For your convenience, we offer dislocated worker services to Golf Galaxy program participants in fully-staffed locations throughout the Twin Cities area.
East Bloomington (Cedar Business Center) MAP
1701 American Boulevard
Bloomington, MN 55425
Contact: Matt Derosier at 952-303-8304 or e-mail
Minnesota Workforce Center — Burnsville MAP
2900 West County Road 42
Burnsville, MN 55306
Contact: Matt Derosier at 952-853-9104 or by e-mail
Minnesota WorkForce Center — Hennepin North MAP
7115 Northland Terrace
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
Contact: Jim Reason at 763-210-6201 or by e-mail
Minnesota WorkForce Center — Minneapolis North MAP
1200 Plymouth Ave North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
Contact: Mary Noothed at 612-821-1702 or by e-mail
Sabathani Community Center MAP
310 East 38th Street
South Minneapolis, MN 55409
Contact: Mary Noothed at 612-821-1702 or by e-mail
Griggs Midway Building — St. Paul MAP
1821 University Avenue, Suite N-261
St. Paul, MN 55104
Contact: Linda Byrd at 651-999-5660 or by e-mail
Minnesota WorkForce Center — St. Paul Griggs Midway Building MAP
540 Fairview Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55104
Contact: Linda Byrd at 651-999-5660 or by e-mail
Minnesota WorkForce Center — Dakota County Northern Area MAP
1 Mendota Road West, Suite 170
West St. Paul, MN 55118
Contact: Matt Derosier at 651-554-6591 or by e-mail
Hopkins MAP
33 10th Ave South, Suite 150
Hopkins, MN 55343
Contact: Diane Henderson at 763-536-6003 or by e-mail
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
'NEW COURSE' RESEARCH: …and all in the cause of duty!
When the PGA of Europe recently renewed its Corporate Partnership agreements with both Atalaya Park Hotel and the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, the process was completed with matching enthusiasm by all concerned because of the natural way that our three operations complement each other.
Part of my responsibility in this business triumvirate is to constantly be aware of the advances that are being made in the region in order, in a knowledgeable manner, to be able to encourage 12,000 professional golfers from our 33 member countries, and their club members, to take advantage of them.
In the words of the well-worn cliché 'yes, it's a rotten job but somebody has to do it!'
It was partly in this capacity and partly as an annual Spring break that I was privileged to play some of the new golf courses that are emerging in such tempting fashion on the Costa del Golf.
My first reaction to the brief 'tour' is to express the PGAE's delight that such admirable new golf resorts and their creatively-designed courses are opening up yet more golf tourism opportunities in an area which constantly expands its attractions and which continues to bring visitors pouring into Málaga airport.
Much as I would have liked, it was not possible for me to put my (rising!) handicap through a 'lost ball' count at each of the new locations on a sheer 'available hours' basis.
Those I did play, however, left me with a profound sense that the Costa del Sol Collection of golf courses has impressively enhanced its 'something for everyone' reputation at a time when pressure on tee-time bookings has never been more intense.
Pay-As-You-Play facilities, as distinct from those with a membership enjoying first priority, are always most welcome and in this regard CABOPINO is a popular, high-standard arrival with its pleasant, enjoyable design and top-quality greens.
While comparatively short at 5170 metres, it refreshingly demands accuracy rather than an outsize driver with a trampoline-effect face, and is a sound test of anyone's 'A' game. You can always leave that monster drive in the locker room…
I can personally recommend Cabopino for a thoroughly enjoyable round of golf, at a conveniently-placed Marbella location, played against a backdrop of picturesque land and seascapes.
On to FLAMINGOS, a marvellous facility I have watched emerge from its earliest days of site clearance , to shaping and contouring, seeding, grass growth and finally to standing on the first tee savouring a feeling of acute anticipation.
I need not talk of its quality and desirability since, already this has been officially recognized by its selection for a PGA European Seniors Tour event and a share, along with Atalaya Park Old Course, in our own PGAE Fourball Championship next January.
It is a beautiful golf course and a most challenging one which left me with one recurring question at the back of my mind, namely 'are some of those excellent and interesting greens, just a touch too severe?'
I recall one putt, in particular, which was required to negotiate a couple of slopes, one up, one down, separated by a mini-valley which was virtually beyond my judgment of pace and direction. Should the severity be eased, just a shade?
Just a passing thought, perhaps, but one which might be worthy of consideration.
Yet again, though, Flamingos is a quite delightful place to spend a few blissful hours in the company of like-minded friends for eighteen holes, enjoy a debate at the 19th and a nicely chilled glass of vino blanco.
Next call was to SANTA CLARA where it quickly becomes apparent, again, that 'quality' has been the objective throughout all of the stages of creation. The clubhouse is quite superb, as is the absolute courtesy of the service from the moment you arrive in the car park to the moment you leave.
You feel pampered and privileged to be there… though the course is not always equally welcoming to those who fail to find the landing areas woven into the challenging 'risk-and-reward' elements of the design!
Along with the other courses visited, I found Santa Clara to be an enticing addition to all that the region has to offer.
Yet still there was a memorable treat in store. GREENLIFE GOLF , Marbella, is simply ideal for those wishing to fit some golf into a packed day with non-golfing family and friends. The full 18-hole courses are wonderful to play …but time-consuming.
This, as a welcome option, is a quite delightful nine-hole par-three course which tests the best of short games to the full and I must stress here that it is serious, testing GOLF, and not pitch-and-putt. The ninth hole is, for example, measures 169 metres and asks questions of any golfer's skills in terms of club selection and precision.
My companions and I took a mere one hour and ten minutes to savour the course's varying, scenically-satisfying tests of mid-irons and all the intricacies of the short game. There is also a whole range of other leisure facilities plus a learning centre where a visit would benefit any of us, whatever handicap range.
I found Greenlife Golf to provide quite the most outstanding opportunity to tune up the most crucial part of one's golfing repertoire.
By now readers will no doubt fully admire my dedication to duty(!)…I shall certainly relish the opportunity to keep an eye on how these, and other new facilities in my favourite golfing region', progress in the future.
Purely as a business imperative, you understand…
Part of my responsibility in this business triumvirate is to constantly be aware of the advances that are being made in the region in order, in a knowledgeable manner, to be able to encourage 12,000 professional golfers from our 33 member countries, and their club members, to take advantage of them.
In the words of the well-worn cliché 'yes, it's a rotten job but somebody has to do it!'
It was partly in this capacity and partly as an annual Spring break that I was privileged to play some of the new golf courses that are emerging in such tempting fashion on the Costa del Golf.
My first reaction to the brief 'tour' is to express the PGAE's delight that such admirable new golf resorts and their creatively-designed courses are opening up yet more golf tourism opportunities in an area which constantly expands its attractions and which continues to bring visitors pouring into Málaga airport.
Much as I would have liked, it was not possible for me to put my (rising!) handicap through a 'lost ball' count at each of the new locations on a sheer 'available hours' basis.
Those I did play, however, left me with a profound sense that the Costa del Sol Collection of golf courses has impressively enhanced its 'something for everyone' reputation at a time when pressure on tee-time bookings has never been more intense.
Pay-As-You-Play facilities, as distinct from those with a membership enjoying first priority, are always most welcome and in this regard CABOPINO is a popular, high-standard arrival with its pleasant, enjoyable design and top-quality greens.
While comparatively short at 5170 metres, it refreshingly demands accuracy rather than an outsize driver with a trampoline-effect face, and is a sound test of anyone's 'A' game. You can always leave that monster drive in the locker room…
I can personally recommend Cabopino for a thoroughly enjoyable round of golf, at a conveniently-placed Marbella location, played against a backdrop of picturesque land and seascapes.
On to FLAMINGOS, a marvellous facility I have watched emerge from its earliest days of site clearance , to shaping and contouring, seeding, grass growth and finally to standing on the first tee savouring a feeling of acute anticipation.
I need not talk of its quality and desirability since, already this has been officially recognized by its selection for a PGA European Seniors Tour event and a share, along with Atalaya Park Old Course, in our own PGAE Fourball Championship next January.
It is a beautiful golf course and a most challenging one which left me with one recurring question at the back of my mind, namely 'are some of those excellent and interesting greens, just a touch too severe?'
I recall one putt, in particular, which was required to negotiate a couple of slopes, one up, one down, separated by a mini-valley which was virtually beyond my judgment of pace and direction. Should the severity be eased, just a shade?
Just a passing thought, perhaps, but one which might be worthy of consideration.
Yet again, though, Flamingos is a quite delightful place to spend a few blissful hours in the company of like-minded friends for eighteen holes, enjoy a debate at the 19th and a nicely chilled glass of vino blanco.
Next call was to SANTA CLARA where it quickly becomes apparent, again, that 'quality' has been the objective throughout all of the stages of creation. The clubhouse is quite superb, as is the absolute courtesy of the service from the moment you arrive in the car park to the moment you leave.
You feel pampered and privileged to be there… though the course is not always equally welcoming to those who fail to find the landing areas woven into the challenging 'risk-and-reward' elements of the design!
Along with the other courses visited, I found Santa Clara to be an enticing addition to all that the region has to offer.
Yet still there was a memorable treat in store. GREENLIFE GOLF , Marbella, is simply ideal for those wishing to fit some golf into a packed day with non-golfing family and friends. The full 18-hole courses are wonderful to play …but time-consuming.
This, as a welcome option, is a quite delightful nine-hole par-three course which tests the best of short games to the full and I must stress here that it is serious, testing GOLF, and not pitch-and-putt. The ninth hole is, for example, measures 169 metres and asks questions of any golfer's skills in terms of club selection and precision.
My companions and I took a mere one hour and ten minutes to savour the course's varying, scenically-satisfying tests of mid-irons and all the intricacies of the short game. There is also a whole range of other leisure facilities plus a learning centre where a visit would benefit any of us, whatever handicap range.
I found Greenlife Golf to provide quite the most outstanding opportunity to tune up the most crucial part of one's golfing repertoire.
By now readers will no doubt fully admire my dedication to duty(!)…I shall certainly relish the opportunity to keep an eye on how these, and other new facilities in my favourite golfing region', progress in the future.
Purely as a business imperative, you understand…
Who is the finest Spanish golf course architect? by Colm Gill
Here's a discussion for you as you sip your whiskies on the terrace of the 19th hole...Who is the finest Spanish golf course architect ? Put your mind to it and you will find there are a few names to debate.... Arana (El Saler, El Prat, Río Real, Guadalmina) Gancedo (Torrequebrada, Montemayor, Las Ramblas) Espinosa (Bonalba, CC Mediterraneo)- just for starters. Then there are the professionals turned designers: Ballesteros, Olazábal, Piñero, Cañizares, Garrido and, lately, Jiménez. One name that might not immediately enter the debate is that of Enrique Canales, but, less than a year after it has opened, Canales' work at Santa Clara has focused attention onto the design skills of the quiet man of Spanish golf course architecture. The man with an impeccable golfing pedigree spoke to Colm Gill about his career.
Canales' career began 32 years ago when the untimely death of Javier Arana caused the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya to request the assistance of a trusted low handicap, amateur who was already a successful local businessman in his own right. The course in question was Aloha - later held to be one of Arana's finest .
" I reached an agreement with the President of the BBV who was, and still is, a good friend of mine" recalls Enrique. "Aloha was unfinished, only the greens had been seeded; the bunkers had been placed but were without drainage and sand.
" After I finished the course, the next project I undertook was at Los Naranjos where I oversaw the re-styling in collaboration with the developer Hermann Sauer, who was later to become a partner of mine at Dama de Noche, which I also designed."
Together with Prince Alfonso Hohenloe, the trio were responsible for Europe's first floodlit golf course.
Enrique Canales was then commissioned to design 36 holes at Islantilla Golf Club in Huelva.
"If Islantilla was on the Costa del Sol, it would receive greater recognition" asserts its designer.
That may be so, but Islantilla is still considered amongst Spain's best tournament courses; in 1995 the immature course stood up to the challenge of hosting a European Tour event - the Turespaña Masters won by Alex Cejka - and is used by many of the elite Tour golfers for training in the weeks prior to the Volvo Masters.
" I'm not saying it for myself, but it is a very, very good design - the best that I have made. It could perhaps be a little prettier, but it has the nuances for every hole to be a challenge for the top players"
Enrique's portfolio also includes the nine hole practice course at Aloha and the excellent, short, par 3 course of La Siesta. "During the nineties, I was asked to carry out many course modifications, re-styling etc., until the Santa Clara project came along" he continues. "With Santa Clara I have had the chance to be responsible for the whole the project - I designed it, built it selected the personnel and now I'm overseeing the management of it. I'm not one of those who get paid and disappear. I'm here now to watch the maintenance, the machinery, the development..."
