Inside PGA Catalunya Resort

<strong>By Will Pearson, europeantour.com<br />
at PGA Catalunya Resort</strong>

Ahead of the gruelling, six-round marathon that is the Qualifying School Final Stage, europeantour.com explores stunning host venue and European Tour Destination, PGA Catalunya Resort.

Nestled amongst native forest in the foothills of the majestic Pyrenees mountain range in the north-eastern reaches of Spain and on the outskirts of the Catalan city of Girona, PGA Catalunya and its two spectacular courses – the Stadium and Tour layouts – have hosted the Final Qualifying Stage every year since 2008.

Recently voted European Golf Resort of the Year 2015 in the annual International Association of Golf Tour Operators awards (IAGTO), the longer Stadium Course has - since 2012 - been consistently selected as Spain’s Number One course, ranked 77th in the world as well as third in Continental Europe, so the golfing pedigree of the resort is clear for all to see.

<strong>Overview</strong><br />Designed by Ryder Cup star Neil Coles and Spanish golf legend Angel Gallardo, water comes into play across much of the two courses at the European Tour Destination while magnificent views are afforded by multiple elevation changes, however PGA Catalunya’s beauty certainly belies the beastly challenge ahead for the 156 Qualifying School hopefuls this week.

<strong>The Stadium Course</strong><br />Opened in 1999, the revered Stadium Course is the longer of the two layouts at PGA Catalunya Resort, coming in at 7,333 yards and a par of 72, with accuracy off the tee at a premium with elevated drives in play on seven holes – the first, third, fourth, seventh, 13th, 15th and 17th – and water on five holes at the third, fourth, fifth, 11th and 13th.

The Stadium layout also sprang to international prominence again in May this year as host venue to the Open de Espana for the third time, and first since 2009, as home favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez prevailed.

“The facilities here are very good,” said the evergreen Spaniard following his victory. “You have two golf courses, chipping areas, a nice driving range, and a beautiful putting green – it’s an outstanding place.”

Probably the most photographed hole at PGA Catalunya with its elevated tee box, watery perils and striking Pyrenees backdrop, the downhill par four 13th hole on the Stadium course is clearly a favourite for co-designer Gallardo.

“It’s a nice hole,” he reflected. “It’s not long, you can hit a three wood, two or one iron. The green is so difficult, you could put a wedge on the right side of the green and you can pitch one yard from the hole or you could finish in the water. Sometimes it depends on the flight.

“The green is more or less the same shape as the mountains in the distance. That is what I like, it’s all very natural. If you come here at six in the morning in summer and you see all the shadows on the fairway. In the summer time at two o’clock there’s no shadow and it looks completely different. In the afternoon when the sun moves again the shadows go the other way.

“It is a short hole but with incredible views. You only need to use your brain a little bit; this land was born to be a golf course.”

<strong>The Tour Course</strong><br />At 6,610 yards and a par of 70, the equally-beautiful Tour course is perhaps shorter but not to be underestimated by any stretch of the imagination.

Opened in 2005 and also designed by Coles and Gallardo, the second layout at PGA Catalunya perhaps presents a slightly less stern challenge than its elder, more punishing brother the Stadium, with wider fairways and less severe bunkering, so scoring always proves more favourable here.

Saying that, Spaniard Carlos Del Moral bucked the trend in romping to a five-shot victory here 12 months ago, averaging two under par on the Tour Course but five and a half shots under par on the Stadium.

Del Moral is something of an expert when it comes to performing at the Girona resort, having regained his card at PGA Catalunya four times in the past six years.

“It’s quite amazing, this place is one of a kind,” said Del Moral. “It brings me good feelings and every time I play here it feels like home.

“The greens roll so nicely and the layout suits my eye, my draws. Strategically I am very clear when I approach this course and it seems to come naturally to me.

“I am going to keep everything the same, it would be an error to change anything! The misses are tough here and the greens are quick and tricky so you have to play smart all the way around. It really has every shot in the bag.”

<strong>History </strong><br />PGA Catalunya, and the land on which it is built, has a storied sporting history, as Gallardo remembered.

“The land only cost around €1million, it was very cheap,” said the Spaniard. “The beginning of the story is this land was bought by the RACC (the Real Automobile Club de Catalunya) to build a Formula One track.

“The design for the track was already under way when we were trying to find some land to make a golf course and somebody from the RACC club came to me and said ‘Angel we have a very big piece of land – 220 hectares!’

“I decided to come here and when we saw the site we knew we had to buy. I remember making the joke, ‘I think even Stevie Wonder could build a golf course here!’

“The Stadium course alone is 70 hectares. It is a massive piece of land and that is because when we bought it we were hoping to host The Ryder Cup (which was eventually held at Valderrama in 1997).

“I remember sitting on top of the hill – where the 13th tee is now – with fellow designers Neil (Coles) and David (Williams) and I think I fell in love. I said, ‘I think we can build something fantastic here’ – and they agreed.”

<strong>Facilities</strong><br />The field will this week be afforded every chance to keep their game in tip-top shape, however, with the use of a superb driving range and a vast 2,000 square metre putting green and chipping area, while four different types of grass are used on the practice greens and five bunkers – each containing a different type of sand – to replicate the traps of some of the world’s most iconic golf layouts.

The resort also features the world’s first Sergio Garcia Junior Academy, which focuses on nurturing young golfing talent for the future, and on introducing the sport to children with physical and learning difficulties through its “Golf Adapted” programme.