“Finca Cortesín has something very special: its own character”.
Almost five years later, Francisco de Lancastre returns to Finca Cortesín, where he was Director of Golf for two years at the prestigious Costa del Sol resort. Now, after having been general manager of the three courses managed by Troon International in Abu Dhabi, he returns as general manager of Golf and Leisure Operations at a key moment for this acclaimed resort, host of the Solheim Cup 2023.
Hosting the great intercontinental event of women’s team golf will be another great milestone for Finca Cortesín after having hosted three editions of the Volvo World Match Play Championship (2009, 2011 and 2012) and the most prominent figures in world golf.
About his experience in the United Arab Emirates, Francisco de Lancastre says that “it was fantastic, not only as a professional progression but also as a personal experience”. Now, he is “delighted” with his return to the Malaga resort.
-How has the reunion been, has Finca Cortesin changed a lot since you left?
– The truth is that Finca Cortesin is a very special resort and golf course and everything I have found has been a continuous improvement of how good it was when I was here as Director of Golf. It is incredible to see the consistency of quality that the resort has. After almost five years, the feeling is like I haven’t left.
-Among the improvements and changes that have been made, what is the most noteworthy in your opinion?
-There have been several, but the most significant has been the change of grass on the greens. When I was Director of Golf, we were already planning the change of greens from Agrostis to Bermuda mini green, and it is fantastic to see now, years after it was done, how well it has gone and how it has helped to improve the quality of the course and maintain it all the times of the year. And not only for the quality of play, putting quality, but also for its sustainability, in terms of saving water, chemicals, fertilizers, etc.
-Environmental care is one of the hallmarks of Finca Cortesín, one of the golf courses that uses the largest volume of reclaimed water for irrigation in…
-That’s right. Sustainability is a priority for us, and increasingly so. We work with various institutions to improve all the sustainability issues of the golf course. The grass species we have are already a very important step in this direction, as is having 100 percent recycled water from Acosol (the public company that supplies reclaimed water). Apart from that, we have other initiatives such as nests for native birds and beehives, which contribute positively to the ecosystem, while in the near future we will produce our own honey, for consumption at the resort.
-You arrive at a very important time for Finca Cortesín because of the upcoming Solheim Cup. What does this mean for the golf course and the resort?
-I love the experience of international tournaments. In the last almost five years I have had the opportunity to be directly involved in several tournaments on the Ladies European Tour and the European Tour with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Rolex Series. The Solheim Cup is an event of worldwide relevance that will have a very significant impact not only for Finca Cortesin, but also for the Costa del Sol and Andalusia.
As I said, the resort is very well consolidated, the golf course is a reference at European and world level, as is our Hotel, and there will be no major changes, but we will give it all the necessary attention so that the week of the tournament the golf course will be in a fantastic condition, as well as the entire resort prepared to receive an event of this magnitude. We are very excited that Finca Cortesin will remain forever connected to the history of world golf.
-Is the course going to be a special challenge for the Solheim Cup players?
– I think Cabell Robinson’s design suits the match play very well. Already at the Volvo World Match Play the players loved the strategy of the course itself, and I think for the Solheim Cup the players are going to have the same feeling. It’s a perfect course for match play.
-Will the resort hotel be used as team headquarters?
-Yes, the hotel will also be part of the event. It will host the teams from the United States and Europe, and the truth is that I can’t think of a better hotel to host an event of such global relevance as the Solheim Cup. The logistics for the teams will be perfect, the players will be able to walk to the clubhouse and the treatment they will receive will be fantastic.
-Finca Cortesín has always been known for supporting women’s golf. What is the resort’s involvement in this aspect?
-The truth is that supporting women’s golf is a firm commitment of the Finca Cortesín property. We have given firm support to Noemí Jiménez for the last five years and to Laura Gómez more recently, and in the future this collaboration will probably be extended to other players.
-What in your opinion is the highlight of Finca Cortesin, what sets it apart from other golf resorts?
-I have worked in several resorts worldwide and in the end Finca Cortesin has something very special, which is its own character. When you are here it is easy to understand that it is at a different level, for its quality, but also for its simplicity. The hotel is a world reference, as is the golf course. The truth is that the work of Íñigo Soto (greenkeeper) is fantastic and for me a reference, as is the whole team at the Resort and Club, who every day try to deliver “the Finca Cortesín experience” to our customers. And then everything that is around, such as the real estate product, which for its quality gives an incredible added value to our business model and creates a sense of consistency very appreciable in all business areas of the resort.
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GOLF, HOTEL AND SPA
Finca Cortesin is an independent luxury golf, hotel and spa destination located in the hills of southern Spain between Marbella and Sotogrande. With views of the Mediterranean on one side and the tranquil Casares Mountains on the other, Finca Cortesin was designed in the style of a traditional Spanish finca.
Opened in March 2006 and set on 215 hectares, the prestigious Andalusian development is a member of the exclusive European Tour Properties network. Its world-class facilities include an elegant 67-suite hotel, the Hotel Cortesin, a magnificent 18-hole championship golf course with the state-of-the-art Jack Nicklaus Academy, a 6,000-square-meter beach club and an award-winning spa featuring the only snow cave in Spain and customized treatments from French beauty brand Biologique Recherche.
Hotel Cortesin offers a choice of four restaurants, including El Jardin de Lutz, which serves authentic Spanish cuisine, and the exclusive Japanese restaurant Kabuki Raw. The resort also features an exclusive collection of villas that are available for purchase or rental.
Surrounding the hotel is the acclaimed 18-hole championship golf course designed by world-renowned architect Cabell Robinson. The par-72 course, one of the longest in Europe (almost 6,900 meters), received worldwide recognition when it was awarded the honor of hosting the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2012, with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald.
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