True to this sentiment, Enrique has clear ideas on the tendency for players to turn designers. " One thing is to play well, another is to design. It's a commercial decision to use a famous signature." It should be pointed out here, that the photographs on the walls of Malaga's Parador clubhouse attest to the fact that Canales has indeed played amateur golf to a high standard "I used to have a low handicap, I play a lot worse these days but it doesn't worry me too much as, when I play holes now, I like to keep an eye on course maintenance."
It was more difficult to explain the logistics behind good course design. Enrique says " A designer needs many years of experience in golf. He also needs to know the basic laws and statutes concerning building permits, norms and suchlike before he even thinks about the design of a particular course." He continues, "It is vital to respect the natural charm and beauty of the land." To achieve this end many preliminary meetings are necessary. " I listen to the promoter, listen to his plans for the land surrounding the course, I ask to what end is the course to be built...is it an aim to host tournaments? what are the characteristics of the majority of the golfers who will play it?..what financial limits there are"
Enrique Canales then consults with a team of architects experienced in urban development, landscape gardeners, constructors, agronomists and engineers. Ideas are put forward and discussed with the developers; often compromises are made between profit and design. Many designs may look attractive on the drawing board but would prove too costly, or would delay building companies for too long. "
Climate is not as much of a consideration on the Costa del Sol as one might think as "we have an effective system for recycling water, so, ensuring the installation of an efficient watering system served by a plentiful supply is more of a concern. In Madrid and Barcelona, the cost of boring for water is considerably higher than in Málaga. There is a big difference between an inland course and one on the Costa del Sol as one must take into account such things as ease of maintenance. In the end, the designer must have created a course which, at the same time, is challenging for the expert without being too difficult or uninteresting for the average player."
"Many people believe that it is the characteristics of the architect that count, it should be recognisable as "one of theirs" but a good architect must be able to adapt his designs within the parameters laid down. I have always been a perfectionist and always try to create a perfect course. But a course that is perfect in one context is not perfect in another. Personally, I am very happy with Islantilla, Aloha and Santa Clara and I would rather the golfers judge me on those"
"The construction at Santa Clara is very good - the drainage, paths, walls, irrigation system are all first-class. However, the course is built on a relatively small piece of flat land which demanded more imagination with regard to the placement of water hazards and bunkers."
Enrique has an office at Santa Clara where he has stayed on as a Director. He arrives at the office shortly after 7am most mornings to inspect the course and chat to the greenkeeper and staff about daily maintenance requirements. "I am fortunate to have my liberty, I have no family commitments and my other businesses are well-run and successful. I work because I like to, I have a passion for it..."
What, then, of the future ? The enthusiasm is noticeable as Canales replies " I am currently working on a design for a course in Granada. It is completely different to Santa Clara as the estate is much larger and much fewer houses are planned. It is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada so the land is uneven and allows me to play with the natural conditions. After that ? I am also a qualified sea captain and somebody has mentioned a marina project in Almería....one never knows"
One thing Enrique does know is that he doesn't want to receive any more awards "After Aloha, I was given a gold medal for the best touristic development, but, at my age, I would rather not receive them... the more I get, the closer I am to dying !"
Canales' career began 32 years ago when the untimely death of Javier Arana caused the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya to request the assistance of a trusted low handicap, amateur who was already a successful local businessman in his own right. The course in question was Aloha - later held to be one of Arana's finest .
" I reached an agreement with the President of the BBV who was, and still is, a good friend of mine" recalls Enrique. "Aloha was unfinished, only the greens had been seeded; the bunkers had been placed but were without drainage and sand.
" After I finished the course, the next project I undertook was at Los Naranjos where I oversaw the re-styling in collaboration with the developer Hermann Sauer, who was later to become a partner of mine at Dama de Noche, which I also designed."
Together with Prince Alfonso Hohenloe, the trio were responsible for Europe's first floodlit golf course.
Enrique Canales was then commissioned to design 36 holes at Islantilla Golf Club in Huelva.
"If Islantilla was on the Costa del Sol, it would receive greater recognition" asserts its designer.
That may be so, but Islantilla is still considered amongst Spain's best tournament courses; in 1995 the immature course stood up to the challenge of hosting a European Tour event - the Turespaña Masters won by Alex Cejka - and is used by many of the elite Tour golfers for training in the weeks prior to the Volvo Masters.
" I'm not saying it for myself, but it is a very, very good design - the best that I have made. It could perhaps be a little prettier, but it has the nuances for every hole to be a challenge for the top players"
Enrique's portfolio also includes the nine hole practice course at Aloha and the excellent, short, par 3 course of La Siesta. "During the nineties, I was asked to carry out many course modifications, re-styling etc., until the Santa Clara project came along" he continues. "With Santa Clara I have had the chance to be responsible for the whole the project - I designed it, built it selected the personnel and now I'm overseeing the management of it. I'm not one of those who get paid and disappear. I'm here now to watch the maintenance, the machinery, the development..."
True to this sentiment, Enrique has clear ideas on the tendency for players to turn designers. " One thing is to play well, another is to design. It's a commercial decision to use a famous signature." It should be pointed out here, that the photographs on the walls of Malaga's Parador clubhouse attest to the fact that Canales has indeed played amateur golf to a high standard "I used to have a low handicap, I play a lot worse these days but it doesn't worry me too much as, when I play holes now, I like to keep an eye on course maintenance."
It was more difficult to explain the logistics behind good course design. Enrique says " A designer needs many years of experience in golf. He also needs to know the basic laws and statutes concerning building permits, norms and suchlike before he even thinks about the design of a particular course." He continues, "It is vital to respect the natural charm and beauty of the land." To achieve this end many preliminary meetings are necessary. " I listen to the promoter, listen to his plans for the land surrounding the course, I ask to what end is the course to be built...is it an aim to host tournaments? what are the characteristics of the majority of the golfers who will play it?..what financial limits there are"
Enrique Canales then consults with a team of architects experienced in urban development, landscape gardeners, constructors, agronomists and engineers. Ideas are put forward and discussed with the developers; often compromises are made between profit and design. Many designs may look attractive on the drawing board but would prove too costly, or would delay building companies for too long. "
Climate is not as much of a consideration on the Costa del Sol as one might think as "we have an effective system for recycling water, so, ensuring the installation of an efficient watering system served by a plentiful supply is more of a concern. In Madrid and Barcelona, the cost of boring for water is considerably higher than in Málaga. There is a big difference between an inland course and one on the Costa del Sol as one must take into account such things as ease of maintenance. In the end, the designer must have created a course which, at the same time, is challenging for the expert without being too difficult or uninteresting for the average player."
"Many people believe that it is the characteristics of the architect that count, it should be recognisable as "one of theirs" but a good architect must be able to adapt his designs within the parameters laid down. I have always been a perfectionist and always try to create a perfect course. But a course that is perfect in one context is not perfect in another. Personally, I am very happy with Islantilla, Aloha and Santa Clara and I would rather the golfers judge me on those"
"The construction at Santa Clara is very good - the drainage, paths, walls, irrigation system are all first-class. However, the course is built on a relatively small piece of flat land which demanded more imagination with regard to the placement of water hazards and bunkers."
Enrique has an office at Santa Clara where he has stayed on as a Director. He arrives at the office shortly after 7am most mornings to inspect the course and chat to the greenkeeper and staff about daily maintenance requirements. "I am fortunate to have my liberty, I have no family commitments and my other businesses are well-run and successful. I work because I like to, I have a passion for it..."
What, then, of the future ? The enthusiasm is noticeable as Canales replies " I am currently working on a design for a course in Granada. It is completely different to Santa Clara as the estate is much larger and much fewer houses are planned. It is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada so the land is uneven and allows me to play with the natural conditions. After that ? I am also a qualified sea captain and somebody has mentioned a marina project in Almería....one never knows"
One thing Enrique does know is that he doesn't want to receive any more awards "After Aloha, I was given a gold medal for the best touristic development, but, at my age, I would rather not receive them... the more I get, the closer I am to dying !"
A Vaccine Against 'Holidaygolfitis'
One of the major criticisms of golfing holidays on the Costa del Sol over the past couple of seasons has been that of five or six hour rounds. The guilty parties are often unaware of the tailbacks they are causing by not being aware of simple golf etiquette. Even experienced Golf Club Committee members, capable of reciting the etiquette of golf backwards, have been known to suffer from 'holidaygolfitis', an affliction causing loss of memory which may lead to serious cases of slow play.
Whilst it is unfair to expect to complete rounds as quickly as one would do over your home course - many visitors are playing courses for the first time and the courses themselves are generally hillier - much can still be done to speed play up.
Follow the simple guidelines outlined below to improve your enjoyment of the game - and everyone else's - without feeling rushed.
Whilst it is unfair to expect to complete rounds as quickly as one would do over your home course - many visitors are playing courses for the first time and the courses themselves are generally hillier - much can still be done to speed play up.
Follow the simple guidelines outlined below to improve your enjoyment of the game - and everyone else's - without feeling rushed.
- When it is your turn to play a shot, be ready.
- Pick up your ball when you can no longer score.
- Wait until the next tee to mark your cards, don't mark them on the green of the hole you have just finished.
- If your ball is lost off the fairway call the following group through while you look for it.
- Remember, you should always be just behind the game in front, not just in front of the game behind.
- Park your buggy, or leave your bag, on the side of the green closest to the path for the next tee.
- Tap in the 'gimmees' instead of marking the ball on short putts.
The Course at Cabopino "Cape of Pines"
"Many Happy Returns" is an appropriate message for a terrific new course on the Costa del Sol that celebrates its second birthday in April. In its two years of operation, over 80,000 rounds have been played - many of them by recidivist golfers forced to return after becoming hooked at first site. Breaking through such significant barriers gladdens the heart of Manager Andreas Hagemann, caddie masters Victoria and Sonia (and, most of all, the Madrid financiers behind the project), because seeing so many faces return and return is testimony to the professionalism and friendliness of the team at Cabopino.
One person who is not so glad with the courses precocious success, however, is green keeper Manuel Cabrera, who has had a mad couple of years dealing with the consequences of so many feet tramping around a still-maturing course. The fact that Cabopino is in such good condition as summer approaches is proof a job well done.
The course of the year has reflected the up and down nature of the fairways that head into the pine-covered hills above the marina that also bears the Cabopino name. When the 'Pay & Play' facility opened in Spring 2001, the green fees were dispatched from a temporary office in the car park; the 19th hole was a vending machine! No matter, little-known Spanish architect, Juan Ligues, may have designed the course to be a touch shorter than championship courses, but it sure keeps the handicappers coming back. The 320-metre third hole has a definite "wow" factor; a raised tee invites one to open ones shoulders to a wide landing area leaving a short approach to a raised green. It is a superb hole. The views down towards the twinkling Mediterranean can be quite a distraction on closing holes described as "Brilliant" by Sky Golf Presenter, David Livingstone, who was one of the first to play here.
Little by little, the facilities were increased and improved turning the course into a true club - albeit one with no members. The Cabopino Academy & Driving Range and Academy opened last summer and is now successfully run by the experienced professional, Carlos Dominguez. The clubhouse complex was completed in October 2001 containing an adequately stocked shop, caddy master's office and Ramiro's Restaurant - with views over the umbrella pines to the marina. Additionally, the ancillary facilities are such that Cabopino Golf has recently been named an "Authorised Fitting Centre" for Titleist, with a workshop capable of completing any fitting, repair and re-gripping work necessary.
If you haven't played Cabopino Golf yet, do so - you will soon understand why it enjoys so many happy returns.
One person who is not so glad with the courses precocious success, however, is green keeper Manuel Cabrera, who has had a mad couple of years dealing with the consequences of so many feet tramping around a still-maturing course. The fact that Cabopino is in such good condition as summer approaches is proof a job well done.
The course of the year has reflected the up and down nature of the fairways that head into the pine-covered hills above the marina that also bears the Cabopino name. When the 'Pay & Play' facility opened in Spring 2001, the green fees were dispatched from a temporary office in the car park; the 19th hole was a vending machine! No matter, little-known Spanish architect, Juan Ligues, may have designed the course to be a touch shorter than championship courses, but it sure keeps the handicappers coming back. The 320-metre third hole has a definite "wow" factor; a raised tee invites one to open ones shoulders to a wide landing area leaving a short approach to a raised green. It is a superb hole. The views down towards the twinkling Mediterranean can be quite a distraction on closing holes described as "Brilliant" by Sky Golf Presenter, David Livingstone, who was one of the first to play here.
