On each of those occasions a different winner emerged. England’s Ross Fisher and Ian Poulter claimed the first two, before Nicolas Colsaerts from Belgium beat former US Open champion Graeme McDowell in the 2012 final.

Colsaerts played 11 matches in two appearances in the event, his record an impressive 8-2-1. Among his victims were a clutch of major champions: Rory McIlroy, Retief Goosen, McDowell and Justin Rose. Only once, in a re-match with Goosen, did he lose over 18 holes (1 down). His other defeat came at the 19th hole to Poulter in the 2011 semi-final. So the man who almost single-handedly beat Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in a fourball match in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah (partner Lee Westwood helped out at one hole) knows a thing or two about both match-play golf and the intricacies of the undulating Finca Cortesin layout.

“It’s a tough course to play, pretty hilly,” says the 40-year-old, who next week will serve as one of European captain Luke Donald’s assistants at the Ryder Cup in Italy. “I imagine the women are going to be given a few buggy rides between holes; walking all 18 holes is almost out of the question. It really suited me at the time I won there though. There were a few holes where I could really take advantage of my length off the tee. It’s a course where hitting the greens is super important. But not as important as finding the right sections of the putting surfaces. So you can make a bunch of birdies if your approach play is accurate. But you have to play really well to do that.”

Nicolas Colsaerts stands outside the Finca Cortesin clubhouse after winning the Volvo Match Play Championship on the Spanish course in 2012. Andrew Redington

Colsaerts contends the course is appealing in the sense that the shots are immediately clear in your mind. “You can see what the designer wants you to do,” he says. “That’s especially true with the approach shots. There is a lot of undulation to deal with and more than a few false fronts. But again, the questions asked vary depending on the pin positions.”

As ever, weather is more than likely to play a role in the type of golf asked for this week. In particular, the wind can gust erratically due to course’s proximity of the Mediterranean and the nearby Gibraltar Strait.

“The breeze will almost certainly be a big factor,” Colsaerts says. “But it’s a course where, if you are in control of your ball and play well from tee-to-green, you are going to be hard to beat. If you miss greens, you will have a hard time winning holes.”

To that end, the first Belgian to play in a Ryder Cup has some advice for both the Americans and Europeans.

“My game in 2012 especially was built around one guiding principle: I kept hitting inside my opponents,” Colsaerts says. “I was nearly always last to play and always had the cards dealt in front of me when it was my turn to hit. And yes, I was hitting the ball particularly well at the time. So I nearly always knew what I had to do. I managed my game pretty well in the 11 games I played there. So I was hitting shots inside my opponents. I wasn’t making silly mistakes. My tee-to-green skills were really sharp, which is what those who win most points this week will have to reproduce.”

OK, let’s say tee-to-green is a bit of a struggle. Are the players going to be able to salvage halves on a regular basis with their short-game skills? The answer is “probably not.” While the Finca Cortesin putting surfaces are large and the fairway are generally wide, missing the putting surfaces is, more often than not, going to lead to problems.

“The greens generally have only a little bit of undulation. But there are a few that are treacherous, again depending on the pin positions. If you miss on the wrong side though, you are in trouble. The course is built on the side of a valley, so there is always one side that is particularly tricky. So you have to miss in the right places. But it’s not that hard to figure out where you don’t want to be. The players will figure that out pretty quickly. It’s all there in front of them. Having said that, it is clear that the superior ball-strikers are going to do well in their matches.”

Like most courses well-suited to head-to-head play, the closing stretch at Finca Cortesin is filled with exciting potential. The old Scottish saying that “two up with five to play never wins” can be confirmed as a (near) golfing truism.

“The finishing holes are great for match play,” Colsaerts says. “From 14 onwards, close matches are going to be hard to predict. Sixteen is tough. Seventeen is a generous green size-wise, but getting close is tough, especially when the pin is on the left. And there is a par 5 to finish. All in all, this is a much better match play course than it is stroke play. Wild driving is disastrous. We’ll see a few ‘three off the tee’ scenarios and a few early concessions too, especially in foursomes. I won’t be surprised to see balls getting picked up before the players reach the greens.”

