Costa del Golf Continues to Reign Supreme
The golfing spotlight was focused on Spain this past week, and undoubtedly the most entertaining highlight was a hole-in-one by the “the world’s most interesting golfer”. Of modest Málaga-born origins but now a mega-popular global star, Miguel Ángel Jiménez achieved the feat in the second round of the Spanish Open being played at El Prat in Cataluña.
It wasn’t so much the shot (his ninth ace on the European Tour, which equalled Colin Montgomerie’s record) but his now-customary celebration on the tee – an amusing kind of hybrid Three Musketeer-Michael Jackson celebratory jig – that once again stamped his name in the annals of trending topic and You Tube fame (and earned him a prize of 288 bottles of beer).
In the final round he nearly aced the same hole again, and eagled the fifth (cue: another performance of the Jiménez dance routine), eventually finishing joint second behind Englishman James Morrison in a worthy defence of the title he won in 2014 (for the first time in his career) at 50 years of age.
While Jiménez was strutting his stuff in northern Spain, back down south there was some more serious golfing business making the headlines on the Costa del Sol.
Re-designed by Greg Norman, El Prat might have been gaining widespread plaudits among players and pundits as an admirable test for one of the European Tour’s most venerable events, but, in an authoritative annual poll by Leadingcourses.com, Valderrama and Finca Cortesín were chosen as the best courses in Spain.
Number one-placed Valderrama, located in Sotogrande at the western end of the Costa del Sol, was the 1997 Ryder Cup venue (as well as long-time host of the Volvo Masters) and runner-up Finca Cortesín (also recently named “best national resort” at the Condé Nast Traveller España Awards) hosted the World Match Play Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
[caption id="attachment_3241" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Jiménez and Morrison[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3239" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Michael Campbell[/caption]
The announcement of this dual “Costa del Golf” honour coincided with the Andalucía Golf Trophy, hosted by the influential International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) and held at the Villa Padierna resort between Marbella and Estepona.
Bringing together more than 50 tour operator members of the IAGTO from 17 countries, as well as golf travel industry heavyweights from throughout Andalucía, the trophy comprised a series of networking functions, destination briefings, a one-day workshop of scheduled meetings, a gala dinner and a bespoke golf tournament on the Flamingos golf course at Villa Padierna Palace Hotel (where Michelle Obama and one of her and the US president’s daughters stayed during their Spanish summer holiday in 2010).
Another highlight for the participants was the opportunity of playing one hole with 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell, who is now the resort’s brand ambassador and oversees its golf academy.
Golf is one of the Andalucian region’s key attractions, for both tourists (425,000 golfing visitors a year) and expatriate residents seeking a new or second home where they can play the sport throughout the year. The region has nearly 120 golf courses, and half of those are on the Costa del Sol – which is justifiably acclaimed as continental Europe’s premier golf destination.
As IAGTO chief executive Philip Walton noted during the event at Villa Padierna, “It was pleasing to see that the region’s golf courses are in tremendous condition while prices have remained incredibly competitive, allowing the tour operators to lead on genuine value for money in their winter-season promotions, whatever the golf traveller is looking for.”
Added Luciano Alonso, acting minister of tourism and commerce in the Andalucian government, “The visit of so many operators to the region was a unique opportunity to improve their knowledge of our golf destinations, the diversity of the golf courses and Andalucía’s wide-ranging complementary offering. They were also able to witness the great value of our golf product and see the huge potential that our destination still offers.”
For golfers looking to take advantage of these prime golfing amenities, one particularly breathtaking property available for sale is the villa featured here. Located within the gated, 24-hour-secure Marbella Club Golf Resort, the house blends Moorish charm with contemporary style, and offers 360-degree views from the Benahavís foothills towards Gibraltar and the northern African coast – and across the prestigious golf course.
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Jiménez and Morrison[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3239" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Michael Campbell[/caption]
The announcement of this dual “Costa del Golf” honour coincided with the Andalucía Golf Trophy, hosted by the influential International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) and held at the Villa Padierna resort between Marbella and Estepona.
Bringing together more than 50 tour operator members of the IAGTO from 17 countries, as well as golf travel industry heavyweights from throughout Andalucía, the trophy comprised a series of networking functions, destination briefings, a one-day workshop of scheduled meetings, a gala dinner and a bespoke golf tournament on the Flamingos golf course at Villa Padierna Palace Hotel (where Michelle Obama and one of her and the US president’s daughters stayed during their Spanish summer holiday in 2010).
Another highlight for the participants was the opportunity of playing one hole with 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell, who is now the resort’s brand ambassador and oversees its golf academy.
Golf is one of the Andalucian region’s key attractions, for both tourists (425,000 golfing visitors a year) and expatriate residents seeking a new or second home where they can play the sport throughout the year. The region has nearly 120 golf courses, and half of those are on the Costa del Sol – which is justifiably acclaimed as continental Europe’s premier golf destination.
As IAGTO chief executive Philip Walton noted during the event at Villa Padierna, “It was pleasing to see that the region’s golf courses are in tremendous condition while prices have remained incredibly competitive, allowing the tour operators to lead on genuine value for money in their winter-season promotions, whatever the golf traveller is looking for.”
Added Luciano Alonso, acting minister of tourism and commerce in the Andalucian government, “The visit of so many operators to the region was a unique opportunity to improve their knowledge of our golf destinations, the diversity of the golf courses and Andalucía’s wide-ranging complementary offering. They were also able to witness the great value of our golf product and see the huge potential that our destination still offers.”