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| Jaime Ortiz-Patiño |
The 'Old Continent's'
finest course is set once again to meet the challenge of hosting
the European Tour's grand finale - the Volvo Masters Andalucía.
Since Jaime Ortiz-Patiño took over the course, then known
as Las Aves, it has evolved into a beautiful, powerful and unique
golfing phenomenon. In this special feature, the president and
driving force behind Valderrama recounts the changes made at
the course from 1987, the year before the inaugural Volvo Masters,
till today.
'The first decision we reached when acquiring the course was
to reverse the two nines. Robert Trent Jones agreed because this
way the last four holes make a wonderful finish. Comparing 6,
7, 8 and 9 with 15, 16, 17 and 18, the way we have it now offers
a far greater challenge. 6 and 15 are both par-3's but the 15th
is much more difficult. The 7th was an easy par-5, the only easy
hole on the course whereas 16 is, in the words of 1989 Volvo
Masters winner, Ronan Rafferty, 'one of the toughest par-4-s
I've ever played.' The 8th is a short par-4 and the 17th a difficult
par-5 where we always intended to put a lake in front of the
green. The 9th is a straight par-4 while the 18th is a complicated
dog-leg par-4. At the beginning we had Bermuda fairways and Bent
grass, Penncross greens.
None of the 80 bunkers on the course had proper drainage so, between 1987 and
1997, we carried out a bunker restructuring programme installing full drainage.
At the same time we addressed the problem of course drainage, sinking over
3 kms of pipes throughout the course. The result of all that work was enjoyed
by everyone at the 1997 Ryder Cup when Valderrama coped so magnificently with
the torrential rain that closed all other courses within a radius of 200 miles
for at least 24 hours.
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The
first hole Sol y Sombra
We rebuilt and re-located the tees introducing six tees on each hole. Professional,
Championship, Executive, Ladies' Championship, Senior and Ladies' tees. The green
was rebuilt to full USGA specifications in 1995 and this year has been sodded
with the new G2 Bent grass. The fairway is Bermuda but under the trees where
Bermuda does not grow and around the green we have rye grass to keep the Bermuda
from encroaching on the greens. The rye does well in shady areas like these while
the Bermuda does not. Tree pruning is a constant here as it is at every hole
on the course, a continuous battle of containment as we strive to maintain fairway
width. |
The
second hole El Arbol
Before doing anything else we put in drainage because the left side of the fairway
was almost always waterlogged. We then rebuilt and re-located the tees and planted
dozens of large wild olive trees together with cork oaks. Since the 1999 championship
we have rebuilt the green to USGA specifications including choker level which
is coarse sand on top of the gravel. This is no longer mandatory but the USGA
do recommend it. The green has the same contours as before but is now some 20%
larger. The surface is Bentgrass G2. Over the years we have planted a great many
wild olive trees to the left of the green.
This year we have lengthened the hole putting back the professional tee by 23
yards. The trees lining the fairway have been pruned back to make it possible
to drive either right or left of the large cork oak standing sentinel in the
middle of the fairway. This is known as the tree of the golden rule. Trent Jones
wanted to remove it but James McMicken the original developer refused permission.
'Why?' said Trent. 'It's the golden rule' said McMicken. 'What's that?' asked
Trent. 'Simple,' came the reply. 'I have the gold, I make the rules!' |
The
third hole El Túnel
 Tees were rebuilt and re-located. We raised the fairway because it used to fall
away sharply to the left into a ravine. We planted 100 mature olive trees in
this area. This year we have moved the Professional tee back by 12 yards. The
green has been pushed back by another 12 yards increasing its size by some 30%
and we have realigned the bunkers. At the same time we have put in a large mound
behind the green to replace bushes and brambles transplanting pines and old olive
trees. The green has been completely rebuilt to USGA specifications. |
The
fourth hole La Cascada
 When we came here this hole was heart attack country. The hole used to go down
into a ravine, up a hill, down into another ravine and up to two little greens
beside a small, dirty pond. Now it is Valderrama's signature hole. We moved 60.000
cubic yards of earth, filled in ravines, bulldozed a hill so now the green is
visible from the tee. We raised the green to a spot behind a larger pond with
a waterfall and planted over a hundred mature trees to the right and left of
the fairway.