Overall, Colsaerts sees this as a Solheim Cup that will be won by the team with the superior long games. But that is a not a blanket statement with no need for caveats.

“If this Solheim Cup is like every other team match, we’ll see two types of DNA in the players,” Colsaerts says. “There will be a few ‘steady eddies’. And there will be some longer hitters. As always, it’s a big advantage to be ahead off the tee, as long as you are in play. Hitting short irons into some of those greens is going to give a big edge to a player. I see good ball-strikers having a significant advantage.”

Main image: Steve Carr

The post What makes Spain’s Finca Cortesin different than any other Solheim Cup course appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Ahead of one of the biggest events on the golfing calendar, Golf Digest Middle East caught up with the man with the plan — Finca’s General Manager Francisco de Lancastre David — as he puts the final touches to preparations ahead of the ladies’ arrival.

“We are getting there,” Francisco tells us during a brief time out from overseeing the logistics of putting on such a competition. “We are now very close to getting all the infrastructure in place and ready for the big day.”

But before we get too far into the big build-up, it is worth noting the journey Francisco has taken to get to this point — a journey at saw him take in two stints in the UAE.  

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Francisco was never one to turn down an opportunity, and that meant he was — relatively speaking — never in one place for too long before taking on a new challenge. This took him from Spain to Portugal and then back and forth between his home country and the UAE for almost 20 years before settling back at Finca Cortesin in continental Europe’s golf capital — Andalucia.

“After my Masters in Golf Course and Resort Management in Madrid, I started as an intern at a company in Madrid that developed golf courses,” he explains. “I was there for about 12 months when Monterrey Golf Club in the Algarve was being developed and I got chatting to the guys in charge of development. When they were close to opening, they called me to say they were recruiting. They invited me over and the rest was history.

“I was there for five years, right from the beginning, when the opportunity came to move to Dubai and the Els Club, which I took up for three years before coming over to Finca Cortesin as Director of Golf. Another three years later I found myself back in the UAE at Saadiyat as Group Director of Golf — and as General Manager of the three Aldar properties in Abu Dhabi [Saadiyat, Yas Links and Abu Dhabi Golf Club]. I spent a total of five years in Abu Dhabi overseeing the three clubs when the opportunity arose to come back home to Finca as GM as the course was awarded the 2023 Solheim Cup.

“During my time in Abu Dhabi, we had hosted a lot of big tournaments — the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Ladies European Tour, Gary Player Invitationals — and that was something I loved. Obviously, the Solheim Cup is one of the biggest events in the world and it was too big an opportunity to pass up.”

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While being surrounded by all things golf throughout his 17-year career, Francisco has certainly sampled contrasting lifestyles in the UAE and Spain.

“I loved life in the UAE, having lived in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi,” he says. “It was a different experience as me and my wife were in very different moments in our life.

“The first time, it was just the two of us, but the second time around in Abu Dhabi we had our son with us. So we got to enjoy the ‘eclectic’ life in Dubai before the family lifestyle in Abu Dhabi.

“I think for the golf and hospitality industry, the UAE is a great place to be, to learn — I have learnt so much during my years.

“In Spain, Finca Cortesin is an amazing property, but next to us we also have Valderrama, Sotogrande, La Reserva, Zagaleta, it is a cluster of really high-end resorts, and there is a different mindset in terms of what you are trying to achieve with your product.

“In our case, because we have a residential component and hotel component, the golf club is part of a bigger strategy to develop all the areas of the business. Whereas in Dubai and Abu Dhabi the clubs are more like individual businesses.”

Although Francisco is relishing the immediate challenges in Spain, he confesses there is one thing he really misses about the UAE.

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“The weather,” he says with a chuckle. “I miss those UAE winters when the weather is just perfect. Here in Spain, even though we in the Costa del Sol, it is not the greatest weather in winter.”

