Reasons to be cheerful?

A few weeks ago we mentioned the apparent demise of Doña Julia Golf; one of the newer develop-ments on the coast which, when completed, was to encompass a 6* hotel plus all the usual real estate trimmings. But is it all bad news on the Costa del Sol? The recent visit of Michelle Obama has put Andalucia in the world spotlight again and a conservative estimate on the publicity this gen-erated, as images were beamed around the world, has been put at 60 million euros. Her visit may have the effect of kick starting long haul travel which has been in decline ever since 9/11? Emerging travel markets such as China were enamoured with her visit as a wealthy middle class with high-disposable income seeks to reap the benefits of newly issued passports.

Another pos-itive has been the recent reopening of the 5* Hotel Los Monteros after 15 months’ closure. The hotel effectively became a blight on the landscape as graffiti-covered walls and picket lines became commonplace. It has been bought out for 25 million euros and 115 staff have been reinstated. Let’s trust this augurs well for a hotel which, like the Puente Romano and the Marbella Club on the ‘Golden Mile,’ became a symbol of Marbella’s Jet Set prosperity.
From a purely golfing perspective after having had several discussions with golf directors on the coast there is renewed optimism for the season ahead. Bookings are already brisk for September and October as, amongst other factors, a strong pound has encouraged Brits to return. It should be mentioned that many courses have seen sense and pegged back green fee rates to a reasonable  level without compromising on quality and service. Let’s take a look at two of these courses on the Costa del Sol: Los Arqueros and Estepona Golf. With no disrespect intended they do not charge green fees in the league of, let’s say, Sotogrande courses; however both provide excellent value for money and should be congrat-ulated for moving forward in difficult times. Until the end of September two persons plus a buggy cost in the region of 80€ on either. Los Arqueros has become the recipient of a ‘Q’ Quality; ISO and Health and Safety Certificates. Having played there recently it is as much a game of golf as a lesson in flora as auchtononous trees, plants and shrubs are all clearly labelled and described. Even better for 2010 is that if you get a group of eight golfers together there is the VIP Service at no extra charge:

Estepona Golf has always been synonymous with a friendly welcome. Earlier this year they updated their buggy fleet and now have vehicles that do not require a brake pedal. Over seeding has also been carried out on several fairways to avoid a repetition of problems caused by torrential downpours in the past. The greens have always been amongst the truest on the Costa del Sol so no change there. For those who have entertained the notion of joining a club in the past – but have possibly been put off by prohibitive share prices – Estepona Golf has two membership options without the need to ‘buy into’ the club. Unlimited golf seven days a week, 365 days a year costs 99€ on a monthly basis whilst the ‘Weekender’ option is a mere 49€ per month. The latter is ideal for those with a heavy work schedule and, just by playing a couple of rounds a week, works out at a mere 6€ per round. Crisis what crisis!? Membership benefits also include a 10% reduction in the pro shop and club house bar/restaurant plus the chance to compete in the club’s monthly ‘Competition Series.

As one popular TV pro-gramme in the 90′s used to say, ‘the truth is out there.”

Tags: China, Doña Julia Golf