The pro-am is being extended in 2009 to 4 rounds of golf, to include a practice round (on the LMC South Course) and also 2 new venues each staging a pro-am round, the nearby De Vere Roda Golf Resort and Hacienda del Alamo. Both venues have been personally inspected (and played) by the organisers and are considered by many to be a fabulous addition to our tournament, they are very easy to get to. The pro-am will commence on Tuesday 24th February with the 1st round being staged at Roda Golf Resort, which is the latest edition to the PGA of Europe network. Its pedigree is first class. The Golf and Resort manager is Mike Maloney, who has been imported from the former De Vere Hotel Resort in the UK, "The Belfry" to oversee its development. There are some really fabulous holes to play - with the signature hole being the 7th which is a truly island green (requiring a 5 iron), this is closely followed in splendour by the 12th which runs alongside a lake onto another (almost) island green beware you have been warned!!. At the end of your round, a warm welcome will await you in the new (but fabulous) Roda clubhouse which has great views over the entire complex.
The 2nd round will be played at Hacienda del Alamo, near to Fuente Alamo, - the home of Miguel Angel Jimenez - its another gem. Hacienda is more open than Roda, desert like in places but with lots of interesting and challenging holes which feature water (all in the wrong places for us mere mortals). The good news is that on day 2 you won´t have to drive to the resort. We are providing luxury coaches for the HdelA event and staging a "shot gun" start so we all start and finish together so that we can enjoy some local hospitality (in another fabulous clubhouse) before we return to La Quinta Club.
Day 3 - the final round, sees us back home on traditional ground - the fantastic South Course at La Manga Club. Here the start will be based on the tournament "order of merit" - so if you want a late start on Thursday, play well!.
Each day there will be a daily results round up service and the next day tee off times, in La Solana Bar at 19.00hrs.
In 2008 we listened to your comments - of which mostly were complimentary - excepting of course the "sack the MC" outcry at the prize presentations! (complied with). In 2009, the amateurs will play off the Yellow tees and the Professionals off the White tees, the courses are all a challenge, but we do want everyone to "enjoy" the competition as well, and we accept in 2008 it was difficult (in places, very difficult). We have also changed the format by only having 1 par 3 for "3 to score" in each round, but we have retained all 4 to score on the final hole of every round!!
The La Quinta Club pro-am professional winner in 2008 was a young pro, attached to Hacienda Del Alamo , Marius Thorpe from Norway. You may remember him from the Hoylake Open (which Tiger won). Marius was the leading amateur and won the Silver Medal at the tender age of 17. He truly is a great prospect.
The team event was won by Ganton Golf Club (pictured) it is an exceptional course to play, do so if you get the chance. The runners up and 3rd and 4th place teams are listed below, so why not enter a team and test yourselves in this fab event next February.
WINNERS 2008
Ganton Golf Club
David Walker, Robert Bowles, Graham Cook and Pro Gary Brown
Runners - up
Pete Cowan Golf Academy Worksop
Pro. Mike Walker,
Glen Woodhouse, Andrew Clarke, Peter Chadwick
3rd Place
www.wells The Oaks Golf Club
Pro. John Wells
Mike Wilby, Andy Wilby, Dan Wilby
4th Equal
Hessle Golf Club
Pro. Steve Alsop
Andrew Greetham, Trevor Hewson, John Wilson
4th Equal
The Fynntastics, Fynn Valley Golf Club
Pro. Simon Dainty
Thomas Burham, Richard Burman, Michael Swirles
Pro-Am 2009
