Who is the finest Spanish golf course architect?
by Colm Gill
Here's a discussion for you as you sip your whiskies
on the terrace of the 19th hole...Who is the finest Spanish golf
course architect ? Put your mind to it and you will find there
are a few names to debate.... Arana (El Saler, El Prat, Río Real,
Guadalmina) Gancedo (Torrequebrada, Montemayor, Las Ramblas) Espinosa
(Bonalba, CC Mediterraneo)- just for starters. Then there are the
professionals turned designers: Ballesteros, Olazábal, Piñero,
Cañizares, Garrido and, lately, Jiménez. One name
that might not immediately enter the debate is that of Enrique
Canales, but, less than a year after it has opened, Canales' work at Santa
Clara has focused attention onto the design skills of the quiet
man of Spanish golf course architecture. The man with an impeccable
golfing pedigree spoke to Colm Gill about his career.
Canales' career began 32 years ago when the untimely
death of Javier Arana caused the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya to request
the assistance of a trusted low handicap, amateur who was already
a successful local businessman in his own right. The course in question
was Aloha - later held to be one of Arana's finest .
" I reached an agreement with the President
of the BBV who was, and still is, a good friend of mine" recalls
Enrique. "Aloha was unfinished, only the greens had been seeded;
the bunkers had been placed but were without drainage and sand.
" After I finished the course, the next project
I undertook was at Los Naranjos where I oversaw the re-styling in
collaboration with the developer Hermann Sauer, who was later to
become a partner of mine at Dama de Noche, which I also designed."
Together with Prince Alfonso Hohenloe, the trio
were responsible for Europe's first floodlit golf course.
Enrique Canales was then commissioned to design
36 holes at Islantilla Golf Club in Huelva.
"If Islantilla was on the Costa del Sol, it
would receive greater recognition" asserts its designer.
That may be so, but Islantilla is still considered
amongst Spain's best tournament courses; in 1995 the immature course
stood up to the challenge of hosting a European Tour event - the
Turespaña Masters won by Alex Cejka - and is used by many
of the elite Tour golfers for training in the weeks prior to the
Volvo Masters.
" I'm not saying it for myself, but it is a very, very good
design - the best that I have made. It could perhaps be a little
prettier, but it has the nuances for every hole to be a challenge
for the top players"
Enrique's portfolio also includes the nine hole
practice course at Aloha and the excellent, short, par 3 course
of La Siesta. "During the nineties, I was asked to carry out
many course modifications, re-styling etc., until the Santa Clara
project came along" he continues. "With Santa Clara I
have had the chance to be responsible for the whole the project
- I designed it, built it selected the personnel and now I'm overseeing
the management of it. I'm not one of those who get paid and disappear.
I'm here now to watch the maintenance, the machinery, the development..."
True to this sentiment, Enrique has clear ideas
on the tendency for players to turn designers. " One thing
is to play well, another is to design. It's a commercial decision
to use a famous signature." It should be pointed out here,
that the photographs on the walls of Malaga's Parador clubhouse
attest to the fact that Canales has indeed played amateur golf to
a high standard "I used to have a low handicap, I play a lot
worse these days but it doesn't worry me too much as, when I play
holes now, I like to keep an eye on course maintenance."
It was more difficult to explain the logistics behind
good course design. Enrique says " A designer needs many years
of experience in golf. He also needs to know the basic laws and
statutes concerning building permits, norms and suchlike before
he even thinks about the design of a particular course." He
continues, "It is vital to respect the natural charm and beauty
of the land." To achieve this end many preliminary meetings
are necessary. " I listen to the promoter, listen to his plans
for the land surrounding the course, I ask to what end is the course
to be built...is it an aim to host tournaments? what are the characteristics
of the majority of the golfers who will play it?..what financial
limits there are"
Enrique Canales then consults with a team of architects experienced
in urban development, landscape gardeners, constructors, agronomists
and engineers. Ideas are put forward and discussed with the developers;
often compromises are made between profit and design. Many designs
may look attractive on the drawing board but would prove too costly,
or would delay building companies for too long. "
Climate is not as much of a consideration on the
Costa del Sol as one might think as "we have an effective system
for recycling water, so, ensuring the installation of an efficient
watering system served by a plentiful supply is more of a concern.
In Madrid and Barcelona, the cost of boring for water is considerably
higher than in Málaga. There is a big difference between
an inland course and one on the Costa del Sol as one must take into
account such things as ease of maintenance. In the end, the designer
must have created a course which, at the same time, is challenging
for the expert without being too difficult or uninteresting for
the average player."
"Many people believe that it is the characteristics
of the architect that count, it should be recognisable as "one
of theirs" but a good architect must be able to adapt his designs
within the parameters laid down. I have always been a perfectionist
and always try to create a perfect course. But a course that is
perfect in one context is not perfect in another. Personally, I
am very happy with Islantilla, Aloha and Santa Clara and I would
rather the golfers judge me on those"
"The construction at Santa Clara is very good
- the drainage, paths, walls, irrigation system are all first-class.
However, the course is built on a relatively small piece of flat
land which demanded more imagination with regard to the placement
of water hazards and bunkers."
Enrique has an office at Santa Clara where he has
stayed on as a Director. He arrives at the office shortly after
7am most mornings to inspect the course and chat to the greenkeeper
and staff about daily maintenance requirements. "I am fortunate
to have my liberty, I have no family commitments and my other businesses
are well-run and successful. I work because I like to, I have a
passion for it..."
What, then, of the future ? The enthusiasm is noticeable
as Canales replies " I am currently working on a design for
a course in Granada. It is completely different to Santa Clara as
the estate is much larger and much fewer houses are planned. It
is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada so the land is uneven and
allows me to play with the natural conditions. After that ? I am
also a qualified sea captain and somebody has mentioned a marina
project in Almería....one never knows"
One thing Enrique does know is that he doesn't want
to receive any more awards "After Aloha, I was given a gold
medal for the best touristic development, but, at my age, I would
rather not receive them... the more I get, the closer I am to dying
!"
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