In 2019, Golf Estate, which runs several golf courses in Russia, bought one of the golfing jewels of the Sotogrande area – The San Roque Club. Since then, the new owners have completely refurbished the Old Course, the Academy and the Club House, including the restaurant, pro shop, events room and changing areas.
The group didn’t only set out to remodel and improve the Club’s facilities, but also the team running it. The latest addition is new Director of Sales and Marketing, Josué Mascuñán, who brings with him a long track record in the world of golf tourism.
The San Roque Club has stood out as a benchmark in the world of golf for over two decades. What did you know about the Club beforehand and what did you find when you arrived?
As a golfer, it is one of those places that you always have on your list. The San Roque Club has done a great marketing job on a European level for many years, making it a well-known club within the industry. I hadn’t had the opportunity to visit it beforehand, but what I have found is a Club that’s very well established in the area and respected by those in the industry. It also caught my eye how the people working at the Club feel a special loyalty to the place and treat it as their own.
What work will you be doing within the Club?
I am really grateful to Lidia Muñoz, Operations Director, who has been carrying out both roles for two years and who has passed me the baton in the Sales and Marketing department, and Stephen Dundas, Project Director, for having brought me on board. For the past two years, the Club has been carrying out a thorough refurbishment of the Club House, as well as the academy facilities and the Old Course, which, together with the pandemic, has put a stop to marketing activity for obvious reasons. My job as Sales and Marketing Director is to help reactivate sales and tell the world about all the good things we have at The San Roque Club.
The arrival of the new owners has led to a profound transformation of the Club as we knew it. What stage is that at?
The Club is already fully operational in terms of golf, restaurant and social events. The Old Course is now open after its refurbishment and the result is simply perfect. The project we have under way also includes the development of visitor accommodation in the form of villas, a hotel and suites. The first of the five villas planned to accommodate customers is already up and running and we hope that by 2023 we will have space for 110 guests staying overnight within the resort.
The San Roque Club has had accommodation within its facilities on and off over time. Will there be a hotel within the resort in the future to make it a much more competitive product?
Yes, as I’ve said, we are already working on it and we hope to have 110 beds by 2023, distributed between five luxury villas, a boutique hotel and suites within the Club House.
How are you marketing a product like The San Roque Club in these strange times we find ourselves in?
The pandemic has been a great excuse to boost online sales and develop B2B and B2C connectivity. The customer, both private and professional, now feels more confident doing all the booking and contracting process online.
It is true that taking part in and promotion at face-to-face events has been scaled back, but sooner or later that will come back. I am one of those who think that there must be a balance between online and offline marketing. Digital marketing is seemingly a great formula to make yourself known in the short term, but there are products such as The San Roque Club that aim to be in the market for decades, so the strategy has to be much broader than simply paying for ads on Google and social media.
We know that the Old Course (one of the best courses in Europe) is now open to the public after a modernisation of its layout. Tell us a little about what has been involved in this transformation?
The course has kept the original layout, but the order of the holes has changed. As for the technical side, we now only use two types of grass: For the fairway, Bermuda Latitude 36, and for the greens, ante-greens and tee boxes, Pure Select Agrostis.
The drainage and irrigation systems have been changed and a 14-centimetre layer of sand has been added in all the turf areas, in addition to the redesign of the greens, ante-greens and water hazards. The bunkers have gone from 70 to 40, all with the Billy Bunker system.
Visually, one of the aspects that has changed the most is the replacement of rough areas with mulch surfaces – tree bark, visually reminiscent of Augusta National. In total 20 hectares that help us keep down maintenance costs, aid the pace of play and give us a slightly different appearance compared to other courses in the area.
As for the play, you could say that the tee shot has been made easier, but the second shot is more technical than before with some incredible greens.
How would you persuade someone who does not know The San Roque Club to visit?
Two golf courses that have hosted the Spanish Open; the Old Course, a real gem in terms of its appearance, upkeep and playing experience, and the New Course, a technically challenging and wilder course but a delight to play. Fantastic cuisine and, above all, a friendly and professional team offering exquisite customer service. And all this in a wonderful location by the coast in Cadiz province, with a climate and playing conditions that are among the most privileged in Europe.
As well as outside visitors, The San Roque Club, has a significant membership. Are the members happy with the improvements? What do members get at The San Roque Club?
The members are literally delighted. Now they have a newly renovated club, with excellent cuisine, crowd-free and with a very relaxed atmosphere.
As for new technology, how is The San Roque Club embracing it?
Technology is used in all departments in our Club; from Food & Beverage, through online price analysis tools to the golf carts that go around the course. In that sense, I think we can consider ourselves a benchmark for other clubs.