golf course update

Hi all interested golfers (and gardeners)

Just talked to american greenkeeper who works for Nicklaus Golf Belgium (not PW) who gave me some information.

Course ready, waiting for clubhouse & pro shop. Opening middle December?

Holes will be played as planned from no 1. Pay at shop and drive up to practice area, buggy area and car park.. Return to town centre for refreshments. Nicklaus overuled PW because it would spoil natural rhythm of course. It wasn't designed to play in that order.

Don't know when proper clubhouse will be built - down to PW.

Jack will be at his new course in Madrid middle of next year and will officially open Condado then.

Today planting thousands of flowering shrubs around course (see Photos). !0 varieties which will be full of colour. Desert around 11th/12th now covered in plantpots. 3 million plants in budget (including grasses).However no watering system in place just relying on winter rain which should get them established. They are all over, but especially around buggy paths and tees. Should be a mass of colour in 2 years.

The area around the 11th and 12th is just desert now but with these plants it will look sensational!

The sandy areas between the penthouse path and the exotic grasses will eventually have more grasses planted.

The tumble weeds remaining will be left for the time being untill the plants grow or it would look bare, then removed later.

The spanish press have played the course and think it will be the best in Spain. The president of the spanish golf federation has been (saw him being driven round , he looked important!) and was most impressed with the technology used which is far superior to any other spanish course. He was most impressed.

Ball washes installed on Tee posts and direction signs being erected at buggy junctions. Couldn't wait for them being unwrapped so took photo!

The course will without doubt be the best PW course with it being Jack's signature with a massive budget to get it right. It covers 98 hectares (don't know what that means) but you would normally get two courses in an area that size.

It's all coming together now and should be amazing in 2 years time

Barry & Sue

Barry & Sue

Thanks for the detailed update re course planting. Comforting to know that it will be up scratch in the next 18 months or so. Cant wait to be able to come out on to the balcony  and see all that colour. Its the reason we bought the "penthouse". Simply for the views. I dont even like golf ( must be one of the few here in Scotland) but love the the open green space laid out in front.

Thanks,

John

Well done Barry & Sue, just we needed to see; sunny skies and huge improvements going on as always. Great update and photo's.

See you in a few weeks.

Love Tim and Lynn X

Great photos Barry - Do you know anything about this?

HI5 PRO-TOUR Polaris World Winter Marathon - 2nd Fase

08/12/2009 - 10/12/2009
Alhama Best Golf
After the launch in Hacienda Riquelme Best Golf, The Hi 5 Ladies & Seniors Pro Tour goes to Condado de Alhama Signature Course. This is the first step of this new golf course personally designed by Jack Nicklaus.

 

The following date is also posted but doesn't show any info at all

Villa de Alhama Golf Tournament(19/12/2009)

 

June

Hi June

Dont know about this, but playing El Valle tomorrow and will ask. Seemingly we have had the European PGA tour school qualifying for next year at Hacienda fuente alamo  for the last 4 days and didn't know about it.

The national spanish pro championship is being held there in December I wonder if that is what you have seen?

They are asking for volunteers to caddy or assist. Dont think my spanish is up to it?

Barry

Hi All,

This is brill, as they say,  good things come to those who wait and I don't think any other builder could have done any better than PW in such a bad economic climate.  Now just waiting on them fitting out the gym and then I will be one extremely happy camper.

Thanks for the photos and update Barry.  If I was you I would volunteer and to helx with the language as long as you can point, smile, frown and gesticulate and drive you will be fine, go for it boy.  Sue could sell  refreshments from your apartment tea and scones 2.00euros.(Nice litttle earner)

Ali   

Hi Barry et All,

Thanks for a great update.  Very pleased to hear the general news from the course is good  & that they will keep the holes numbered as per the Course layout.   This can only be good news for keeping pressure on PW for building the proper clubhouse sooner.    Get them too cosy in the Foro & they will never the get it done!!   I am sure this will force the pace a bit more.  I am pleased Jack is taking such a close interest.  I am sure it is his influence in terms of the required addtional planting.  He would never put his name to anything not upto spec - which it wasn't

Has the lake adjacent to the 13th hole been filled yet.   Is ad ate confirmed for the new opening to the public.   Hope it is open for Christmas.  Looking forward to playing it then!!

Nick

Spoke to course marshall (Vicram) on El Valle today - He is coming to work at Condado and thinks it is open on December 1st..Girl on desk thought it was end of December. Shows we know more than Polaris employees cos there is no chance of 1st, lots to do on pro shop.

Pro5 tour for ladies and seniors is booked for 8/9/10 at Condado so guess it might open after that. Another comp booked for 17th but think it is open to all but not sure.