Little by little, the facilities were increased and improved turning the course into a true club - albeit one with no members. The Cabopino Academy & Driving Range and Academy opened last summer and is now successfully run by the experienced professional, Carlos Dominguez. The clubhouse complex was completed in October 2001 containing an adequately stocked shop, caddy master's office and Ramiro's Restaurant - with views over the umbrella pines to the marina. Additionally, the ancillary facilities are such that Cabopino Golf has recently been named an "Authorised Fitting Centre" for Titleist, with a workshop capable of completing any fitting, repair and re-gripping work necessary.
If you haven't played Cabopino Golf yet, do so - you will soon understand why it enjoys so many happy returns.
Golf Etiquette for Costa Visitors
One of the major criticisms of golfing holidays on the Costa del Sol over the past couple of seasons has been that of five or six hour rounds. The guilty parties are often unaware of the tailbacks they are causing by not being aware of simple golf etiquette. Even experienced Golf Club Committee members, capable of reciting the etiquette of golf backwards, have been known to suffer from 'holidaygolfitis', an affliction causing loss of memory, which may lead to serious cases of slow play.
Whilst it is unfair to expect to complete rounds as quickly as one would do over your home course - many visitors are playing courses for the first time and the courses themselves are generally hillier - much can still be done to speed play up.
Follow the simple guidelines outlined below to improve your enjoyment of the game - and everyone else's - without feeling rushed.
Whilst it is unfair to expect to complete rounds as quickly as one would do over your home course - many visitors are playing courses for the first time and the courses themselves are generally hillier - much can still be done to speed play up.
Follow the simple guidelines outlined below to improve your enjoyment of the game - and everyone else's - without feeling rushed.
- When it is your turn to play a shot, be ready.
- Pick up your ball when you can no longer score.
- Wait until the next tee to mark your cards, don't mark them on the green of the hole you have just finished.
- If your ball is lost off the fairway call the following group through while you look for it.
- Remember, you should always be just behind the game in front, not just in front of the game behind.
- Park your buggy, or leave your bag, on the side of the green closest to the path for the next tee.
- Tap in the 'gimmees' instead of marking the ball on short putts.
Passing Time With Manuel Piñero
Manuel Piñero recently joined the European Seniors Tour. Maria Acacia Lopez Bachiller spoke to the exWorld Champion golfer about his career thus far and his plans for the future.
" I was born in Puebla de la Calzada, a small village near Badajoz, and at the age of 10, my family moved to Madrid. An uncle had found a job for my father in a factory in Pozuelo. My mother also found work cleaning at a local school. "When we came up from Badajoz, we didn't have a thing, not a house, nothing..and there a few mouths to be fed. My brother Alfonso, who was 2, and myself would stay at home with my grandmother; Juan Carlos hadn't yet been born.
Mastering the art of caddying
"I went to school for a year, to an academy there was in Pozuelo, but we needed to earn some money so my parents started looking out for a part-time job for me. My gran took me one day to the tennis courts at the Club de Campo (Country Club) to be a ballboy, as that was something a small boy of about 10 or 11 could handle easily. We walked from Aravaca and entered the club through the higher entrance, near the golf clubhouse. My gran asked where the tennis courts were but the Caddymaster, Pablo Aguilar, answered "why don't you leave the kid with me? I need some caddies." I was 11 and couldn't manage the big bags, I remember it was really hard work to carry them.
"The first time I caddied was for an American actor who had appeared in Bridge Over the River Kwai. He had a bag similar to the ones used today. It was funny because when Pablo said "take his bag", it was almost bigger than me ! I managed to get the bag as far as the first tee before the American felt sorry for me and carried it himself for most of the round - and he paid me !
" I used to caddy for quite a few 'regulars' who were well-known in Spanish society; I have fantastic memories of all of them and, of that time in general. I hardly noticed how arduous the job was as I was happy being able to contribute to family finances. I was doing a job that seemed like a game, in the open air and it was during that time that I really grew to love the game of golf. "Every now and then groups of Americans from the airbase at Torrejon would come over and they would play with really expensive balls. At that time, many of the Club de Campo members would use balls so old that they had to be stapled together to stop the rubber coming out of the cracks. Whenever the Americans came over there would be about 40 caddies working. Of course, we would all stamp on the new balls to 'lose' them and then go back later to collect them. Each flight of four used to lose 12 or 14 balls a round which we later sold on to the members; all except one or two we would keep back to use during the next caddies' championship.
"One summer afternoon the Caddymaster sent me out with a member for 9-holes. The rate was 29ptas plus, if you were lucky, another 15ptas as a tip bu this member wasn't renowned for being over generous. When we reached the par 3, 17th, I gave him his 3-wood - he was quite old - and while he went to the tee, I headed off for the green. He hit a very good shot that left him just inches from the hole, although a hillock prevented him from seeing where the ball had landed. I knocked the ball in and started shouting "Hole in one, hole in one.." He gave me a 20 pta tip a went home happy, but not as happy as I did !
" We got up to all sorts if the players didn't pay us well and if, you were assigned to one who didn't pay much, we'd do the job badly so they wouldn't pick us again. " The caddies were only allowed to play golf in August, and before 9 o'clock in the morning. We used to tee off at 6am as the sun was coming up and rush to complete the 18-holes before 9. We couldn't sneak onto the course to play because if one of the groundstaff 'snitched' we were suspended for a week or a month. We were devilish.
" I learned to swim in the Manzanares ( the river that passes through Madrid) where 8 or 10 of us would creep off to in the summer for a dip. Pablo, saw that he was short of caddies and guessed where we were, so he sent down one of his 'sneaks' who stole all of our clothes. We had to walk back up the main road to the club soaking wet and in our underpants.
Turning Pro
" I turned professional at 16 but wasn't allowed to give lessons at the driving range because that job was done by the more experienced pros. We had to stay up at the club and play games with the members, who looked upon it as a playing lesson. Sometimes they would bet money and we would play for it. I worked like that for almost a year until Patrick Edel, a Frenchman appeared and wanted me to teach him. At first, I didn't like him much, but he insisted and we started the classes. It was he who gave me the chance to play competitively. We reached an agreement: I would give him free lessons and he covered the costs of me playing some tournaments in Spain. When he began to help me, that's when I started to earn, not much but just about enough to keep the wolf from the door. I was 17 years old when I finished 5th in the Portuguese Open and 4th in St.Moritz. He encouraged me to travel outside Spain and accompanied me on the firts few trips.
" The first tournament I played outside Spain was the Miramar Open at Oporto in 1969, I felt a bit lost, but even though I didn't make the cut, I saw that I had a chance of making it. I won an Under-25 tournament, but my first important title was the Spanish PGA Championship at El Prat in 1973, when I was 20.
" My first victory at an internataional tournament was the Madrid Open of '74, played at Puerto de Hierro. There was a lot of rivalry between the caddies at Puerto de Hierro and Club de Campo, so after I had beaten Valentin Barros at the first extra hole of a play off, all the Club de Campo caddies and the Caddymaster, carried me on their shoulders from the green to the putting green in front of their clubhouse. I won 350,000ptas.
Life On The European Tour
The one thing I remember most about the European Circuit was the spirit amongst the Spanish pros when we went abroad; we helped, advised and coached each other and tried to make sure no-one got left out of the ProAms. If we knew that one of the group couldn't afford a fancy hotel, we would all book ourselves into a Bed & Breakfast. The most successful of us adapted to the conditions of all the others, there were no prima donnas. I always wanted to improve myself, to learn something new everyday. I observed everybody in order to learn more and more. Those of my generation, Antonio (Garrido), Cañi (Jose Maria Cañizares) and, later, Seve and Rivero, we had no complexes, we competed and didn't see anything on a golf course as being beyond our reach, we were convinced we could beat anybody. We knew our games very well and our limitations, because everything we learned had been self-taught.
One of my most memorable victories was the PGA Championship, the most important tournament on the circuit after The Open, although winning the World Cup with Seve in 1976 was also special as it was the first time Spain had won the team competition, and we were very young, Seve was 19 and I was 23. Seve made the victory speech, though neither of us spoke English at the time; he said "the course is very good, the greens fast and difficult, except for me and my team-mate". I putted sensationally that week, particularly as the greens were very fast and difficult.
The European Circuit today is nothing like it was when we started. Today's professionals are all 'five-star' whereas we were just feriantes , but the world moves on, life is different nowadays, and you have to move with the times not against them. I don't think today is better or worse than before; the achievements and successes we gained were more intimate, now they are shared between the psychologists, personal trainers, physiopherapists and the rest. Ther is a lot of help available, but I also believe that there are a lot of 'chancers', people taking advantage of the opportunity for sporting success. The sportsman is the most important ingredient, all those surrounding him, are just living off the sportsman's success.
The Present and The Future
I have the extreme good fortune to enjoy everything that I do. I am more than happy with my golf school at La Quinta, and my course design company. I've just begun to play on the Seniors Tour which is enjoyable, too. I look on the Seniors as fun, a bit of a diversion from the other things I'm doing. I'll play about 12 tournaments a year - I haven't really got time for any more. I like to hunt and read but my hobbies include everything I do. I'm interested in everything and consider myself very lucky to enjoy life.
The Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup of 1981 was an exciting milestone. I beleive that our generation, with Seve leading the rest of us Spaniards from the front, along with Langer, made it possible for the Ryder Cup to widen its bounsdaries, I remember there being a lot of resistance against the Europeans entering. The best moment, and the most emotional, was when the Spanish national anthem was played at the Ryder Cup, for me, it was as if a homage was being paid to a whole generation of golfers who had dragged themselves up out of necessity.
The 1985 Ryder Cup was something that we had been waiting for. At that time we had the most talented group of golfers that the European Tour had ever seen. One could see that we were better than the American team, but we still had to prove ourselves by winning. The margin of victory was proof indeed. That there were four Spanish golfers on the team speaks volumes for our contribution to the victory. That week is one of the best of my whole career. I was playing with Seve and at the seventh, a par 3, we hit a great shot to the edge of the green, and to hear all the spectators - I don't know how many thousand there were - shouting " Viva España", is something I'll remember as long as I live. I turned to Seve and said " if the atmosphere continues like this, I'm going to be too emotional to carry on."
Jacklin, the Captain, asked me to go out first in the singles; I was drawn against Lanny Wadkins, I beat him 3 & 1, which I saw as some kind of sporting revenge as it was against him that Seve and I lost our only point in the pairs matches.
" I was born in Puebla de la Calzada, a small village near Badajoz, and at the age of 10, my family moved to Madrid. An uncle had found a job for my father in a factory in Pozuelo. My mother also found work cleaning at a local school. "When we came up from Badajoz, we didn't have a thing, not a house, nothing..and there a few mouths to be fed. My brother Alfonso, who was 2, and myself would stay at home with my grandmother; Juan Carlos hadn't yet been born.
Mastering the art of caddying
"I went to school for a year, to an academy there was in Pozuelo, but we needed to earn some money so my parents started looking out for a part-time job for me. My gran took me one day to the tennis courts at the Club de Campo (Country Club) to be a ballboy, as that was something a small boy of about 10 or 11 could handle easily. We walked from Aravaca and entered the club through the higher entrance, near the golf clubhouse. My gran asked where the tennis courts were but the Caddymaster, Pablo Aguilar, answered "why don't you leave the kid with me? I need some caddies." I was 11 and couldn't manage the big bags, I remember it was really hard work to carry them.
"The first time I caddied was for an American actor who had appeared in Bridge Over the River Kwai. He had a bag similar to the ones used today. It was funny because when Pablo said "take his bag", it was almost bigger than me ! I managed to get the bag as far as the first tee before the American felt sorry for me and carried it himself for most of the round - and he paid me !
" I used to caddy for quite a few 'regulars' who were well-known in Spanish society; I have fantastic memories of all of them and, of that time in general. I hardly noticed how arduous the job was as I was happy being able to contribute to family finances. I was doing a job that seemed like a game, in the open air and it was during that time that I really grew to love the game of golf. "Every now and then groups of Americans from the airbase at Torrejon would come over and they would play with really expensive balls. At that time, many of the Club de Campo members would use balls so old that they had to be stapled together to stop the rubber coming out of the cracks. Whenever the Americans came over there would be about 40 caddies working. Of course, we would all stamp on the new balls to 'lose' them and then go back later to collect them. Each flight of four used to lose 12 or 14 balls a round which we later sold on to the members; all except one or two we would keep back to use during the next caddies' championship.
