“If a major tournament returns to Valderrama, the course will be ready.”
The shadow of a major world-class tournament is hovering over Valderrama, although Javier Reviriego, its general manager, is keeping quiet about it. Discretion is undoubtedly one of the characteristics of this emblematic golf club.
Elected Manager of the Year 2012 by Club Manager Spain, Reviriego speaks openly about the reforms that affect and will affect the scenario of the historic 1997 Ryder Cup.
-Why has this improvement plan been undertaken?
-The new Board of Directors has entrusted me with the task of improving the course significantly. The course, of course, was already good, but the idea is that we reach world-class standards, and that is what we are working on. Our medium-term objective is to continue improving the course, to continue renovating it, because it is a course that has been around for years (it was inaugurated, under the name of Las Aves, in 1974, and in 1985 Jaime Ortiz-Patiño renamed it Valderrama), so that it can once again be as high as possible in the world rankings. Not only do we want it to be as well presented as possible for our members and visitors, but we also want it to be prepared in case a major tournament returns to Valderrama.
The plan has a five-year duration and so far, among other things, the bunkers have been completely renovated, the buggy paths have been repaired and the irrigation system has been improved. What will be the next major action on the course?
-The next major work, and major investment, that we are going to undertake will consist of changing the hydraulic irrigation system we have to a new digital electric system. There are practically no more fields with hydraulic systems, and it is a very important work because we have to dig trenches, redistribute the sprinklers, etc. We are now in the process of evaluating this work and deciding when it will be done, because we will probably have to close nine holes and then the other nine. It cannot be done with the course open. The work would take a couple of months or three. What is going to start immediately is a work that will affect four or five greens that are somewhat contaminated with weeds. We are going to lift them up, change them completely and mow them. Our policy with the field is that it should be completely sanitized and free of weeds.
-Are modifications to the original design contemplated?
-We are not going to make any changes in the design because we think that Robert Trent Jones’ design is sacred, it cannot be touched. We could in any case lengthen a hole to adapt to the new times, but this course is so protected that it really doesn’t need to be longer.
-Any other projects that do not directly affect the playing field?
-We have a project to build, in the medium or long term, a small hotel of ten or twelve rooms in an area of the clubhouse, next to the parking lots. It would be a hotel for members and guests. It is a model that many American clubs have, and Loch Lomond in Scotland as well, with large, spacious rooms.
-This year Andalusia has not hosted any European Tour tournament, something that has not happened since 1987. How do you assess this fact?
-I always say it when I go to tourism forums or I am asked: the tourism business model of Andalusia for many years has worked quite well because, among other things, there were European Tour tournaments and people, from home, in many countries, had the opportunity to see high level courses, with good players and good weather. That is fundamental and I hope that the Ministry of Tourism (of the Junta de Andalucía) reconsiders its position with respect to golf tournaments because I think it is a very profitable way to promote a destination, and it is more than demonstrated with many studies, it is not just a personal opinion. Ideally, good tournaments should be held, not just any good tournaments, but top-notch tournaments. What happened a few years ago when there were four or five tournaments was perhaps excessive, especially if they are small tournaments, with a relatively small amount of prize money. I don’t think that should be the model; the model should be two tournaments that have impact, with world-class players. That’s what really gives visibility and helps promote the destination. It is so obvious that the whole world is doing it, and among our competitors such as Turkey, they are adopting the model that Andalusia adopted years ago, that is, to hold important tournaments, and it is giving them results. It would be good if we could take that path again… it would be good, yes.
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