General
Valderrama launches major renovation plan to upgrade the golf course and practice areas
Club de Golf Valderrama, the most known Spanish golf course internationally, has announced a series of improvements to the field with a total investment of 3 million euros.
The venue for the 1997 Ryder Cup, two World Golf Championships and 16 editions of the Volvo Masters, is currently undertaking major investments. Valderrama has been consistently ranked among the best courses, recently ranked in 45th place in the World and number 1 in Europe by Golf Architecture Magazine, this top 100 ranking is elaborated with votes from the most prestigious golf course designers and architects in the World.
The first investment undertaken has been the complete renovation of the pumping system, this new system has significantly reduced water and energy costs. The second major improvement on the course has been the new bunkers. All traps have been renovated by installing new drainage, liners and sand. The new sand conforms with USGA specifications and has been chosen after months of testing. “Bunkers have always been an issue at Valderrama. We have rebuilt the bunkers following the strictest and highest specifications and I am proud to say they are now matching the quality of our greens and fairways” says Valderrama’s general manager, Javier Reviriego.
This is only the first phase of the renovation project, Valderrama is currently working on the improvement of many cart paths and the landscaping of the course, in order for the greens and fairways to be free of bad weeds.
Planned for the immediate future is the construction of a new pitching and chipping green, in a large area next to the current practice range.
With the announcement of these improvements and the mention in the press release itself, one would think that a major golf tournament might be soon announced for Valderrama.
Autumn Special in Almenara
Enjoy your stay at Almenara Golf Resort, one of Spain’s most renowned golf resorts and an ideal destination for company or private groups. The four star resort, designed as an Andalusian village, is located in the middle of one of Europe’s most beautiful golf courses.
Check out our special promotions of only golf or hotel + golf packages.
Final Adios to a Golf Visionary
José María Olazábal, Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, George O’Grady and Ángel Gallardo (Photo: Getty Images)
It was July 1990, the British Open was being played at St. Andrews, and an earlier (and less bald) incarnation of OzinSpain was sipping a Scotch in the downstairs clubhouse lounge area set aside for press and players that week. (Those were the good old days when press and players cheerfully mingled – some even bought us drinks!)
Oliva Nova Golf Experience
Nestling in a paradisiacal setting surrounded by kilometres of natural sand dunes, Hotel Oliva Nova 4* also offers the exceptional attraction of an 18-hole golf course designed by the legendary Severiano Ballesteros.
One special new offer, available from 1 September, includes accommodation plus golf, not only at the hotel’s own Oliva Nova course (from 11am) but also at other nearby courses including El Saler, La Sella, El Bosque and La Galiana.
Package of 7 nights in double room including breakfast + 5 green fees at any of the courses + 1 spa visit, from €527 per person.
Also available: packages for 5 or 3 nights.
Luxury in Tenerife, Hotel Las Madrigueras
Those with a discerning taste for the finer things in life will thoroughly enjoy the colonial-style charm of Hotel Las Madrigueras, a five-star establishment surrounded by the Las Américas course and with direct access to the first tee via the hotel parking area. In addition to playing golf at some of Tenerife’s excellent courses, also worth a visit is the famous Teide Nature Park as well as the island’s cobblestoned villages.
We are offering a package of 7 nights + 3 dinners + unlimited golf at the Las Américas course with buggy + 1 massage session, from €1,162 per person.
The hotel remains closed from 1 June to 30 September.
Poulter to defend title at the Volvo World Match Play Championship
Defending Champion, Ian Poulter, has confirmed he will defend his title at the 2012 Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesín, Spain, from May 17-20, 2012. The 2012 Championship will once again attract the world’s best golfers with the final 24 man field to be announced in the weeks after the conclusion of the US Masters.
The final field of the 47th edition of this historic tournament looks set to match the unprecedented strength of the 2011 Championship. Repeating last year’s successfully amended format, on arrival at Finca Cortesín the players will be divided into eight groups of three players to play in a round-robin group format on Thursday and Friday to decide which 16 players progress to Saturday’s knock-out stage with the semi-finals and final played on Sunday.
Tickets Volvo World Match Play Championship
Advance ticket sales “returns” this year to Golf in Spain, check out the special reduced advanced prices.
We’ve also published two initial options with accommodation at Hotel Elba Estepona 5* and Hotel Don Agustín 2*. More to come in the following days.