"One summer afternoon the Caddymaster sent me out with a member for 9-holes. The rate was 29ptas plus, if you were lucky, another 15ptas as a tip bu this member wasn't renowned for being over generous. When we reached the par 3, 17th, I gave him his 3-wood - he was quite old - and while he went to the tee, I headed off for the green. He hit a very good shot that left him just inches from the hole, although a hillock prevented him from seeing where the ball had landed. I knocked the ball in and started shouting "Hole in one, hole in one.." He gave me a 20 pta tip a went home happy, but not as happy as I did !
" We got up to all sorts if the players didn't pay us well and if, you were assigned to one who didn't pay much, we'd do the job badly so they wouldn't pick us again. " The caddies were only allowed to play golf in August, and before 9 o'clock in the morning. We used to tee off at 6am as the sun was coming up and rush to complete the 18-holes before 9. We couldn't sneak onto the course to play because if one of the groundstaff 'snitched' we were suspended for a week or a month. We were devilish.
" I learned to swim in the Manzanares ( the river that passes through Madrid) where 8 or 10 of us would creep off to in the summer for a dip. Pablo, saw that he was short of caddies and guessed where we were, so he sent down one of his 'sneaks' who stole all of our clothes. We had to walk back up the main road to the club soaking wet and in our underpants.
Turning Pro
" I turned professional at 16 but wasn't allowed to give lessons at the driving range because that job was done by the more experienced pros. We had to stay up at the club and play games with the members, who looked upon it as a playing lesson. Sometimes they would bet money and we would play for it. I worked like that for almost a year until Patrick Edel, a Frenchman appeared and wanted me to teach him. At first, I didn't like him much, but he insisted and we started the classes. It was he who gave me the chance to play competitively. We reached an agreement: I would give him free lessons and he covered the costs of me playing some tournaments in Spain. When he began to help me, that's when I started to earn, not much but just about enough to keep the wolf from the door. I was 17 years old when I finished 5th in the Portuguese Open and 4th in St.Moritz. He encouraged me to travel outside Spain and accompanied me on the firts few trips.
" The first tournament I played outside Spain was the Miramar Open at Oporto in 1969, I felt a bit lost, but even though I didn't make the cut, I saw that I had a chance of making it. I won an Under-25 tournament, but my first important title was the Spanish PGA Championship at El Prat in 1973, when I was 20.
" My first victory at an internataional tournament was the Madrid Open of '74, played at Puerto de Hierro. There was a lot of rivalry between the caddies at Puerto de Hierro and Club de Campo, so after I had beaten Valentin Barros at the first extra hole of a play off, all the Club de Campo caddies and the Caddymaster, carried me on their shoulders from the green to the putting green in front of their clubhouse. I won 350,000ptas.
Life On The European Tour
The one thing I remember most about the European Circuit was the spirit amongst the Spanish pros when we went abroad; we helped, advised and coached each other and tried to make sure no-one got left out of the ProAms. If we knew that one of the group couldn't afford a fancy hotel, we would all book ourselves into a Bed & Breakfast. The most successful of us adapted to the conditions of all the others, there were no prima donnas. I always wanted to improve myself, to learn something new everyday. I observed everybody in order to learn more and more. Those of my generation, Antonio (Garrido), Cañi (Jose Maria Cañizares) and, later, Seve and Rivero, we had no complexes, we competed and didn't see anything on a golf course as being beyond our reach, we were convinced we could beat anybody. We knew our games very well and our limitations, because everything we learned had been self-taught.
One of my most memorable victories was the PGA Championship, the most important tournament on the circuit after The Open, although winning the World Cup with Seve in 1976 was also special as it was the first time Spain had won the team competition, and we were very young, Seve was 19 and I was 23. Seve made the victory speech, though neither of us spoke English at the time; he said "the course is very good, the greens fast and difficult, except for me and my team-mate". I putted sensationally that week, particularly as the greens were very fast and difficult.
The European Circuit today is nothing like it was when we started. Today's professionals are all 'five-star' whereas we were just feriantes , but the world moves on, life is different nowadays, and you have to move with the times not against them. I don't think today is better or worse than before; the achievements and successes we gained were more intimate, now they are shared between the psychologists, personal trainers, physiopherapists and the rest. Ther is a lot of help available, but I also believe that there are a lot of 'chancers', people taking advantage of the opportunity for sporting success. The sportsman is the most important ingredient, all those surrounding him, are just living off the sportsman's success.
The Present and The Future
I have the extreme good fortune to enjoy everything that I do. I am more than happy with my golf school at La Quinta, and my course design company. I've just begun to play on the Seniors Tour which is enjoyable, too. I look on the Seniors as fun, a bit of a diversion from the other things I'm doing. I'll play about 12 tournaments a year - I haven't really got time for any more. I like to hunt and read but my hobbies include everything I do. I'm interested in everything and consider myself very lucky to enjoy life.
The Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup of 1981 was an exciting milestone. I beleive that our generation, with Seve leading the rest of us Spaniards from the front, along with Langer, made it possible for the Ryder Cup to widen its bounsdaries, I remember there being a lot of resistance against the Europeans entering. The best moment, and the most emotional, was when the Spanish national anthem was played at the Ryder Cup, for me, it was as if a homage was being paid to a whole generation of golfers who had dragged themselves up out of necessity.
The 1985 Ryder Cup was something that we had been waiting for. At that time we had the most talented group of golfers that the European Tour had ever seen. One could see that we were better than the American team, but we still had to prove ourselves by winning. The margin of victory was proof indeed. That there were four Spanish golfers on the team speaks volumes for our contribution to the victory. That week is one of the best of my whole career. I was playing with Seve and at the seventh, a par 3, we hit a great shot to the edge of the green, and to hear all the spectators - I don't know how many thousand there were - shouting " Viva España", is something I'll remember as long as I live. I turned to Seve and said " if the atmosphere continues like this, I'm going to be too emotional to carry on."
Jacklin, the Captain, asked me to go out first in the singles; I was drawn against Lanny Wadkins, I beat him 3 & 1, which I saw as some kind of sporting revenge as it was against him that Seve and I lost our only point in the pairs matches.
Role Models in Golf Sponsorship
"By working closely together, again and again, at every stage of the project, Selected Hotels, the Costa del Sol Tourist Board and the PGA of Europe have truly shown how golf sponsorship can pay dividends, not only to mutual benefit commercially, but to the enjoyment of everyone involved."
This was the reaction of Lawrie Thornton, general secretary of the PGA of Europe, after several weeks of activities involving the three Corporate Partners and other business associates staged at Atalaya Park and Don Miguel Hotels, the Atalaya Park Golf and Country Club and Los Flamingos Golf Club.
The PGAE play an integral role in the Selected Hotels three-month Festival of Golf, organized by the hotel group's promotional and marketing arm Selected Events but have a specific week both in December and in January when their projects take centre stage.
In every way the programme was an unprecedented success, including
This something-for-everyone mixture was achieved not only by the PGAE inviting every amateur union and federation in Europe to discuss with the main ruling bodies the best way forward for every golfer on the continent. In addition the Atalaya Park Academy offered free coaching for all, while some 40 non-golfing journalists were introduced to the rudiments of the sport, thus enabling them to go out and 'spread the gospel' in their various countries.
After that came the launch of Beach Golf, not a PGAE activity but one of which the Association thoroughly approves because it is designed to attract more and more families to the pleasure (and the pain) of the golf swing and all that goes with it. This new and intriguing initiative was staged with their usual flair, professionalism and sense of fun by Selected-Events, the marketing and promotional arm of Selected Hotels.
Yet it was, of course, the activities for the club professionals which were the PGAE's main concern and both the International Team Championship, (staged with the support of the Ryder Cup Committee) and the Don Miguel Fourball Championship, increased their profile and status in the region officially recognized as the 'Winter Home' of the PGAE.
Spain's successful defence of the team championship will have made the other nations determined not to allow them to complete a hat-trick in December 2003 while the 80 pairs who contested the 4-ball event look certain to return to their regions and recommend more and more of their colleagues to participate in the future.
The inclusion of the attractive Los Flamingos course added considerably to the appeal of the event which, after two years, looks like a permanent fixture on the PGAE schedule.
"Over this three-day period we heard professional after professional praising the concept of arranging for them to have a few days in the sun, playing competitive golf when they would otherwise have been denied by the weather in central or northern Europe," added Lawrie Thornton.
"Not only that but these pros thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to play what they described as a 'relaxed' style of better-ball golf with the possibility of returning home with some (possibly quite substantial!) prize money from the fund of 50,000 euros, whilst also joining the local social scene and meeting other golf professionals from different countries and cultures."
By staging the Media events simultaneously it was guaranteed that a multi-national press gathering was also present. "Selected Hotels and the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, along with the Tourist Board of Andalucia, Niza Cars, Iberia and the rail authority displayed admirable initiative in attracting such a large number of journalists and photographers to the region, " added Mr Thornton.
"One only has to imagine the publicity that will be generated for the Costa del Sol in general, over a massive part of the continent, as this considerable army of press representatives write their articles and spread goodwill by word of mouth after a few days in which they were treated like golf professionals, accommodated in luxury style and entertained at two spectacular Gala Dinners.
"All of the events fell neatly into line with our 'Working Together' Congress. Every appropriate authority from both professional and amateur golf sat in the same conference room for three days and found a sense of harmony and unity concerning so many crucial topics effecting our sport, too many in fact to list here.
"As our new President, Sir Michael Bonallack subsequently put it so succinctly to reporters: "I don't think in terms of 'amateurs' or 'professionals'. I think only of 'golfers'. As we go out and talk favourably to others about golf we are all, in a sense, missionaries spreading the word."
Sir Michael had just returned from a meeting with his predecessor Jaime Ortiz-Patino, whose work he will continue in furthering the cause and status of the club professional, and golf in general.
Lawrie Thornton concluded: "We are aware, of course, that there are instances where commercialisation is a said to have had an adverse affect on sporting attitudes. All I can say, after working with Selected Hotels and the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, is that all my feelings about big business working together with golfers of all denominations, are positive ones."
This was the reaction of Lawrie Thornton, general secretary of the PGA of Europe, after several weeks of activities involving the three Corporate Partners and other business associates staged at Atalaya Park and Don Miguel Hotels, the Atalaya Park Golf and Country Club and Los Flamingos Golf Club.
The PGAE play an integral role in the Selected Hotels three-month Festival of Golf, organized by the hotel group's promotional and marketing arm Selected Events but have a specific week both in December and in January when their projects take centre stage.
In every way the programme was an unprecedented success, including
- the ground-breaking 'Working Together' PGAE Annual Congress, described as 'Golf's Greatest Gathering' of key administrators ever staged in Europe
- International Team Championship
- Three major Gala Presentation Dinners
- The Don Miguel Fourball Championship
- The Media Masters Golf Tournament
- The Media Starter Clinic
- The Launch of Beach Golf
This something-for-everyone mixture was achieved not only by the PGAE inviting every amateur union and federation in Europe to discuss with the main ruling bodies the best way forward for every golfer on the continent. In addition the Atalaya Park Academy offered free coaching for all, while some 40 non-golfing journalists were introduced to the rudiments of the sport, thus enabling them to go out and 'spread the gospel' in their various countries.
After that came the launch of Beach Golf, not a PGAE activity but one of which the Association thoroughly approves because it is designed to attract more and more families to the pleasure (and the pain) of the golf swing and all that goes with it. This new and intriguing initiative was staged with their usual flair, professionalism and sense of fun by Selected-Events, the marketing and promotional arm of Selected Hotels.
Yet it was, of course, the activities for the club professionals which were the PGAE's main concern and both the International Team Championship, (staged with the support of the Ryder Cup Committee) and the Don Miguel Fourball Championship, increased their profile and status in the region officially recognized as the 'Winter Home' of the PGAE.
Spain's successful defence of the team championship will have made the other nations determined not to allow them to complete a hat-trick in December 2003 while the 80 pairs who contested the 4-ball event look certain to return to their regions and recommend more and more of their colleagues to participate in the future.
The inclusion of the attractive Los Flamingos course added considerably to the appeal of the event which, after two years, looks like a permanent fixture on the PGAE schedule.
"Over this three-day period we heard professional after professional praising the concept of arranging for them to have a few days in the sun, playing competitive golf when they would otherwise have been denied by the weather in central or northern Europe," added Lawrie Thornton.
"Not only that but these pros thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to play what they described as a 'relaxed' style of better-ball golf with the possibility of returning home with some (possibly quite substantial!) prize money from the fund of 50,000 euros, whilst also joining the local social scene and meeting other golf professionals from different countries and cultures."
