Costa Brava Golf

Unlocking golf’s potential: shorter and accessible golf experiences in Spain

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In the dynamic landscape of modern golf, a recent study by The R&A unveiled a fascinating trend: the surge in popularity of shorter and non-traditional golf formats. 2023 witnessed millions of adults embracing variations like par-three courses, indoor simulators, and on-course simulators, challenging the conventional norms of the sport. Many of those fans are looking for those kinds of new golf experiences in Spain.

Spain’s Costa Brava golf courses are seizing this opportunity to cater to the evolving preferences of modern golfers looking for Spain golf breaks, offering shorter, accessible, and affordable golf experiences, as the prestigious site www.golfindustria.es explained a week ago in a fascinating article.

New golf experiences in Spain

Richard Jackson, the Head Professional at Par 3 Gualta Golf Club in the heart of Empordà on the Costa Brava, emphasises the shift in international golf demands. “The golf market has seen an uptick in the demand for shorter, non-traditional versions of golf in recent years, a trend we believe will persist into 2024 and beyond.” Par 3 Gualta allows golfers to play eighteen holes in just two hours at a significantly lower cost than a traditional eighteen-hole green fee. The club adopts a relaxed dress code with no handicap restrictions, fostering a welcoming environment for seasoned players and newcomers.

The global interest in alternative golf experiences is evident in recent trends. Costa Brava boasts Par 3 Gualta, Serres de Pals, Club Golf d’Aro-Mas Nou, and Peralada Golf Resort, offering par-three courses, pitch & putt, nine-hole designs, and high-quality eighteen-hole courses. The Costa Brava region is becoming a magnet for new golf experiences in Spain. The target? Modern golf enthusiasts and active travellers seeking diverse ways to enjoy golf during their Spain golf holidays.

Norbert Bes, Director of the Costa Brava Tourism Board, highlights the region’s appeal. “With diverse golf offerings, three hundred days of sunshine, pristine beaches, delightful cuisine, and rich cultural heritage, Costa Brava allows golfers to blend the thrill of traditional and shorter golf formats with the region’s unique charm and stunning landscapes.”

In this era of redefined golf experiences, Costa Brava stands out as a premier golf destination, embracing the essence of golf’s evolution with accessible and captivating alternatives, reinforcing its position as a top-tier travel destination for golf experiences in Spain.

Camiral Golf Sustainability Efforts

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Camiral Golf Sustainability Efforts

Camiral Golf Sustainability Efforts
Formerly PGA Catalunya Resort, Camiral Golf & Wellness is now committed to golf sustainability, especially for your golf holiday in Costa Brava, and has begun a thorough three-year strategy to execute new projects. In addition to improving the resort experience for guests, these measures will cut the use of treated irrigation water by 35%.

The new measures include changing the grass on both golf courses, reducing irrigation areas, and exploring innovative irrigation system options. They build on previous sustainability efforts at the Stadium Course and Hotel Camiral, which included establishing a photovoltaic panel park on the hotel roof for green energy.

Camiral Golf & Wellness, widely regarded as the best golf resort in Spain and a stop on the European Tour, places its emphasis on environmentally conscious water management. CEO David Plana praised the company’s dedication, which began with the opening of the first golf course in 1999 with the use of 100% recycled water for irrigation.

This three-year project, which the CEO estimates will drastically reduce water consumption by at least 35%, demonstrates the resort’s dedication to responsible golf course management. This endeavour further demonstrates their dedication to improving their client experience, as pointed out by David Plana.

Earlier this year, Camiral Golf & Wellness was recognised on the ‘Green 100’ list, which showcases the best environmentally conscious golf courses in Europe, by Golf World magazine.

Tall Fescue was planted on the resort’s greens in 2022, and in 2023, the native drought- and heat-resistant Bermuda Celebration will be used on the tees and in the surrounding areas.

In July 2023, the first phase was completed, according to David Bataller, agronomist director at Camiral Golf & Wellness. This phase features a change in grass variety for tees and surroundings, inspired by the Augustas National in the United States. The grass varieties that were introduced, such as Tall Fescue, Bermuda Celebration, Paspalum Platinum, and Bent Grass, are not only of high quality, but they are also resistant to pests and illnesses, and these varieties were used on the fairways at Augustas.

As part of its dedication to sustainability and environmental consciousness, the Camiral resort works tirelessly to keep its championship courses in immaculate shape. The environmental responsibility and long-term viability of the golf course will be maintained through the use of advanced technology, sustainable methods, and collaboration with in-house biologists. Further evidence of the resort’s commitment to environmental preservation is its 2020 IAGTO Sustainability Award, GEO Certified accreditation, and recognition from the STRI Group.

Spain Golf – Empordà Golf will host the Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava of the European Challenge Tour next October

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Emporda Golf Course

Empordà Golf will host the Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava of the European Challenge Tour next October

The European Challenge Tour announced today that two events in Spain, the Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava, will take place in consecutive weeks at Empordà Golf this October.

The Empordà Challenge will be held from 14th to 17th October, while the Challenge Costa Brava will take place from Tuesday 19th to Friday 22nd October. The latter will mark the end of the regular season of the Road to Mallorca, determining the field of forty-five players for the Grand Final of the Rolex Challenge Tour sponsored by The R&A from 4 to 7 November.

Empordà Golf Course is the former venue for the European Tour and European Tour Qualifying School events, and the two Challenge Tour tournaments will be played on the Links Course, which underwent major renovation works during 2020. These two back-to-back events replace the Hainan Open and Foshan Open in China, which were cancelled earlier this month due to the continuing effects of the global pandemic.

“We thank Empordà Golf and the promoter, JGolf, for their help in bringing these events to fruition. It was important to us to provide our members with these replacement tournaments to ensure that playing opportunities were maximised at an important time of the season and, having enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Javier Gervás and his team, we knew it would be possible to organise a solution with their help,” said Jamie Hodges, head of Challenge Tour.

“Empordà Golf has stood the test of time in terms of hosting professional events and we are excited to spend two weeks in Spain at such a wonderful venue,” adds Hodges.

“When the slot on the Road to Mallorca calendar came up, we worked hard to help cover those crucial two weeks on the calendar. We knew that Empordà Golf was keen to go one step further in terms of the professional tournaments it has hosted and so we set out to host the last two Challenge Tour tournaments before the Grand Final,” explains Javier Gervás, general manager of JGolf.

“They have made a great effort and I am sure they will be rewarded. We are now going to have two decisive tournaments in Spain this season with international coverage that will put Empordà Golf in the world golfing spotlight,” adds Gervás.

“The decision to hold the Empordà Challenge confirms the efforts being made by all the clubs on the Costa Brava to improve their facilities and become a world-class sports destination,” says Emilio Cuatrecasas, President of Empordà Golf Club.

“It is also worth noting that the growing popularity of these international tournaments is driving many young people to play golf, and the clubs are feeding not only their energy but also an updated vision of the sport that will bring considerable progress in the sporting, social and environmental fields,” adds Cuatrecasas.

The Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava will be the second Spanish swing of the Road to Mallorca 2021 after the Challenge de España and the Challenge de Cádiz, held at the Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri last June.

The Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava will be supported by the Challenge Tour, Empordà Golf, Girona Provincial Council through the Costa Brava Tourist Board, the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and Kyocera. The promoter and organiser is JGolf.

You can also read other posts about Golf in Spain:
Alcaidesa Links Golf Course welcomed the Sotogrande Golf Challenge on 10th July
International Day of Friendship
Sotogrande Golf Challenge