“Machinery budgets are still very restrictive.”
Julián Lara, founder and president of Riversa, a leading company in Spain in machinery and irrigation systems for golf courses, with almost forty years of activity in the sector, talks about the present, past and future of this economic segment… among other things.
1 – How would you describe the current situation of the golf course machinery sector in Spain?
-I would rather define it as lethargic. During the years of crisis, which also affected the golf industry a lot, budgets were restricted and that affected personnel and of course machinery, and although the situation at the courses is improving, budgets are still very restrictive.
2 -With the crisis, have the farms really invested or are they investing in machinery what they need for optimal maintenance?
-I understand that during the crisis they did not invest in anything, taking into account that most of the courses were making losses, but now, in the last two years, the situation is changing and they are still not investing. I think this is a big mistake, since the most important asset of a golf club is the course and, if you want to have a good product, you have to invest in it to maintain a quality offer.
3 -What have technological innovations meant for irrigation installations in golf courses?
-Irrigation systems for golf courses have evolved a lot in recent years and all the innovation has been aimed at controlling water use. Today we don’t talk about water expenditure but about water savings. We have systems like Toro’s Linx that allow us to control every liter of water we consume, second by second.
4 – Have better fields been made in the present century than when you started 38 years ago?
-The traditional classic courses have been very difficult to improve, among other things because they have not been given the soil that a good course requires. With exceptions such as Nuevo Prat in Barcelona or Soto de Manzanaque in Madrid, the rest have not surpassed the classics of the 20th century.
5 – Have there been any revolutionary innovations in maintenance machinery in the last four decades?
-Innovation and improvement in maintenance machinery has gone in the direction of cutting quality and productivity, as well as better ergonomics, and in that sense there have been great advances. Today you can see fairways cut with a quality similar to the greens of 20 years ago. They have also been concerned about the environment, both in terms of noise levels and emissions. In fact, the machines produced this year comply with international TIER IV standards.
6-What are the keys, in your opinion, to make a good golf course?
-I would say that there are three plus one. This means that there are three keys to make a good field and one more, which is its subsequent maintenance. Therefore, to make a good field it is necessary to have a good soil -minimum 70 hectares-, a good design and a good construction.
7-It seems that the Spanish economy is starting to pick up steam, albeit slowly. Are you noticing this recovery in the golf sector?
-Golf courses, especially tourist destinations such as the Costa del Sol, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, in the last two years have greatly improved their occupancy, and in some cases are even breaking records in the number of players. Although this is not yet reflected in revenues due to price reductions and the VAT hike, which was a major blow last year.
The rest of the fields continue to have a hard time, especially the member clubs due to a drop in membership and loss of fee income.
8 -Do you think that the political authorities are aware of the importance of golf courses for tourism and employment generation?
Politicians and parties have a clear slogan regarding golf: they are anti-golf. Some are aware of the wealth that golf can generate, especially in tourist destinations. But they don’t acknowledge it publicly because it would be frowned upon for a politician to speak well of golf.
This is a pending issue that we have had for many years in Spain and we have not found a way to convince politicians. In other countries around us, such as Portugal, France, Germany, not to mention England, political support for viable projects is unconditional.
9 -High water consumption for golf course irrigation is an issue often criticized by environmental groups. What arguments do you have to refute these criticisms?
-Environmentalists are another group that opposes golf on principle. And water consumption is one of their most used arguments.
First of all, the consumptions are far from what they say. They talk about 400,000 cubic meters per year per 18-hole course, and that is not true.
Consumption depends on the area to be irrigated, the type of soil, the climate, the type of grass, etc. But, in any case, today there are irrigation systems that control every liter of water used and in no case these figures are reached.
Secondly, in many communities in Spain it is stipulated by law that water used for irrigation of golf courses must be recycled, which means that water is reused instead of being thrown away.
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