Costa del Sol Golf News » Issue 87

Takeaway at Tamisa

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:49:18 +0000

Head barman at the wonderful 4 star hotel at Mijas Golf Antonio Palacios has been entertaining golf groups in his iminitable style over many a year, and is a character in every sense of the word!
However, it looks as if Antonio may soon be a face of the past, as the Jason Tozer golf group decided to adopt Antonio and take him back to the UK with them.
Our photo shows Antonio being measured for Ryanair baggage check-in.

GPS Rangefinder for Sale or Rent

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:44:29 +0000

Sunshine Golf at La Cala is now stocking, for sale or rental, the number one GPS rangefinder in the world, the “Sky Caddie SG5”.
The SG5 is for golfers who want a GPS rangefinder with advanced features, a large colour display and a long lasting rechargeable battery. Sky Golf’s advanced technology is integrated with the very best Swiss engineering to provide unmatched reliability.
This will definitely improve your game and course management.
The SG5 is for sale from Sunshine Golf for 399 Euros or for rent at 40 Euros per week.

Sweden Opens The Golf And Gastronomy Weeks

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:41:45 +0000

The golf and gastronomy weeks started with a Swedish flavour, followed by the German, Danish and English weeks.
The winners of the tournament showed how multicultural the competition was. The winner was Margaretha Remröd from Sweden, second was Miguel Peña Morales from Spain and third position went to Inna Bladen.
During the entire week people enjoyed Swedish gastronomy at the Los Arqueros Restaurant and at the competition there were numerous nationalities that did not want to miss the chance to try 100% Swedish tapas and play in a friendly competition.
Some will wonder if there will be any Spanish gastronomic weeks. We are already focusing on different regions of Spain that will tantalise your tastebuds throughout the summer season.

Friendship Competition Benahavis – San Pedro

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:37:24 +0000

Traditions start but one never knows when they finish… with these words, the deputy mayor of San Pedro, Miguel Troyano, welcomed all participants of the 2nd Friendship Competition played between Benahavís and San Pedro at Los Arqueros.
Sr Troyano thanked Los Arqueros Golf for collaborating and holding this event, and handed over a commemorative plaque to Club President, Javier Ballester. The Mayor of Benahavís,Jose Mena thanked the support from the personnel of the town hall taking part in the competition and also the different companies around the area for their compromise in making the event possible.
After the competition, a lunch was served by the Restaurant Los Arqueros in the members’ lounge, followed by the prize giving where all players gave a healthy round of applause to the winners, the town hall of Benahavis.

TEXAS SCRAMBLE RESULTS
1 Pedro Ortega Gil and Antonio Gil Gil 63 points
2 Alberto Moreno and Amador Álvarez Mora 66 points
3 ranciso Ramos y Francisco Blanco 67 points

Spain vs Ireland (At Golf!)

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:32:47 +0000

A Rose by Any Other Name!

Saturday 20th March saw the battle of two famous golfing countries on Los Olivos – Mijas Golf.
Craig at Someplace Else allowed a motley crew of golfers to play a match labelled Spain v. Ireland. A total of 52 players took part – some Irish, some Spanish but mostly nationalities from all over the place. It resulted in Spain winning 8 matches to 5 and a great day was had by one and all.
It’s rumoured that the next match is Tibet v. Hawaii but don’t be surprised if several of the players will be recognised as having been part of the last match – Spain v. Ireland!
Martin McAteer will look the ‘bees knees’ dressed as the Dalai Lama and John Walker is prepared to wear a grass skirt for the day!

