One of the most venerable clubs in Spain, Royal Guadalmina has been a golfing standard-bearer since its inauguration in 1959 – having never lost even a shred of its classic essence and grandeur right up until today.

The same year that President Eisenhower arrived in Madrid for an official visit coincided with Guadalmina Golf officially opening its doors to the public. Endowed with a meticulous design by Javier Arana, creator of the original layout (South Course), followed in 1973 by Folco Nardi’s North Course, Guadalmina has become established as one of Spain’s premier golf clubs.

The demiurge of the club, which is considered the golfing “dean” of Marbella and only surpassed in seniority on the Costa del Sol by Club de Campo de Málaga (today known as Parador de Málaga Golf), was Basque agronomist Norberto Goizueta, who acquired the plot in 1934 for 505,000 pesetas (about 3,000 euros), 400 hectares of farmland through which Guadalmina River flowed.

Durante veinticinco años se desarrolló una intensa actividad ligada a la tierra, con predominio de recolección de caña de azúcar, y a las múltiples posibilidades de riqueza que ello generaba para la zona. Muy lejos de la que sería la verdadera y definitiva utilización de aquel terreno que cambiaría cinco lustros después los tonos terrosos por la tonalidad verde.

Goizueta era habitual de una tertulia madrileña en la que compartía conversación con Ricardo Soriano, marqués de Ivanrey. El primero acababa de comprar una finca de 22 hectáreas en Rodeo Alto y Rodeo Bajo que cedió al marqués ya que la escritura aún no había sido firmada. Tiempo después, dialogando ambos sobre lo divino y lo humano, surgió la posibilidad de

For 25 years, the land was subject to intensive development, with sugar cane harvesting predominant, and it generated multiple revenue options for the area. Quite distinctive to what would become its definitive use…transforming it from earthy tones to verdant green.

Goizueta was a regular at Madrid social gatherings, where he enjoyed conversing with Ricardo Soriano, Marquess of Ivanrey. The former had just bought a 22-hectare estate in Rodeo Alto and Rodeo Bajo, which he sold to the Marquis because the deed had not yet been signed. Later on, when they were chatting about the divine and the human, the possibility arose of exporting an attractive tourist model to Marbella based on sport, which presented the perfect excuse to start construction of Guadalmina’s first nine holes. In the mid-1990s, Marbella barely had 10,000 inhabitants (around 150,000 today).

At that time, talking about bermuda grass for the greens was laughable. In Sevilla there were courses based on sand and diesel oil, a model that could not be exported to a budding tourist area such as the Costa del Sol. At that time the only course existing in Málaga province was Club de Campo de Málaga, which was sandy. It can, therefore, be argued that the first Costa del Sol golf course featuring modern standards was Guadalmina.

Soriano, Hohenlohe and Banús

Ricardo Soriano was followed by Alfonso de Hohenlohe, also with aristocratic blood, and José Banús, linked to Spain’s political power establishment thanks to his good relationship with General Franco, based on the construction of the El Pilar and La Concepción neighbourhoods in Madrid. Golf and the inauguration of Puerto Banús would be keys to the development of the Costa del Sol as the major tourist destination it is become today.

All three qualify as true Marbella pioneers, although unquestionably Norberto Goizueta should be assigned a starring role in the discovery of one of continental Europe’s prime tourist areas. Goizueta was a visionary and one of the pioneers of golf in this country. His passion for travelling, and for other cultures, are key to understanding his entrepreneurial spirit.

Attracted by golf complexes located in the United States and applying his knowledge as an agronomist, he entrusted Javier Arana with the design of the first nine holes at Guadalmina (the course took the name of the river that surrounds part of its layout), which become one of the first courses in Andalucía when it was inaugurated in 1959. The remaining holes were completed by Folco Nardi, and in 1964 the 18-hole South Course was a reality.

Royal Title

Granted royal status in 2008 by King Juan Carlos, the club is home to a treasure trove of memories over six decades, highlighted by the presence of many illustrious personalities who have helped consolidate its prestigious status and fame. In addition, since its early days, it has also made an impact in the world of top competition, as host to major events organised by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and Royal Andalucian Golf Federation, as well as being the venue for top national and international events, including the Spanish Ladies Open on the European Tour, played at the South Course last year, and the the European Tour Qualifying School in 1995 and 1996.

If, however, there is one aspect that has especially helped Guadalmina stand out during its long and distinguished history, it is the club’s unmistakeable commitment to charitable causes aimed at alleviating the suffering of others, with many individuals and organisations also offering their strong support. The Spanish Fight Against Cancer Association, New Future, Spanish Red Cross and Manos Unidas have, thanks to Guadalmina’s generous patronage, been able to undertake aid projects in Spain and around the world.

Era of Splendour

Fulfilling Norberto Goizueta portents, it was from the 1960s when the club began to enjoy an era of maximum splendour. People came from all over Europe to play golf at Guadalmina and many, attracted by the extensive dimensions of the area’s plots, about 5,000 metres in the southern part, bought properties and settled here. The northern part was offered in 1,000-metre plots, which in 1986 would be sold in blocks. During the summer season, many lavish parties were held, attended by the crème de la crème of society, and the grandest families in Europe, which enabled the club, Marbella and the Costa del Sol to enjoy a significant international projection.

King Juan Carlos, the Marquess of Nájera and the Countess of Windsor, who presented prizes for the Cup event that bore her name and which was played at Guadalmina, were just some of the illustrious visitors at the time.