By staging the Media events simultaneously it was guaranteed that a multi-national press gathering was also present. "Selected Hotels and the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, along with the Tourist Board of Andalucia, Niza Cars, Iberia and the rail authority displayed admirable initiative in attracting such a large number of journalists and photographers to the region, " added Mr Thornton.
"One only has to imagine the publicity that will be generated for the Costa del Sol in general, over a massive part of the continent, as this considerable army of press representatives write their articles and spread goodwill by word of mouth after a few days in which they were treated like golf professionals, accommodated in luxury style and entertained at two spectacular Gala Dinners.
"All of the events fell neatly into line with our 'Working Together' Congress. Every appropriate authority from both professional and amateur golf sat in the same conference room for three days and found a sense of harmony and unity concerning so many crucial topics effecting our sport, too many in fact to list here.
"As our new President, Sir Michael Bonallack subsequently put it so succinctly to reporters: "I don't think in terms of 'amateurs' or 'professionals'. I think only of 'golfers'. As we go out and talk favourably to others about golf we are all, in a sense, missionaries spreading the word."
Sir Michael had just returned from a meeting with his predecessor Jaime Ortiz-Patino, whose work he will continue in furthering the cause and status of the club professional, and golf in general.
Lawrie Thornton concluded: "We are aware, of course, that there are instances where commercialisation is a said to have had an adverse affect on sporting attitudes. All I can say, after working with Selected Hotels and the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, is that all my feelings about big business working together with golfers of all denominations, are positive ones."
Slow Play: Don't only blame the Players.
It's the Policies, too… It has been my good fortune and privilege in recent months to be involved in debate over a wide range of subjects that get to the very heart of our sport and, essentially, to its future well-being as it grows and spreads.
Of these discussions, there was a particular and unique degree of relevance emerging from the Slow Play Symposium staged at St Andrews just a few weeks ago. The findings of those two days of debate by some 60 appropriate officials are of enormous significance to the most popular golf destinations.
In order not to cloud the issue with too much detail, I wish to simply highlight the main conclusions. In so doing maybe we not only explode a myth or two about the causes of those interminable rounds, but also point out ways of easing an escalating problem. From the symposium an unexpected message goes out to the proprietors of pay-as-you-pay establishments, tournament organisers, course designers and the committees of golf clubs.
The view emerged emphatically that the main reasons for slow play are more likely bound up in the way competitions are run and courses are set up than by the individual.
Excessively slow individuals(with all their irritiating bad habits of which we are all familiar) are a contributory factor for rounds of five and six hours and more, of course, but a whole catalogue of other causes were identified and accepted by all who attended. One of the most pressing problems highlighted was that of sending out groups with too little interval between them. This simply creates tailbacks in much the same way as occurs with heavy traffic on a motorway.
By trying to get an excessive number of players around on a tight schedule, possibly for commercial reasons, the course becomes log-jammed with groups too close together and the pace of play gets slower and slower. Give each group a few minutes longer to get into a rhythm before being pressured from behind and everyone moves around the course more freely, perhaps with just the occasional hiccup.
The R&A have discovered the truth of this in their Open Championship. By extending the gap between starting times up to eleven minutes the pace of play has picked up to the point where, for the first time in many years, there were no five hour rounds at Muirfield in 2002.
In contrast, where resort course administrators book in groups at, say, seven minute intervals in order to increase the volume, the system becomes counter-productive as jams develop and play gets slower and slower. The practice of 'cramming players in' has been described as "An entirely false economy," and also certainly undermines the quality of the product.
Other important reasons pinpointed for slow play was that of ' deep rough being allowed to form in areas where golf balls are most likely to get lost ' the newer lengthy courses, often with a considerable walk between green and the next tee and, surprisingly some might feel, new technology. This is because to those who now strike the ball in excess of 300 yards the shorter par fours are more like par threes, virtually reachable off the tee, while most par fives have become 'two shotters', again causing hold-ups.
Among the speakers were Peter Dawson, Secretary of the R&A, Bill Yates of Pace ManagerTM Systems, an acknowledged specialist, Graeme Marchbank, former rules official on the Ladies Tour, now Director of Golf at Gleneagles, John Paramor, Chief Referee on the European Tour, Julie Wade, leading amateur golfer for many years and now a member of the R&A secretariat.
As a result of the findings a whole variety of measures will be communicated throughout the game. We will actively play our part by informing our membership of the role professionals should play. Here are some of the guidelines:
Maintenance: Ensure that the length and location of the rough, especially around popular landing areas, avoids numerous lost balls. Also, that the speed of the greens is reasonable.
Course Design: Adopt favourable sequences of holes to avoid bottlenecks (i.e an opening par 5 followed by a difficult par 3 is a recipe for slow play).
Player Behaviour: Organisers should communicate with the players. Tell them what is expected of them, to be ready to start promptly, to exercise good habits and etiquette at all times.
I found it a most thought-provoking two days from which a possible change of policy arose for consideration on the Costa del Golf and elsewhere: "Increase, rather than decrease, the interval between groups. Perhaps more players will arrive earlier and happier at the 19th. That would be even better for business…!
Of these discussions, there was a particular and unique degree of relevance emerging from the Slow Play Symposium staged at St Andrews just a few weeks ago. The findings of those two days of debate by some 60 appropriate officials are of enormous significance to the most popular golf destinations.
In order not to cloud the issue with too much detail, I wish to simply highlight the main conclusions. In so doing maybe we not only explode a myth or two about the causes of those interminable rounds, but also point out ways of easing an escalating problem. From the symposium an unexpected message goes out to the proprietors of pay-as-you-pay establishments, tournament organisers, course designers and the committees of golf clubs.
The view emerged emphatically that the main reasons for slow play are more likely bound up in the way competitions are run and courses are set up than by the individual.
Excessively slow individuals(with all their irritiating bad habits of which we are all familiar) are a contributory factor for rounds of five and six hours and more, of course, but a whole catalogue of other causes were identified and accepted by all who attended. One of the most pressing problems highlighted was that of sending out groups with too little interval between them. This simply creates tailbacks in much the same way as occurs with heavy traffic on a motorway.
By trying to get an excessive number of players around on a tight schedule, possibly for commercial reasons, the course becomes log-jammed with groups too close together and the pace of play gets slower and slower. Give each group a few minutes longer to get into a rhythm before being pressured from behind and everyone moves around the course more freely, perhaps with just the occasional hiccup.
The R&A have discovered the truth of this in their Open Championship. By extending the gap between starting times up to eleven minutes the pace of play has picked up to the point where, for the first time in many years, there were no five hour rounds at Muirfield in 2002.
In contrast, where resort course administrators book in groups at, say, seven minute intervals in order to increase the volume, the system becomes counter-productive as jams develop and play gets slower and slower. The practice of 'cramming players in' has been described as "An entirely false economy," and also certainly undermines the quality of the product.
Other important reasons pinpointed for slow play was that of ' deep rough being allowed to form in areas where golf balls are most likely to get lost ' the newer lengthy courses, often with a considerable walk between green and the next tee and, surprisingly some might feel, new technology. This is because to those who now strike the ball in excess of 300 yards the shorter par fours are more like par threes, virtually reachable off the tee, while most par fives have become 'two shotters', again causing hold-ups.
Among the speakers were Peter Dawson, Secretary of the R&A, Bill Yates of Pace ManagerTM Systems, an acknowledged specialist, Graeme Marchbank, former rules official on the Ladies Tour, now Director of Golf at Gleneagles, John Paramor, Chief Referee on the European Tour, Julie Wade, leading amateur golfer for many years and now a member of the R&A secretariat.
As a result of the findings a whole variety of measures will be communicated throughout the game. We will actively play our part by informing our membership of the role professionals should play. Here are some of the guidelines:
Maintenance: Ensure that the length and location of the rough, especially around popular landing areas, avoids numerous lost balls. Also, that the speed of the greens is reasonable.
Course Design: Adopt favourable sequences of holes to avoid bottlenecks (i.e an opening par 5 followed by a difficult par 3 is a recipe for slow play).
Player Behaviour: Organisers should communicate with the players. Tell them what is expected of them, to be ready to start promptly, to exercise good habits and etiquette at all times.
I found it a most thought-provoking two days from which a possible change of policy arose for consideration on the Costa del Golf and elsewhere: "Increase, rather than decrease, the interval between groups. Perhaps more players will arrive earlier and happier at the 19th. That would be even better for business…!
Golf School for Andalusian Children
Attracting youngsters to golf away from the competition of gameboys, playstations or other pastimes is a challenge CG La Caada is keen to accept. Club President, Pepe Gil, speaks about the club's amazing achievements from humble beginnings.
The Golf Foundation in the UK is a registered charity established in 1952 by Henry Cotton. The major governing golf bodies, The R&A, The PGA, the European Tour, the Ryder Cup Committee and Sport England support it. An extract from one of its glossy brochures states that "The Golf Foundation is committed to making golf more inclusive of all young people..." Fifty years after Henry Cotton initiated a schools coaching programme, the Golf Foundation has 327 starter centers across the British Isles and I'm sure every one of them could learn something from a visit to CG La Caada.
Official RFEG figures reveal that, out of 1,300 registered golfers, over 400 of these are juniors and children. And of that 400, one quarter are under 10 yrs old. Every night of the week 50 to 60 youngsters between the ages of 6 and 21 attend golf classes. These figures are enough for the Golf Foundation to read them and weep. In Spain, golf has still never achieved popular acceptance as a sport for the masses. How, then, has an unsung club in a land where golf has no tradition to compare with that of the British Isles, managed to make golf so appealing?
La Caada holds a special place in Spanish golf, not only professional golfers (both touring and teaching) but caddies, greenkeeping staff and administrators. It has won national championships and is always buzzing with the sound of the kids' voices that reverberate around an impressive new clubhouse.
CG La Caada was the first municipal course on the Costa del Sol, although you should not make the mistake of assuming 'municipal' equates to the worst kind of municipal course managed by some local councils in the UK. The opening nine holes were designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., while the closing nine are the work of Dave Thomas, no less. How this sate of affairs came about is worthy of examination.
Back in the mists of time when Sotogrande was still a sparkle in Joseph McMicking's eye, the good people of the nearest village, Guadiaro, earned their daily bread in the fields or through fishing. However, once Trent Jones had completed his first project in Europe, there was a call for caddies and workers to attend the wealthy visitors visiting the upmarket resort. Thus was the game of golf introduced to the ordinary people of Guadiaro. They took to it in such a way that a small rustic course was hewn out on public land beyond the drover's road (la caada) where the caddies would relax by copying the leisure pursuit of the ambassadors and business moguls whose bags they had carried. When Trent Jones returned in 1982 to transform Sotogrande's second course, Las Aves, into CG Valderrama, at the behest of Sr.Patio, the American designer learned of the rustic course and agreed to draw up plans for a proper nine-hole, grass course at no cost. San Roque Council and Sotogrande ceded land and Jimmy Patio provided know-how, machinery and seed.
Club President Pepe Gil, 51, remembers how the club was established, " We were a group of friends who used to meet in the village bars for a drink. Nearly all of us worked at Sotogrande and one night, after work, we had the idea of starting our own golf club. We began collecting subscriptions and called upon a few others for help. Then we managed to register ourselves with the Federation as a Club sin campo and negotiate with Sotogrande and Valderrama favourable rates for early morning tee-times." Pepe stops for a moment, "I really would like to take this opportunity to thank all the local clubs that assisted us in the early days. We had a vision, but without their help, we couldn't have got very far."
A fundamental part of the friends' plan was to involve children in the club and this they did from the very start. " Golf is a great way of laying the foundations for proper values that stay with you for the rest of your life." He continues, " For me, a child is like a sapling tree, treat it well when it is young and it will grow straight and true; if you neglect to look after it, it grows out of control. Children were, are and always will be, at the heart of this club"
One of the first things the band of amigos did was to contract Cadiz pros Bartolome and Juan Quiros to set up a golf school for local children. And the children responded. The individual, team and club honours garnered over the years on regional, national and international stages are far too numerous to list here. But, to cite a few examples, Juan Antonio Marin finished fifth in the 1992 World Junior Championship held in Japan. Alvaro Quiros came third in this year's Mexican International Open and runner-up in the 2003 Copa del Rey, which attracts the best amateur golfers from all over Europe. La Caada has seven graduates of its school competing on the Spain's 2003 Pro Tour.
Bartolome still oversees the fellow pros, each with a specialist knowledge of physical preparation, sports psychology and learning techniques as they work with local kids.
"All the clubs and balls for the lessons are provided free of charge and the pros are subsidised through a grant from San Roque Council and membership fees," observes the President. Not content with the hundreds of local kids already introduced to the game, Pepe hopes for golf to be included as part of the physical education curriculum of schools in the area. Indeed, for the past eleven years, schools from the zone have been sending children along to the club for lessons. " Any children showing interest in the game, we want to help " says Pepe Gil, emphatically.
