HISTORY, TRADITION AND EXCELLENCE
Opened in 1974 and originally known as Las Aves
Valderrama has been consistently ranked as number 1 in Continental Europe since the late 80’s and has been included in the Top 100 in the World since 1990.
Real Club Valderrama, originally recognised as Las Aves (Sotogrande New), was built in 1974 under the architectural guidance of Mr. Robert Trent Jones, Sr, a visionary among golf course architects. In 1984, the golf course came under the ownership of Mr. Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, who embarked on a mission to elevate the course to an unprecedented level of excellence, setting a new benchmark for European golf.
The ascendancy of Valderrama was palpable as early as 1988, when it undertook the mantle of hosting the inaugural Volvo Masters—a hallmark event within the PGA European Tour’s calendar—a role it retained until 2009. The pinnacle of Valderrama’s legacy emerged in 1997 when the Club was honoured to host the 32nd Ryder Cup, an event of profound significance in the golfing world, culminating in Europe’s captivating victory, with the late Seve Ballesteros as Captain.
Valderrama continues to enhance its prestigious legacy, hosting the World Golf Championships – the American Express Championship – in 1999 and 2000, as well as the Andalucía Valderrama Masters, a longstanding highlight on the European Tour.
Valderrama continues to cement its status as a premier destination for the sport’s elite, embracing a new era of golf by hosting the inaugural LIV Golf Andalucía tournament in 2023.
Subsequent to these milestones, Valderrama’s eminence continued. In the years 1999 and 2000, it was the distinguished host of the inaugural two editions of the World Golf Championships – American Express Championship, which were triumphantly claimed by Tiger Woods and Mike Weir, respectively.
In more recent times, the illustrious heritage of Valderrama has been perpetuated through the hosting of eight iterations of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters, a tournament of considerable prestige within the domain of Spanish golf sanctioned by the European Tour. Furthermore, Valderrama proudly welcomed LIV Golf in June 2023, boasting some of the best players in the world.
The Origin: Las Aves
1975
In 1975 Robert Trent Jones designed Las Aves Golf course owned by former U.S. Army military officer Joe McMicking and originally operated as a golf facility.
Valderrama is founded
1985
In September of 1985 the new club is a reality, redesigned by Robert Trent-Jones Senior,
1988: THE ERA OF THE VOLVO MASTERS
1988
On October 1988 begins the era of the Volvo Masters, the grand finale of the European Tour
THE 1997 RYDER CUP
1997
The ever-remembered 1997 Ryder Cup was held in Valderrama, the first one outside the British Isles.
American Express Championship
1999
Valderrama reached an agreement to celebrate for two years (1999,2000) the final of the world champions series
Andalucia Masters
2010
After a short break, the European Tour returned to Valderrama with the Andalucía Valderrama Masters.
A New era for Valderrama
2011
In May 2011 the Visconde de Pereira Machado was elected President of the Club and Valderrama since then has gone through a complete renovation.