It was Trent Jones' favourite hole at Valderrama. He said it was among the top
ten par-5's in the world. In 1993 we rebuilt the green to USGA specifications.
We have sub-air here because the green is in almost constant shade. This year
we have moved the pro tees back some 25 yards. Players will still be able to
get on in two when there is no wind or with Levante blowing but not with a Poniente
wind. |
The
fifth hole Los Altos
We rebuilt and re-located the tees and filled-in the fairway which used to slope
away from left to right. In 1997 we rebuilt the green changing contours and making
it a little bigger. After the Ryder Cup we lost 'the bunker in the sky' as Trent
Jones called the cork oak which used to grow in the greenside bunker. We replaced
it unsuccessfully and have now planted another tree which seems to be doing well.
The problem is that the amount of water used on the green drains to the front
of the cork tree which does not like water. The green was re-surfaced in 2000
with Bentgrass G2. |
The
sixth hole El Vallejo
 We rebuilt and re-located tees and seeded rye grass around the green. There have
been no other changes. In 2001 we will rebuild this green and resurface with
G2. |
The
seventh hole El Mirador
This was a par-5 with a severe left to right slope. We put in 40.000 cubic yards
of earth on the second part of the fairway to raise it. At the same time we reduced
the hole to a long par-4. When we rebuilt the green in 1997 we made it larger,
two-tier, pushing it further back and planting bushes behind. We planted a great
number of old olive trees and cork oaks between the seventh and eighth fairways
and to the right of the tees.
In 2000 we decided the hole should go back to being a relatively easy Par-5 so
we have extended the tees back some 75 yards moving two cork oaks. The old pro
tee is now the executive tee. If the hole turns out to be too easy we may revert
to Par-4. |
The
eighth hole El Bunker
 Tees were rebuilt and re-located. In 1996 we rebuilt the green and installed
sub-air since this green, like the fourth, is in almost constant shade. In 2000
we sodded the green with Bentgrass G2. Annual tree pruning on this hole is essential.
By the time of the championship in November the tees will have been moved back
by six yards. |
The
ninth hole El Muro
Tees rebuilt and re-located. We re-designed the green at the very beginning and
planted old olive trees on the right at the first landing area. In 2001 we rebuilt
the green to USGA specs and sod with G2. This completed the Valderrama greens
rebuilding programme which, by then, had eight years. |
The
tenth hole El Lago
 When we took over there was an evil-smelling swamp on the right. We converted
it to a 19.000 cubic metre lake, thirty-five feet deep in places. The water comes
from wells, goes to a pump house and from there is circulated to the rest of
the course, draining back into this lake and others at the fourth and the seventeenth.
We put the tees back and rebuilt them,then, in 1989 we built another lake to
the left of the approach area. This is connected by underground pipes to the
main lake. Subsequently the lake at the 17th was connected to this network. The
fountain in the main lake rises as high as 100 feet though not with the Levante,
it blows the water all over the fairway. In 1991 Colin Montgomerie hit his drive
at the first play-off hole (against Sandy Lyle) into the trees on the left. Since
then we have pruned more than usual. The green was rebuilt to USGA specifications
in 1995 and is similar to the 9th at Augusta National where, if you hit short,
the ball comes back down a long way. |
 The
eleventh hole Un Sueño
The tees were put back and rebuilt. We've had a lot of trouble with the fairway.
At the first landing area for high handicappers we have put in 35,000 cubic yards
of fill so their balls stay in play. But, to now, we have only raised the remainder
very slightly. We hope to do this next year but to do the work so it looks natural
is a major engineering task. Everything has to be raised, including bunkers -
we can't just cut the hill. It will need 50.000 cubic yards of fill and new drainage.
We'll also need trees. Access is difficult. It is a major operation requiring
at least a month. We will have to do it at the end of spring, close the hole
or play a shortened version. This is the one major outstanding job left on the
course.