When Valderrama hosted the American Express World Golf Championships, the corporate sponsors nominated a charity to benefit from money generated, in this case, 'The First Tee Foundation'. The event provided the finance for a second nine-holes, designed free of charge by Dave Thomas on land adjacent to Valderrama.
First Tee, which works primarily in America with inner-city kids, has the following aim "to impact the lives of young people by creating affordable & accessible golf facilities primarily to serve those who have not previously had exposure to the positive values of the game". President Pepe Gil, and everyone at CG La Caada did not write that mission statement - they live it in everything the club does. The UK has the Golf Foundation, the US, the First Tee Foundation, but Spain has CG La Caada.
Long may its amazing successes continue.
PGA Professionals Introduced To The Game At La Caada
The Golf Foundation in the UK is a registered charity established in 1952 by Henry Cotton. The major governing golf bodies, The R&A, The PGA, the European Tour, the Ryder Cup Committee and Sport England support it. An extract from one of its glossy brochures states that "The Golf Foundation is committed to making golf more inclusive of all young people..." Fifty years after Henry Cotton initiated a schools coaching programme, the Golf Foundation has 327 starter centers across the British Isles and I'm sure every one of them could learn something from a visit to CG La Caada.
Official RFEG figures reveal that, out of 1,300 registered golfers, over 400 of these are juniors and children. And of that 400, one quarter are under 10 yrs old. Every night of the week 50 to 60 youngsters between the ages of 6 and 21 attend golf classes. These figures are enough for the Golf Foundation to read them and weep. In Spain, golf has still never achieved popular acceptance as a sport for the masses. How, then, has an unsung club in a land where golf has no tradition to compare with that of the British Isles, managed to make golf so appealing?
La Caada holds a special place in Spanish golf, not only professional golfers (both touring and teaching) but caddies, greenkeeping staff and administrators. It has won national championships and is always buzzing with the sound of the kids' voices that reverberate around an impressive new clubhouse.
CG La Caada was the first municipal course on the Costa del Sol, although you should not make the mistake of assuming 'municipal' equates to the worst kind of municipal course managed by some local councils in the UK. The opening nine holes were designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., while the closing nine are the work of Dave Thomas, no less. How this sate of affairs came about is worthy of examination.
Back in the mists of time when Sotogrande was still a sparkle in Joseph McMicking's eye, the good people of the nearest village, Guadiaro, earned their daily bread in the fields or through fishing. However, once Trent Jones had completed his first project in Europe, there was a call for caddies and workers to attend the wealthy visitors visiting the upmarket resort. Thus was the game of golf introduced to the ordinary people of Guadiaro. They took to it in such a way that a small rustic course was hewn out on public land beyond the drover's road (la caada) where the caddies would relax by copying the leisure pursuit of the ambassadors and business moguls whose bags they had carried. When Trent Jones returned in 1982 to transform Sotogrande's second course, Las Aves, into CG Valderrama, at the behest of Sr.Patio, the American designer learned of the rustic course and agreed to draw up plans for a proper nine-hole, grass course at no cost. San Roque Council and Sotogrande ceded land and Jimmy Patio provided know-how, machinery and seed.
Club President Pepe Gil, 51, remembers how the club was established, " We were a group of friends who used to meet in the village bars for a drink. Nearly all of us worked at Sotogrande and one night, after work, we had the idea of starting our own golf club. We began collecting subscriptions and called upon a few others for help. Then we managed to register ourselves with the Federation as a Club sin campo and negotiate with Sotogrande and Valderrama favourable rates for early morning tee-times." Pepe stops for a moment, "I really would like to take this opportunity to thank all the local clubs that assisted us in the early days. We had a vision, but without their help, we couldn't have got very far."
A fundamental part of the friends' plan was to involve children in the club and this they did from the very start. " Golf is a great way of laying the foundations for proper values that stay with you for the rest of your life." He continues, " For me, a child is like a sapling tree, treat it well when it is young and it will grow straight and true; if you neglect to look after it, it grows out of control. Children were, are and always will be, at the heart of this club"
One of the first things the band of amigos did was to contract Cadiz pros Bartolome and Juan Quiros to set up a golf school for local children. And the children responded. The individual, team and club honours garnered over the years on regional, national and international stages are far too numerous to list here. But, to cite a few examples, Juan Antonio Marin finished fifth in the 1992 World Junior Championship held in Japan. Alvaro Quiros came third in this year's Mexican International Open and runner-up in the 2003 Copa del Rey, which attracts the best amateur golfers from all over Europe. La Caada has seven graduates of its school competing on the Spain's 2003 Pro Tour.
Bartolome still oversees the fellow pros, each with a specialist knowledge of physical preparation, sports psychology and learning techniques as they work with local kids.
"All the clubs and balls for the lessons are provided free of charge and the pros are subsidised through a grant from San Roque Council and membership fees," observes the President. Not content with the hundreds of local kids already introduced to the game, Pepe hopes for golf to be included as part of the physical education curriculum of schools in the area. Indeed, for the past eleven years, schools from the zone have been sending children along to the club for lessons. " Any children showing interest in the game, we want to help " says Pepe Gil, emphatically.
When Valderrama hosted the American Express World Golf Championships, the corporate sponsors nominated a charity to benefit from money generated, in this case, 'The First Tee Foundation'. The event provided the finance for a second nine-holes, designed free of charge by Dave Thomas on land adjacent to Valderrama.
First Tee, which works primarily in America with inner-city kids, has the following aim "to impact the lives of young people by creating affordable & accessible golf facilities primarily to serve those who have not previously had exposure to the positive values of the game". President Pepe Gil, and everyone at CG La Caada did not write that mission statement - they live it in everything the club does. The UK has the Golf Foundation, the US, the First Tee Foundation, but Spain has CG La Caada.
Long may its amazing successes continue.
PGA Professionals Introduced To The Game At La Caada
- R. Quiros
- D. Quiros
- JL Sanchez
- I.Esquivel
- S.Pineda
- R.Heredo
- A.Ajona
- JA Guerrero
- S.Jimenez
- JL Quiros
- D.Gil
Still Rolling - New Golf Courses Coming to Andalucia
Andalusia adds to its golfing patrimony with continued course construction in all areas.
Figures released by the Real Federacion Espaola de Golf reveal that in May 2003 there were 35,462 registered golfers in the region of Andalusia. Although, this figure shows a remarkable increase over the previous quarter (33,711), and well exceeds the total number of golfers in the rest of Spain in 1983 (25,700), it in no way justifies the existence of 60 golf courses within this most golf-friendly area of Spain. Nor does it explain the calls for up to 30 courses more to meet still burgeoning demand.
The claim that 30 more courses are needed comes from Ramon Davila, President of Andalusian Association of Land Developers of Residential and Sporting Tourism. Davila bases his claim on the continuing increase in popularity golf is enjoying throughout northern Europe. Put this together with Andalusia's almost perfect climate for golf and the result is a shortfall in the number of 9,18, 36 and 54 hole complexes for golf tourists and part-time residents who golf. Ramon was Secretary of the Valderrama Ryder Cup Organising Committee, an event at the root of the on-going tourist boom - he knows what he is talking about, and he's prepared to put his own money where his mouth is. Davila's own project, Golf El Puerto, near Jerez, is just one of the many new courses that are scheduled for completion between now and the end of 2005.
Listing the number of new golf projects is not easy, as new plans are announced on a seemingly daily basis. Although whistle-stop tour through Andalusia's coastal provinces demonstrates that Davila's calls may be answered sooner than he thinks.
Huelva
In Huelva, Fadesa, the Galician construction group which owns CG Guadalmina, has begun work on a 36-hole layout at Ayamonte. Beside the Guadiana River, that marks the border with Portugal, designer Jose Canales can see how his design for a par 72 championship course, measuring 6,780m, is taking shape alongside a par 71 of 6,300m. Also in Huelva, at the Islantilla golf resort, Jose awaits the commencement of ground clearance for his 18-hole extension to the present 27-hole complex, laid down by his father Enrique in 1991. Work is expected to begin at Islantilla before the end of 2003. The Canales' golf-design company, Mas Golf 1, also has contracts to add a further two new golf facilities in the province once work at Ayamonte and Islantilla has been advanced. An hour away, but still on the Costa de la Luz, El Rompido Golf & Beach Resort is scheduled to open this summer after seeding was completed in April, 2003. Sooner than they believed, Dunas de Doana (inaugurated in 2000) and CG Nuevo Portil (2001) will no longer lay claim to be the new kids on the Huelva golfing block.
Cadiz
Costa Ballena is to execute plans for a second Olazabal course for the purpose-built tourist town on the Atlantic coast, news that will please the American forces based at nearby Rota. In deference to the number of Americans that play Costa Ballena, the second course, like the first, will display distances in yards as well as metres. Novo Sancti Petri grew from 27 to 36 holes last December and will increase to 54 before 2005 is out. The aforementioned Golf El Puerto, designed by Manuel Piero on land outside El Puerto de Santa Maria, is now playable but will officially open with a skins match at the start of Volvo Masters Andalucia week in November.
Not so long ago, there existed a golfing vaccuum between Cadiz's Atlantic coast and the hotbed of Sotogrande but no more, thanks to Benalup (2001), at Medina Sidonia and the superb Dehesa de Montenmedio, players following la ruta del toro can now get a golfing fix along the way. As soon as millionaire-owner Vicente Blazquez overcomes the bureaucracy involved in turning a private estate into a public course, he has plans to build two more courses at Montenmedio. Incredibly, fellow millionaire Jaime Ortiz Patio is also frustrated by the environmental concerns that are delaying the construction of a sister course to Valderrama - which is surely one of the most environmentally friendly golf courses on the planet.
In the meanwhile, the number of courses within the 'Golden Triangle of Golf', formed by Sotogrande, San Roque and Alcaidesa, has multiplied surprisingly. San Roque Resort commissioned Seve Ballesteros to work with top American designer, Perry Dye, to create the classy resort's second course; members, hotel guests and visitors can try out the resulting creation of the "holey" pairing this autumn. May 2003 saw the presentation of plans for the further development of the Alcaidesa estate which include a par 72 Dave Thomas course to complement the 18-hole links course built by Peter Alliss in 1992.
Manuel Moyano, Director-General of the joint British-Spanish owned estate, informed gathered journalists how work would begin simultaneously on the second course as well as a plush new clubhouse, designed by Marbella architect Marcos Saenz, who includes the clubhouses at Los Naranjos and Islantilla on his CV. The spot chosen for the building, beside the present 8th green, offers stunning views of the coastline to Estepona, the Rock of Gibraltar and the north of Africa. Sr.Moyano also announced that Alcaidesa's two courses will be played by guests staying at the four hotels to be built within the 760-hectare estate.
Across the road, the NH Hotel Group, owners of the entire Sotogrande development, are finalising plans for the inauguration of 'La Reserva de Sotogrande', a Cabell Robinson-design that opens in August 2003. As soon as La Reserva is added to land opposite Almenara's 27 holes, NH will begin work on a Gary Player course for their exclusive estate.
Malaga
But it is not just within Sotogrande that the international hotel group is investing in golf. On a 600-hectare plot within sight of the CN-340 as it enters Malaga province, NH Hotels has had plans approved for Doa Julia, a 54-hole hotel/ resort to be developed in partnership with construction company Grupo Evemarina. At an investment of 52m, the plot will be transformed by a 200-room hotel overlooking green fairways to the Mediterranean sea. The first 18-holes, designed by Antonio Garrido, the architect behind Flamingos Golf, will be seeded by the turn of the year. The remaining 36 holes, by Spanish architects Borja Ramos Nuez and Carlos del Valle Pesquera, are scheduled for completion a year later, at the beginning of 2005.
On the Marbella side of Estepona, Garrido's re-design of Flamingo Rosa, at Flamingos Golf, will once again host the European Seniors Tour Matchplay Championship in September. Villa Padierna, an on-site, Grand Luxury, hotel, now presides over an Academy course, opened in March 2003, with the unusual par of 59, Flamingo Blanco. The development of the luxury resort by owners RA Capital continues with the construction of a second hotel, to be completed before summer 2004, then a further two par 72 courses.
Around Marbella, the price of land means that the rate of course construction is not quite so frantic, but this more mature market is still in expansion. UK building giants, Taylor Woodrow have contracted Severiano Ballesteros' Trajectory SA to design and build a further 9 holes at Los Arqueros G&CC.
