Golf in Spain

Spain will host Solheim Cup for the first time, with Finca Cortesin golf course as the main stage

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Finca Cortesin golf course

Finca Cortesin golf course

Finca Cortesin golf course

The Ladies European Tour announced today that Spain will host the Solheim 2023 Cup on the spectacular Finca Cortesin golf course in Andalusia. Scheduled dates for the competition will be concluded soon.

Spain becomes the 6th European country to host this competition after Scotland, the most recent headquarters on European soil, Wales, Sweden, Ireland and Germany.

Located in the Costa del Sol, in the heart of Andalusia, Finca Cortesin is a world-famous golf destination that has hosted three editions of the European Tour’s Volvo World Match Play Championship, and which regularly ranks among the top five Spanish courses on the lists. The course, whose greens underwent a major remodeling in 2017, is known for its magnificent conditioning and the challenge posed by its design, an ideal complement to its cared for aesthetics.

“We are pleased to announce that Spain will host the 2023 Solheim Cup when the competition returns to European soil for the 18th edition of this great international tournament. Spain is a country passionate about golf, its fans know this sport in depth and from its inexhaustible quarry, generations and generations of great players have emerged. In addition, the Andalusian cultural legacy will make players, guests and supporters live a unique experience ”, says Alexandra Armas, executive director of the Ladies European Tour. “The tournament not only reinforces Spain‘s reputation as an elite golf country, but also the Costa del Sol and Andalusia as essential destinations, something that will undoubtedly inspire future generations to play golf.”

Finca Cortesin golf course

Finca Cortesin golf course

The Spaniards have had a notable weight in the Solheim Cup since the inaugural edition in 1990, and seven compatriots have defended the colors of Europe throughout the history of the competition, a figure that is second only to the players, contributed by England and Sweden. Carlota Ciganda, one of the local heroines, has participated in the last four editions, while marbella Azahara Muñoz has also had four participations since she debuted in 2011. Both were decisive in the recent history of the competition, in the tournament that Europe achieved three victories in the last five editions, including a memorable triumph at the 2019 edition held in Gleneagles (Scotland).

Costa del Sol joins the family of global partners for the 2023 edition, PING and Rolex, historic sponsors of the Solheim Cup. Sport & Business will organize the event and take care of all aspects of the tournament together with the European Ladies Tour.

“I want to thank the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour for their confidence in the Spanish proposal. We will try to organize the best Solheim Cup in history and the most fun. Costa del Sol is a unique destination in the world and we will show that in this tournament. I also want to highlight that the chosen course, Finca Cortesin, is one of the best in Europe and their hotel has been considered the best in Spain, the hospitality that the teams will receive here in Spain will be at the highest level ”, adds Aramburu .

The next Solheim Cup in 2021 will be in Toledo, Ohio, from 4 to 6 September and the American team intends to snatch the European trophy, which won the 2019 edition with a spectacular putt on the last green of the last individual match.

Susana Ribeiro praised Golf Santander before playing the Spanish Open in Guadalmina

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Golf Santander

Golf Santander

Golf Santander

Susana Ribeiro will close her international season at the Spanish Open, the 600,000 euro prize money tournament, the last event on the Ladies European Tour (LET) 2020 calendar, from November 26th to the 29th, at the Real Club De Golf Guadalmina.

She will play the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De España for the third year in a row and last year she made the cut for the first time in a LET event, finishing in 32th, with 2 strokes over Par.

“I got the confirmation that I will play the Spanish Open in the last week of November. Soon after, I will play the PGA of Portugal tournament at Amendoeira Golf Resort and if there is the Manuel Agrellos Cup – which is not yet confirmed – I will also play it. That’s the rest of the season for me”, Susana Ribeiro told Tee Times Golf, exclusively for Record newspaper.

The 30-year-old Portuguese pro tied for 36th (out of 50 players) in the Santander Golf Tour Madrid tournament, the Spanish Professional Tour, where she usually plays.

This time, at the challenging Golf Santander, on the outskirts of the Spanish capital, the TaylorMade professional scored 158 strokes, 14 above the Par, after two rounds of 79. The best Portuguese player was the national champion Leonor Bessa, tied for 30th (+9).

Real Club De Golf Guadalmina

Real Club De Golf Guadalmina

Golf Santander is a private and exclusive golf course, almost reserved for employees of the financial group and special guests. In 2013, during a Fam Trip, I had the opportunity to play on that fantastic course and its security is extreme. I thought that one is entering another country when we access Cuidad de Santander.

