The club he manages, which has two 18-hole courses, Los Lagos and Los Olivos, both designed by the prestigious Robert Trent Jones, has been and continues to be one of the most popular on the Costa del Sol. Unfortunately, unfortunately, those longed-for situations in which the 36 holes were not enough to satisfy so much demand for play have long since disappeared. Lorenzo Pérez Cortés, with a wide management experience in different companies of the tourist sector, talks about his club and other issues.
-Mijas Golf has recently completed the refurbishment of its two courses. How will players notice the great effort you have made?
-The Los Lagos course has increased 169 yards from the white bars, 300 yards from the yellow bars and 148 yards from the red bars, now measuring a total of 6,536. The course is back to its original par 72, the 15th hole is now a par 5 from a par 3, and the 16th hole, which was a par 4, is now a par 3.
The most notable changes are the larger greens, built according to USGA specifications. The tee platforms have also been modified, enlarging them as well, and now allowing to increase or decrease the difficulty of the course as desired. The irrigation and drainage systems are completely new, which will make it possible to play at any time of the year (even during or after torrential rains). The new car paths will allow the buggy to be used 365 days a year, thus solving the cumbersome inconveniences we had due to rain.
Areas that were not part of the game before, will now have much prominence; taking advantage of some areas of the terrain that had not been taken into account.
Also noteworthy are the new types of grass, more suited to the climate of the area: on tees, fairways and rough, Hibrid Bermuda Princess 77; and on greens and for greens, Agrostis Estolonifera 007 Variety.
The image of the course is now different. The grass only becomes part of the game, limited to the design of the course, which has been complemented and enhanced with more natural areas that did not exist before, the grove has been extended with the planting of more than 350 new trees, etc. Finally, the contrast between the soft contours of Los Lagos and the striking presence of our new “Puente-bola” leave no one indifferent, and we believe that tradition and innovation are present in the same landscape.
-Could you say that Los Lagos and Los Olivos are at the top of their game right now?
-Regarding Los Lagos, no doubt about it. The course has improved dramatically since last winter and this is evidenced by the comments from our customers on social networks, giving us congratulations after playing.
At Los Olivos we still have to improve several aspects, such as the bunkers and a few other details, but the improvement after the hiring of our new greenkeeper has also been very significant.
-The province of Malaga has registered one of the best summers in history in terms of tourist occupancy. Has this increase in visitors also been noticed in golf?
-Yes, we have definitely noticed an increase in the domestic player, but much more from abroad, and especially from visitors from Northern Europe. We believe that the conflicts in countries like Turkey and Egypt have caused this influx of new golfers during the summer period.
Is having two 18-hole courses on the Costa del Sol an advantage or a handicap at the moment?
-Having two golf courses has been and always will be an advantage, because you can satisfy the demand of golfers of different sizes in high and medium occupancy periods, and hold competitions in low season, while your members and societies play on the other course without being affected to a great extent by it.
-Nowadays, reservations are no longer made as far in advance as they used to be. What problems does this create for the fields?
-Above all, the lack of foresight and planning. So, unlike other courses and/or companies in the tourism sector, at Mijas Golf Club we try to encourage reservations made in advance and prepayments, rather than the “last minute” philosophy, which leaves your business to the drift and whim of last minute customers, who only come for price and not for loyalty and / or affection for your facilities.
-What attractions does Mijas Golf have that other clubs in Costa del Sol do not have?
-Although speaking well of us, we are guilty of lack of esteem, it is true that the comments of our clients make us believe that the strength of Mijas Golf Club lies in its location, in the heart of the Costa del Sol, just 20 minutes from Malaga airport and 3.5 kilometers from the sea, as well as its design and facilities, among which the practice area stands out. If one thing has distinguished the character of Mijas Golf Club from the rest of the competitors during its 37 years of existence, it has been its flexibility with clients and tour operators.
-Have you noticed in recent years changes in the predominant nationalities of golfers coming to the Costa del Sol?
-Yes, indeed, although the majority of our customers are British, we have noticed a considerable increase in Scandinavian customers and a decrease in Irish customers. And although the figures are not yet significant, we are beginning to notice the interest of Russian and Asian visitors in our facilities.
-Andalusia has not hosted any European Tour tournament this year. Do you think that events of this type are necessary for the promotion of this tourist destination?
-Of course yes, any help from the Administration is little in these times of crisis. Let’s not forget that tourism and golf residents are a very important source of income for the Costa del Sol during months in which the tourist activity is practically paralyzed. The golf seasons are curiously diametrically opposed to the traditional tourism seasons.
-Can you think of any ideas to bring golf tourism visiting the Costa del Sol back to the levels of the best years?
-Lower taxes. Last year’s 13-point VAT hike was a burden on our backs during one of the deepest crises in Spain in living memory. Let us not forget that this country lives off the tourism industry and any incentive that comes from the authorities at national, regional or local level, such as lower taxes, subsidies or support, will result in an increase in the reserves and resources of our region and the country in general.
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