Since its inception Los Bandidos has always been known as a fun group that promotes great camaraderie amongst the different clubs that participate in the Interclub competition. Atalaya’s Los Bandidos high point is remembered as being when Javier Serna Ullibarri served as captain. Reminisces of Javier, a well-loved Atalaya member, are still shared to this day. Sadly, he passed a number of years ago, and after his death Atalaya’s Los Bandidos languished.

Over the next few years the situation declined to the point where Atalaya finally withdrew  altogether from the Los Bandidos Interclub league. At that time Atalaya could not even field a team of eight players, and the situation seemed hopeless.

Then, a little less that four years ago, Atalaya decided to rekindle the Los Bandidos spirit and rejoin the Interclub organisation, never looking back.

Joseph Durrmeyer took over the captaincy two years ago, and within a year Atalaya’s Bandidos had grown to 30 members, making it the largest Los Bandidos team in the league. That year, Atalaya finished in Second Place in the overall competition.

Last year, the team continued to grow even more, and now more than 40 players are on the roster, giving Atalaya the largest team in league history. The result is a very united, competitive and winning team.

During the past six consecutive years, the powerful Los Arqueros squad captured the competition’s winners trophy. This year, however, is a different story. The Atalaya Bandidos fought long and hard and successfully de-throned Los Arqueros, capturing the 2020 championship and the sought after champion’s trophy.

During the current COVID-19 lockdown, Atalaya’s Bandidos team members, who, by the way, represent more than 13 countries including Spain, remain very supportive of one another and stay in close contact via emails and telephone conversations, even though several are far away in their homelands.

Reflecting on this year’s Interclub win, captain Durrmeyer states: “I am proud of the hard work that our members put into the competitions. It wasn’t easy, and the team handled themselves well and were a credit to Atalaya. Our focus has always been on building a team that is more than just a sum of its individuals, and I believe that we have accomplished that.”

“The fabulous team spirit is completely down to our captain Joseph. When I had to stand in for him, the support I received from the team was 100%”, reports vice-captain Peter Oliver.

Many memorable moments demonstrate the fun and spirit that the Atalaya team brings to the competition, making Atalaya’s players the envy of the other Los Bandidos teams. “The most fun was when my friend Patrick (Rey) decided to take off his shoes to save the hole when his ball had fallen into a river! And it was 14 degrees outside – what dedication!,” says Philippe Vauthier. Terry Imrie remembers, “My partner John Hassay announced when I birdied a hole at an away course shouting – ‘christ, I didn’t think you had it in you.’”

What stands out above all amid this great fun is the camaraderie – the high point of everything that has been accomplished. “Los Bandidos is exciting and very unifying,” comments Jan Sillman. “The pride is well deserved, and the team is very supportive as Atalaya brings home the Interclub trophy to once again put Atalaya in a place of honour.”

So, when will we actually see this sought-after trophy? “The big event where the trophy is given was cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdown. It is currently sitting at Los Arqueros and unfortunately will remain there until our courses are open and things begin to return to normal. As soon as we can, I will collect it and bring it home to Atalaya. Hopefully, we can have an event to celebrate once social distancing is no longer a necessity,” says Durrmeyer.

La entrada Atalaya’s Cinderella Story se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

Due the State of Alarm declared by the Spanish government, ordering the closure of all non-essential facilities with the goal of combating the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), both golf courses and all facilities at Atalaya Golf & Country Club are currently closed.

Regrettably, we have to postpone again the Von Limburger Open Championship until further notice. Feel free to contact us at vonlimburger@atalaya-golf.com for any other question.

Sometimes when Old Man Weather knocks, he creates a bit of havoc. Such was recently the case at Atalaya Golf & Country Club. The Club’s most important tournament of the year, the von Limburger Open Championship, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, the 25^th and 26^th of January, was postponed. The reason – heavy rains that drenched our area.

The championship is now scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, the 4^th and 5^th of April, 2020.

As a result of the deluge of heavy rain, the decision was originally made to revamp the two-day, Medal Play tournament into a one-day championship to be played on Sunday, the 26^th of January. However, when the rains continued, this idea was scuttled and the championship was rescheduled for April in its proper form.

The von Limburger Open Championship has gained the reputation of being one of Costa del Sol’s most prestigious annual golf tournaments and always attracts a field of more than 100 competitors from throughout Spain and Europe.