Others who have helped consolidate Royal Guadalmina Golf Club’s stellar image include keen golfer Sean Connery, Ataulfo ​​de Orleans y Borbón, Marisa de Borbón, Empress Soraya of Persia, Bessie Wallis Warfield, the Duchess of Windsor, the Marquess of Viluma, the Count of Villapadierna and ex-presidents of Spain Adolfo Suárez and José María Aznar.

Actors such as Stanley Baker and Lily Palmer and great blues singers like Duke Ellington were others who formed part of the club’s famous history. Leading authorities and powerful families in Spanish banking, attracted by the area’s peace and tranquillity, also made Guadalmina their second home.

When the then minister for tourism, Manuel Fraga Iribarne, opened the golf course, he was given a bag of clubs and jokingly commented, "How much satisfaction it must be to give a minister so many hits!"

The Wonderful Guadalmina Family

Norberto Goizueta had a dream: to create a golf club, and a project that provided prosperity to Marbella and San Pedro de Alcántara. From the first day he had partners who became great friends, friends of the family who became partners, children who were coached at the caddies school and who built a future thanks to the club, faithful workers who, after dozens of years, are still part of the staff… these are all members of the wonderful Royal Guadalmina Golf Club family.

Even during difficult times, the Goizueta family and workers remained united. They never stopped paying salaries and it is difficult to remember any labour conflict with the workforce.

Everyone is aware that golf never rests – 365 days a year. For a golfer, coming to play on 1 January was the best way to start the New Year. In Guadalmina they could do this, starting their round as the first rays of sun hit the course.

Royal Guadalmina’s success lies in the fact that many generations of different backgrounds have been intimately linked to the club at important moments in their lives and this is still true for the club's current staff, with Ignacio del Cuvillo in charge as director and Juan Ramón Martínez Landazábal as president.

Royal Guadalmina has been and still is an extremely cosmopolitan club, with a great variety of nationalities (around 20 today), predominantly Spanish (approximately half of the membership). There is a large presence of Britons and golfers from the Nordic countries, and a significant number of Italians, Germans and French.

In addition to those undertaken for maintenance and improvements to the golf courses, in recent years considerable investments have been earmarked for the renovation of club facilities, highlighted by the construction of a new maintenance warehouse, a new building that houses the club storage room, the shop and caddy master, and a gymnasium.

New Sporting Challenges

One positive consequence of this remodelling initiative was a series of major sporting challenges knocking on the door of the club: the European Senior Masters Championship, the Marissa Sgaravatti Trophy, the Spanish Pitch & Putt Championship, the Santi Ollé Memorial, the Inter-Regional Championship, the women’s national championships in all categories and the men's Andalucian Cup four times which – together with the Norberto Goizueta Memorial – provide two key tests for the world rankings, as well as the Puerta de Hierro Cup that was played at Royal Guadalmina thanks to his triumph in the previous edition in La Cañada, by Guadalmina member Ángel Hidalgo Portillo, the current national champion. On a professional level, the club has also hosted an Alps Tour event, the Spanish national women's championship and the aforementioned Spanish Ladies Open, "the most demanding test for our club’s organisational capacity", according to Cuvillo. "That ended with the greatest success imaginable, victory by our honorary member and star graduate from our academy, Azahara Muñoz Guijarro.”

 

New Facilities

Over the almost 30 years since it changed hands in 1989, after the establishment of Guadalmina Golf SA, the club has seen how the number of shareholders has increased, compared to the former subscriber totals when it was under the management of the Goizueta family.

In order to meet the needs of this membership group, several projects have been carried out, including an expansion of the cafeteria and surrounding terraces, the creation of an exclusive gym for members, and a children's club.

A new shop has been built in an adjourning building, which houses the caddy master and a new club storage area, and provides a buggy nursery and electric trolley fleet.

"We have improved the practice facilities," explains the club's director, "with the construction of a putting green, chipping area and practice bunker, and a covered platform, and shortly we will open a new area with identical facilities, which will offer members two options, as well as being the official headquarters of the Guadalmina Academy, which is undoubtedly the best exponent of how we envisage the Royal Guadalmina club philosophy being.”

A Firm Commitment

In the early 1990s the great coach Francisco Hernández Núñez proposed to the then Guadalmina director, Álvaro Beamonte, that it would be a good idea to promote the club through the creation of an academy.

Guadalmina had been represented at junior level by players who mostly belonged to other clubs in Madrid, Bilbao, Sevilla, etc. However, with the arrival of the new shareholders, the first juniors were coached and raised at Guadalmina with the help of Nina Digsmed. "And they started to dream,” says Cuvillo, "names like Ibáñez, Cabanillas, Osorio, Gutiérrez Oneto, Muñoz Guijarro, Holgado, Araujo, Ruiz, Peña, Mencía, Gómez, Hernández, and so on and so on, who enhanced the club’s prestige. Over the years a training program for golfers, and close colleagues, has been developed and they have represented us at golf courses throughout Spain, sometimes with more success than others, but always offering a fine example of good behaviour.”

Today the club allocates a significant economic amount to guarantee that new players will have the opportunity to develop their sports careers at an amateur level and, if their destiny so determines it, in the professional ranks. Proof of this is showcased in an annual pro-am in which the 18 professionals are school alumni and the amateurs are current students.

The school is currently run by Casto Gómez - who himself has seen how his two sons have graduated from the academy and today are promising young golfers - assisted by Elena Peña, Salvador Ruiz and David Mencía.

“At Guadalmina we take care of all aspects of player training including psychological, pedagogical and physical aspects.”