The new general manager of Marbella Golf & Country Club, the American Mike Munden, who settled in Spain seven years ago, talks in this interview about the Marbella club, the U.S. courses and how to mitigate the effects of the crisis.
“We offer one of the best golf experiences on the Coast.”
-Coming from the United States and taking into account your knowledge of the golf industry in that country, what were your first impressions when you arrived in Marbella and started to get to know the golf courses in Costa del Sol?
-My wife and I first came to Spain on vacation in September 2004. She is English, but had lived with me in California for 18 years. It was my first golf vacation in Spain and the courses seemed to me to be very well done in terms of playability and level of services offered, both in terms of golf and everything else. And, of course, the weather is very Southern California, so I enjoyed playing golf. We both thought we could live here and ended up moving here permanently a year later.
-Marbella Golf is an original design by one of the world’s most prestigious golf designers, the legendary Robert Trent Jones. Can you clearly see the “hand of the master” on this course?
-On the holes of Robert Trent Jones’ original design you can definitely see his hand. The importance of a good tee shot followed by a good approach are two factors that can be easily observed. Failure in that aspect punishes the average golfer. The holes that have been redesigned have been, in every possible way, following the master’s model and trying to preserve his “signature” on the course.
-Have you noticed any significant differences between American and Spanish golf courses?
-I would say that one of the most important is the measurement of distances. There we normally use yards measured to the center of the green, whereas in Spain the measurement is in meters to the front of the green. I would say that this was for me the most difficult problem to overcome, and since Marbella Golf measures to the center of the green, I still have to pay a lot of attention when I play other courses. The other difference may be the level of service one experiences on a golf course in the United States, in some areas, which is not as good here in Spain. At Marbella Golf & Country Club we are working on improving our services based on the American service model. Here the golfer, from the moment he arrives at the club until he leaves the restaurant at the end of the day, will find a helpful and friendly person. Service with a smile, which is what you want your golf experience to be.
-What objectives have you set for yourself in the short and medium term as the new general manager of this golf course?
-Well, this was very easy actually. The product is the golf course itself, and without a good product there is nothing to sell and no reason for golfers to come and play our course. Recognizing this fact, I brought in an expert greenkeeper, Mike Rogers, who is well known on the Costa del Sol and most of the world, as our Director of Golf Operations. Mike is also American and we are in constant communication when it comes to agreeing on the changes we have made over the last three months to improve the course and make it more “player friendly”. Programs have been developed and implemented to improve the greens and restore the bunkers to their original designs. Included is a program to lengthen the course by moving tee markers and building new tees on the 18th.
–You have taken on this new responsibility at a time of crisis. Do you have any insights you can reveal on how to mitigate its effects on the golf industry?
-I think it’s very important to recognize that the current economy is going to dictate what the market will do in terms of the prices we charge both in terms of green fees and membership. I think we have been able to position ourselves with competitive pricing on greens fees, as buggy is included. We were also one of the first golf courses to optimize operations on our website, thanks to our marketing consultant Antonio Conde (Golfenred.com), who has increased online bookings with a new online marketing strategy. We are also working with tour operators on an ongoing basis in an attempt to join forces. Simply put, we have to offer the best possible golf experience at the best price we can all the time.
-What features of Marbella Golf would you highlight as the most attractive for players?
-We have one of the most beautiful and versatile clubhouses on the coast, with two terraces overlooking the sea and a beautiful dining room, a large and comfortable bar, and a fireplace to relax before and after your round of golf. We have a fleet of new electric buggies, which can be driven on the fairways most of the year, to take you around a golf course full of interesting challenges. We have some of the fastest and fairest greens on the Coast and, from the top of the course, we enjoy views of Gibraltar and Africa. The food in the restaurant is excellent and reasonably priced. I believe we offer one of the best golfing experiences on the Costa del Sol.
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