Golf Players Without Golf Courses

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:29:05 +0000

The traditional “Golf Club” has always been recognised as having its own particular course with 18 holes or more.
From the 1980s, a new format appeared, clubs without a golf course, and although properly federated, had no golf facilities for their members.
In more recent years, the trend has grown for clubs and societies, most without any legal foundation or recognised federated status. Of these three concepts, the first- class golf option is, without a doubt, the first one. Contrary to what many people believe, it is also the cheapest :”ignorance also exists in golf”.
It is surprising to note how little, or not at all, players take the time to calculate the annual costs of their golf. If they did so they would discover that the third option is the most expensive of all. Without sitting down with a pencil, it might seem at first that this is the cheapest option, as the annual subscription in January is very low and the first green fees cost between 30 and 50 euros. However, by February, playing once or twice a week, their golf has cost them almost 50 % of the annual fee paid by members of Los Arqueros or a similar club. Come May or June it will be more than the annual costs of golf at Los Arqueros, and that is playing third-class golf!
At Los Arqueros the annual subscription of just over 1,000 euros does not only include playing the course 100 or 200 times a year, but also allows you to take part in interclub competitions and leagues at other courses at no extra green fee cost. (For example, the most active members at Los Arqueros in 2009 played free at as many as 20 other courses in the region).
Not only are these alternative formats more expensive, but the quality is also inferior, as they lack the amenities of a club with its own course (private members’ area, social events, discounted bar, pro-shop and restaurant , and reduced rates at other clubs etc).
It is not necessary to own a golf club share to be a member of a golf club with its own course. You can rent a share for a reasonable price, thus acquiring membership rights. You can also buy an annual, half-year, three-monthly or monthly season ticket to suit your own needs. Any of these options would be better in terms of price and quality than joining a club without its own course or golf society.
The club with its own course is the essence of golf, something all golfers should want to be part of. Furthermore, it is the cheapest and highest quality option available. Why be a player without a course?
The answer is simple: Ignorance and the lack of a pencil.

REPORT BY Ulf Svendsen, Golf Director – Los Arqueros Golf and Country Club

Marbella Golf Academy…

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:20:35 +0000

Every second Friday of the month the Golflife team invites you to a free fun competition with great prizes
on offer.
All you have to do is contact them on telephone: 670 676 750.

Childrens School At Baviera… Looking To The Future

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:19:09 +0000

In these times of crisis, it is good to be able to talk about a section of the population that is not affected by politics or social/economic events.
Baviera Golf are now teaching the fundamentals of golf to over 70 youngsters who attend every Saturday morning to receive their classes from Professionals Francisco and Miguel.
This is a great way for children to learn in a relaxed environment, so why not call the club now for further details on Tel 952 555 015.

Lower Your Handicap And Reap The Benefits

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:17:33 +0000

For the third consective year, Casares Costa Golf is rewarding the lower handicap golfer.
During the Summer period (after 2pm) the golfer will only have to pay their handicap for an 18 hole round of golf (HANDICAP 12 – ONLY 12 EUROS!)
Golf Director Gonzalo Gross told the Golf News “sometimes it is important to reward players who have succeeded in improving their game, and this initiative has proved very attractive to golfers in the area”
This 9 hole course has recently constructed a Spa and Gymnasium to accompany the fantastic clubhouse and restaurant, so why not visit the club yourself to see what the fuss is all about.

Set a place for Olazabal at the Manor

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:15:47 +0000

Jose Maria Olazabal has more important things on his mind right now but we can only hope that, one way or another, there is a place for him in the European Team room at the Ryder Cup in October.
Olazabal’s struggle with a debilitating condition which is threatening his ability to play any golf at all and his concern about the health of his great friend Seve Ballesteros are, of course, uppermost in his thoughts at present. The Ryder Cup is probably the last thing on his mind. But in his absence from the Tour it’s been suggested that European captain Colin Montgomerie might not ask Jose Maria to be an assistant captain because he’s lost touch with the players.
I find it hard to believe Monty would let that stand in the way of Olazabal being at Celtic Manor.
Colin knows better than anyone how much of a role emotion and inspiration play at the Ryder Cup and Jose Maria Olazabal has a special talent for saying and doing the right things at the right time, especially in high-pressure situations. I don’t know a single European player who isn’t inspired by Olazabal’s achievements in individual tournament play and in the Ryder Cup. Even now, many of them are saying Jose Maria should definitely be involved at Celtic Manor whatever happens, and I think there’s every chance they’ll get their wish. If Jose Maria is able to bring along his old
pal Seve, so much the better.