When we came the 11th was a short par-5 with the green to the right with a road
and seven plots of land. I insisted on buying these otherwise I wouldn't have
bought the course. In 1987 we chopped off the top of the hill because you couldn't
see the sea. Then we built the green where it is today. The hole was lengthened
by 75 yards. In 1995 the green was rebuilt to USGA specs and sodded with Bentgrass
G2 in 2000. |
The
twelfth hole Las Camelias
 The tees were put back and rebuilt. We lengthened the hole, pushing the green
back. The tees were moved into the present position, back and right, for the
1997 Ryder Cup. The green was rebuilt to USGA specs in 1994. We carried out major
drainage work to the areas front and left of the green. |
The
thirteenth hole Sin Bunker
As its name implies this is the only hole on the course without bunkers. The
tees were rebuilt and moved back. The green has been rebuilt to USGA specs. We
put in a lot of drainage in front of the green. This is the lowest part of the
course. |
The
fourteenth hole La Piedra
 This hole was completely rebuilt. There were three plots on the left and two
on top of the hill. We took the road out and put in olive trees. In the area
on the right between the 14th and 15th we also planted mature olive trees. The
green was rebuilt to USGA specs in 1994. We uncovered the big rock that looks
like an animal up there looking down on the green. Nick Faldo wanted me to put
in an escalator from the 14th green up to the 15th tee. We got in touch with
the Australian company which had done the same thing at the Shek O course in
Hong Kong but dropped the idea after we decided to move the 15th tees. |
The
fifteenth hole El Puerto
We rebuilt and re-sited the tees and re-shaped the hole. Over the years the green
subsided on the right. This was rebuilt to USGA specs in 1995. |
The
sixteenth hole Muy Difícil
We rebuilt the tees and at the suggestion of Volvo Masters participants and others
took out the bunker which used to be located on the left hand side at the first
landing area. The green was rebuilt and pushed back in 1986 and rebuilt again
to USGA specs in 1995. The contours are the same. We have planted cork trees
on the right. The big cork oak struck by lightning in 1996 was removed and replaced
by four smaller trees which are doing very well. |
The
seventeenth hole Los Gabiones
 This was, for many years, a long slog of a par-5. We never seemed to get around
to changing it probably because there was so much to do elsewhere. The idea of
putting a lake in front of the green goes back to 1988 when Trent Jones did a
drawing. We eventually used this when Seve did the hole. Trent couldn't come
over by then. Then we re-did it several times lowering mounds, taking them out,
getting rid of fairway rough, changing the green and the bunkers at the back.
Michael Campbell called the mounds 'dead elephants,' After the Ryder Cup we moved
the tees back as far as possible and put in new fairway bunkers. We planted cork
trees down the left and right and rebuilt the green, enlarging it. After the
1999 incident when Tiger's ball spun back from beyond the hole into the water
we lowered the hump on the right hand side of the green by 4 inches and raised
the front of the green by 1 1/2 inches and resurfaced the green.
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The eighteenth
hole Casa Club
 We rebuilt the tees with Trent Jones and in 1997 put in mounds for Ryder Cup
spectators between the 18th and 1st. The green was rebuilt to USGA specs in 1994.
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The driving range
We moved over 70,000 cubic yards to fill in the ravine and then put in a maintenance
tunnel that crosses the range from side to side. The range is 100 yards wide
and 275 yards long. The surface is Bermuda grass. There are three target greens
and a practice chipping area and bunker to the right of the range where we are
testing Tiff green Bermuda grass, a revolutionary Bermuda which is supposed to
be as good as Bentgrass. Next to the Clubhouse restaurant we have a 12,000 square
foot putting green surfaced with Bent Penncross.
Bentgrass G2
This is one of the latest types of Bent-grass. It grows straighter but has to
be cut tighter because it tends to create more thatch. It was produced by professor
Joseph Duich at Penn State University and plays better, truer and faster. We
saw it first at Pinehurst Number 2 during the 1999 US Open where it behaved beautifully. |
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This article appears courtesy of
'Andalucía
Golf' magazine.
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