Dateline:	22nd June 2010
	Source:	Desert Springs Golf Club
	Subject:	Golf Union of Wales
	Title:	Wales Elite Women Golfers Renew Contract With Desert Springs

 

In 2004 Desert Springs Resort and Golf Club was officially appointed as the Spanish Home for the warm weather winter training of the National squad members of the Welsh Ladies Golf Union.

Following the merger of the Welsh Ladies Golf Union and the Welsh Golfing Union, The Golf Union of Wales was established on 1st January 2007 with the affiliation of 158 clubs.

At this time Richard Dixon CEO of the Golf Union of Wales and Simon Coaker, Director of Golf at Desert Springs signed the official agreement for Desert Springs to be appointed the Spanish Home for the warm weather winter training of the Women’s Elite Squads of the Golf Union of Wales through to 2010.Following the merger of the Welsh Ladies Golf Union and the Welsh Golfing Union, The Golf Union of Wales was established on 1st January 2007 with the affiliation of 158 clubs.

This contract has now been renewed through to 2013.

Nigel Edwards, Director of Player Development and Coaching for the Golf Union of Wales remarked:

“The facilities at Desert Springs; the Indiana Golf Course, the Academy of Golf and Lodge Accommodation are wonderful. The Golf Union of Wales is delighted to continue the long standing association with Desert Springs. Having spent time at Desert Springs with our Ladies Squad earlier this year and experienced the wonderful facilities first hand, the continuation of our agreement with Desert Springs is an easy choice. Everyone appreciates the quality of the facility and the hospitality of all the staff. The golf course and practice facilities provide our Ladies and Girls with everything they need to prepare for the tournament season.”

Speaking of the renewal of the agreement, CEO of the Golf Union of Wales Richard Dixon said:

"The Golf Union of Wales are delighted to continue the relationship with Desert Springs established in 2004. The facilities the resort offers are fantastic and the Women’s Elite Squads have gained greatly from their time spent over the last 6 years warm weather training at the venue and they will be back in action training at Desert Springs this winter."

Simon Coaker, Director of Golf at Desert Springs commented,

“The Women’s Elite squads of the Golf Union of Wales represent the very best amateur women golfers in Wales and we are obviously delighted to continue to be host to such an elite group of young players.”

For further information contact: Simon Coaker
E-mail: scc@almanzora.com
Telephone: +34 678 235 716

	Dateline:	16th December 2008
	Source:	Desert Springs Golf Club
	Subject:	Welsh Lady Golfers and Desert Springs
	Title:	Welsh Lady Golfers look to Spain’s Desert Springs to hone their Playing Skills

 

Lady golfers in Wales have adopted Desert Springs, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almanzora region of Almeria in south-east Spain, as their base for winter training camps.

The news follows the success of visits for pre-season training by the Elite Women’s and Junior Squads of the Golf Union of Wales (GUW). Now more are planned.

Nigel Edwards, director of player development and coaching at the Newport-based Golf Union, first visited Desert Springs soon after the GUW was established in 2007. This followed the merger of the Welsh Ladies Golf Union (founded in 1904) and the Welsh Golfing Union (founded in 1895).

“From the outset I was impressed by the Indiana golf course at Desert Springs and all the facilities in the resort,” says Nigel. “When our players and selectors told me they loved it as well, it was an easy decision to make it our pre-season practice venue.”

Players who have trained at Desert Springs during the winter months include 12 players in the under-18 Girls Squad. Now up to 10 lady members are planning a visit early in the new year to benefit from the resort’s Golf 4 Women programme led by leading PGA coach and Desert Springs' ladies’ golf ambassador Christine Langford [MORE DETAILS BELOW].

Enthusiastic about Desert Springs is 21-year-old Breanne Loucks, a member of Wrexham Golf Club, pictured here kissing the South African Amateur Strokeplay Champion’s trophy she won this year (2008)

 

Among Welsh enthusiasts for Desert Springs is 21-year-old Breanne Loucks, a member of Wrexham Golf Club who is expected to turn professional soon.

In the past year Breanne, who has been playing since she was nine years old, has carried off the trophies for both Match Play Champion and Stroke Play Champion in South Africa, as well as Irish Champion, Welsh Order of Merit Champion and best Amateur in Wales.

Breanne describes the calibre of the course at Desert Springs as “millionaire’s golf.”

