La Cala Resort - the largest golf complex in Spain - News letter: 

La_Cala_Resort_News
Bobby Davro Celebrity Golf Challenge at La Cala Resort













There are two rounds of golf planned on two of the resort’s three 18-hole courses, Campo America and Campo Asia, as well as a welcome dinner and the Butterfly Ball on Saturday night, June 9th. Last year it raised €128,000. this year sees the seventh staging of the challenge and so far a total of almost €550,000 has been raised.

The Showbiz Celebrity teams will be captained by Bobby Davro while Sir Steve Redgrave will lead the Sportsworld Celebrity sides. Already confirmed amongst the players are: Clayton Blackmore, Ian St John, Jess Conrad, Mark Crossley, Mark Williams, Roger Kitter, Tim Healy, Des O'Connor, Chris Tarrant, Billy Murray and Luther Blissett.

The Rhys Daniels Trust provides dedicated ‘Home from Home’ accommodation close to regional hospitals around the UK for families to use free of charge whilst their child is receiving life saving, often long term treatment a long way from home. Founder and Chairman of the charity, Barry Daniels, experienced the need for this service when his son Rhys was undergoing a bone marrow transplant in Bristol, England.

Packages with accommodation start at €715 per player and without accommodation at €490. For more information call the Rhys Daniels Trust Office on (0044) 1992 570550.

Members’ Festival Week at La Cala Resort

The 10th Members’ Festival Week at la Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga, attracted large numbers of entries when held from October 23rd to 28th. The highlight of the week was the battle for the club championships. Originally intended to be 36-hole events, the championships were shortened to 18 holes due to inclement weather. The men’s winner was Roger Dew whose 5 over par 76 on Campo Europa earned him the title on a count back from defending champion Greg Bacon. The ladies title was won by Ursula Wetzel whose 77 gave her a four shot winning margin over the defending ladies champion, Anneli Alanen.

The men’s stableford champion is Manfred Wetzel with 40 points while the ladies champion is Carin Olsson after 35 points over the testing course that was playing long on the day due to back tees and strong winds.

The Millenium Cup four-ball went to Ingegerd Forsell and Markku Railo with 44 points, the Texas Scramble was won by Louis & Judi Lentelink and Danny & Carol Rees while the Rest of the World team defeated the Nordic Countries in a fitting team finale to a most enjoyable week.

Results:

Club Championship 2006. Medal Play. Scratch. Campo Europa
Men
1st. Roger Dew 76
2nd. Greg Bacon76
3rd. Bjorn Ljunggren             78

Ladies
1st. Ursula Wetzel        77
2nd. Anneli Alanen       76
3rd. Ritva Hagglund     83


Club Championship 2006. Stableford. Campo Europa
Men (Handicap – 18.4)
1st. Manfred Wetzel      40 points
2nd. Raimo Alhonen    40
3rd. David Harris 38

Men (Handicap 18.4 – 28.4)
1st. Stephen Hall  36 points
2nd. Barry Kumins35
3rd. David Gilchrist         32

Ladies
1st. Carin Olsson35 points
2nd. Susanne Valentin35
3rd. Ingegerd Forsell   35

Millenium Cup. Better-Ball Stableford. Campo Europa
1st. Ingegerd Forsell & Markku Railo44 points
2nd. Brian Gray & Francisco Cervilla 43
3rd. Erling Johnsen & Iain Macaulay 43

Texas Scramble. Campo Asia
1st. L & J Lentelink, C & D Rees56.0
2nd. G Bacon, R & J Wilcox, S Mason 56.3
3rd. D Homer, J & J Westwood, I Mather      56.8

International Team Challenge. Campo Europa
Nordic Countries 398 points
Rest of the World 405

Golfing holidays on the Costa del Sol in Spain

La Cala de Mijas, Apdo. Correos 106
29649 - Mijas Costa- Málaga


News Letter
Chrysler Ladies Golf Challenge Final at La Cala Resort

The Chrysler Ladies Golf Challenge 2006 Final was held at La Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga in October. The finalists had earned their place after coming through two pre-qualifying stages, including eight regional finals in the UK. The format was four-ball and sixteen pairings made it to La Cala for a two-day all expenses break. A separate competition for Chrysler dealers was also held on the La Cala complex, which is Spain’s biggest with three 18-hole courses and a par 3 course.

The final was held over Campo Asia and Campo America. It was hosted by the Managing Director of Chrysler Daimler in the UK, Peter Lambert and the company’s CEO Wilfried Steffen. All the players and officials stayed in Hotel La Cala and also took part in a special clinic organised at the on-site David Leadbetter Golf Academy.

