Designed by Dutchman Alan Rijk and located on the Chiclana coast amidst the Sancti Petri pine forests, next to one of Cádiz province’s most attractive and tourist-orientated beaches, La Estancia Golf has undergone a major refurbishment that resulted in significant improvements to its amenities.

“We’ve changed the grass on all 18 holes,” reports manager Carlos de Avilés. “Last year we finished the first nine holes. We seeded with Paspalum Vaginatum, a grass variety that is very tolerant to salinity. As we are working here with very poor water, with a high salt content, one day we decided to introduce this tough and malleable variety of grass. The course will be fully ready for play in the first week of August.”

-Have you only changed the grass or also carried out other reforms?

–No, no. We’ve placed new tees on the 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th and 18th holes. We’ve also built a new lake which, in addition to being used for irrigation and as a hazard, will also help us channel water that is concentrated on the 6th hole – a major improvement. In addition, we’- ve repaired six bunkers, work which enhances the links style of the final part of the course, with some extremely attractive holes. We’ve increased the volume and made them deeper by about one metre.

-Do these improvements leave the course in the optimum condition you desire?

–NNo, a course should always be subject to a permanent process of changes and improve- ments. What is true is that completion of this work means we will be able to offer more consistent quality throughout the year. However, we still haven’t started on other areas, such as landscaping and gardens, for example, and we plan to carry out a lot of work in this respect. We also want to introduce streams that could double as hazards and drainage reinforce- ment, as well as improving the aesthetics of the course. We will be planting new trees, boosting water storage capacity… In short, a very ambitious programme. In any event, we now have a course in perfect condition to host any kind of event, with a much higher level of maintenance.

-The great advantage of this course is that no homes interfere with play…

–Yes, that is a great advantage, though perhaps in another way not so much, because the course does not have the back-up of a real estate development – and self-financing is not easy these days. The golf business is very tough. Fewer and fewer clients are visiting us from overseas, and there are fewer flights taking them to Jerez airport. So having an urbanisation with “captive” members and golfers would not be so bad.

At the time of this interview, elections were underway for the Royal Andalucian Golf Federation, and Carlos de Avilés was keen to comment... “I really only know one candidate, (president) Ángel de la Riva. I’ve had the opportunity of working with him, shoulder to shoulder, on two or three matters, so my support is for him because he’s someone I believe deserves it.”

 

Recommended Courses