CENTRO NACIONAL DE GOLF
WHERE IS IT? Six miles north of Madrid.
WHAT ’S IT LIKE? This state-owned facility is built on a landfill site, the same concept as Paris National, the venue for Europe’s Ryder Cup victory last year. The home of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, it opened in 2006 as an all-comer’s pay and play. It’s tight for an 18-hole layout, but architect Dave Thomas used judicious landscaping to create a course worthy of the 2018 Spanish Open.
To everyone’s delight, the Open was won by Jon Rahm, Spain’s world number eight. The 24-year-old Basque was among the first pupils to establish his credentials at the Centro Nacional Academy, which has as its mission providing young golf talent from all over the country with the ingredients for success. The course is designed to encourage rather than hinder at every level of expertise. The rough is natural, which means fairly sparse during long, dry summers. Fairways are contoured to draw in balls as they run off the slopes. Water features attract flocks of large brown birds from the moorhen family, known locally as swamp chickens. Other fauna are also present, including wild boar, although these are generally unseen.
CONTACT Arroyo del Monte 5, 28036 Madrid; tel +34 (0)91 376 9060; centronacionalgolf.com
PRICES Visitors $90; Spanish Federation members $45$56. Cart $39; club rental $39.
CLUB HOURS From 8:00 AM summer, 8.30 AM winter; driving range floodlit until 11:00 PM. Maximum handicap of 36 recommended. Foreign guests are required to have a handicap at home, but the course doesn’t usually request certificates.
FACILITIES 18-hole championship course, 7,113 yards, par 72. Center of excellence for the Spanish national team, with extensive pitching/putting areas and floodlit driving range.
Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Business Traveler.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Business Traveler.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A New Leaf - How hotels are incorporating plants to boost guests' mood and productivity
Indoor flora can boost happiness, relieve stress and increase productivity.
Private Flies
FORGET THE DAY when private aviation was reserved solely for celebs, royals and high-powered CEOs. You don’t have to be a Logan Roy scion to travel on your terms. In 2024, private jets are taking off as a viable option for business travelers, shifting toward flexibility, cost sense, ease of use, and convenience.
Bandon Dunes
In 1999, a national golf magazine sent me on a road trip four and a half hours from my home in Portland to review a new resort on the Oregon coast that seemed particularly destined for obscurity.
Bright Ideas
FORNDLY NICKMAED THE the Queen City, Charlotte, North Carolina, is a destination that thrives on many fronts. Visitors can look forward to year round mild weather, a robust food and drink scene that includes more than 40 breweries, and an ever-growing cultural lineup of museums, public murals and music performances.
Full House
Corporate buyouts are on the rise at boutique properties
Remote Control
The Malin, a designforward work-focused membership club, brings professionals together in New York and Nashville
Bigger and Better
Dubai plans a mega airport to attract more flights and passengers
Urban Renewal
How Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton is revolutionizing the airports of New York and New Jersey
LATAM VIP Lounge
The LATAM VIP Lounge in Santiago International Airport’s Terminal 2 offers a peaceful retreat for international travelers. Covering more than 43,000 square feet, this lounge is the largest in South America, providing a combination of luxury, sustainability and comfort.
Fouquet's New York
Francophiles are likely all too familiar with Fouquet’s Paris, the sumptuous and historic hotel on the Champs-Élysées that has been open since 1899.