Marbella Club Resort is to build a second Dave Thomas course in the hills for the use of guests at Marbella Club, Puente Romano and Hotel Torrequebrada, also members of the same Arabian investment consortium. Arab shekels are also behind another Dave Thomas layout at Santa Maria. However, a planning dispute between the Marbella Council and the Andalusian Government has halted work on the project. Nevertheless, the Elviria club's ambitions to relieve pressure on the always popular, existing course has been helped by a new par 3 course within the estate. Purchasers of property at Santa Maria Village enjoy access to their own private, 9-hole golf course, with clubhouse.
As adequate land is expensive and limited in Marbella, the construction company behind Monte Paraiso Golf asked Manuel Piero to plan out a Par 3 Executive Course, next to the CN 340 as it passes through Marbella. From the road, it appears Piero has done an exceptionally good job on a difficult site, but the proof of the pudding will come when it opens this summer.
Another difficult site has been habilitated by El Coto , high in the Elviria Hills, near Marbella's German International School. Once again, the course will be of the Executive type and was conceived as an adjunct to a complex of luxury apartments. The heights of Elviria enjoy fabulous views south to the sea but, to the north, the panorama includes work on a third course at La Cala Resort. Cabell Robinson has returned to the scene of his first solo commission after he became independent of the Trent Jones company to add another 18 holes to the spectacular 36 he designed at the start of the nineties. FBD, the Irish company that owns the luxury resort, will not rush the opening and, with due patience after seeding, expect to have 54 holes operational by autumn 2004.
Robinson, an American architect resident in Mijas, is also responsible for another 18 hole course at CG Santana, on land adjacent to the new course at La Cala. Located on a former avocado plantation between two rivers, this eminently "walkable" layout looks set to be a surefire winner when it opens for play in October 2003. Three kilometres away, on flat land just outside La Cala village, a nine-hole par 36 course is almost ready for play. La Noria Golf was expected to open its fairways in July but the prolonged spring rains this year caused delays so that it will now open in the autumn.
NH Hotels and Manuel Piero, both mentioned previously in this article for their involvement in separate projects, have been collaborating at Cortijo Colorado in the Mijas hills. With financial backing provided by CajaMadrid, earth moving began for this resort project in February which, when finished, will be a significant component in Mijas town council's plans to create its own golf valley. At the head of the valley, beyond Alhaurin Golf, yet another 36 holes are to be built at Los Llanos to an original design by Enrique Canales.
Also in the Mijas Golf Valley, local constructors, Grupo C, are pushing through plans for another golf resort on land beside the impressive Hippodrome horse-racing track. The project at Cerrado del Aguila should not be confused with a resurrection of El Chapparal; sadly, there are still many legal wranglings to resolve before there is any hope of Pepe Gancedo's masterpiece being reclaimed. The PGA course, (18-holes par 71) measuring some 6,000m, would be complemented by a 9-hole par 3 practice area with golf academy for use of guests at the on-site Grand Luxury Hotel that is also to be constructed.
Eastwards along the coast, more projects are taking shape. Fuengirola is in the process of slowly converting what was formerly the municipal tip into a municipal six-hole course. Meanwhile, Global Golf have submitted plans for a pitch and putt course near Benalmadena Pueblo, below the motorway and before Torrequebrada. Passing Torremolinos, there is talk of a golf resort development opposite the province's international airport using an extensive beachfront plot on the Malaga side of the Parador, but this would appear a project to be completed in the medium term rather than immediately. East of Malaga, Baviera Golf has opened its second nine-hole loop for play and is keen to establish its credentials as a member of the Costa del Golf.
Almeria
And so the golf ball keeps on rolling into Almeria which can offer Europe's only desert courses at Valle del Este and Desert Springs. Both resorts have aroused sufficient interest among the travelling golfers of northern Europe to justify the implementation of plans for new courses within their developments. Jose Canales of Mas Golf 1 designed and constructed the first course at Valle del Este, while Peter McEvoy took that responsibility for the Indiana Course at Desert Springs. The two architects have now agreed to pool their experiences and work on a 64 hectare plot designated to eventually be the second course at Desert Springs. Canales, on his own, has accepted a commission to develop another 18 holes of desert golf at Valle del Este.
From this brief overview of golf projects currently moving towards completion, it is clear that Andalusia is determined to maintain its position as one of the world's premier golf destinations...and the golf ball is still rolling.
Figures released by the Real Federacion Espaola de Golf reveal that in May 2003 there were 35,462 registered golfers in the region of Andalusia. Although, this figure shows a remarkable increase over the previous quarter (33,711), and well exceeds the total number of golfers in the rest of Spain in 1983 (25,700), it in no way justifies the existence of 60 golf courses within this most golf-friendly area of Spain. Nor does it explain the calls for up to 30 courses more to meet still burgeoning demand.
The claim that 30 more courses are needed comes from Ramon Davila, President of Andalusian Association of Land Developers of Residential and Sporting Tourism. Davila bases his claim on the continuing increase in popularity golf is enjoying throughout northern Europe. Put this together with Andalusia's almost perfect climate for golf and the result is a shortfall in the number of 9,18, 36 and 54 hole complexes for golf tourists and part-time residents who golf. Ramon was Secretary of the Valderrama Ryder Cup Organising Committee, an event at the root of the on-going tourist boom - he knows what he is talking about, and he's prepared to put his own money where his mouth is. Davila's own project, Golf El Puerto, near Jerez, is just one of the many new courses that are scheduled for completion between now and the end of 2005.
Listing the number of new golf projects is not easy, as new plans are announced on a seemingly daily basis. Although whistle-stop tour through Andalusia's coastal provinces demonstrates that Davila's calls may be answered sooner than he thinks.
Huelva
In Huelva, Fadesa, the Galician construction group which owns CG Guadalmina, has begun work on a 36-hole layout at Ayamonte. Beside the Guadiana River, that marks the border with Portugal, designer Jose Canales can see how his design for a par 72 championship course, measuring 6,780m, is taking shape alongside a par 71 of 6,300m. Also in Huelva, at the Islantilla golf resort, Jose awaits the commencement of ground clearance for his 18-hole extension to the present 27-hole complex, laid down by his father Enrique in 1991. Work is expected to begin at Islantilla before the end of 2003. The Canales' golf-design company, Mas Golf 1, also has contracts to add a further two new golf facilities in the province once work at Ayamonte and Islantilla has been advanced. An hour away, but still on the Costa de la Luz, El Rompido Golf & Beach Resort is scheduled to open this summer after seeding was completed in April, 2003. Sooner than they believed, Dunas de Doana (inaugurated in 2000) and CG Nuevo Portil (2001) will no longer lay claim to be the new kids on the Huelva golfing block.
Cadiz
Costa Ballena is to execute plans for a second Olazabal course for the purpose-built tourist town on the Atlantic coast, news that will please the American forces based at nearby Rota. In deference to the number of Americans that play Costa Ballena, the second course, like the first, will display distances in yards as well as metres. Novo Sancti Petri grew from 27 to 36 holes last December and will increase to 54 before 2005 is out. The aforementioned Golf El Puerto, designed by Manuel Piero on land outside El Puerto de Santa Maria, is now playable but will officially open with a skins match at the start of Volvo Masters Andalucia week in November.
Not so long ago, there existed a golfing vaccuum between Cadiz's Atlantic coast and the hotbed of Sotogrande but no more, thanks to Benalup (2001), at Medina Sidonia and the superb Dehesa de Montenmedio, players following la ruta del toro can now get a golfing fix along the way. As soon as millionaire-owner Vicente Blazquez overcomes the bureaucracy involved in turning a private estate into a public course, he has plans to build two more courses at Montenmedio. Incredibly, fellow millionaire Jaime Ortiz Patio is also frustrated by the environmental concerns that are delaying the construction of a sister course to Valderrama - which is surely one of the most environmentally friendly golf courses on the planet.
In the meanwhile, the number of courses within the 'Golden Triangle of Golf', formed by Sotogrande, San Roque and Alcaidesa, has multiplied surprisingly. San Roque Resort commissioned Seve Ballesteros to work with top American designer, Perry Dye, to create the classy resort's second course; members, hotel guests and visitors can try out the resulting creation of the "holey" pairing this autumn. May 2003 saw the presentation of plans for the further development of the Alcaidesa estate which include a par 72 Dave Thomas course to complement the 18-hole links course built by Peter Alliss in 1992.
Manuel Moyano, Director-General of the joint British-Spanish owned estate, informed gathered journalists how work would begin simultaneously on the second course as well as a plush new clubhouse, designed by Marbella architect Marcos Saenz, who includes the clubhouses at Los Naranjos and Islantilla on his CV. The spot chosen for the building, beside the present 8th green, offers stunning views of the coastline to Estepona, the Rock of Gibraltar and the north of Africa. Sr.Moyano also announced that Alcaidesa's two courses will be played by guests staying at the four hotels to be built within the 760-hectare estate.
Across the road, the NH Hotel Group, owners of the entire Sotogrande development, are finalising plans for the inauguration of 'La Reserva de Sotogrande', a Cabell Robinson-design that opens in August 2003. As soon as La Reserva is added to land opposite Almenara's 27 holes, NH will begin work on a Gary Player course for their exclusive estate.
Malaga
But it is not just within Sotogrande that the international hotel group is investing in golf. On a 600-hectare plot within sight of the CN-340 as it enters Malaga province, NH Hotels has had plans approved for Doa Julia, a 54-hole hotel/ resort to be developed in partnership with construction company Grupo Evemarina. At an investment of 52m, the plot will be transformed by a 200-room hotel overlooking green fairways to the Mediterranean sea. The first 18-holes, designed by Antonio Garrido, the architect behind Flamingos Golf, will be seeded by the turn of the year. The remaining 36 holes, by Spanish architects Borja Ramos Nuez and Carlos del Valle Pesquera, are scheduled for completion a year later, at the beginning of 2005.
On the Marbella side of Estepona, Garrido's re-design of Flamingo Rosa, at Flamingos Golf, will once again host the European Seniors Tour Matchplay Championship in September. Villa Padierna, an on-site, Grand Luxury, hotel, now presides over an Academy course, opened in March 2003, with the unusual par of 59, Flamingo Blanco. The development of the luxury resort by owners RA Capital continues with the construction of a second hotel, to be completed before summer 2004, then a further two par 72 courses.
Around Marbella, the price of land means that the rate of course construction is not quite so frantic, but this more mature market is still in expansion. UK building giants, Taylor Woodrow have contracted Severiano Ballesteros' Trajectory SA to design and build a further 9 holes at Los Arqueros G&CC.
Marbella Club Resort is to build a second Dave Thomas course in the hills for the use of guests at Marbella Club, Puente Romano and Hotel Torrequebrada, also members of the same Arabian investment consortium. Arab shekels are also behind another Dave Thomas layout at Santa Maria. However, a planning dispute between the Marbella Council and the Andalusian Government has halted work on the project. Nevertheless, the Elviria club's ambitions to relieve pressure on the always popular, existing course has been helped by a new par 3 course within the estate. Purchasers of property at Santa Maria Village enjoy access to their own private, 9-hole golf course, with clubhouse.
As adequate land is expensive and limited in Marbella, the construction company behind Monte Paraiso Golf asked Manuel Piero to plan out a Par 3 Executive Course, next to the CN 340 as it passes through Marbella. From the road, it appears Piero has done an exceptionally good job on a difficult site, but the proof of the pudding will come when it opens this summer.
Another difficult site has been habilitated by El Coto , high in the Elviria Hills, near Marbella's German International School. Once again, the course will be of the Executive type and was conceived as an adjunct to a complex of luxury apartments. The heights of Elviria enjoy fabulous views south to the sea but, to the north, the panorama includes work on a third course at La Cala Resort. Cabell Robinson has returned to the scene of his first solo commission after he became independent of the Trent Jones company to add another 18 holes to the spectacular 36 he designed at the start of the nineties. FBD, the Irish company that owns the luxury resort, will not rush the opening and, with due patience after seeding, expect to have 54 holes operational by autumn 2004.
Robinson, an American architect resident in Mijas, is also responsible for another 18 hole course at CG Santana, on land adjacent to the new course at La Cala. Located on a former avocado plantation between two rivers, this eminently "walkable" layout looks set to be a surefire winner when it opens for play in October 2003. Three kilometres away, on flat land just outside La Cala village, a nine-hole par 36 course is almost ready for play. La Noria Golf was expected to open its fairways in July but the prolonged spring rains this year caused delays so that it will now open in the autumn.
