After a major investment to modernise its amenities, the club has consolidated its privileged position as a members’ club on the Cost del Sol

If in June 2013, when the work began, someone had said that Royal Guadalmina Golf Club would take just one year to finish one of the most ambitious and important investment and improvements programmes ever undertaken on the Costa del Sol, probably no one would have believed them.

“The responsibility and workload that we took on as a company and club would normally have made us very nervous,” notes Ignacio del Cuvillo, manager of the renowned Marbella club, “because it’s not very often such an old club, with so much tradition, and so well-established as Guadalmina, would consider undertaking an investment of such magnitude.”

We are talking about a modern new maintenance depot, a new storage room for clubs with adequate amenities for a club of nearly 1,200 members, a shop and caddy master’s office that includes changes to the shop’s management model, now managed directly by the company, a complete renovation of the club’s offices, a new gymnasium, wellness rooms and a children’s area.

And all completed in 11 months. “We weren’t nervous, but uneasy,” adds Del Cuvillo, recalling the time when work began.

One of the reasons why all the work was undertaken at the same time is that, due to the situation arising from the crisis, construction costs were notably lower compared with those of previous years.

“We took advantage of the opportunity,” he says. Thanks to that and good finance conditions applying to a large proportion of the work, they didn’t have to seek an extraordinary contribution from members, “something that is common at other clubs when they carry out improvement work”.

Such a major investment commitment at a time when most clubs are maintaining their running expenses at a minimum has enabled Guadalmina to place itself in a very advantageous position during the sector’s recovery process. “While other clubs are crossing this huge desert known as the crisis,” says Del Cuvillo.

“Guadalmina invested in improvements and expanding its amenities. That has had an effect on the number of people calling to enquire about becoming a member of a club and enjoying modern amenities.”

Completing all the aforementioned work has been “a huge delight and satisfaction” for members of this flagship club, which has two 18-hole courses (North and South) and another nine-hole pitch and putt layout.

Apart from all its sports amenities, golf courses, magnificent pool, tennis and padel courts, gymnasium, children’s area, clubhouse and restaurant, Royal Guadalmina Golf Club offers members another great attraction: its intensive and lively social and sporting life, “the most attractive on the Costa del Sol and even in the whole of Andalucía,” observes the club’s manager.

“We are talking about a very international club, with 18 nationalities represented, a very active membership group regularly taking part in weekly competitions, and a very active summer, when activity does not decline in comparison with winter – in fact, it increases. These days Guadalmina’s social and sporting schedule has no comparison with any other club in the area. And all of that thanks to the various sports sections within the club.”

Another key aspect that allows Guadalmina to stand out is its unconditional support for family golf, for children, the children’s academy, supporting young golfers. Sometimes the children are attracted to golf through their parents; on other occasions, the contrary. “We make sure the children have the means and appropriate surroundings to play golf,” stresses Del Cuvillo.

In addition to the golf courses, racquet centre and pool, members can also enjoy the gymnasium-wellness centre and children’s area for members who still have young children which will be available in a few weeks time and which will include a room with cardiovascular exercise equipment, one for muscle-building and another for multiple activities such as pilates, aerobics, etc., as well as additional rooms for chiropractic and relaxing massages. Next to these facilities is a games room for children. “All of this is an added attraction for becoming a member of the club,” says the manager.

In this respect, he notes that – even after having made such a major investment in work over the past year – Guadalmina still offers an excellent relationship between quality and price in membership rates. It is necessary to buy a family share in Guadalmina S.A., which includes the father, mother and children. At the moment a special offer is available for the rest of the year, in which the spouse is not required to pay the entry fee. For 2015, the spouse will have to pay a reduced entry fee, around 600 euros, to become a member. The down payment fee for the title-holding member is 4,450 euros.

As for the shares, Del Cuvillo says “right now it’s a very interesting price in comparison with shares for other clubs in the area”. The fees are “very competitive” – and are available on the club’s website.