Good News

Eduardo García Palacios

Good news at last. No, it is not that the tax collector Montoro has decided to retire to a cloistered monastery to atone for the affronts committed against the dwindling peculium of his fellow countrymen, no. I am reminded of the phrase of the reviled Ronald Reagan about the long-suffering paganinis: “The taxpayer is the only person who works for the Administration without having to pass competitive examinations”. Funny, isn’t it?

Anyway, the good news is that the European Tour has once again set its eyes on Andalusia, and more specifically on the Costa del Sol.

The Tour returns to this land of promise for golfers after more than a year without any major international professional tournaments. After the splendid seasons of 2010, 2011 and 2012, in which they played nine competitions of the European Tour and another five of the Ladies and Senior European Tour, last year Andalusia did not enjoy internationally renowned events.

The crisis has obviously reduced sponsors, including the once wealthy Junta de Andalucía, who can no longer assume the millionaire costs of sponsoring a top category tournament. Let’s be realistic, let’s resign ourselves and accept the harsh reality. The fat cows are over, and it will be increasingly difficult to relive those times of the great tournaments: the Ryder Cup, the American Express World Championships, the Volvo World Match Play Championships, the Volvo Masters?

In any case, we have to be optimistic and look with good face every event that projects again this great tourist golf destination that is the Costa del Sol. The television broadcasts will take the image of Costa del Sol golf around the world, and its mark will be imprinted in the minds of the fans of this sport.

Now it is the turn of the NH Collection Open, a new tournament in the international calendar, scoring for both the European Tour and the Challenge Tour. The setting for the launch of this debut competition is one of the best courses in Spain: La Reserva de Sotogrande, a magnificent creation of the American designer Cabell B. Robinson, a disciple of Robert Trent Jones.

And the good news of the Tour’s return to the Costa del Sol comes with another piece of good news: golf fans will be able to enjoy the NH Collection Open free of charge. The new tournament will open its doors wide to all spectators to facilitate their attendance to this competition, which will bring together veteran and consolidated players with great promises of this sport.

The tournament is the debut of La Reserva de Sotogrande as a venue for the European Tour, although the course is already an old acquaintance for the many fans who have enjoyed its beauty and quality since it was inaugurated in 2003. Cabell B. Robinson is happy that another of his designs will host an important international competition, as was already the case at Finca Cortesin, which hosted three editions of the Volvo World Match-Play World Championship.

“La Reserva de Sotogrande is one of my favorite layouts, of which I am very proud,” says Cabell. “The tournament,” he adds, “will be a great boost for this area of Andalusia, where some of the best courses in Spain are located. We have to show the world the quality of the courses we have in this country”.

Well, that’s where we are. You know, in April you have an unavoidable date with good golf at La Reserva de Sotogrande. And for free.

Don’t let Montoro find out.