A company spokesperson said they were delighted with the event and suggested this would not be the last final they would stage at the Mijas resort.

The overall winners were: Louise Worth & Val Hayward from Taunton & Pickeridge Golf Club with 79 points over the two days. 

La Cala Resort confirmed as biggest in Spain

The Royal Spanish Golf Federation has confirmed that La Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga is the biggest golf complex in Spain. La Cala has three 18-hole championship courses and a top quality 6-hole par 3 layout making it the largest golf resort in the country, which now counts over 300 courses in total. Andalucía, with 81, has more courses than any other region followed by Cataluña with 39.

Commenting on the announcement, La Cala Resort Managing Director Denis Foley said: “We are delighted to have the largest golf resort in the country. Obviously Spain is one of the most important world markets in terms of golf tourism and we are pleased to be the market leaders. Our aim has always been to be not only the biggest but also the best resort and we feel that we are also highly regarded for the quality of the golf courses and related facilities including the only David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Spain. Staging the Q-school for the Ladies European tour in November showed the high regard in which La Cala is held internationally.”

The three 18-hole courses offer different challenges. The North Course is longer than the tight, challenging South Course. Campo Europa opened just a year ago but has already drawn favourable comment from the top players who regularly play and practice in La Cala.

Off the courses, the David Leadbetter Academy has covered and grass driving bays. The par 3 course offers a great opportunity for beginners and experienced players alike to practice while the three professionals can design a teaching plan specially tailored for your needs. There is also a practice green and a club-fitting service for any important equipment adjustments.

La Cala Resort is an exclusive residential and recreational estate of approximately 1,000 acres (4 million square metres), situated between the Sierra de Mijas Natural Park and the Mediterranean. Although located in a tranquil area, the resort is only 20 minutes from Marbella and 30 minutes from Malaga Airport.

Since its creation in 1989, the development concept at the resort has been one of low density in order to maximise the privacy for residents and to protect the resort’s special rustic environment. High-quality apartments, semi-detached homes, villas and plots are available for purchase. The principal facilities within the estate include a luxury hotel with a spa opening later this spring.


 The 2006 Men’s Club Champion Roger Dew (right) with captain Bob Gordon and lady captain, Carol Rees.
 IGTM Trip to La Cala Resort


The International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) is the world’s premier event focusing on golf travel. It brings together specialist golf tour operators, incentive travel agents, meetings and conference organisers with leading hotels, resorts, golf courses, airlines and other suppliers of golf related products. Now in its ninth year, IGTM is the annual focus for the whole of the golf travel industry. 

This year the event took place at the end of November in Marbella and a familiarisation trip was held to La Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga when the delegates played a competition and were also shown the extensive facilities of the complex. One of the visitors was Peter Walton, the Director of the International Association of Golf Travel Operators, who organised the conference. The delegates expressed their total satisfaction with the range and quality of facilities on offer at La Cala. 

La Cala Resort is the largest golf complex in Spain with 60 holes to choose from. Apart from the three 18-hole courses and a six-hole par 3 course, the resort boasts Spain’s only David Leadbetter Academy, a luxury hotel and spa and a wide range of other sporting facilities.


 Toyota European Final at La Cala Resort


Toyota Motor Europe held their European final for fleet buyers at La Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga in November. The finalists had won their national competitions to qualify for the four day inclusive visit to the resort. The countries represented included: the UK, Germany, Norway, France, Belgium and Slovenia. In the UK, for example, the finalists had to qualify through three regional qualifiers before making it to the national final in Royal County Down. The European final took place on two of La Cala’s three 18-hole courses, Campo America and Campo Europa.

This represents the second successive year that Toyota have chosen La Cala for the European final. Company spokesman Ian Bullock says, “We have had a great time at La Cala in the past and plan to return. We want to make this event even bigger in the future with more countries involved. To this end we are encouraging more markets in the continent to participate. It is great for us that the courses are located so close to the Hotel La Cala and we have been treated very well here and are hoping to return next year.” 
The trip was organised by Andrew Murray of PA. Andrew's background is one of a successful European Tour Professional for over 15 years reaching his pinnacle in 1989 when he won the European Open Championship at Walton Heath. He now appears on Sky Sports and BBC Radio 5 Live as a Golf Summariser and also provides coaching to several County Squads and leading local Professionals.
Star prize of a new Toyota Yaris for a hole-in-one. However, it went unclaimed. Maybe next year one of the finalists will be able to drive away in their prize!


Photograph of the group with Ian Bullock (front left) and Andrew Murray (front right).


The TaylorMade Performance Lab Debuts at La Cala Resort!