A Trip down Memory Lane

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:13:17 +0000

I’ve just had my first proper holiday on the Costa Del Sol for years and really enjoyed it.
Instead of worrying about the big picture of how the coastline is coping and whether the golf courses have found the right approach I just got on with being a holidaymaker and quickly rediscovered the fun of pottering around and playing a bit of golf.
It’s easy to be negative about the Costa Del Sol when things aren’t going so well and I’ve not been slow to complain about the boom and bust mentality we’ve seen since the 1980s. However, it’s good to be able to say that it’s still one of the best holiday destinations for northern Europeans, provided they’re not offended by the sight of unfinished apartment blocks and other visible signs of the recession. There’s no disguising how expensive everything seems to those of us who enjoyed the good old days of cheap food, drink and golf, but there’s not much anyone can do about the weakness of the Pound against the Euro except hope that it balances out soon.
Also, just when the golf business needed the best of winter weather it got the worst. John Wallace, the respected course superintendent at El Paraiso, explained the challenges for some courses who’d been closed for more than 50 per cent of the time for the first three months of the year.
There’s no doubt courses up and down the coast are putting a brave face on it and trying to weather the storm but balanced against that we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that the choice and quality of golf available on the Costa del Sol is still outstanding.
For myself, not having played golf for a number of years, it was great fun revisiting old favourites like Mijas and enjoying the quality of more recent additions like Santana, where circumstances which prevented some of the more grandiose clubhouse plans may have been a blessing in disguise. The current clubhouse is perfectly adequate and resources have instead been channelled into a superb golf course.
The saddest part of the holiday was seeing the decline of great hotels like the Byblos and Los Monteros. The Byblos was still limping on but fading fast and Los Monteros looked like something from a war zone. The complexities of Spanish employment law are beyond me but from what I’m told that’s what’s prevented anyone buying up these businesses and rescuing them. By contrast, we went to one of our old haunts, the Sunset Beach Club at Benalmadena where they’ve always known their market and where they’ve always maintained a vibrancy and buzz even in such a huge hotel. It was no different this time with every room taken and everyone having a great time. We even managed to see our old friend Pearse Webb, still in fine voice after all these years entertaining on the coast.
All in all, anyone suffering from Costa Del Depression should remind themselves of some of the problems affecting Dubai and some communities in Florida as well as the sporadic political unrest in Thailand. One good summer and one warm winter may be enough to turn things around in Southern Spain.

Meet my new best friend

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:05:26 +0000

This is Piti, the cute little dog who, as a puppy, was dumped at Santana Golf Club.
The staff there adopted him and now he’s a contented member of the team, travelling around on marshals’ golf carts and charming everyone who visits the club.

Ash Cloud’s Silver Lining?

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:58:34 +0000

The old saying that it’s an ill wind that blows no one any good was never more apt than during the shambles that was the volcanic ash fiasco.
While others suffered, there was a window of opportunity for some businesses in Spain so let’s hope they made hay while the sun shone – or at least while the volcano erupted.
Every time I heard on the news about groups of holidaymakers having to find their way across Spain to Madrid airport or to ferry ports, I thought about all the coach and taxi firms who could be receiving an unexpected boost. Also, I’m sure that overall some hotels might just have come out ahead, especially those around Madrid airport.
All in all, perhaps a tiny little boost for the Spanish economy and no bad thing to be seen as the country least likely to be affected by any future outpourings from what, in more ways than one, is becoming Europe’s most troublesome northern outpost.

Visit Benahavis… A Golfers Paradise

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:54:35 +0000

I first came to Benahavis in 1994 and have now lived here for 10 years and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that Benahavis would add golf as a major attraction to its well known reputation for good restaurants and bars. The municipality now boasts 198 holes(!) and one of the prettiest driving ranges I have practised on has been built close to the heart of the village. To give a better appreciation of the scale of the municipality the courses of Benahavis are Los Arqueros, Atalaya Golf, Marbella Club Golf Resort, Monte Mayor, La Quinta, Golf Club Los Flamingos, La Zagaleta and El Higueral.
Where the municipality is going regarding golf was demonstrated by the successful hosting of the “PGA Benahavis Senior Masters 2009” at La Quinta which was broadcast to 52 countries worldwide.
I have always been amazed by the ability of the Spanish people to pick up a club and strike a ball effectively. That skill will be preserved with the children of Benahavis being encouraged by the town hall to take free twice weekly lessons with the local professional Manuel Araujo .
My family’s roots are golf with my grandfather founding the John Letters Company with a local blacksmith in 1918. In the future I hope to share a few memories and stories I have been told regarding golf and the making of clubs. It is indeed extraordinary that the more I read on the history of golf the more it seems there is not much we have not seen before.
Peter Letters

ED SAYS… Peter will be starting a regular column in the next issue of the Golf News.

