Marc Westenborg of Westenborg Golf Design and Jacobo Cestino, CEO of La Zagaleta Group and member of the Spanish Amateur team, have formed a Golf Course Design collaboration.
Westenborg Golf has 25 years of experience in the golf course industry. Marc has been the architect for countless renovation projects and the design of seven new golf courses. These include Rockliffe Hall which hosted the 2013 and 2014 English Senior Open and Dun Laoghaire which hosted the 2016 Curtis Cup and was also voted the best parkland golf course in Ireland 2012 and 2014.
Jacobo Cestino’s golf course architecture passion began 30 years ago as the result of representing the Spanish Amateur Team during which he played some of the best golf courses in the world, including many of the Top 100 golf courses.
Marc Westenborg and Jacobo Cestino, due to their relationship with La Zagaleta, an exclusive 36-hole golf course and housing estate near Marbella, have known each other for over ten-years.
Westenborg was the architect during the renovation of the Zagaleta Old Course which involved the remodelling of the bunkers, new tee complexes and the complete redesign of the 6th green complex. The project was a resounding success and Westenborg and Cestino worked very closely during the whole process. They have also played numerous rounds of golf together and found that they have very similar ideas and philosophies when it comes to the game of golf. The natural progression has been to form a collaboration and work together with this unique golf course architectural partnership on future projects not just in Spain, but worldwide.
Westenborg’s experience in the golf industry started as a greenkeeper before moving on to golf course construction and then the renowned golf course architecture firm Hawtree Ltd. He is a Member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects and listed on the “Raising the Standard of Sustainable Golf Course Design” register and is a qualified Project Manager. Combining Westenborg’s experience with Cestino’s Spanish amateur status, first-hand knowledge of playing the best golf courses in the world and a passion for Golf Course Architecture will deliver a distinctive Golf Course Architectural service that will produce exceptional golf courses.
With Cestino’s experience as a talented golfer – amateur and professional, as well as his 26 years involvement in the golf industry, he will be able to provide unique input into the thought processes of a professional golfer, while Westenborg, using his experience in creating visually strong, playable golf courses playable for the average golfer, provides a different perspective. Combine their two pieces of know-how together and the result is a stunning golf course to be enjoyed by all levels of golfers.
The combination of their knowledge is the perfect partnership, providing the complete golf course design service, be it for a new 18-hole facility or the renovation of an existing golf course. In conclusion, the Westenborg/Cestino collaboration is a unique Golf Course Architectural partnership.
Marc Westenborg commented, “Jacobo and I are very excited about our collaboration. We have developed a good friendship. Having played many rounds of golf with Jacobo, I have no doubt he has a natural instinct when it comes to golf course design. We look forward to combining our ideas for our first project.”