Ali - it is 2E for tea and 2E for scone... not for both!

Barry & Sue

Hi barry,

Sorry for that mistake forgot you were a Yorkshire man, should have known better being married to one myself.

Keep it coming with the good news, with all this rain and wind and cold I really need something to lift my spirits(not the liquid kind)

Ali

Hi All

Thanks for the info Barry, superb.  Shows we have a great future, great prospects and a great course.   Well pleased.

Ali, really cannot believe you!  You were the one harping on about how it should be a "TOP 5 STAR" resort.  Then have Barry and Sue selling tea AND scones for 2 Euro's.

Thanks Barry for maintaining the integrity of the resort and charging 2 Euro's EACH.  I for one appreciate it.  Now where's my discount card.............

Hi all,

Have been at Condado since Wednesday. Players on the course both yesterday and today, probably invited V.I.P.s ;-)

Spoke to the guy (Agustin?) at the sales office today, and he told med that the course will open for the public on December 15th, and he underlined that this was now a definite date.

I can only repeat what others have written lately: The course looks absolutely stunning with a spectacular design and übercool grassy bunkers.

Can´t wait to come back for the New Year weekend. Book me up for a game, Barry! Nice to meet you!

Tom Erik

Tried to book tee time for golf course and have been informed by Polaris that temporary clubhouse will not be open until January.

Hi all

Having just had a look at the builing work on the temp clubhouse i must agree that January is more realistic for opening.

Hi All

Also tried booking CDA and told no idea when available - yet!  Have booked EV, HR and LT for 28th,29th and 30th Dec. Told I can swop / cancel LT and book CDA if ready by then. It would be awful if I couldn't play our course, may be we could put pint glass in middle of greens and play anyway.

Am keeping up to speed with photo's and comments looks great.  Only 4 weeks to go!!!

Fingers crossed.

Just a thought but if course is ready and there is nowhere to pay or shower why not use Manzano bar who have a till , bar and showers?

Is that too complicated?

Barry

Action on driving range today. New building being erected (toilets /ball dispensers?) and yardage info on driving range.

See photos

Barry

For me, better to open the course when it is ready with some form of minimum official looking facilities. Waited this long, another month or two ain't going to kill us, and it gives it a bit longer for the course to mature up a bit more. Just frustrating for those that planned a trip in November/December based on playing Condado................ but you probably would have wanted to try La Torre, El Valle, Hacienda Riquelme at some time eh ? Just might whet the appetite even more for the 'jewel in the crown' when the facilities match the splendour of the track. After all, we would not want to be paying the green fee and buying a coke & mars bar from the back of a 'Tranny' van would we ?

I am popping over this week-end to check things out. Anyone who is there fancying a round anywhere local, please get in touch. Good for Saturday or Sunday.

Regards,

Hi All

Just returned from 11 great days in our penthouse on block 11 - P1113 overlooking the 10th, 11th and 12th.  Course was looking fantanstic, lakes nearly full.  Walked it 6 times in 11 days.  Spoke with Vikram one of the new Marshalls, he has stated that the Pro ladies tournament takes place on the 8-10th Dec 2009, and that the course will open to the residents and public on the 14th -15th Dec 2009.  He also intimated that another professional tournament was to take place prior to the end of the year.  3 sets of Spanish pros played the course on Sat 28th Nov 2009, they certainly looked like they were enjoying themselves.  I am looking forward to playing this monster, dont think I'll tame it though.  Sorry dont have any up-to-date pictures, camera broke.  Pro shop is nowhere near ready, plenty of buggies, and buggy wash area set up near where clubhouse is meant to be.  You cannot use the old Manzana bar as this has now been ripped out and is a mess, however they are propably making this into a gym now due to work in progress.  2 new on course toilet facilities have been erected on the course, still under construction but close to being ready. 1 by the 6th, and the other is at the 13th.

Have a great festive season, and I look forward to meeting many more of my new neighbours in the new year.

Eian & Irene Gordon, Penthouse Block 11 - P1113, Los Naranjos & Edinburgh

Found this link on golfbreaks.com

http://www.golfbreaks.com/newsletter/2009/december.aspx#?utm_source=newsletter_December&utm_medium=email&cid=999711017&gcid=C30976x078

Hi Guys & Girls

Has anyone had the email from PW about "Choose your course membership" They are selling annual non transferable membership for 1200 Euros or family of four for1600 Euros. You choose your course and then have to pay 4.5 euros insurance for 9 holes and 9 Euros for 18 holes. There's 20% discount on buggies 10% off clothing and preferencial bookings etc.

Cheers

Jay