Mediterranean. Residents have access to the golf course and the Marbella Club Equestrian Centre. Phase I is complete and sold; Phase II, comprising 30 residences across six blocks, has been under construction since Q2 2025.

Sources

• Technavio, Golf Tourism Market Analysis, Size and Forecast 2026–2030
• Turismo Costa del Sol, 2025 annual figures, via Murcia Today
• Turismo Costa del Sol, 2024 annual balance
• Tourspain, Costa del Sol, best European golf destination 2025
• European Tour Properties, Golf Resort Real Estate Premium Survey (2018)
• IE University and Spanish Golf Courses Association study, via Olive Press
• DM Properties Knight Frank, Market Report 2026, via Andalucía Golf
• idealista data, August 2026, via Drumelia
• DM Properties, Marbella Property Market H1 2026
• Engel & Völkers, Rent prices, Marbella Club Golf Resort 2026
• Spain Golden Visa update, Flatio