However, on the flip side …

“We have very little traffic — a far cry from Sheikh Zayed Road, so the peace and quiet is much easier to find over here.”

Finca’s greens are greener than most, and the resort’s drive for sustainability saw it recently awarded the GEO Certified label.

Since opening in 2006, it has always had the environment in mind, placing emphasis on the preservation of the surrounding area, including the use of recycled water, eco-friendly grasses, and even the introduction of bees to the property to help pollinate the region.

“Since we opened 16 years ago, sustainability is something we have always been conscious about, being irrigated with recycled water since day one — something that is quite rare in Europe,” Francisco says. “We also changed our grass to Bermuda, which uses 30 per cent less water. The award is really important to have, but we have been following all these practices for a long time already.”

The course itself has undergone a revamp for the Solheim Cup, with the ladies playing a different route to that of the usual members, adding to the spectacle.

“The course is undulating with a lot of elevation,” Francisco tells us. “This means fans [75,000 are expected] can see multiple holes and greens from a single viewpoint.

“We have changed the route of the first six holes. Hole No. 4 is iconic here — downhill par-4 with water, but certainly drivable. It will now become No. 1 for the Solheim, because everyone in the grandstands can see the entire hole from one spot. From player point of view, they have a big decision to make from their first shot if they want to go for the green on a wonderful risk-and-reward hole.

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“Hole 11 will come down from a par-5 to a par-4 to accommodate and area for spectators, so this is more of a logistic than strategic change.

“Around holes 16 and 17 we have most of the hospitality as that is where 80 per cent of the matches are expected to finish. That is where we are expecting a lot of the drama as the sessions come to a close.”

Both teams will be staying under one roof at the on-site five-star hotel, something that was a key aim for Francisco.

“That is going to be a great experience, as very rarely do both teams stay in the same place,” he says. “I think this may be the first time ever. So it will be a different experience. One of the biggest goals for us was to give them all the same world-class experience we give to all our guests. 

“Oh, there will be two separate dining areas for the teams — just in case they are needing to discuss tactics in privacy.”

When the action gets underway, Francisco admits he is looking to cheer on some local flavour at his home course, with Spaniard Carlota Ciganda confirmed on Suzann Pettersen’s 12-strong team.

“We actually sponsor two Spaniards — Ana Pelaez and Nuria Iturrioz — but they didn’t quite make it. But to have a Spanish player would be great for the atmosphere and the home fans. I think Carlota will be a great addition as she has great inside knowledge of the course here. 

Maybe Francisco will pass on a few Finca secrets of his own to Pettersen and Co.

The post Finca Cortesin GM takes us through the process of preparing for one of golf’s biggest tournaments — The Solheim Cup appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Finca Cortesin General Manager Francisco de Lancastre David takes us through the final preparations of hosting such a monumental event as the Solheim Cup, and we analyse the unlike-any-other-competition pressures of competing in the Ryder Cup in Rome.

Coach Justin Parsons takes us on his journey from Northern Ireland to the UAE and Open glory with Brian Harman, and Wyndham Clark explains what it takes to win a major.

All this and much, much more in the September 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

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Finca Cortesin, the 2023 Solheim Cup venue, has further demonstrated strong commitment and performance in sustainability by being awarded the GEO Certified label for sustainable golf.

Since opening in 2006, the venue has developed world-class facilities and a championship golf course that complement the area’s local culture, landscape and ecology. Spanning over 240 hectares, Finca Cortesin continues to place great emphasis on the preservation of its property through sustainable turfgrass management.

Employing a combination of cultural and mechanical practices, the resort maintains impeccably healthy and resilient playing surfaces, capable of withstanding droughts and diseases, having installed Bermuda grass on the greens in 2016. This has since helped the resort to reduce on-course water consumption by 30 per cent.

Pioneering water management practices have also become a hallmark of Finca Cortesin’s commitment to environmental stewardship. By using 100 per cent recycled water from the nearby village of Manilva, the resort was awarded Acosol’s seal of quality for recycled water management in May 2022, making it the first golf course in Spain to receive this accolade.