Fair Play?

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:52:05 +0000

Twice a year I fly to the Costa del Sol to enjoy the sun and golf, especially in spring and autumn. When I arrived there this year I was caught by surprise by the disastrous conditions originated by the heavy rain under which all golf clubs had to suffer.
I understand the stress that Golf Directors were being put under by these conditions, but I do not understand when playing a course if I am not notified in advance if there are one or more fairway that cannot be played under regular conditions and I have to pay the full greenfee. This is grossly unfair. In this situation the player should be notified in advance and be offered a reasonable discount. This would be fair and produce a positive reaction from the client, making him keen to return in the future.
With my very best regards
Olav

First Class At La Quinta

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:50:57 +0000

On our recent golfing group trip to the coast, we decided to visit a course which had been off our radar for a few years due to various negative comments , La Quinta Golf.
What a turn round ! We were treated like visitors to America from the moment we arrived. Our clubs were taken from our cars and placed on our buggies with the minimum of fuss, and whilst we waited we were invited to a coffee as our tee-time was being delayed for a few minutes due to the number of players.
We were also expertly informed about the condition of the course, and provided with a picnic as a small gesture of thanks from the club.We had a great day, and were in no rush to leave as we discussed our game at the excellent 19th hole Clubhouse.
Well Done to all the team at La Quinta. We are already looking forward to our next visit.

John Rankin, Stoke on Trent

Ed Here…

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:48:43 +0000

HOPES FOR A CHANGE OF LUCK TURN TO DUST

As I mentioned in the last issue, the start to 2010 was not what we hoped for, with the weather creating havoc to the golfing industry on the coast.
However, no sooner had the sun started to push through when the unpronounceable (volcano) started to make a name for itself. The clouds started to roll in from Iceland, and once again, tee-times were cancelled, refunds and credits were made, and golfers, through no fault of their own, were denied the opportunity to play on our golf courses.

Most Golf Directors have been very positive in the manner in which they have dealt with these setbacks, agreeing to the golfers requests without applying the letter of the law to those unable to take up their starting times for whatever reason. This attitude was very well received by the visiting players, and hopefully this will have a positive effect when deciding on their next golf trip. It is a very welcome message that is being sent out to our tourists.

We must always remember to make sure that our visiting golfers are looked after particularly in these very difficult times.

ENJOY YOUR GAME

World Cup Fever

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:46:44 +0000

Four Four Two…. So that’s me one under par!

The Golf News will be very active over the summer period, and we have already confirmed two tournaments to coincide with the footie.
Our first stop will be at El Chaparral for an Individual Stableford event on Wednesday 23rd June which will finish in time for all players to watch the England v Slovenia match on the big screen at the Tamisa hotel.
Almenara Golf is the venue for our World Cup Final Tournament on Sunday 11th July, and this competition will be a Texas Scramble team event which again will be sponsored by the Tamisa hotel.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF THESE EVENTS CALL GOLF NEWS ON 952 492 586 OR 627 810 637

Valle Romano Golf And Resort Opens For Business

Golf News — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:41:03 +0000

Cabell B. Robinson designed Course in Estepona is latest addition to the Costa del Golf

After what seems like an eternity, this Par 72 course has finally opened its doors to the golfing public.
Having been promoted extensively over the last few years, Valle Romano has been a name on everybody’s lips without having actually been open for play. The golf manager at Valle Romano, Ildefonso Esquivel, maintains that he wants the course to become a “reference point on the Costa del Sol by offering the finest quality and service”. Just over a month has passed since these facilities were first opened, and the general opinion so far has been a positive one.
“The customer is finding a product and service which is well above what is offered at other courses. We want to do something different to what you normally find on the Costa del Sol and, therefore, the service we provide is our differential value, our strong selling point.”
CONTACT CLUB ON 952800600 FOR OPENING OFFERS