Tucked away on the eastern side of Mallorca lies Pula Golf, a unique golf resort which is rapidly forging a reputation as one of the must-visit destinations on the Balearics Islands.

Built by Romeo Sala and opened for play in 1996, Pula Golf sits on the outskirts on Son Servera and pays homage to S’era de Pula, a restaurant founded by Sala during the tourist boom which swept across the island in the 70s and 80s.

Part of a Finca that was originally built in 1581, S’era de Pula was the centrepiece of the farm with more than 100 cows roaming freely on the pastureland. In 1987, and with tourism booming, Sala decided to create a golf course encouraged by some famous customers, including footballers Johan Cruyff and John Toshack, who were regular diners at his now famous eatery.

Sala and Cruyff became close friends, and during Cruyff’s time in charge as manager at FC Barcelona, was introduced to a young Pep Guardiola – now manager of Manchester City – who hosts an annual Legends Trophy at the resort. But more of that later.

After years of obtaining the correct permits and finance, Pula Golf opened for play on June 16, 1996, and hosted the Johan Cruyff Foundation Welfare tournament later that year – so entwined was the Dutch master with the project.

The course and the destination grew in stature over the following years hosting numerous European Tour events, before in 2004, José María Olazábal was appointed to redesign the course into the current par-72, 6,246m layout.

Today, Pula is managed by Romeo’s son Arnau, and offers a unique mix of Spanish charm and authenticity coupled with a boutique hotel featuring ten rooms built within the original Finca overlooking the practice putting green and clubhouse.

There are also 21 free-standing suites, seven of which were finished in the early stages of 2022 to include brand-new kitchen layouts that help to provide rustic charm and a relaxed atmosphere.

Guests enjoy their time in the Mallorcan sun by the outdoor swimming pool, whilst also taking time to experience the modern gym, sauna and spa facilities all of which are new additions to the Pula experience.

The new spa, which are adjacent to the new changing facilities, includes an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish bath, Scottish shower and even a range of relaxing massages.

But it is the golf offering, which is the main driver for the resort, and one in which a heavy investment has been made in recent years, despite the obvious restrictions – and limitations – of the pandemic.

Earlier this year, Pula Golf became the first resort in Mallorca to install a Trackman driving range and the first to work with The Bucket Pros, partnerships which have helped elevate the practice facilities on the two-tier range.

Arnau Sala, general manager at Pula Golf Resort, said: “It is an incredibly exciting period for Pula Golf Resort, both in terms of the golf and the leisure areas. We have seen a lot of change in the 26 years we have been welcoming golfers, and this may be the biggest single spell of investment we have had.

“The addition of Trackman has been an exciting development to the driving range, and when paired with the refreshed accommodation and stunning golf course, we believe we have something exceptional to offer golfers travelling to the island.”

As one of the few golf courses on the island that features a boutique hotel on-site, when Arnau was approached to form part of an alliance promoting golf on the eastern side of Mallorca, the opportunity to not only increase the number of visiting golfers but also hotel guests was too good an opportunity to pass by.

The coalition between Club de Golf Alcanada, Capdepera Golf, Club de Golf Son Servera and Pula Golf – known as Golf East Mallorca – will see the four destinations working with one another to promote the region.

The Golf East Mallorca brand will also be hosting an annual golf tournament called the International GEM Cup, which is played by the most talented international amateur players at one of the GEM venues and is valid for the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

And on the subject of tournaments, that brings us nicely back to the Legends Trophy which was once again staged at Pula Golf in June.

The event, which came to fruition in 2018 and is fronted by Guardiola, brings together icons of the game to help celebrate their combined passion for golf and football.

The three days, involving a Monday pro-am followed by a two-day Stableford competition for the footballing ‘Legends’, were fiercely – but respectfully – contested as old rivals rekindled memories of their playing days.

Commenting on the success of the event and the set-up at the Mallorca venue, Guardiola said: “It has been a wonderful three days at Pula Golf Resort enjoying golf, some good friends and all the players who made long trips to be here with us.

“I would like to thank the team here. It is always great to be back at Pula and, as usual, the course is in great condition, and we have all enjoyed getting out and experiencing some great golf.”