The Royal Andalusian Golf Federation has announced the death -yesterday, Sunday, February 14, in Palma de Mallorca- of José Gancedo Gómez, a person very dear to the federation and to the world of Andalusian and Spanish golf in general. Pepe, as his friends called him, passed away after a long and hard illness.
Born in Malaga on March 31, 1938, when he was only 12 years old he began to play golf in the holes of the Parador de Malaga and, since then, he kept his love for this sport throughout his life.
At the age of 16 he was already playing with a zero handicap. As an amateur sportsman, he is considered one of the great world figures of his time, and the player who has provided the most sporting glory to his Real Club de Campo de Málaga, of which he was an Honorary Member.
Among his triumphs, he was Spanish Absolute Amateur Champion on six occasions (1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1975 and 1976) and runner-up in six other editions (1959, 1965, 1970, 1973, 1974 and 1977). In addition, in his list of victories -among other great national and international victories- he had two Spanish International Amateur Championships, in 1968 and 1969, and three second places in this same trophy, in 1963, 1972 and 1976.
He was a member of the Spanish Team for more than 20 years and a member of the R&A at St. Andrews.
At the federative level, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation during the presidency of Juan Antonio Andreu and, throughout his life, he worked for the sport he loved so much in collaboration with the national and Andalusian federations.
Thus, in addition to being awarded the RFEG’s Medal of Merit in Golf, he was – together with the Marquis of Nájera – the first Medal of Merit awarded by the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, in recognition of his sporting career and his love for our sport and for the values linked to it.
But beyond his sporting career, his true passion was golf course design, both in Spain and abroad. He is considered one of the most creative Spanish designers, a genius who not only designed, but also boasted of “handmade” courses and of directing on the ground -not on paper- and loaded with his bag of clubs, down to the smallest detail, modeling his work.
In Andalusia, he left us the 9 holes of the Parque Deportivo de La Garza (Linares, Jaén), in a beautiful setting of holm oaks, eucalyptus and pines; the 18 holes of El Chaparral, a demanding course that boasts of being the only course on the Costa del Sol with 6 par 3, 6 par 4 and 6 par 5; and the 18 holes of Torrequebrada, his great work, considered by some to be one of the best courses in Europe.
He also designed the courses of Lerma (Burgos), Larrabea (Álava), Costa Dorada (Tarragona), Costa Adeje (Tenerife), Foressos (Valencia) and La Finca (Alicante), as well as several in the Dominican Republic. In total, he designed more than 20 courses that are in play.
A lover of classical music, art and sculpture, he will always be remembered by those who had the good fortune to know him for his good humor and his jovial and bohemian spirit.
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