She said: "The Desert Springs Golf Academy offers specially designated practice areas specifically designed to allow you to practise every challenge of the game. There is a great chipping green and a fantastic putting green. The short game bunker practice area is ideal for practising your bunker play. On the course, the fairways are excellent and the greens are like carpets.

“I also like the way that the layout of the resort has been carefully planned so that all the golf and other facilities are close to hand, without having to walk miles!"

Golfing holidays specifically tailored to the interests of lady players at Desert Springs include three-day tuition packages – with lessons by Desert Springs' ladies’ golf ambassador and PGA coach Christine Langford – and bespoke hen party golf weekends. Also available are three- and seven-day breaks, some including health and beauty treatments in the Day Spa at Desert Springs.

• For details of Golf 4 Women holidays and events at Desert Springs call +44 (0) 1242 680 116 or visit the website, www.almanzora.com
• To find out more about the Golf Union of Wales call +44 (0) 1633 436040 or visit the website www.golfunionwales.org

 

Background notes about Christine Langford & Desert Springs

Christine Langford

In the past 20 years Christine has successfully pioneered a host of activities and events planned to encourage more women to take up the sport.

Christine, whose professional golf career spans 30 years, is the ladies golf ambassador at Desert Springs. Drawing on the experience of 15 years playing in major tours around the world, and her role as a founder member of the Ladies European Tour, she now devotes herself to coaching more women to play.

At Desert Springs she has launched a series of specially packaged tuition and competitive events and holidays under the Golf 4 Women banner, attracting growing numbers of all-girl groups to visit for a week’s golf or learn to play for the first time.

Simon Coaker, director of golf at Desert Springs, says that the resort’s pioneering Golf 4 Women programme makes it unique in golfing circles.

“For too long golf clubs have been boys’ clubs rarely catering for the golfing needs of women,” says Simon. “But we recognise them and are doing all we can to encourage more visitors and property owners at Desert Springs to enjoy the sport.”

 

The resort

Desert Springs is Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almanzora region of Almeria in south-east Spain.

The resort occupies more than 300 hectares (750 acres) on an elevated plateau over the Rio Almanzora, near the coast of the municipality of Cuevas del Almanzora.

The first phase of the resort – already up and running – includes the Indiana Desert Golf Course and Club House and its international award-winning El Torrente Restaurant, as well as the Crocodile Club family restaurant and bar, with its pools, sun lawns and sand play bunkers.

Also open is the Sierra Sports and Fitness Club which has facilities for tennis, paddle, gymnasium and football.

 

The golf

At the heart of Desert Springs is its 72 par 18-hole USGA Indiana golf course designed by former Great Britain and Ireland Golf Team Captain Peter McEvoy. He was inspired by the desert courses of Arizona and California.

The dramatic nature of the Desert Springs fairways, set in a landscape of cactus, rock and flowering desert, is said to have taken golf in Spain to a new level of excellence.

Golf Club joining fees for Non-resident Membership, for a family of up to four, are waived in the case of Almanzora Bay Group’s own property purchasers.

The club runs a year-round calendar of tournaments for members as well as open tournaments including The Indiana Masters, The Desert Classic and The Professional Challenge Cup. In 2004 and 2007 it hosted Europe’s most prestigious amateur tournament, the King’s Cup - the Copa Del Rey - which is the Spanish International Amateur Open.

From October 30 to November 1 this year (2008) the Sir Ian Botham Charity Golf Classic was held at Desert Springs, raising more than €70,000 for Leukaemia Research. Sir ‘Beefy’ Botham was joined by celebrities and professional sportsmen captaining their amateur teams.

 

The climate
The resort takes it name from the region’s desert microclimate which is unique in Europe. It has the warmest winter weather on the continent with an annual average of more than nine hours of daily sunshine and maximum daily temperatures of between 16°C (60°F) and 30°C (86°F) throughout the year. Annual rainfall is less than 200 mm. The Almanzora’s coastal waters are among the cleanest and warmest in Europe, attracting both fish and diving enthusiasts.

 

Getting there
The Almanzora region is easy to reach, thanks to three international airports. The current journey time from Almeria International Airport to Desert Springs is around 50 minutes by road. Other international airports are at Murcia - 70 minutes by car on the new toll motorway direct to the Almanzora Valley (the toll is €11.5) - and Alicante which is less than two hours by road.