“It is very exclusive – confirms Susana Ribeiro – and to enter we had to be on a list. We had to present our passports to be able to enter and the big advantage is that the course is in great shape, because very few people can play on it”.

“It is a long course and in this particular tournament it was even longer than in the other times in which I played there. It was also windy and cold, it had rained, not allowing the ball to roll a lot. There are lots of bunkers, on the fairways, around the greens, and they are large and deep. If one misses a green, for sure the ball will be in a a bunker”, she added.

“It is a very challenging course. I’ve played there several times and whenever I go there the course is in different conditions due to the weather. It can be very cold, very hot, too much wind or none, and the course is completely different. This time, the greens were very fast, at a speed of 12.5 or 13, something I am not used to and it was the main difficulty I found”.

With only 2 birdies in 36 holes and an aggregate of 14 strokes over Par, it is obvious that she was far from her best performance.

“The final score was quite bad, but I left the course with the feeling of not having played so badly. I am disappointed with the result, although I think my game is going in the right direction”, admitted the vice president of PGA Portugal and the PGA Tour commentator on Eurosport.

“I had a hard time making birdies, because the greens were too fast, I couldn’t find the right pace. The game around the green was also not easy. From the bunker it was difficult to make the ball stop by the flag, the ball just didn’t stop on those greens. On the second day I still created good opportunities, but I didn’t make any birdies” she sorrowed.

The Madrid tournament followed two Santander Golf Tour competitions that also counted for the Ladies European Tour Access Series (LETAS) and, therefore, some players from the second European division stayed another week in Spain to take advantage of this extra tournament. So, the field was stronger than usual on the Spanish Pro Tour.

“The field was very strong and we had more players on the course, more than usual in these Santander Golf Tour tournaments that are not co-sanction with the Ladies European Tour Access Series”, said Susana Ribeiro.

The Spanish amateur Ana Peláez won with a good score of 135 (69+66), -9 and Susana Ribeiro foresees her a bright future: “I had the pleasure of playing alongside the future winner on the first day and she played very well. She didn’t miss a shot, she had many opportunities for birdie, she was a fair winner, as she plays golf at another level. She told me that she was supposed to turn pro this year, but, with this COVID-19 situation, she decided to wait a little longer. Next year she will playing the Qualification School of the LPGA Tour (the American Pro Tour). This shows us how this player is stronger than the average Ladies European Tour Players. I am sure she will be very successful ”.

Hugo Ribeiro / Tee Times Golf (teetimes.pt) for Record newspaper

The Andalucia Challenge in Spain will be held from 5 to 8 November, and the Andalucia Challenge in Cádiz from 11 to 14 November

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Golf Valderrama. Andalucia Challenge

Andalucia Challenge

Tee Times Golf Agency - United Kingdom

The Andalucia Challenge in Spain will be held from 5 to 8 November, and the Andalucia Challenge in Cádiz from 11 to 14 November, golf tournaments that will be held thanks to the sponsorship of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, and the collaboration of several co-sponsors, with emphasis on the Junta de Andalucia, the Diputación de Cádiz, the Provincial Directorate of Tourism of Cádiz, Bodegas Barbadillo and Agua en Caja Mejor. The promoter and organizer of both tournaments is JGolf.

Rafael Hernández Alcalá, Manager of the Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri opened the event by thanking “All the organizers and partners involved for having chosen Iberostar for these key events for the destination: Chiclana City Hall, Cadiz Tourism Council, Diputación de Cadiz Deportes, Royal Andalusian Golf Federation and JGolf.

Events like these are essential for the recovery of the golf tourism, golf courses, hotels and all all agents of the sector in Andaluzia. Iberostar hotels has a strong commitment to Chiclana, where they have been present for over 20 years and believe to be a “perfect gift” for the 30 years of Iberostar Real Clube de Golfe, Novo Sancti Petri.

Its design and unique location overlooking to Playa de La Barrosa, awarded as one of the best examples of ecological balance in Spain, makes an ideal place for high quality golf holidays.

Iberostar has been working to ensure the safety of all its spaces thanks to the implementation of “How We Care”, which includes more than 300 measures that guarantee a safe environment, hygiene standards, social space and innovative experiences.

The effort has been rewarded with customer satisfaction, which translates into 88% of positive reviews, from golfers and leisure clients.

