Martin Shaw, the recently appointed general manager of Royal Golf La Bagnaia in Italy, discusses how he is settling into his new role at the upmarket Tuscan resort and the plans the IMG Prestige venue has for 2023 and beyond
How do you reflect on your first few months at Royal Golf La Bagnaia?
Having started here at La Bagnaia in May this year, I was very quickly made to feel at home. The existing team members, some who have worked here for many years, and some having started more recently, were able to give me a good insight into the history of La Bagnaia, including background information on daily operations, seasonal changes, trends, member requests and much more. Having also known the previous general manager, and with the help from the team at IMG, I had a good head start in settling into my role.
I started just before we reopened La Bagnaia therefore I had a good opportunity to get to know many of the members who were coming to play regularly before the golf tourism really kicked off. The members were extremely welcoming and I feel that we have developed a really good relationship over these past few months. Once the resort had opened [following the relaxation of Covid restrictions], the club became much busier with many golfing tourists taking advantage of the stay-and-play packages on offer, enjoying their time on and off the course here at La Bagnaia.
It has been a real pleasure seeing so many golfers enjoying the facilities and the feedback we have received has been very good, in particular, about the golf course. Having now spent 8 full seasons in Tuscany, 2022 was by far the most difficult in terms of course maintenance. This was due to the extremely dry and warm summer, however, with the support of IMG agronomist Sylvain Duval, the team managed to maintain the course in fantastic condition.
You’ve been living in Italy and more specifically in Tuscany for some years now. How has that been a factor in help you to settle into your new role?
Yes, I moved to Tuscany in 2015, beginning my Italian adventure at The Club at Castiglion del Bosco in Montalcino. Not speaking a word of Italian at the time, I really had no idea what to expect or for how many years I would stay in Italy. I am very lucky to have English as my first language allowing me to communicate with almost everyone with ease, however, it was always an early priority of mine to learn the language and to integrate as best as possible into the Italian way of life. It was not easy, but within a few years I had a decent understanding of the Italian language and could get by. Almost eight years later, I would consider myself nearly fluent and I’m extremely happy with the Italian way of life.
This experience in Italy certainly helped me integrate into my role here at La Bagnaia. The ability to communicate with the members and my colleagues in their native language makes them feel more relaxed and comfortable. Being a ‘local’, and having seen a lot of the region, I have made many good friends and contacts. This has then enabled me to help golf tourists with their time away from the course, making recommendations for restaurants, and towns and wineries to visit. I enjoy being able to enhance people’s overall experiences.
Over these past years, I have attended many tastings at different vineyards in Tuscany. With many friends who work in this industry, I am often in the company of sommeliers, wine producers and vineyard owners, and I am constantly learning. I have also developed a real interest in the Italian food culture and I feel both have helped me in my role.
In 2022, we experimented a little with the clubhouse menu by introducing some international dishes while using good quality local Tuscan produce. We are going to continue to develop this even more in 2023 and with the assistance of our F&B colleagues at La Bagnaia Resort, I am really looking forward to developing this area even more. I have also developed a good relationship with many local suppliers that I have continued collaborating with here.
La Bagnaia hosts a Pro-Am every year. What are your plans and expectations for the 2023 event?
The 2022 Lexus Pro-Am was certainly one of the highlights of the year at La Bagnaia. Held on the second weekend in July, the golf course was in absolutely fantastic condition despite the heavy storm that we experienced a couple of days prior. We had professionals and their accompanying teams travel from all over Italy to participate, including DP World Tour player Lorenzo Gagli, who went on to win.
Most teams arrived on Friday for their practice round before the first round of competition on Saturday. Players were invited to a dinner on the terrace of the La Voliera restaurant at the resort on the Saturday evening. Such a special location with a beautiful sunset added to the overall experience of the event. For 2023, we will certainly continue with the same two-day format, allowing professionals to compete for the individual prize while their teams help towards the team prizes.
We had some fantastic vouchers as prizes where winners could win golf breaks at other IMG Prestige venues such as Royal Bled in Slovenia, Zala Springs in Hungary and many more. With sponsors such as Il Bisonte (leather goods), Rougj (cosmetics), Haribo, Petrognola Beers, Castello Banfi Wines, Marche Region and our main sponsor Lexus, the welcome pack and prizes were fantastic and very much appreciated by all who participated.
We will certainly be aiming to replicate, if not improve on these prizes on offer for 2023. Having our resort, we were able to offer a special ‘Stay & Play’ option for teams wishing to take advantage of the five-star accommodation that we have to offer.
Royal Golf La Bagnaia regularly features high up the list of many of the leading golf course rankings, including those compiled by Golf World and Golf Digest. How does the golfing experience compare to other courses in Italy that you’ve played?
I am fortunate to have played a variety of different courses across Italy and it is clear that La Bagnaia is one of the best is proven by the different accolades received in rankings you mentioned. Designed by Trent Jones Jr, all 18 holes are visible from the clubhouse. It is an extremely enjoyable layout that I personally never get bored of due to each hole having its own character and backdrop. The different tee boxes make the course enjoyable for players of all abilities, however the five beautiful lakes that come into play certainly add to the challenge. Visually, the course changes depending on the season. The tall fescue grasses that create definition throughout the course change from green to a beautiful golden colour during the summer season.
The fields surrounding the course can change in a day when farmers turn over the soil for a new crop. The experience of sitting on the patio after your game with a glass of locally produced wine overlooking all 18 holes is something quite special.
Located in the middle of the Tuscan countryside, La Bagnaia is quite unique in comparison to other Italian golfing destinations where there is so much else to do when not on the golf course. To have been nominated the third best course in Italy by Golf Digest was quite special and we will continue to develop and improve in order to climb the rankings in 2023 and beyond.
This year will be an particularly important one for Italian golf as the country hosts the Ryder Cup in Rome. Can you already see a trend in terms of bookings and interest for Tuscany and La Bagnaia?
While we are predicting an extremely busy September and October, with golfing tourists coming to play before or after attending the Ryder Cup, we are already receiving many reservations for all months of 2023. Many golfers are taking advantage of our Stay & Play offers, including accommodation at the resort and green fees, and we are receiving some large group requests from tour operators.
Tuscany has so much to offer that I feel that many golf tourists are opting for the region as their prime destination next year before or after travelling to Rome to watch the Ryder Cup, which is just two hours’ drive away.
The food, wine, culture and sightseeing that Tuscany offers have really created a boom in tourism in recent years and I definitely see 2023 continuing with this trend. La Bagnaia makes the perfect location for those wishing to do all of these different activities while playing golf at our facility.
Each year you run a very busy and exciting events calendar at the club. Are these events for members and guests only or can visitors play too?
Yes, our events calendar is very busy, with at least one competition every weekend during the golf season. These competitions are typically sponsored, where prizes and giveaways are chosen and provided by the sponsor and some sponsors will also offer an aperitif for all players following their round, which always goes down well with our members.
Whilst the majority of participants are members or members of other local clubs, we have seen many international players subscribe to compete as well. Our annual IMG Trophy event is one of the main attractions of the year where the 2022 IMG Trophy was very well attended with a morning shotgun start followed by an aperitif and prizegiving at the clubhouse. The different IMG-branded giveaways and prizes plus fourball vouchers for other IMG Prestige venues were very much appreciated by all who participated.
Membership here at La Bagnaia has increased significantly over the past couple of years and we look forward to introducing some matchplay knockout events for our members in 2023.
For more details about La Bagnaia, visit www.imgprestige.com/la-bagnaia-golf-resort