Three months ago, Global Golf Company – the leading 360º company in the golf sector – took over management of Alhaurín Golf, one of Andalucía’s pacesetting golf complexes. The course has been somewhat “in the shade” in recent years, but thanks to the new management team it is on the rise again, with a 10-year rental contract that guarantees its long-term operation. Undoubtedly, 2018 will be a special year for Alhaurín Golf, with its return to the general day-to-day of golf on the Costa del Sol and also as it celebrates its silver anniversary.
Luis de Vierna, founding partner of Global Golf Company, explains the changes and plans for Alhaurín Golf, as well as the keys to the company’s success – in the midst of its national and international expansion.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Alhaurín Golf course, designed by the legendary Severiano Ballesteros. Are there any plans to celebrate the milestone?
Yes, we will be holding commemorative tournaments and we have events and promotions planned throughout the year, which we will be publishing on our website so that all who visit us are kept informed.
How important is this club in an Andalucian context and, more specifically, on the Costa del Sol?
For Global Golf, very much, as it is the first course we are managing on the Costa del Sol, and we hope to bring on board some more. Alhaurín is a classic on the Coast and in Málaga province, a club that is well balanced between season ticket-holders and visitors, and Spanish and foreign players – either residents or visiting through tour operators.
What are its main features and strengths?
No doubt its location near the airport, in a huge forest overlooking the sea. Also its teaching areas, its spectacular par-threes, its excellent clubhouse... And of course I have to mention some great holes, highlighted by the second, third, 13th and 18th, which are highly strategic, challenge you and provide you with some memorable shots.
How has Alhaurín Golf evolved since Global Golf took over the reins in September?
We have implemented a major programme of improvements that will be appreciated in the coming months: irrigation and pumping system, grass agronomy, buggy fleet, pro-shop, user service and bar-restaurant.
During these early weeks, has the number of season ticket-holders and occasional players increased?
We arrived with the autumn season already over, but even so we have managed to improve all the figures. Nevertheless, we still have a lot of work to do to publicise the improvements and achieve better prices.
In addition, I think it is important to highlight the work we are doing with the academy. The Global Golf Academies are one of the great pillars of our project, and in that respect we will be able to announce very important news soon. In the case of Alhaurín, the first step was to bring on board Miguel Navarro, whom we had known for years. Miguel is excellent for the Spanish market in the area.
What medium and long-term plans does Global Golf have regarding Alhaurín?
There is no doubt about this: convert it into a benchmark course and integrate it into the golfing life of the Coast. For some years now Alhaurín has been on the outer fringes of that day-to-day life, and we are going to change that.
Global Golf Company: An Inexorable Rise
Global Golf Company was founded more than 20 years ago, and today is the leading company in the sector nationwide. Broadly speaking, how has this rise been achieved?
Our goal is to continue growing, in order to have the most appropriate capacity and be able to offer, at attractive prices, a series of services and economies of scale that only a chain of courses can offer… Management programmes, insurance, central purchasing or booking, activity club, high-performance teams, etc.
What are the pillars on which Global Golf is based, at both a professional and human level?
Service to the end-user and the professionalism of our entire multi-faceted team… The development of all business elements of a golf course allows us to be very competitive when it comes to cost level. Also, we are seeking new service models for a golf club adapted to these new times. We adapt our ideas to markets that seem very different – such as, for example, Málaga and Asturias – but in the end, taking into account the essence of customer service, they are not that much different at all.
Last year was an especially fruitful one for the company, having – in just a few months – taken over the management of several courses throughout the country. What have been the keys to achieving this? Are there plans for new agreements to be signed in the short term?
We will continue to grow, carefully and sensibly, in Spain and elsewhere. With fewer than 20 courses under management we will not be major players in the European industry; nor with fewer than 40 worldwide. We want to incorporate new managers who help us take on new courses.
On the other hand, we have also recently moved into the international sphere with the management of Urubó Golf Country Club, a luxurious real estate and sports project located in Santa Cruz (Bolivia).
What other plans does Global Golf have at an international level?
Global Golf has had and always has a significant overseas projection. Our first project was 23 years ago with The Havana Golf Club. We have managed courses in Morocco, Portugal, Latin America... and we want to continue to be present in those markets, because our working formula is very valid for them. We also want to manage partner courses, where we can offer an extremely interesting service to their boards of directors.
Unquestionably, Global Golf is a reference point in the management and revitalisation of golf clubs. Why is this so? What is your modus operandi in managing golf clubs?
I like that word you have used. We do revitalise golf courses. From maintenance to the clubhouse, its catering and hospitality, and the academy, we revitalise marketing and communication, and sales.
At a golf club we all have to sell, and to that end one very important aspect is our communication with and reporting to the owners of the golf courses. Although we have rented the course, we still like to share data and the evolution of our management progress with the course owners.
The company also has other business operations related to the sector: Global Golf Invest, pro-shops, catering... What unites all these brands? What is the main objective in their overall strategy?
These operational lines allow us to increase our scale of business and make ourselves known in other areas that still do not want to completely hand over, rent out or out-source their management. It is very important to be well prepared as an attractive company option for investment funds in order to continue growing.
Management of golf amenities is very much behind that of hotel management, and we have to make a firm commitment to rectifying that situation.
The Best Holes at Alhaurín Golf
Hole 2: a par-4 with stunning views of the clubhouse, Sierra de Coín mountain range and Marbella. Being downhill you can reach the green comfortably, with a good shot always rewarded.
Hole 3: a large, level par-3 of 160 metres from the yellow markers, with a green shaped like a crème caramel and surrounded by two bunkers.
Hole 13: a strategic downhill hole of 343 metres and handicap-8, with a ravine about 200 metres from the tee and a small and undulating green.
Hole 18: a par-5 of 505 metres with a large lake on the right that comes into play for the first two shots, especially for big-hitters who take the risk of reaching the green in two. A large and relatively level green provides the opportunity of enjoying a happy ending to a magnificent day of golf.
