Golf Experience would like to wish all their clients and their families a happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous 2006.
We look forward to seeing you all back again on the Costa del Sol in the near future.
We would like to take this opportunity make you aware of some upcoming development.
Cheap(er) Golf Returns to the Costa del Sol
Regular golfers to the Costa del Sol will have noticed the continual rise in Green fees in recent year. This has, as everyone except the golf courses management knew it would, led to a decline in the number of golfers to Europe’s favourite golf destination. Coupled with the coming on stream of 5 new courses in the last two years has meant that Golf Course Marketing executives have had to become more imaginative in terms of their offer and pricing.
The good news is that not only are green fees now actually falling but there is a myriad of offers out there including;
- Extended low and mid-season offers
- Inclusion of buggies
- Inclusion of meals
- Reduced green fees at off-peak hours.
We consider it our job to find the best value for you and integrate it in your program. Of course, flexibility, in terms of dates and course choice is sometimes required to maximize the benefit of the improved pricing climate.
Course Improvements.
Santana Golf & Country Club
Santana, now two years old and certainly one of the most popular courses on the Costa del Sol are not letting their success go to their heads and continue to make improvements. Recently they have completed work to the First tee area to alleviate congestion and have also been widening the buggy paths along certain stretches.
Atalaya Old & New
Work has started on redesigning the two courses at Atalaya and the construction of a new Clubhouse which will be central to both courses. Disruption to both courses will be minimal during the transition. The redesigned Old course will have as its jewel an 18th hole “Island” green in the middle of a lake overlooked by the new clubhouse.
San Roque New.
San Roque New has closed for re-seeding of greens and tee boxes. The dormant Bermuda” grass during the high season was deemed to be astatically unacceptable.
Expected reopening is spring 2006.
New Courses.
El Chaparral Golf Club
El Chaparral Golf Club will open in January 2006. Closed for the last 10 years, this will, we feel become a very popular course among the less demanding visitor. Set in a pine forest on the coast road just south of Fuengirola it is a pay-as-you-go club with a magnificent clubhouse. El Chaparral boasts 6 par fives, 6 par fours and 6 par threes. Green-fees during high season are set at a reasonable €65.
We walked the course recently and loved what we saw. Undulating terrain set in a pine forest with little or no concrete in sight. Most tee boxes are elevated but the greens are small. The fairways are tight but the Club Director, Jose Luis Aranguren tells me that the way the pine trees are grown they tend to propel misguided balls back onto the fairway. Now that’s marketing for you! The clubhouse and restaurant have a lovely terrace with commanding views or the Mediterranean. The course is short at 5,400 meters. The fairways may need a little time to mature but we are confident that this will have been achieved in the next couple of months.
Almenara Golf Club
Almenara have opened its wonderful new Clubhouse and restaurant “the 28th”.
This facility adds greatly to the wonderful experience that is Almenara.
Real Club de Golf Sotogrande – a must for 2006
Real Club de Golf Sotogrande has decided to free up more tee-times other than the usual 11.00-12:00 AM slots. Sotogrande have selected Golf Experience as one of a couple of Tour Operators to market these new tee times. We also have exceptionally competitive rates during 2006. When planning your trip please remember that this wonderful course can only be played during weekdays.
Car Rental Summer 2006.
Many car-rental companies are cutting back on fleet size next summer so certain car types may be in shorter supply than in previous years. We could therefore seriously urge anyone renting during the peak summer months not to delay in sending us their requests as soon as you have your flights confirmed.
Problems at Malaga Airport.
Due to the extension of Car Parking facilities at Malaga Airport the existing multistory car park can be full at certain times of the day. This can cause problems when returning cars.
Ryder Cup Reminder.
If planning a trip for next September please remember that the Ryder Cup date are September 20th – 22nd. You may either want to avoid these dates or choose tee-times which will allow you watch the play on television afterwards.
And congratulations must go to Dubliner Paul McGinley and Colin Montgonery who provided great entertainment for the ex-pats on the Costa who turned up in force to support them in their respective achievements during the recent Volvo Masters. Máith an fear Pól !!