Finca Cortesin. Supplied

Vicente Rubio, President of Finca Cortesin, added: “Our GEO Certification stands as a resounding testament to Finca Cortesin’s unwavering commitment to sustainability. At every step, our resort prioritises the preservation of the environment and the well-being of our planet. We approach each decision with a profound respect for nature, recognising that our actions today shape the future of our ecosystem. Our dedication to sustainability permeates every aspect of our operations, from naturalisation efforts that foster native habitats to meticulous turfgrass management practices that prioritise water conservation.”

The Solheim Cup will be hosted in Spain for the first time in its history.

Suzann Petersen, European Solheim Cup Team Captain, and a Sustainable Golf Champion, reinforced the significance of this to the event and to golf in general: “It is so important that golf’s major venues and events are at the forefront of efforts to reduce negative impacts and maximise positives for the environment and communities. Personally, I recognise the role golfers and golfing events play so to see Finca Cortesin being recognised at the forefront of action and providing solutions to these, and other related issues is the right thing to do, very encouraging and setting a great example for other future Solheim Cup venues.”

Finca Cortesin. Supplied

Beyond the golf course, Finca Cortesin has established a range of exciting initiatives including the creation of beehives to support vital pollination. Furthermore, Finca Cortesin also recognises its role and responsibility in supporting the local community, extending a significant programme of social benefits above and beyond the valuable, skilled employment the facility provides.

Notable collaborations include partnerships with Malaga University, providing educational programmes, and internships for unemployed individuals through a relationship with City Hall. Additionally, the resort actively supports organisations like Katrama, dedicated to raising funds for Saharan children living in Casares.

The post Finca Cortesin flies flag for sustainability in Spain ahead of Solheim Cup appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Andalucían resort is set to become a household name as it prepares for a landmark year in 2023. In September it will become the first Spanish venue to host the Solheim Cup, when Suzann Pettersen’s Team Europe will be going for three in a row against the finest female golfers from America in the famous matchplay tournament. In the lead up to the event, Finca Cortesin has teamed up with Troon, the leader in club management, development, and marketing, to help with the growing popularity and inevitable demand that will arrive this year.

Mark Chapleski, Executive Vice President at Troon International, said: “Through our collaboration, we will be able to assist the Finca team to further enhance their positioning in international markets and grow their truly amazing brand.”

Set on a 215-hectare estate and surrounded by undisturbed nature, Finca Cortesin’s championship course is the central focus of an estate that features an award-winning hotel, spa and sport facilities, luxury residential complexes and extensive retail and dining outlets on the shores of the Mediterranean.

The Solheim Cup will take place between 18-24 September.

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By Ryan Herrington
For the third time in the event’s history, the Solheim Cup is heading to continental Europe. Officials with the Ladies European Tour announced on Tuesday that the 2023 matches will take place in Spain at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia.

“Spain is a passionate golfing nation with knowledgeable fans and a history of developing generations of talented golfers,” said LET CEO Alexandra Armas, “while Andalucia’s strong cultural heritage will make for a unique experience for players, guests and supporters alike.”

A specific date for the event is still being finalized. Solheim Cup organizers will be looking for a window of time that separates the competition from the Ryder Cup that will be held in Italy that fall. Previously, the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cups were played in separate years, but when the PGA of America pushed back the 2020 at Whistling Straits to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it caused the entire biennial schedule of the Ryder Cup to shift a year, creating the overlap.

Spain will be the sixth European nation to host the match. In addition to U.K. nations Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Sweden became the first country on the European continent to host in 2003 and Germany followed in 2015.

Seven Spanish golfers have competed in Solheim Cup during its 30-year history, the most of any countries except for England and Sweden. Most recently Azahara Munoz and Carlota Ciganda played for the victorious 2019 European team at Gleneagles.

The next edition of the Solheim Cup is scheduled to be Sept. 4-6, 2021 at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

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