“I leave the presidency of Valderrama very calm.”
Felipe Ortiz-Patiño, after six years in office, leaves the presidency of Valderrama Golf Club. He did not head any list in the recent elections in which the Board of Directors was renewed.
Since the beginning of May, a new president, Nuno de Brito e Cunha, has been at the helm of Spain’s most emblematic club, whose course has been considered by experts to be the number one in continental Europe year after year for decades.
-How do you see your future now?
-My future will continue in the world of golf, it will also continue to be linked to Andalusia and Spain and, although I will not be at the head of Valderrama, I will be close to the club.
-What is the status of the sale of Valderrama S.A. or its parent company, which is the lessee of the club’s facilities?
-I do not know. This is an operation in which I do not intervene and have not intervened at any time. Therefore, I do not know how the matter stands. What I do know, because all the partners and any media know it, is that in July a pre-agreement of sale was announced and in September a definitive agreement, with a payment date in mid-December. We are at the end of April and still nothing has been done.
-Does all this imply that, in some way, the Patiño family is leaving Valderrama?
-No, because as I said, nothing is done and, on the other hand, in case my father decides to sell the property, the club, of which I am a member, logically has a very special interest in being able to buy.
-You have been part of the life of this club for a long time?
-Yes, I joined the Board of Directors in 1994, I think. I was vice-president for more than ten years, and president since 2006.
-Under your presidency, as before under your father’s, great tournaments have been held here: Ryder Cup, AmEx World Championships, Volvo Masters, Andalucía Valderrama Masters, etc. Do you think this will continue, that this emblematic club will continue to host great tournaments?
-Valderrama is the best championship course in Europe, it has a unique history and therefore I believe that our club will continue to host great events. I know very well the members of the new Board of Directors and I believe that the club will continue in this line.
The Andalucía Valderrama Masters is the most important tournament organized in Spain last year and, therefore, if it is possible and economically viable, this tournament should continue.
-You want to organize this tournament, don’t you?
-The club is well aware of my position on this event. I think we have demonstrated our ability to be able to organize this type of tournament. Therefore, in case the club continues with this tournament I have offered to help and organize it.
-And what was the response?
-The elections were held very recently and it is too early for the club to make any decisions in this regard. The new board will have to look into this very soon.
-On a personal level, do you feel that an important stage in your life is coming to an end? Does all this cause you some kind of sadness, nostalgia or, on the contrary, do you feel relaxed, as if you have taken a heavy responsibility off your shoulders?
-I am very calm. I have the feeling that in all these years my contribution to the club has been very positive, first as vice-president, allowing our president to assume the leading role that corresponded to him, because of his position and his career, and since 2006 as president. I am convinced that without my contribution Valderrama would not be what it is.
We have done very good things before and after assuming the presidency, for example, the Ryder Cup, the American Express World Championships, the recovery of the Volvo Masters in 2002, the creation of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters, as well as maintaining the level of quality and service, as well as the rankings in which Valderrama appears as the best course in continental Europe, etc.
We have also consolidated a very privileged relationship with the Government of Andalusia, which I consider unique. That a golf club like ours has a relationship like this with its government is relevant and remarkable. That at the governmental level we are recognized for our importance in the tourism industry and in the promotion of the community or the country is something I am very proud of.
The club as such has also been strengthened. In the last European ranking published at Easter, Valderrama once again occupies the first place in continental Europe, so this implies an endorsement of our work and our good work. I hand over the position calmly and serenely.
-In this respect, do you think that the club will not let its guard down, that it will continue to strive to always be a European reference?
-I am convinced of that. We can see examples from elsewhere, of legendary clubs that have changed presidents and have continued on their path.
Although I have no immediate position within the club, I will continue to contribute as much as I can to ensure that Valderrama remains what it is today, that is, the best course in Spain, Europe and one of the best in the world.
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