Summer Golf at Roda: 5 Tips for Playing in June Heat

Last June, I was chatting to a bloke at the bar near the 18th at Roda Golf. He'd just flown in from Manchester, absolutely convinced he'd booked the worst possible week for golf. By day three, he was booking the same dates for next year. That's the thing about summer golf here. Half the warnings you'll hear before you come are completely wrong.

Here are five of the biggest myths, and what actually happens when you get out on the course in June.

Myth: June is Too Hot to Play

Reality: Tee off before 8am and you're playing in 24 or 25 degrees with a breeze coming off the Mar Menor. The air is fresh, the fairways are quiet, and you'll be back at the clubhouse before the heat gets serious.

The temperature doesn't really bite until around 11am. So the tip isn't "avoid June." It's "adjust your tee time." I've had some of the best rounds of my life here in June, purely because I got out early and had the course almost to myself. By noon I was showered, eating breakfast, and feeling very smug about the whole thing.

The second part of this: get the buggy. Not because you can't be bothered walking. Because keeping your core temperature down across 18 holes genuinely matters when it's 30 degrees by the back nine. Carrying a bag in June heat is a shortcut to making bad decisions from the 12th onwards. Sit, move, drink your water, play decent golf. Simple.

Myth: The Course Will Be Burnt and Brown

Reality: Roda Golf's irrigation runs overnight and the greens hold up well through June. It's not going to look like Augusta in April, but the fairways are firm and fast, which actually suits a lot of players. Your ball runs further. Your approaches feel sharper. Some people prefer summer conditions for exactly this reason.

If you're checking Roda Golf's course details before you arrive, you'll find current condition updates. Worth a look, especially if you're travelling from the UK and want to know what to expect underfoot. And bring more water than you think you'll need. Then bring more again. There are drinks stops on the course, but don't rely on them as your only source.

Myth: Nobody Plays in June, So You're Wasting a Golf Holiday

Reality: Fewer players on the course means faster rounds and no sitting on tees baking in the sun waiting for the group ahead. That's a win, not a problem.

And the rest of your day? The Mar Menor is 28 degrees and flat calm. The chiringuitos along the Los Alcazares seafront are running at full pace. Cold beer, grilled fish, shade, and a sea you can actually float around in. If you're staying in one of the holiday rentals near Roda Golf, you've got a pool for the hottest hours, the course for the cool ones, and a beach that's genuinely lovely in June without the August madhouse.

The rhythm that works: tee off early, back by noon, lunch somewhere shaded, pool or beach in the afternoon, dinner at 9pm. The paseo in Santiago de la Ribera fills up after 8pm. The old town in Los Alcazares comes alive in the evenings. This is the part nobody mentions when they say "June is too hot." The evenings here in summer are something else entirely.

Myth: Only Locals Can Handle Summer Golf Here

Reality: You just need to shift your mindset and your schedule. The mistake most visitors make is treating it like golf back home. They book a 10am tee time, play through the hottest part of the day, feel dreadful, and report back that June was unbearable. Well, yes. Start earlier, drink more, wear a hat that actually covers your face, and apply sunscreen properly. Factor 50, not factor 15 and a wing and a prayer.

It's also worth knowing that June isn't peak summer. July and August are considerably hotter. June is one of the better months to visit if golf is the priority: the sea is warm enough to swim in properly, accommodation is easier to find, and the course is in better shape than it will be in the height of August. If you can pick your week, late June is the sweet spot.

For anyone still getting their head around what the Los Alcazares and Mar Menor area is actually like, there's plenty on the site about what a summer visit involves. And if you want a straight answer about timing, course availability, or where to stay, the contact page is the quickest route. Someone who actually lives here will get back to you.

Summer golf at Roda isn't some masochistic adventure. It's just golf, done at the right time of day, with the right amount of water in your bag. The bloke from Manchester figured it out by day three. You'll probably manage it by day one.