From October 27 to November 3, the five winners of the grand final of the Andalucía Golf Challenge Circuit, Destination Riviera Maya Golf Club Bahía Principe 2019, traveled to the Mexican Caribbean coast, where for a week they enjoyed the charms of the area, the crystalline and turquoise waters of the sea, Mayan ruins, cenotes and, above all, golf, playing on the best courses of the Yucatan coast, which has become one of the most attractive destinations for fans of this sport. The winners were joined by twenty-four other people, including companions and other players, who were also able to enjoy a perfectly organized program of golf and tourism.
The 2019 Circuit, which was sponsored by Reale Seguros and the real estate developer Exxacón, as well as the hotel chain of the Piñero Group, Bahía Principe. It began its journey last April 10 in the Madrid course Golf Santander and continued in the Real Club de Golf Guadalhorce, Mijas Golf (Los Lagos), Santa Clara Marbella, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, RC Valderrama, San Roque Club (Old Course), Valle Romano Golf Club, Flamingos (Villa Padierna), La Reserva (Sotogrande); and the grand final was played on September 7 at Alferini (Villa Padierna).
The winners of the trip to the Mexican Caribbean were the two best classified in the first and second categories, and the scratch winner of the grand final, for which the first five had qualified, also in each category, plus the scratch winner of each tournament held previously.
Winners of the trip to Mexico were Juan David Carretero, who also won last year’s trip to the Dominican Republic, and Fernando Vega in first category; in second category were Salvador García and José Luis Rodríguez Rodríguez Rodríguez. The scratch winner was Antonio Javier García. The prize consisted of a one-week trip with flight and one-week stay on an all-inclusive basis, plus four rounds of golf at the three best courses in the area: Riviera Maya Golf Club, Playa Paraíso and El Camaleón (Mayakoba), where a few days later the US PGA Tour event that has been held on this course for twelve years was played, so the group could and did play the course “in tournament conditions”, prepared for the big tournament that would be held just a week later.
The host hotel was the Sian Ka’an de Bahía Principe Riviera Maya Resort, a five-star luxury hotel located halfway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum in a large complex with three other magnificent beachside hotels and its own golf course. This course is now managed by Fernando Padrón, who has transferred all the experience accumulated in his long career. He was director of operations at RC Valderrama for years before moving to Mexico a few months ago.
Riviera Maya Golf Club surprised the Spanish “expedition” very positively, both in terms of design and maintenance. The general comments were very complimentary about this course that goes deep into the dense jungle of the Yucatan and has become in a short time one of the great references of Mexican golf.
In addition to this course, where two rounds were played, two other great courses in the Riviera Maya were also played: Playa Paraiso and El Camaleón (Mayakoba).
Playa Paraiso Golf Club, part of the Iberostar hotel chain, less than an hour from Cancun, was designed by Paul Burke (P.B.) Dye in an incredible location, and he made this course one of his best creations. This fantastic course has memorable holes. Its majestic undulating fairways (one of its characteristics), its deep bunkers of fine sand, its multiple tees and its ingeniously cambered and perfect greens make it a stimulating challenge for the golfer. No one leaves the course indifferent. It is a course that remains in the memory and in the retina of the player for its incredible beauty, perfection and difficulty.
What to say about El Camaleón (Mayakoba)? It is probably one of the best known courses in the world. Located next to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, festooned by canals and lagoons of crystalline waters that border most of its fairways, sheltered by tropical jungle and mangroves, stands this majestic course considered one of the most beautiful on the planet.
It was designed by one of golf’s all-time great stars, Greg Norman, and was the first course to host a US PGA Tour tournament outside the United States and Canada. Located about thirty minutes south of Cancun and just fifteen minutes from Playa del Carmen, the course runs over three distinct environments: tropical jungle, dense mangrove areas and sandy areas by the sea.
As in the Riviera Maya Golf Club, a cenote was incorporated into the design in the heart of one of its fairways.
In addition to the four intense days of golf, there were three more “free” days to do “sea excursions”, enjoy the beaches, swim in the cenotes (thousands of “holes” in the middle of the jungle, which bring up the fresh and transparent water from the subsoil) or visit the Mayan ruins.
