Ricardo Andrades is the new director of San Roque Golf & Resort; he embarks on with the enthusiasm of a job he is passionate about. The course, a beautiful design by Perry Dye that involved the collaboration of Seve Ballesteros and hosted the Spanish Open in 2006, has undergone significant refurbishment and improvement works, by Berwick Real Estate, the new 50-year concessionaire of the course.
In this, his first interview with the media in his new role, Ricardo Andrades tells us about the immediate future of the course and how they plan to carry it out.
For those who do not know you, could you give us a brief overview of your career in the golf tourism industry? How did you come to this new project and what is your role?
I began my career in the golf industry with the opening of The San Roque Club in 1991, where I remained until 2005. During that period, the complex hosted the European Tour and several Qualifying Schools, two Spanish Opens, and The Suites Hotel was the official accommodation for players of the Volvo Masters, American Express, and Ryder Cup held at Valderrama. In 2005, I was hired by the NH hotel chain to develop the marketing of the golf segment in their hotels Almenara and NH Sotogrande, later incorporating others located in Marbella, Mallorca, Lanzarote, and Sicily. From 2010, I took over the management of the Almenara golf course until the end of 2023, where I oversaw the reopening of the course after its closure in 2019.
The new investors of San Roque Golf & Resort contacted me because they were looking for a commercial profile with experience in the segment and knowledge of the area, but who also had operational experience. In this project, my job is to carry out the functions of managing the golf course.
The new concessionaire of San Roque Golf & Resort is Berwick Real Estate, which will hold the concession for 50 years. Can you tell us, what are the short and medium-term objectives? What aspects of the course will be improved during the refurbishment works?
The main goal is to maintain the spirit of Perry Dye and Severiano Ballesteros’ design and its essence within the natural setting where it is located. With this premise, any action will be undertaken, such as the construction of a hotel and a clubhouse, and all projected improvements.
What current facilities does the course have and what will be added in the future?
Currently, the course has a small clubhouse that houses the caddy master, the pro shop, and a food truck to provide food for the players, with a terrace overlooking the golf course. Soon, the construction of a larger clubhouse will begin, and other permanent facilities such as the maintenance shed, and the buggy parking will be added.
Will San Roque Golf & Resort be purely commercial, or will it have members and subscribers?
The course will be purely commercial, but we want to have a limited number of subscribers to create a club atmosphere. Currently, we have launched memberships for players, 10-green fee vouchers, and green fee offers with buggy so that players from the area and beyond can get to know the magnificent facilities we have.
As someone with so much experience in the golf industry, what strategy will you follow to position the course on the commercial golf map?
San Roque Golf & Resort is a course with tremendous commercial potential. It is in a natural setting like few courses on the Costa del Sol and in the Sotogrande area. Although the course is already positioned within the commercial course circuit in the area, we want to strengthen this positioning by implementing commercial strategies with other operators that had not yet been reached, as well as promoting the course internationally.
Tell us a bit about the characteristics of this course designed by Perry Dye with touches from Seve Ballesteros.
The estate is a marvel nestled in a natural environment without any buildings and with sea views. It is a design that satisfies both the average player and the low handicapper, and a challenge, as it was the venue for the Spanish Open in 2006.
What are the plans for the construction of the hotel infrastructure and the development of the golf resort in the future? What is the expected timeline for the completion of these works?
In the coming months, the works of a first phase will begin, focusing on the construction of a formidable clubhouse. Subsequently, the hotel complex will begin construction. We hope that these works will be completed in a period of two to three years, allowing visitors to enjoy a complete experience at San Roque Golf & Resort.