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 Holes Description Layout Graph Valderrama during the Ryder Cup '97 How to get there |
Valderrama's
Road
Retired banker Paul Jeanty suggests to Bolivian tin millionaire Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, who had retired to live in Sotogrande and play golf, that he should buy the then Las Aves course (�New Sotogrande�) and run it as an exclusive club for himself and friends. Concerned that the locals might be less than keen on a foreigner owning prime real estate, Sr Ortiz-Patiño recommends that a consortium of eight high-powered businessmen - either living on the estate or frequent visitors - should buy the course.
The committee offers some consolation with its pledge that the matches would go to Spain in 1997, subject to certain conditions being met.
September 1991
The other eight were: Real Club de Campo de Madrid, La Moraleja II and RACE (Madrid), El Saler (Valencia), La Manga (Murcia), Montecastillo (Jerez), Novo Sancti Petri and Real Golf de Sevilla. The final decision was taken from a short-list of El Saler, La Manga, La Moraleja II, Novo Sancti Petri and Valderrama. Ballesteros offers a truce to Valderrama, noting: �I think it is great that Spain will be the hosts of the 1997 Ryder Cup. It will take golf in my homeland to a new level of excitement and appreciation for all golfers, rich or poor. I know that all the other clubs who were hoping to be selected are greatly disappointed. I wanted Novo Sancti Petri but life sometimes is not sweet. We do not always get what we want. Everyone must forget hard feelings and work together in assisting Mr Patiño, Valderrama and the Ryder Cup Committee to show the world that Spain is worthy of hosting this magnificent golf event.� Ballesteros is commissioned by Sr Ortiz-Patiño to re-design the contentious 17th. September 1995 |
Recent History January 1997 Any lingering optimism that an early start would be made to upgrading the section of highway between Estepona and Guadiaro seems now to have been categorically dispelled. The 1997 national budget includes a mere 20 million pesetas for the project - which is estimated to cost 22,000 million pesetas. The widening of this 22.1 kilometre section of road to a dual carriageway had been considered a key element in ensuring the success of the Ryder Cup at Valderrama in September. However, to the anger of local tourism officials and businesses, the national government insists on linking its construction to development of the proposed tollway. The only compromise offered by government officials is a pledge to facilitate the use of road shoulders in order to convert the highway into three �lanes� during the week of the Cup matches - though not everyone is convinced this is a feasible option. April 1997 Europe�s captain, Severiano Ballesteros, fails in a controversial move to increase his number of wild-card selections for the match at Valderrama in September. Concerned that Jose Maria Olazabal is back in form after a long injury lay-off (but perhaps too late to secure enough qualifying points), and that players such as US-based Nick Faldo and Jesper Parnevik and Bernhard Langer also might not play enough qualifying events to gain automatic places, Ballesteros had asked for the number of his picks to be raised from two to four (leaving eight automatic spots). Though sympathetic to his plight, the tournament committee of the European Tour and the Ryder Cup Committee rejects his call for a ballot of members, after obtaining legal advice. Counsel Nigel Davis Q.C. had advised that �the only lawful basis on which the selection procedure could be validly altered at this stage was if the unanimous consent of all playing members eligible for selection was obtained�. He said �any one player could obtain an injunction to prevent such an alteration in the selection procedure being put into effect�. Having already received representations from �a number of Ryder Cup candidates that they strongly disagree with any suggested alterations�, the Cup committee decided it would be �inappropriate� to hold a ballot. Ballesteros responds: �It is too bad that the committee did not obtain legal opinion from the very beginning when I asked for more places, and then we would have all saved a lot of time and effort. Now I would like everyone to understand the case is closed. We can look forward to a great match at Valderrama, and I�m positive Europe will win.� May 1997 It was bound to happen. Having made a key contribution to the resurgence of interest in the Ryder Cup, Europe�s �continentals� now call for the profits to be shared more evenly among the eligible countries. The controversy centres on the fact that, even though the Great Britain and Ireland team became Europe in 1979, the proceeds are still being divided equally between the PGA European Tour and British PGA. At the Benson and Hedges International, Germany�s Bernhard Langer, who first played in the Cup in 1981 and has been in every team since, complains that continental PGAs are not getting their share. Richard Hills, the Tour�s Ryder Cup director, counters, however, that it is up to the two parties (Tour and British PGA) to do what they see fit with the money. Much of the Tour�s share went back into tournaments at home and overseas, he says. The chairman of the PGA, Phil Weaver, says the association�s principal duty is to look after its own members. �We do get involved in the development of the game elsewhere though it may not be in the form of writing out cheques directly.� * * * The Cup had earlier attracted ongoing media interest at the Peugeot Spanish Open, where Ryder Cup captain Severiano Ballesteros, in his capacity as tournament promoter, had managed to talk Greg Norman into making a rare appearance in Europe. Asked who would be favourites for the 1997 Cup, Norman (who won the made-for-TV European Skins Game at Valderrama in 1992, against Jose Maria Olazabal, Ian Woosnam, Fred Couples and Ian Baker-Finch)) says he is not familiar with the current rankings but believes Valderrama will favour the Americans, as it is basically an �American-style course�. The fact that the tournament had moved away from The Belfry also would help the American team, he says. Also speaking during the Spanish Open, Jose Maria Olazabal says he does not believe Tiger Woods will have as much impact as many people are predicting. �The Ryder Cup is a special tournament, it�s a team of 12 players, not just one player; it�s not played medal, but matchplay; it�s not Augusta, but Valderrama. These are a series of combined factors that could mean the beast is not such a beast. You have to adapt to the team; you�re not playing alone.