La Cala, one of Europe’s most popular golf resorts, is continuing its programme of investment in its popular Cabell Robinson designed courses, following the announcement that its oldest layout, Asia, is to undergo a major refurbishment programme that will see all 18 greens upgraded to Bermuda grass to improve sustainability and year-round conditioning, and all bunkers fully renovated.
The 54-hole Andalucian resorthas embarked on a major improvement programme to enhance its courses reputations in recent years. The America course was the first to benefit in 2018, with the 4thand 15thholes undergoing extensive remodelling to improve playability and all bunkers refurbished to enhance the aesthetics as part of a comprehensive upgrade.
Now, as La Cala celebrates its 30thanniversary this year, it is the turn of the resort’s elder statesman, the Asia course, to benefit from major improvements. The course, which was the first of the three to open in 1989, and which has co-hosted The Alps Tour Q School for the last seven years along with Campo America, will this summer become the first course on the Costa del Sol to switch to Bermuda grass on its greens, via the ‘No-Till’ method rather than re-turfing, as part of a major refurbishment programme that will also see all bunkers renovated to improve the course’s visual appeal and conditioning.
Following a successful Bermuda grass trial on one of the resort’s practice greens, The Asia course will close for two months while the work is carried out in mid-summer. The No-Till process, which involves scalping and verti-cutting to help kill off the existing grasses and allow the switch to Bermuda, is possible where the existing greens have good drainage and solid construction, which Asia’s do. The end result will not only be better year-round putting surfaces, but also a major benefit in terms of sustainability as Bermuda greens will significantly reduce water consumption and the risk of grass diseases, while also relying less heavily on the use of chemicals and fertilisers.
“We are constantly looking for ways to improve our golf offering,” said Sean Corte-Real, Director of La Cala Resort. “Greens that roll and play better all year-round will be a real asset. But the real beauty of the switch to Bermuda grass is the extent to which maintaining Campo Asia will impact on the environment. We live in environmentally sensitive times, and rightly so. Anything we can do as a golf resort to not only reduce our water consumption, but also minimise the amount of chemicals and fertilisers we are putting in to the ground,can only be the right thing to do.”
The Asia course will re-open for play with its new Bermuda greens and renovated bunkers in September this year.
La Cala Resort www.lacala.com