Brendan Graham, the new golf manager at Meliá Villaitana Golf Club.
The Meliá Hotels International Chain is fully committed to golf since it created a specific golf department in 2007, located in one of its most emblematic hotels, Meliá Villaitana Golf Resort.
Meliá is Golf and Meliá Villaitana Golf Resort is a clear reflection of the synergy created between hotels and golf courses. Therefore, the chain has shown its commitment to develop and improve the number of hotels, so as to satisfy the needs of golf lovers and thus, providing customers with the appropriate environment to complete their experience in which golf plays the leading role.
The resort has hosted some of the top amateur golf tournaments such as the Meliá Golf Circuit, Audi Movistar +, Jaguar Land Rover or Summum. Last year, Meliá took an important step forward in the international field as it hosted the final tournament of the Staysure European Senior Tour, a milestone in its golf history.
The new golf manager Brendan Graham has granted Golf Circus an interview in which he tells us about the importance of golf in one of the reference resorts in Spain.
You are the new golf manager in Meliá Villaitana Golf Club. Tell us about yourself and your relationship with Meliá Villaitana Golf Club.
I am a golf enthusiast; I love everything about this sport. I have been a member of the Meliá Villaitana Golf Club team for two years. I have held different positions related to the golf area as well as having been involved with direct and indirect contact with our visitors.
My golf passion started in 1996. I play golf weekly as amateur and I love this club and its two magnificent golf courses, one is a Championship course (Levante), par 72. I especially like the American style itinerary with its ideally located 106 bunkers, typical Nicklaus design, the lakes along the course and the wonderful sea and mountain views. The second itinerary, the Executive course, par 62 requires a more skillful use of short irons and it is highly demanding for low handicap players, although its holes offer different alternatives for mid and high handicap golfers.
How do you see this new career challenge?
I am very excited and I am very grateful to Meliá Hotels International and to the Meliá Villaitana Hotel management for considering me and giving me the opportunity to manage the golf department in the most important hotel chain in Spain. There is a lot of golf in Meliá and I will be able to learn and share my experience with the rest of colleagues in this department especially in those golf courses with own management such as Meliá Villaitana. We are proud of the support we have had from Public Authorities such as the Valencia Golf Federation, responsible for the success and improvements carried out in the last three years; the Government of the Valencia Autonomous Community, the Council of Alicante the CV&CB Golf Course Association and HOSBEC (BENIDORM, COSTA BLANCA AND VALENCIA COMMUNITY HOTEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION). Besides, all the golf courses in the area have collaborated and joined together, so as to continue growing in one of the most strategic tourism sections in Alicante.
It is well-known throughout Spain that Meliá Villaitana Golf Club has hosted and held many of the top tournaments in amateur golf and now they have taken a step further in professional golf……..
Meliá Villaitana Golf has hosted the most prestigious final tournaments in the amateur circuits for years. Audi Movistar+, Jaguar Land Rover, Meliá Golf Circuit or Summum are some of these tournaments that have made the club renowned at an international level. Hosting the Staysure European Senior Tour has set a very high bar at an international level. Not many golf courses in the world have hosted such important top events. The design of the golf course, its layout, its location, its climate and the participation of all parts concerned with the sponsors have been key elements to host tournaments successfully. Having players like Miguel Angel Jiménez, Chema Olazábal, Constantino Rocca, Paul Mc Ginley and up to 14 Ryder Cup players was inconceivable a few years ago. Now, we have to continue getting better and better.
I suppose this means a lot of work in both golf courses……
We have not only worked in the golf courses but also in other aspects of the club. I am very grateful to the team, especially to our last manager, Mr. Angel Durán, who has started a new stage in his life. I have learnt a lot from him as a PGA professional and as a person. Also, our Greenkeeper, Alfredo Pérez who has co-operated in the Ryder Cup in Paris. He has managed to make the best of our golf courses and has increased the quality of the game exponentially. I must not forget my other colleagues who work with customers inside and outside the club house and also in our offices. Considering the high number of national and international players, dealing with high demand, optimizing bookings, sales, commercialization, marketing and administration has helped players enjoy a much better golf experience.