Hacienda del Alamo is being developed by one of Spain’s leading banks, Caixa Catalunya, in beautiful countryside near the town of Fuente Alamo, close to the cities of Murcia and Cartagena.
The first 18-hole golf course, designed by Dave Thomas, is already open. Dave Thomas, once one the best golf players in the world, is nowadays considered one of the best golf course designers in the world.
The course measures 7,300 yards (6,724 m) from the back tees and is one of the longest in Spain. There are seven lakes, 84 bunkers and large greens measuring up to 800 sq. metres. Land movement has been kept to a minimum and the terrain is dominated by palm trees.
The grass used for the tees, fairway and rough is ‘Princess Bermuda’ while ‘L93 Agrostis’ has been used on the greens, which are surrounded by a strip of seaside Agrostis. These grasses have been chosen not only for their quality but also because they require relatively low levels of water, an extremely important issue in this part of Spain.
The golf academy includes a 36 bay range, six practice holes – three par 3 and three par 4 – a large short-game practice area, a 1,000 sq. metre putting green and a swing analysis system using 8 digital cameras.
Of the luxury villas, 550 are already built – and sold. Within five years that will have grown to 4,000 villas, 400 luxury apartments and a five-star hotel. The golf clubhouse will open in 2006.
The resort, already being dubbed the ‘new number one in Spain’, has signed world top twenty player and Ryder Cup hero Miguel Angel Jimà©nez as its tour professional. The multi-year agreement will see Jimà©nez, one of the Tour’s most colourful characters, carrying the resort’s logo on his bag and making TV commercials for the up-market development.
Jimà©nez said, “As I think everyone knows, I am very proud to be a Spaniard and I am delighted to be representing such a fantastic new development in my home country. Already many people are saying that this Dave Thomas-designed course will go on to host top-level tournaments and I look forward to helping promote this fantastic new resort to an international audience.”
Hacienda del Alamo’s director of golf, Billy Sim, said, “This is a great day for us and we are proud to have one of the biggest names in world golf signing for us. Miguel is a genuine star and a symbol of the real Spain. It is important for us to send out the signal that this is very much a Spanish project.”
Hacienda del Alamo involves a total investment of €900 million and will create 1,100 new jobs.
Hacienda del Alamo www.haciendadelalamo.com
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