NH Hotels and Manuel Piero, both mentioned previously in this article for their involvement in separate projects, have been collaborating at Cortijo Colorado in the Mijas hills. With financial backing provided by CajaMadrid, earth moving began for this resort project in February which, when finished, will be a significant component in Mijas town council's plans to create its own golf valley. At the head of the valley, beyond Alhaurin Golf, yet another 36 holes are to be built at Los Llanos to an original design by Enrique Canales.
Also in the Mijas Golf Valley, local constructors, Grupo C, are pushing through plans for another golf resort on land beside the impressive Hippodrome horse-racing track. The project at Cerrado del Aguila should not be confused with a resurrection of El Chapparal; sadly, there are still many legal wranglings to resolve before there is any hope of Pepe Gancedo's masterpiece being reclaimed. The PGA course, (18-holes par 71) measuring some 6,000m, would be complemented by a 9-hole par 3 practice area with golf academy for use of guests at the on-site Grand Luxury Hotel that is also to be constructed.
Eastwards along the coast, more projects are taking shape. Fuengirola is in the process of slowly converting what was formerly the municipal tip into a municipal six-hole course. Meanwhile, Global Golf have submitted plans for a pitch and putt course near Benalmadena Pueblo, below the motorway and before Torrequebrada. Passing Torremolinos, there is talk of a golf resort development opposite the province's international airport using an extensive beachfront plot on the Malaga side of the Parador, but this would appear a project to be completed in the medium term rather than immediately. East of Malaga, Baviera Golf has opened its second nine-hole loop for play and is keen to establish its credentials as a member of the Costa del Golf.
Almeria
And so the golf ball keeps on rolling into Almeria which can offer Europe's only desert courses at Valle del Este and Desert Springs. Both resorts have aroused sufficient interest among the travelling golfers of northern Europe to justify the implementation of plans for new courses within their developments. Jose Canales of Mas Golf 1 designed and constructed the first course at Valle del Este, while Peter McEvoy took that responsibility for the Indiana Course at Desert Springs. The two architects have now agreed to pool their experiences and work on a 64 hectare plot designated to eventually be the second course at Desert Springs. Canales, on his own, has accepted a commission to develop another 18 holes of desert golf at Valle del Este.
From this brief overview of golf projects currently moving towards completion, it is clear that Andalusia is determined to maintain its position as one of the world's premier golf destinations...and the golf ball is still rolling.
The Valle Romano Open of Andalucia, May 10-13 2007. Aloha Golf, Marbella
The field is comprised of 144 professionals (33 of them Spanish) are all vying for the championship. Tournament promoter and participant, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, told the press yesterday that he knows the course well. “It is a course I like a lot,” he stated. “I started here when I was young. It’s a short course but very tricky…”
Fernández-Castaño acknowledges that the field is a strong one but he still hopes to do well. This is especially meaningful after his 16-under par win last week at the Italian Open. “Winning is always difficult,” he said, “but I am definitely going to do my best.”
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| Promoters Fernández-Castaño(left) and Miguel Jiménez at Open |
Fernández-Castaño is also celebrating his new sponsorship contract that he signed earlier this year with Osborne, the Spanish winery. “It is an honour being identified with a big and important company like Osborne with such a history,” he stated.
The competition continues until Sunday and is open to the public for a nominal cost of 10€ per person.
WESTWOOD TRIUMPHS AT ANDALUCIAN OPEN
British golfer, Lee Westwood, won the Valle Romano Andalucian Open yesterday with a final tally of 20 strokes under-par. The victory was the 34 year-old Westwood's 17th win on the European circuit and his 27th overall, with wins in the United States, China, Japan, South Africa, and Australia. The victory keeps Westwood in the realm of Europe's premier golfers as well as moving him among the top 50 players in the world.
Westwood completed the tournament with 67 strokes for a total of 268, 20 under par. "It would seem an easy win but at the end, I complicated it. The front 9 holes I had played very well, making 3 birdies to begin and despite the 3 putts on the 5th hole, I also had opportunities on the 4th, 6th, and 9th holes." However, Westwood began to falter on the back 9. On the 11th hole, he arrived five shots up but forced to three-putt, as he did on the 15th hole as well. But in the end, he managed concentrate to keep it all together.
Westwood also was elated about his return to the world's top 50. "My goal was to return to be in the top 50 of the world, but over all, to return to play like a while ago. Winning this tournament is very important and it means a lot to regain the feel of winning and doing it under pressure was very important."
The Brit definitely did react well under pressure. Spanish golfer and tournament promoter Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño fought hard for the championship until the very last round, making 2 birdies in the five first holes. However, he ran out of steam at the end of the round recording five birdies and five bogeys for a score of 72, 14 under par. He finished the tournament in 7th position. "It was a day of many ups and downs, I made some very good shots, others very bad.," he later reflected.
The Swedish golfer, Fredrik Andersson Hed finished second two shots off the winning pace shooting a 66 in the final round. This gave him his third top 10 finish in the last three consecutive weeks. The English player Philip Archer rounded out the top three with 18 under par with a well-played final round of 66.
For earlier stories on the Valle Romano Andalucian Open, 2007, click here
Westwood completed the tournament with 67 strokes for a total of 268, 20 under par. "It would seem an easy win but at the end, I complicated it. The front 9 holes I had played very well, making 3 birdies to begin and despite the 3 putts on the 5th hole, I also had opportunities on the 4th, 6th, and 9th holes." However, Westwood began to falter on the back 9. On the 11th hole, he arrived five shots up but forced to three-putt, as he did on the 15th hole as well. But in the end, he managed concentrate to keep it all together.
Westwood also was elated about his return to the world's top 50. "My goal was to return to be in the top 50 of the world, but over all, to return to play like a while ago. Winning this tournament is very important and it means a lot to regain the feel of winning and doing it under pressure was very important."
The Brit definitely did react well under pressure. Spanish golfer and tournament promoter Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño fought hard for the championship until the very last round, making 2 birdies in the five first holes. However, he ran out of steam at the end of the round recording five birdies and five bogeys for a score of 72, 14 under par. He finished the tournament in 7th position. "It was a day of many ups and downs, I made some very good shots, others very bad.," he later reflected.
The Swedish golfer, Fredrik Andersson Hed finished second two shots off the winning pace shooting a 66 in the final round. This gave him his third top 10 finish in the last three consecutive weeks. The English player Philip Archer rounded out the top three with 18 under par with a well-played final round of 66.
For earlier stories on the Valle Romano Andalucian Open, 2007, click here
MEL PYATT FATHER OF VOLVO MASTERS
Many have witnessed and have lived the event from its very first staging in 1988, but not many people know the story of how the tournament was born. Its ?father? is the English golf professional Mel Pyatt, now President and Chief Executive Officer for Volvo Event Management, who, incidentally, will be retiring at the end of the year.
Mel Pyatt recalls that ?At the beginning of 1987 I was General Manager at Atalaya Golf, when Carlerec Haggstrom, worldwide head of marketing for Volvo Cars, came to stay as a hotel guest. We played golf together and that evening he invited me to join him for dinner where he told me that Volvo had made an agreement with the European Tour to create a major event, possibly called the Volvo Masters, which would need to be played in Spain. Then, at the end of the evening, he told me that he thought I was the right person to be in charge of the project.
However, at the time, Alicia (my wife) and I were living happily at Atalaya with two young children, and the idea did not initially impress me. Eventually though, after four months of giving it great thought and many conversations, Carlerec finally convinced me and I accepted the job.
Volvo wanted the event to take place in Spain, late in October or at the beginning of November, so that it would be the season?s finale, and also decide the Order of Merit. I was then asked if I new any good golf course that could host it, at the same time being given a suggested list of possible courses in the area, in which, surprisingly, Valderrama was not included.
I immediately suggested Valderrama, but Carlerec said that as it was a private club that did not need any publicity, Jaime Ortiz-Patiño would probably say no. So I contacted my great friend Derek Brown, Golf Manager at Valderrama at the time, and told him in confidence that Volvo were going to create the Volvo Masters that it would be my absolute responsibility, and did he think Mr. Patiño will accept a proposal. Derek said: ?He can only say yes or no, so go and talk to him?. He immediately started moving and arranged a meeting with Don Jaime two days later.
It was the first time I had met Jaime Ortiz-Patiño and I shared with him our long term vision for the event, that it was going to be something very special, and asked him if we could stage the Volvo Masters at Valderrama. Don Jaime answered it was too early. The project he had planned and all he wanted to accomplish would not be ready for three years, but I told him that if it was not to be played in Valderrama the following year, it would go to another golf course and would never come back. I made it very clear: ?I have been given a list of golf courses in which Valderrama is not included, but I have convinced Volvo?s Board that the Volvo Masters must only take place at a great golf course like this.
He was hard to convince, nearly as difficult as Volvo?s Board, it was not an easy task, but I kept insisting it was going to be a great event that could only be played at a great golf course, which could not be other than Valderrama. At that time, the infrastructure ?motorway, hotels around Sotogrande- that we have nowadays did not exist. The golf course was changing, players would come from a very long and tiring season, they would complain about the difficulty of the course? but Valderrama was going to be the scholarship to get the final degree and not one more exam. Thankfully, Jaime eventually accepted the challenge, and he dedicated time and money and did a lot of work, he worked very, very hard to fulfill his part of the bargain.
The day I finally convinced Carlerec, Don Jaime invited us for lunch with some of his most important members. First, he showed us around the golf course and Club House, I remember it was a lovely day, with a beautiful light and blue sky. I had explained to Volvo?s Board that, if the event was going to be hosted in Valderrama, it could only get better and better to the world's eyes, which mirrored the policy of the Volvo brand, but if we went to another venue? maybe the opposite could happen. Finally, everybody agreed, we started moving forward and the rest, as they say, is history. At the beginning of this year we re-signed the contract between Volvo, the European Tour and Turismo Andalauz, and the Volvo Masters will remain in Valderrama until 2010.
There have obviously been some changes during all these years, for instance, we started with 80 players with a cut down to 50, then 54, later on 66 players? and now we have 60. I also said to Ken (Schofield) and George (O?Grady) it was not fair to have qualified for the Volvo Masters if they were only going to play half of the event, and I thought they should all have the chance to play all four rounds. They put it forward to the Players? Committee and it was agreed there would be no cut.
Along the way, other countries have tried to take the Volvo Masters away from Andalucía. Portugal tried very strongly, as did some Asian countries. It was touch and go at one stage, we even went to Portugal to take a look at golf courses, but I always wanted it to remain in Andalucía. Germán López father (President of Volvo Spain for many years), and later Germán López son (President now), were instrumental in the decision to keep the event in Spain. They supported it at 100% and, with a great vision, they understood the Volvo Masters as something bigger than just a golf event.
Another person who should not be forgotten at this point is Jeff Kelly, co-founder of Andalucía Golf with Antonio Sánchez. Jeff played a big and instrumental role in convincing Turismo Andaluz to get involved and invest in the tournament, so that it would remain in Andalucía, the land where it was born. Jeff is a sadly missed member of the Volvo Masters team.
Over the last 20 years I have to be very grateful to the media in general and especially to the Spanish media, without whom, I must say, we might well not be here today. They supported us from day one and have always reported the Volvo Masters in a very positive and excellent way. I feel privileged to have made very good and close friends with many of them.
Naturally, I feel extremely proud of the Volvo Masters, considered by many as a 'Major' event, and particularly proud of my personal friendship with Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, with whom I have shared the same vision for so many years. We?ve had many one to one meetings, lunches, dinners? sometimes not agreeing, but always negotiating as friends, in a mature and respectful fashion.
Things have not always been easy, the weather conditions have not been on our side and over the years we?ve suffered suspensions, heavy rain, strong winds? But just to give you an example of how much the Volvo Masters means to some people, we had a very important guest from Canada who only came to play the Pro-Am but never ever went out on the golf course! He arrived on the Tuesday night, we suspended the Pro-Am on Wednesday due to non-stop rain, and he flew back to Canada very early on Thursday. Despite this, he said during the time he spent in our hospitality suite, enjoying the atmosphere at Valderrama and with a good glass of Rioja in his hand, he was the happiest man in the world.
And, last but certainly not least, I would like to thank the players, they have given the color and show to the Volvo Masters, although, to be honest, I have hardly seen them in action as I have always been behind the scenes. We?ve had very tight and exiting events, in many of which the Volvo Order of Merit and the tournament itself were decided with the very last putt. As I?ve always said, you should not look at the leader boards until the last nine holes, there?s always been drama until the very end?.
Report on the Volvo Masters 2007
Report on the Volvo Masters 2006
Report on the Volvo Masters 2005
Report on the Volvo Masters 2004
Report on the Volvo Masters 2003
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