� Olazabal says his goal is, obviously, to gain an automatic place in the team - or at least to have given it his best shot. Captain Ballesteros� situation is very delicate, he says, as some potential players compete infrequently in Europe. If he failed to gain an automatic place he would accept Seve�s decision (on the two wild-card picks) with good grace. For his part, Ballesteros says it looks like there could be several Spaniards in the team. �That�s my wish. Miguel Angel Martin is in a very good position, Chema Olazabal is climbing and Miguel Angel Jimenez is very close, even though...from now to September things could change.� Asked if he had spoken to the two players most likely to require wild-cards - Nick Faldo and Jesper Parnevik - Ballesteros says he had been unable to talk to the Englishman because he (Faldo) was too busy. As for trying to convince Parnevik to take more time off from the US Tour to play in Europe (and thus secure more qualifying points) Ballesteros says this is the responsibility of the Tour executive director. �I don�t want to tell (Parnevik) to come and play in Europe, when there is the possibility of his not being chosen, because that�s what happened to me in 1981. They told me to play in Europe and later didn�t select me. I don�t want a repetition of that situation. Jesper is playing well and if he continues that way he has possibilities of being selected, but no guarantees.� Ballesteros says he is pleased Tiger Woods will be in the team because he wants to see the best 12 American players. �I wouldn�t want to beat a team that wasn�t strong.� The Spaniard says it is too soon to say which team will be favourite. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods tries to deflect the attention centred on his Cup debut. Referring to his Masters victory, and the fact he gained an early psychological advantage by resoundingly beating each of Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Costantino Rocca when paired with them at various stages at Augusta, he says: �I don�t feel I have sent any type of message at all. It is difficult for one guy to send a message to a whole team. The Ryder Cup is totally different from the majors. When I play in a major I am just there for myself and representing the United States is a totally different experience. When the national anthems are played and the flags raised, a whole new situation develops; you are playing for others and not just yourself.� U.S. captain Tom Kite also enters the Tiger debate, observing: �I know Tiger is very excited about playing in the match. He said last November that his number one goal was to make the team. Matchplay against professionals, rather than amateurs, will be somewhat different but he has already proved he can handle just about any situation.� June 1997 European captain Severiano Ballesteros might have failed in his attempt to have more wild-card picks - but he seems to have got his way with the colours of the team�s uniforms. For the key final day�s singles matches, the European team will be dressed in dark-blue trousers and shirts and light-blue jumpers. This colour combination has been the superstitious Spaniard�s preferred ensemble whenever he has been in a challenging position on the final day of a major tournament (sadly, not so frequently anymore) - and considers it lucky. He will be hoping it doesn�t rain on the Sunday, as the Americans wet-weather gear is also dark-blue. July 1997 Spain�s national government effectively scoffs at enthusiastic predictions of a major tourism spin-off from next month�s Ryder Cup. Speaking during a meeting of the industry, commerce and tourism commission in the Senate, the relevant minister, Josep Pique, rejects calls for a regular air service between Málaga and the United States to coincide with the Valderrama competition, arguing that it is not profitable for airline companies. Sr Pique says he is not interested in golf but has been told that the Ryder Cup is �very important�. Nevertheless, this does not justify the creation of a new service, he says, as the celebration of the event will not result in an increase in visitors from the US. Málaga Senator Ana Guirado rejects the minister�s opinion, arguing that Iberia - the national airline - could, with just a small effort, avoid the possibility of losing such a �golden opportunity to strengthen tourism�. Sr Pique remains unmoved. Those who like golf will come,� he says, �even if they have to swim.� Accompanied by two bodyguards, Tiger Woods makes his much-awaited first appearance on the Coast for a practice session, pre British Open, with US captain Tom Kite and just five of the other 19 players invited to join them - Davis Love III, Mark O�Meara, David Duval, Payne Stewart and Corey Pavin. The only other American to have played the Valderrama course is Fred Couples, in the European Skins Game. Before returning promptly to his private jet in Gibraltar, and the trip to Troon, Woods says he does not believe his long-hitting will be much of an advantage �because positional play is important. The greens are small and fast, and I will be hitting mainly two irons and three woods off the tee.� August 1997 European Tour officials react promptly to a suggestion that the Ryder Cup qualification system be radically altered. Speaking on the eve of the Scandinavian Masters, Colin Montgomerie says the present system (10 gaining selection automatically from their European Tour order of merit positions at the end of August and two captain�s wild-card picks) should be abandoned and the 12-man team taken from the world rankings. He says this would ensure players such as Jesper Parnevik, the Swede who is now based on the US Tour, could play their way into the side. �We should either pick all 12 players or take the top 12 from the world rankings,� he says. �It wouldn�t matter where you played and you would automatically have the strongest team available.� In response, Tour executive director Ken Schofield agrees that world rankings could be taken into consideration as well as Tour placings in the 12 months leading up to the Cup match, but says he is against selecting players solely from the world rankings. A combination of the European points table and world rankings would mean players were not penalised for playing events on other tours, provided they played the minimum 11 tournaments on their home European Tour (including the three US majors). Ranked 15th in the world at the time The Reporter went to press, Parnevik�s only chance of playing at Valderrama is to gain one of the two wild-cards. Nick Faldo, also a US Tour regular now, is in a similar position. |
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Valderrama founder-president Jaime Ortiz-Patiño
attends the Ryder Cup match at Kiawah Island, where he becomes convinced his club
would be able to host the 1997 competition just as well, if not better.
