“OUR GOAL IS TO REINVENT DOÑANA GOLF”.
Closely linked for more than two decades to Matalascañas and in general to the whole province of Huelva -he never misses a Rocío-, the president of Doñana Golf, José Antonio López Casas, considered a few years ago the possibility of “doing something” with this course, and as he also has a stake in another one in Cádiz, La Estancia, in Sancti Petri, he thought of buying it. Finally, what he has done is to rent it for a period of twenty years.
López Casas has been a lawyer and businessman since the early seventies. He also had political concerns at the time. He has worked for several companies over the last forty years, always in executive positions. “And now -he says- my main occupation is to manage a toll road concessionaire in Madrid”. Although I am also a farmer,” he adds ironically, “I have an olive grove that gives me a lot of satisfaction (and some displeasure).
-Did your link with golf begin with La Estancia in Sancti Petri?
-No, I am a gambler, a bad one, but I have been a gambler for about thirty years.
-But as a golf businessman, he did start with that course in Cadiz….
-That’s right. I have a share in La Estancia, Sancti Petri with my brothers and other friends.
-How did the idea of keeping Doñana Golf come up?
-The question of buying or renting this course has been a recurring theme for several years. Finally in June 2012 we reached an agreement with Exclusivas Doñana, who are the owners of the course.
They told us that they were in a position to rent it because they were losing a lot of money and the City Council, which was, let’s say, their first sponsor, was not willing to continue providing more.
We analyzed the numbers, made a bid, won the bid and prepared to face the next twenty years. Knowing that for the first four or five years we will probably lose money.
-What are the prospects for Doñana Golf according to you?
-We are working on two parallel tracks. On the one hand, we are trying to reduce operating costs and optimize resources, which does not prevent us from making an effort to put the course in magnificent playing and maintenance conditions, which we will improve little by little. In a couple of years you will see that we have a much better course than today.
On the other hand, we are carrying out an intense work of promotion and positioning of our club in the market to increase the number of players and the income from green fees.
We want all golfers to know our product, which is excellent.
Your main objective, then, is to re-launch Doñana Golf….
-Yes, this course had its moment of being well positioned in the Spanish golf universe. Today it is not, for reasons that are not mine to deal with now, and what we want is to return it to its rightful place. Our objective is, in a way, to reinvent Doñana Golf.
-Because the product is good…
-It can be improved, of course, but it is good, very good, and it is priced.
-Could you describe your field a little bit?
-It is comfortable to play, very easy to walk and it is in a beautiful environment. This is a paradise because we are on the edge of the Doñana Park, which is a natural biosphere reserve. It is a privileged place that has very little comparison in the world.
The course, with a magnificent design, is perfectly integrated and is, according to those who understand this, very technical, with two different courses: Doñana and Atlantic.
The sum of the two makes 18 holes worth experiencing.
-The new management is already beginning to be noticed: the name, the logo, the image of the club have been changed….
-Yes, we have made it more synthetic. We have not only linked it to Dunes, but we have highlighted -I would say emphasized- the term Doñana and we have associated it to our objective, which is golf. Consequently, I believe that Doñana Golf responds better than the previous name to what we want. Besides, it is simple, well-known. I think it will be a success.
-What attractions would a golfer from Spain or the rest of Europe have to come here to play golf?
-The course is attractive enough in itself, but as I believe that life is not only about golf, we have, I insist, an impressive environment of beaches, nature, and a first class hotel and hospitality offer.
“We”, concludes the president of Doñana Golf, “have come here to bring professional management to a business which, like all businesses, will work better the more professionally it is run. We hope to create wealth for Matalascañas, Almonte, Huelva and Andalusia, as well as, of course, to earn the money we have in mind and to which we are entitled”.
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