Valderrama Golf Club
| Club de Golf Valderrama | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: | 36 ° 17 ′ 9 " N , 5 ° 20 ′ 2" W |
| Playable since: | 1974 |
| Architect: | Robert Trent Jones Sr. |
| Par: | 71 |
| Length: | 6356 meters |
| CR / Slope : |
75.0 / 147 |
| Character: | Parkland |
The Club de Golf Valderrama is one of the most famous golf courses in Europe . It is located in the luxury resort Sotogrande in the city of San Roque in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain, only a little away from Gibraltar and until 2008 was the traditional venue for the Volvo Masters , the highly endowed final tournament of the PGA European Tour . Since 2010 the Andalucía Masters has been held instead .
history
Valderrama in 1974 according to the plans of the leading American golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr built. Originally the facility was called Sotogrande New and Las Aves . In 1984 the course got a new owner, Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, and was expanded under the supervision of Robert Trent Jones. In 1999 the Valderrama Golf Club was named number 1 in continental Europe by Golf World magazine .
The 4th hole, La Cascada , is called the signature hole of the course, but the 17th hole, a par 5 , is more famous and notorious , with a heavily undulating, lightning-fast green that slopes down towards the water hazard in front of it . Even Tiger Woods once putted his ball from the green into the water - as happened at the 1997 Ryder Cup . On the other hand, the Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez managed his legendary Albatros there at the Volvo Masters in 1994 (he punched in with the second stroke from over 200 meters). On the 17th tee there is a plaque commemorating this event. Thirteen years later, Graeme McDowell accomplished the same feat at the 2007 Volvo Masters.
Tournaments in Valderrama
- Ryder Cup : 1997
- WGC-American Express Championship : 1999, 2000
- Volvo Masters : 1988-1996 and 2002-2008
- Andalucía Masters : since 2010