What has been the secret weapon of the world’s greatest golfers and golf industry insiders is now being made available to the general public for the first time in Spain. TaylorMade Performance Labs introduces the MAT-T (Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade) System at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at La Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga. For those who have been through conventional custom-fitting sessions, this system presents a quantum leap forward in technology, accuracy and effectiveness. This fitting system is much more elaborate and effective, measuring the components of your swing as well as the results of your swing. It captures, quantifies and animates a subject’s total body motions in three dimensions.

The technology used to bring to life the animated characters in such movies as Lord of the Rings, Spiderman I & II and Polar Express, has been modified by TaylorMade Golf to custom fit their clubs. Using the world’s most advanced body motion-capture system, TaylorMade Performance Labs offers the same state-of-the-art computerized fitting system used by PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour players. Nine cameras track the position of fifteen special reflective markers placed on the body and the clubs to capture the motion of your swing in real-time. By measuring the position of the markers, a detailed three-dimensional animation of the swing is produced. The animation can be viewed in motion or stop action from any perspective: above, below, front, back or either side of the body. It’s an extraordinary tool that elevates swing analysis to an entirely new level and is designed to help a player pick both the perfect set of clubs and assist with instruction.

In addition, a separate integrated launch monitor measures the speed of the club and ball, as well as the launch angle and spin rate. From this simulation, precise measurements – in tenths of a degree – are collected; and a recommendation is derived to fit players with the clubs that will most improve their performance. The end result – having the clubs fit for you, rather than having to make adjustments to your swing to fit the clubs. 

“Comparing the TaylorMade Performance Lab system to other swing-analysis systems is like comparing the space shuttle with a hot-air balloon,” said Quintin van der Berg-Director of the David Leadbetter Golf Academy -La Cala Resort. “Both fly, but the quality of the experience and sophistication of the space shuttle is incomparable. I have been through other fitting systems; been to demo days and worked my way through clubs in fitting carts, but nothing I have experienced compares to the TaylorMade Performance Lab. Guests will see a remarkable, computerized 3-D image of their swing with instantaneous feedback.”
La Cala Resort Junior Masters 2007

The prestigious inter-Federation tournament, The La Cala Junior Masters, takes place at La Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga this Wednesday and Thursday, January 3rd and 4th. This is the third staging of the competition that pits the top junior teams from the different Spanish golf federations against each other in 36 holes of strokeplay over two days. The teams of four feature two boys and two girls, with the best three rounds of each day to count towards the overall result. In all eigth federations are represented. These are: Andalucía, Madrid, Galicia, Castilla La Mancha, Extremena, Asturias, Murcia and Valencia.

This tournament has already featured some of the top players amateurs in the country. Moreover, Álvaro Quirós, the European Tour rookie who won the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa last month, played on the winning Andalucía side in the 2004 Junior Masters. Other top players to have taken part include: Belen Mozo, who went on to win the Ladies British Open Amateur title, the British Girls’ title and was also crowned Individual Champion of Europe, the outstanding Oklahoma State player, Pablo Martin from Málaga as well as Jordi García del Moral, Alberto Doñiga and Carmen Alonso. 

La Cala Resort has been officially recognised the Royal Spanish Golf Federation as the biggest in the country with 60 holes, divided between three 18-hole courses and a six hole par 3 course attached to the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.

The annual Bobby Davro Celebrity Golf Challenge in aid of the UK-based charity, the Rhys Daniels Trust will be held at Spain’s biggest golf resort, La Cala Resort, Mijas, Málaga, from Thursday, June 7th to Sunday, June 10th. This is an extremely popular event and gives golfers the chance to tee it up with a showbiz celebrity or an idol from the world of sport.

The XI Feria La Cala de Mijas trophy played at La Cala Resort on Sunday, August 5th was a big success with almost 80 players taking part. The event, played on Campo Europa, was sponsored by Mijas Town Hall and a wide range of local businesses.

The competition was divided into three handicap sections. The up to 13.4 handicap section went to Pax Andersson (11) with 37 points, while the 13.5 to 20.4 section was won by Francisco Jesus Sepulveda Porras (20) with 44 points. The 20.5 to 36.4 handicap section went to Pedro Dominguez Moreno (26) with 39 points. 

The presentation of prizes was performed by Mijas councillor, Francisco Cuevas and Pedro Batista of La Cala Resort who expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing success of the annual competition that continues to attract large numbers of players and attention to La Cala Resort, Spain’s largest golf resort, situated in the heart of the Mijas Golf Valley.


The XI Feria La Cala de Mijas trophy