Those who had never traveled to the area were especially impressed by the great beauty of the cenotes, something unique in the world, and the majesty and history of the Mayan ruins of Tulum, Coba and especially Chichen Itza, one of the best preserved Mayan archaeological sites.
From Andalucía Golf/España Golf we would like to express our gratitude for the excellent welcome and reception we received from Bahía Príncipe Riviera Maya Rosort, which is part of one of the leading hotel chains in the Caribbean, and especially to Vanessa Vignali, corporate director of Bahía Príncipe Golf, with whom it is always a pleasure to work.
We also want to show our deep gratitude to the directors of Riviera Maya Golf Club Bahia Principe, Fernando Padron, of Playa Paraiso Golf Club, Greg Bond, of El Camaleon (Mayakoba), David Lopez Monar, for all the facilities with which they welcomed us and for the affection they showed us.
Undoubtedly a trip to remember for all of us who went, a large, well-knit and fun group that enjoyed the experience to the fullest. And we were lucky: the weather was unbeatable.
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THE WINNERS OF THE CIRCUIT
David Carretero
“I was lucky enough to visit the Riviera Maya about three months ago on my honeymoon and the truth is that I really wanted to play golf, as I had heard that they are courses worth playing. They have exceeded my expectations. It would be difficult if I had to choose one of them because each one has some detail that makes it different from the rest. MayaKoba as expected, spectacular, along with Playa Paraiso which I loved. I wanted to make special mention of the Bahia Principe golf course because it has nothing to envy to the other two. I am very grateful to have shared this week with everyone and that we have been such a nice group”.
José Luis Rodríguez
“We are very grateful for the magnificent week we have spent with you. I encourage all amateur golfers to participate in the X Circuito Andalucía Golf Challenge, to enjoy the magnificent team that you form and travel to dream places practicing the sport we love. It will be great to see the PGA at Mayakoba on TV!!! and think about what we did on each hole”.
Fernando Vega
“The trip has been a very nice experience, both golf and personal. We have played great courses and met fantastic people. I’m taking good friends with me from this trip. On the other hand the organization has been, in my opinion, great, we have not had any problems, you have worked very hard. I hope to participate again next year and with some luck to be able to revalidate the victory and travel to the Dominican Republic”.
Antonio García Frías, winner
“A dream prize for any golfer. To go to the Caribbean, with those beaches and those fields…. I’ll be a regular on the circuit in future editions”.
Salvador García Ramírez
“A gift and a great pleasure. I was accompanied on the trip by my son and we enjoyed it very much. Unforgettable.
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SPONSORS OF THE ANDALUCÍA GOLF CHALLENGE CIRCUIT
Vanessa Vignalli, corporate director of Bahía Príncipe Golf
“Bahia Principe Golf is delighted to continue working hand in hand with Andalucía Golf magazine for the second consecutive year and to continue next year in the Dominican Republic. As a result of this circuit, this past October the five winners and their companions visited our Riviera Maya Resort, plus a group of golf enthusiasts, totaling more than 30 people who had the opportunity to visit our Riviera Maya Golf Club course. Everyone’s comments after their visit have been very positive about their experience at Bahia Principe. We will continue to support golf in Spain and promote our brand in Andalusia, one of the key markets. We are confident that the winners and guests of the next edition will again be delighted with their experience in the Dominican Republic. We are already waiting for them with open arms.”
Elena Cubero, CEO of EXXACON
“We are very satisfied and proud to have participated in such a rewarding experience for all of us. The Andalucía Golf Challenge 2019 Circuit has been magnificent. Our projects, based on Smart Living, which unites design with environmental sustainability, are ideal for golf players. Most of our developments are within golf course complexes and are very appropriate for players such as those participating in this magnificent circuit”.
Javier Pérez-Ximénez, head of REALE Golf in Andalusia
“REALE Seguros has made an important commitment to golf since 2007, the year we started with the design and marketing of specific products for the world of golf. We support the initiative proposed to us by Andalucía Golf Challenge because we consider that it could be one of the best circuits in Spain and that it combines the possibility of playing in the best courses with magnificent prizes”.
Stefan Tjellander, Chairman of Holiday Golf
“It has been a pleasure to have collaborated with such an important circuit. Good atmosphere, the best courses, successful attendance, good level, among the best circuits in Spain and Europe”.
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