 

For further information contact: The Almanzora Group
Email: tag@almanzora.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 1242 680299

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	Dateline:	12th February 2008
	Source:	Desert Springs Golf Club
	Subject:	Golf Union of Wales
	Title:	Wales Girls Elite Golfers Winter Training at Desert Springs

 

The Golf Union of Wales (GUW) Elite Girls Squad held their first winter training camp of the 2008 season from the 3rd to the 9th February at Desert Springs Resort and Golf Club, the international award winning family leisure resort located in Almeria, South East Spain,

Former European Tour Player Jeremy Bennett, who has worked with Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Bernard Langer and Paul Casey, was recently introduced to take charge of the women’s game with the task of bringing through the next generation of amateur talent for the GUW, and in his new role, made his first visit to the Desert Springs Resort to coach the squad. 

Speaking of the winter training session, National Coach of the GUW Jeremy Bennett said:
“In the past I was a well traveled European Tour Player of 12 years before becoming a European Tour coach and coach to National Teams for the past 15 seasons. This is my first visit to Desert Springs and in my opinion if I add together the practice facilities, quality of the golf course, the catering, atmosphere, accommodation, character and friendly manner of the staff I certainly believe it to be the best facility in Spain I have come across and one of the best in the world.   It has been a great experience and I cannot wait to come back with the Welsh Ladies in a few weeks time.”

Simon Coaker, Director of Golf at Desert Springs commented,
“The Women’s Elite squads of the Golf Union of Wales represent the very best amateur women golfers in Wales and we are obviously delighted to continue to be host to such an elite group of young players.  The comments received from such a well seasoned player and respect coach to some of the world’s leading players is further confirmation that the facilities available at Desert Springs, both golf and non-golf, provide for a second to none experience for golfers of all abilities.”

About Desert Springs Resort:
Desert Springs Resort and Golf Club is the only luxury desert resort in Europe. Located in the Almanzora in Almeria in south-east Spain, it has the warmest, driest and sunniest winter climate on the whole of the Iberian coast and in Europe without exception. It recently won the National Homes Overseas Landscape Gold Award, the Daily Mail Best Almeria Development Award, the Bentley International Homes Awards for Best Spanish Development and Best International Architecture, as well as the 2006 Spanish National Madera Verde Environmental Award and the 2007 Trade Leaders Club New Millennium Gastronomy Award, for the Tourism, Hotel and Catering Industry for its El Torrente Restaurant.

For further information contact: Simon Coaker
E-mail: scc@almanzora.com
Telephone: +34 678 235 716

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	Dateline:	15th August, 2007
	Source:	The Almanzora Group Ltd
	Subject:	Golf Union of Wales
	Title:	Wales Elite Women Golfers Renew Contract With Desert Springs

 

In 2004 Desert Springs Resort and Golf Club was officially appointed as the Spanish Home for the warm weather winter training of the National squad members of the Welsh Ladies Golf Union.

Following the merger of the Welsh Ladies Golf Union (founded in 1904) and the Welsh Golfing Union (founded in 1895), The Golf Union of Wales was established on 1st January 2007 with the affiliation of 158 clubs.

Further to an educational visit during July of this year, Nigel Edwards, Director of Player Development and Coaching for the Golf Union of Wales remarked: -

“The facilities at Desert Springs; the Indiana Golf Course, the Academy of Golf and Lodge Accommodation are wonderful and I shall be putting over the value for our Women’s Elite squads continuing to attend the Desert Springs Resort for their winter training to our CEO.”

On July 27th, Richard Dixon CEO of the Golf Union of Wales and Simon Coaker, Director of Golf at Desert Springs signed the official agreement for Desert Springs to be appointed the Spanish Home for the warm weather winter training of the Women’s Elite Squads of the Golf Union of Wales through to 2010.

This agreement further strengthens the confirmation that the facilities available at Desert Springs, both golf and non-golf, provide for a second to none experience for golfers of all abilities!

Speaking of the new agreement, CEO of the Golf Union of Wales Richard Dixon said: -

"The Golf Union of Wales are delighted to continue the relationship with Desert Springs established in 2004 by the Welsh Ladies Golf Union. The facilities the resort offers are fantastic and the Women’s Elite Squads have gained greatly from their time spent over the last 3 years warm weather training at the venue and they will be back in action training at Desert Springs this winter."

Simon Coaker, Director of Golf at Desert Springs commented,

“The Women’s Elite squads of the Golf Union of Wales represent the very best amateur women golfers in Wales and we are obviously delighted to continue to be host to such an elite group of young players and feel that this further underlines our commitment to the world of women’s golf.”

For further information contact: Simon Coaker
E-mail: scc@almanzora.com
Telephone: +34 678 235 716

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