Now, it is the right time to make progress. Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club is renewing its greens in order to recuperate the original design by José María Olazabal, the golf champion. These greens have been modified gradually since the club’s beginning following an imperceptible transformation caused by internal and external factors over the years.
The first phase of this renovation project has started with a comprehensive change of greens in holes 1 to 8 in Olive and Palm Trees itinerary. The grass used before, Agrosti Stolonifera has been substituted by Bermuda Mini Green, a dark green kind of grass. This type of grass is much better suited to the rolling of the ball, is shade and weed resistant, is much stronger, has deep roots and it is not damaged by stepping and ball holes.
This change of grass is proved to be an improvement as it requires less water and less fertilizer and thus, Bermuda Mini is much more environmentally friendly.
Golf & Turf is the company in charge of removing the old greens and preparing the ground for the new ones. Novogreen is the company responsible for the planting and production of these new greens guaranteed by the ITGAP (The International Turf grass Genetic Assurance Program) an international reference certification in grass quality programs.
The second phase will carry out the renovation of greens in holes 19 to 27 also known as the ficus area, the nine holes par 3 and the short game training area. These works will take place in the low season when players can use at least 18 holes in the club.
These changes do not only include the itinerary. The golf course has just launched its first native, free App available for IOS and Android devices. It is a very useful digital tool that will help players optimize their experience at Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club as it has English and Spanish version.
Just a click away, the player has a complete guide of the golf course, approximate distances to holes with a GPS system and a point card for up to four players that includes point calculations for different golf categories. Moreover, the app has a reservation section with exits and green fees online, tournaments and club events reminders, news, weather forecast in the area and exclusive promotions for users. All these advantages are related to the game; however, players can also use the app to check offers and menus at La Terraza del Club Restaurant.
Costa Ballena has one of the best training facilities in Europe. Now, it goes one step forward and it offers customers a differentiating element: digital resources applied to teaching and golf improvement in its Pro-Center. It is a 70 m2 facility used to improve golf skills that will be finished in 2020. There, you can study swing movements, turnings, how to hit the ball and efficient strokes to correct movements and improve players’ performance. All this is achieved with state-of-the-art digital technology such as Trackman.
The building will have a practice area and a ball striking area directly towards the Driving Range that can stay open or closed with a mobile net. On the other hand, there will also be another area to practice short games, hitting balls to the chipping green and a different area to practice the putter. All this will be recorded by a Trackman device for further study of players’ skills.
Moreover, there will be an area to relax and meet so the Pro can be with its team to relax, chat, have a good time and have a drink if they want to at the same time as someone analyses their swing. Trackman images can be seen in a tablet and can be projected and enlarged on a TV for better analysis. This area can be used to have a private lesson with a teacher, including the use of Trackman or the whole Pro-center can be rented for exclusive use by a Federation or a group who wants to have a theory or advanced classes with their Pro in a quieter place.
Likewise, the Club has planned to introduce new technology for complementary movement analysis that nowadays is changing golf practice, preventing injuries and improving swings.
More info: Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club