How Fernando ended up managing the Links Golf Resort estate
He began managing the Villamayor golf course, in Salamanca; from there he spent a few months at Los Ángeles de San Rafael, and then he got the opportunity that has marked his career: joining the Real Club Valderrama as Director of Operations, “where I spent four magnificent years and learned to manage a first class private club, with exceptional quality standards”.
After this initial stage, he spent another four years or so at the head of the Mexican club PGA Riviera Maya, owned by the Spanish group Piñero, one of the best courses in that country, without a doubt. An incredible experience, at a destination in a commercial club within a large resort.
The area for which for years he returned “home”, because “although I am not from here,” he says, “I am very identified with the area,” to join the new project of La Hacienda, the former Alcaidesa. “It was a very attractive challenge that attracted me a lot for all that it implied,” he says.
1.- How has this resort evolved since you arrived?
– We have continued to grow at a good pace. La Hacienda has completely changed the old Alcaidesa model, based on volume, for a more margin-based model, so to speak. That is to say, it is not necessary to give so many outlets to achieve good economic results. We have greatly reduced the number of courses, which has allowed us to increase margins and have clients more in line with a destination like this from a golfing point of view.
This policy of momentum management has also allowed us to reach agreements with the best clubs in the area such as La Reserva, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, Finca Cortesín, The San Roque Club, Real Club Valderrama… To achieve this we developed a perfectly defined strategy, with a significant investment plan that has been made and continues to be made with the aim of positioning our two courses and the resort at the top.
2.- The Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol Hotel has opened in the center of your resort. How does this affect the resort? What do you think it will bring? 
– It is another leg of the table to become a first class resort in Europe. This hotel is key and will undoubtedly bring us a lot of business. They are in the target audience and customers we are looking for.
Fairmont is a brand that has historically worked very well with golf, with hotels in very important golf resorts around the world, and it will undoubtedly contribute a lot to us.
3.- Does the fact that La Hacienda is associated with a great brand like this mean a before and after not only for the resort but also for the golf offer in the whole area?
– Of course, because the Fairmont brand is linked to Saint Andrew, Mayakobá, Scott Dale (Arizona), etc., among many other prestigious places.
In fact, in the whole area there are great expectations for the opening of the hotel, because having brands of this level in an area like Sotogrande adds a lot and contributes to consolidate this destination as one of the best in Europe.
4.- One of your commitments is sustainability, what do you do in this regard? What is your involvement?
– We are fully involved in this aspect. When the Links course was renovated, one of the reasons we made the greens bermudagrass was precisely to save water and be more efficient.
We are finalizing the process to obtain the GEO certificate, for which we have had to meet a series of sustainability requirements; and we are also going to apply for the Audubon certificate, which is given to flora and fauna sanctuaries.
Also, to avoid polluting waste, among other things, we provide refillable bottles and have completely eliminated disposable bottles.
5.- Hacienda Links and Finca Cortesín are two of the few courses with bermuda greens on the Costa del Sol. What has been your experience with them? Do you plan to put them on the Heathland course as well?
– At an agronomic level the experience has been very good, with a very big saving of water. For the game it has also been very positive, because we have achieved a very fun course with fast greens and a lot of movement. This type of greens are different, the truth is, and people have to get used to them and get to know them, because in the end we are on a links course and the greens must be more difficult and moving.
At the moment we are not planning to put them in Heathland. Maybe later.
6.- The gastronomy of your club, with the great contribution of your collaborator/travel partner Sal Verde, is exceptional?
– That’s right, Sal Verde and the Azotea group is our partner in the restaurant business. In addition to the clubhouse restaurant and all the events we organize, they opened a space for the summer, and since a little over a year ago, the halfway house on the 10th hole, which is a spectacular place. In 2024 we were awarded the prize for the best halfway house in the world at the World Golf Awards in Dubai. In the summer it will be open in the evenings and anyone who wants to can go because it has easy access from the urbanization.
7.- What are the differences between the Links and Heathland courses?
– Their names say it. The Links is intended to be fully a course with the characteristics that define this type of course, and this one is different from any other because of the unique views it has.
The Heathland is a more classic course. They are two complementary and very different courses, which is what we are looking for to be a complete resort that offers alternatives.
8.- Which iconic holes would you highlight in each of the courses?
– On the Links, surely the famous hole 5, because of the views it has from the tee over the Rock of Gibraltar. I also love, especially the second shot, the 11th hole because it looks like you are at the Spanish Pebble Beach.
In Heathland I would highlight the 14th hole, which is a very nice par 3 with a lake in front of the green. I also like the 18th very much since we have made it a par 5. It is a very nice place to finish the course.
9.- What future do you foresee for the resort? What novelties are we expecting? What new plans do you have?
– We closed 2024 with historic results and expect 2025 to be even better with the opening of the hotel.
We have an ambitious investment plan, especially for the Heathland course. We will improve bunkers, fix buggy paths, drainage… and we will work a lot on the landscaping to make it even more attractive.
We don’t stop, we are always looking at where we can make improvements to keep improving and offer the best service possible.
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