Pablo Mansilla, President of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation and also on behalf of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, highlighted the importance of Golf in Andalusia: “It was a very difficult season in all aspects, but with great effort, we managed to prove that golf is a safe sport. Andalusia, Cadiz and Chiclana are a safe place to play golf tournaments. A European Tour, Alps Tour tournament was played here, this week a female from Let Access and Santander Tour, in November two tournaments of the Challenge Tour and the final of LET. We bet heavily on golf, ensuring all safety measures and success in all competitions. It is clear that golf in Andalusia is and will be a success and that we have managed to place our community at the center of the golf world ”.

Miguel Rodríguez, Territorial Delegate for Tourism, Regeneration, Justice and Local Administration of the Junta de Andalucia in Cádiz added that “we are pleased to jointly sponsor these tournaments. Golf is one of the marks of this province and one of the main drivers of tourism.”

Tee Times Golf Agency - Germany

Die Andalusien-Challenge in Spanien wird vom 5. bis 8. November und die Andalusien-Challenge in Cádiz vom 11. bis 14. November statt finden. Golfturniere, die dank des Sponsorings des Royal Spanish Golf Federation und des Royal Andalusian Golf Federation stattfinden und die Zusammenarbeit mehrerer Co-Sponsoren mit Schwerpunkt auf der Junta de Andalucia, der Diputación de Cádiz, der Tourismusdirektion der Provinz Cádiz, Bodegas Barbadillo und Agua en Caja Mejor. Der Veranstalter und Organisator beider Turniere ist JGolf.

Rafael Hernández Alcalá, Manager des Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri, eröffnete die Veranstaltung mit einem Dank an „Alle beteiligten Organisatoren und Partner, die Iberostar für diese Schlüsselveranstaltungen für das Reiseziel ausgewählt haben: Rathaus Chiclana, Tourismusrat von Cadiz, Diputación de Cadiz Deportationen, Royal Andalusian Golf Federation und JGolf.

Veranstaltungen wie diese sind für die Erholung des Golftourismus, der Golfplätze, Hotels und aller Akteure des Sektors in Andaluzien von wesentlicher Bedeutung. Iberostar Hotels haben ein starkes Engagement für Chiclana, wo sie seit über 20 Jahren präsent sind und glauben, ein „perfektes Geschenk“ für die 30 Jahre von Iberostar Real Clube de Golfe, Novo Sancti Petri, zu sein.

Das Design und die einzigartige Lage mit Blick auf Playa de La Barrosa, das als eines der besten Beispiele für ökologisches Gleichgewicht in Spanien ausgezeichnet wurde, sind ein idealer Ort für einen qualitativ hochwertigen Golfurlaub.

Iberostar hat daran gearbeitet, die Sicherheit aller seiner Räume zu gewährleisten, dank der Implementierung von “How We Care”, das mehr als 300 Maßnahmen umfasst, die eine sichere Umwelt, Hygienestandards, soziale Räume und innovative Erfahrungen gewährleisten.

Die Bemühungen wurden mit Kundenzufriedenheit belohnt, was sich 88% der positiven Bewertungen von Golfern und Leisure Kunden entspricht.

Pablo Mansilla, Präsident des Royal Andalusian Golf Federation und auch im Namen des Royal Spanish Golf Federation, betonte die Bedeutung des Golfsports in Andalusien: “Es war in jeder Hinsicht eine sehr schwierige Saison, aber mit großer Anstrengung konnten wir beweisen, dass Golf ein sicherer Sport ist. Andalusien, Cadiz und Chiclana sind ein sicherer Ort um Golfturniere zu spielen. Hier wurde ein European Tour, Alps Tour-Turnier gespielt, diese Woche eine Frau von Let Access und Santander Tour, im November zwei Turniere der Challenge Tour und das Finale von LET. Wir setzen stark auf Golf und sorgen für alle Sicherheitsmaßnahmen und den Erfolg bei allen Wettbewerben. Es ist klar, dass Golf in Andalusien ein Erfolg ist und sein wird und dass wir es geschafft haben, unsere Gemeinde in den Mittelpunkt der Golfwelt zu stellen.“

Miguel Rodríguez, territorialer Delegierter für Tourismus, Regeneration, Justiz und lokale Verwaltung der Junta de Andalucia in Cádiz, fügte hinzu: „Wir freuen uns, diese Turniere gemeinsam zu sponsern. Golf ist eines der Markenzeichen dieser Provinz und einer der Haupttreiber des Tourismus.”