Rediscover Almenara
Our latest special is the “Re-discover Sotogrande’s Hotel Almenara” campaign till July 15th. Surrounded by some of the finest golf courses in Europe and located in the midst of nature, Almenara is probably one of the most reputed golf resort in Spain. Enjoy unforgettable nights of pure relaxation. We offer a wide range of packages, at unbeatable prices! Not to mention our exclusive additional 5% discount for future bookings if you confirm before July 15th. –
Free Golf at Almenara Hotel (Sotogrande)
Pensando en que el tiempo tendrá que mejorar en algún momento dedicamos esta entrada a destinos de playa que cuentan con importantes campos de golf en sus alrededores. Los primeros dos paquetes a resaltar son de hoteles en Canarias.
El Lopesan Costa Meloneras Resort, Spa Corallium & Casino tiene un nuevo paquete vigente hasta Octubre 2010. 3 noches en una habitación doble con desayuno y 2 green fees en Lopesan Meloneras Golf, desde 361€ por persona. También disponible para 4 y 7 noches.
Lopesan Costa Meloneras
Volvemos a colaborar con el Hotel Jardín Tropical en Costa Adeje, Tenerife. Es uno de los pocos hoteles que ofrecen en sus paquetes green fees en Abama de juego ilimitado en el día (incluyendo buggy con GPS, bolas de práctica ilimitadas y agua y fruta durante el recorrido). Además, el Hotel Jardín Tropical ofrece descuentos si el acompañante es no jugador. 3 noches en este hotel en una habitación doble con desayuno incluyendo un green fee en Abama y otro a elegir entre Golf del Sur, Amarilla Golf o Costa Adeje puede variar entre 428€ y 550€ para el jugador, y entre 194€ y 318€ para el acompañante no jugador, variando el precio en función de la temporada. Este paquete también se puede adaptar a estancia de 5 y 7 noches.
Y no, no nos olvidamos de los tan solicitados destinos del sur peninsular, como la costa de Huelva (Islantilla) y Cádiz (Sancti Petri).
En Islantilla, aumentamos nuestra oferta con el Iberostar Suites Hotel Islantilla, ideal para ir acompañado de la familia. Precios desde 98€ por persona para estancia de 2 noches con desayuno y un green fee en Islantilla.
También de la cadena Iberostar, volvemos a incorporar un hotel 4* en nuestro repertorio de hoteles en Sancti Petri, Chiclana. El Iberostar Andalucía Playa es una apuesta segura. Este paquete es muy flexible, disponible para el número de noches que quiera, y con los campos que prefiera, eliga entre Novo Sancti Petri, Las Lomas de Sancti Petri o La Estancia, de los mejores de la zona. Como ejemplo, 2 noches en habitación doble con desayuno y un green fee en Novo por persona puede salirle desde 276€ la estancia.
A qué esperas para reservar?
Seve Ballesteros dies “peacefully” at home
THE PLAYER who did more than any other to raise golf’s profile in Spain has died at his Pedreña home after a valiant battle against the debilitating effects of a brain tumour.
In a press statement released by his family, it was announced that he had passed away at 2.10 am (Spanish time) “peacefully surrounded by his family”.
The family said they were “very grateful for all the support and gestures of love that have been received since Seve was diagnosed with a brain tumour on 5 October 2008 at Madrid Hospital La Paz.” The day before, they had announced that the 54-year-old’s “neurological condition has suffered a severe deterioration”.
Continue reading
Ryder hype runneth over
We thought this was the perfect time to reproduce, courtesy of An Oz in Spain, the vision of an Australian about the Ryder Cup.
What the other 89 per cent think…
By PEDRO BOLICHERO of OzinSpain.com
IT’S MID-AUTUMN – an even year – and that means billions of golf fans around the universe are sitting in front of their TV screens, enthralled by the action in the “third biggest sporting event in the world”. Yeah, sure.
There is no doubt the Ryder Cup is a fascinating sporting spectacle, providing spectators with exceptional golf from many of the world’s finest players – gripping matches where the determination and passion to win is patent (just check out any old news reel of Severiano Ballesteros).
But for the organisers and jingoistic media commentators and press to continue harping on about the Cup only being surpassed by the Olympics and soccer World Cup in status is nonsense and an insult to the vast majority of the world’s population who have no “nationalist” interest in the event.
In fact, golf fans outside Europe and the US would, in the main, be more inclined to rate the four majors as the premier golf events, ahead of the Ryder Cup and, certainly, the Presidents Cup, which pits the US against a Rest of the World combination (minus the Europeans) in every non-Ryder Cup year.
Continue reading