With a history that dates back more than 20 years, the tournament, played on Atalaya’s championship Old Course, honours the memory of the course’s designer, Dr. Bernard von Limburger. To this day Dr. von Limburger is universally recognised as Germany’s greatest golf course architect.

All of those who have already registered to play in the 2020 von Limburger championship will remain on the roster to play in April. Anyone who cannot play in April is asked to notify the Club at vonlimburger@altalaya-golf.com. Please use this same email should you have any questions or require additional information about the rescheduled tournament.

Atalaya Golf & Country Club sincerely apologises for any inconvenience that the rescheduling of this event has caused. We at Atalaya remain committed to providing  Costa del Sol’s finest golfing experience.

La entrada RESCHEDULED – 2020 Von Limburger Open Championship se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

Both men and women golfers from numerous Costa del Sol golf clubs, as well as a few from other areas, gathered at Atalaya to compete in one of two handicap categories or in the scratch division.

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary year, this most successful amateur circuit is sponsored by Andalucía Golf/España Golf magazine. The 2020 challenge is composed of 18 legs, six more than last year, plus a grand final This year’s grand final will be played in late August at Finca Cortesín located in Casares.

The circuit is this year also celebrating the expansion of its geographical area. Stops will be made at some of the best courses in Cádiz, Madrid, Segovia and Sevilla provinces, as well as in the Costa del Sol.

According to Andalućia Golf magazine’s editor Antonio Sánchez Marcos, the tournament, “…is, unquestionably, one of the premier amateur circuits in Spain, thanks to both the courses where it is held and the magnificent final prize.”

That final prize is all-inclusive, seven day trips to the Dominican Republic in October for the competition’s top five scorers – the two overall winners from each handicap division and the scratch champion. The five lucky competitors will enjoy a five star holiday and play the finest golf courses while in the Dominican Republic.

At Atalaya, 18 club members competed in the tournament. Unfortunately, none placed at the top of the leaderboard. Several, however, were winners of generous tombola prizes, including golf balls, golf bags, hats and the like. Tombola prizes as well as the golf attire and accessories given to first leg winners were donated by the fashion golf shop Fairway + Blue located in Puerto Banus.

The majority of the field at the Atalaya was composed of federated players from area golf clubs . In the higher handicap category Pablo Ortega Briesemeister of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation placed First. Ismael Ortega Calvente of La Cañada was Second, and Antonio Muñoz Lanzas of Golf Estebbuna placed Third.

In the lower handicap division Juan da Carretero Castillo of Magna Marbella took First Place. Andrey Shultse of Guadalmina was Second, and Third Place went to Juan C. MacIntosh Cutillas of San Pedro.

In addition to his win in the lower handicap category Juan da Carretero Castillo also captured First Place in the Scratch Division. Guadalmina’s Mario Garcia Garoz was Second, and Juan C. MacIntosh Cutillas walked away with his second Third Place win of the day.

Four players – Pablo Ortega, Ismael Ortega, Juan da Carretero and Andrey Shultse – secured grand final tickets to play at Finca Cortesín in August.

Congratulations to all winners!

To see more pictures, please click here.

La entrada Atalaya hosts first leg of Andalucía Golf Challenge Circuit se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

Open to “all declared Professional Golfers and Elite Amateurs, both Ladies and Men”, Gecko recently made two return stops at Atalaya Golf & Country Club. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the 14th – 16th of January, the Club’s championship Old Course hosted the 54-hole, three-day, Stroke Play challenge. Almost three weeks later on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the 2nd – 4th of February, the challenging New Course served as the venue for another three-day contest.

Oliver Lindell of Finland topped the Leaderboard after three days of play during the Old Course tournament. Lindell scored a total of 201 strokes (-15). Now 21 years of age Lindell’s goal is to become well established on the European Tour over the next three years. Of course, his dream is the golfer’s dream of all dreams – winning the Masters’ “iconic green jacket”. (http://www.oliverlindellgolf.fi/web/)

Joe Zawaski of Sweden and Katerina Vlasinova of the Czech Republic tied for Second Place. Each scored a total of 209 strokes (-7). Zawaski turned pro in 2018 and resides in the U.S. state of Illinois. Vlasinova, formerly a member of the Czech Republic Junior National Team, plays for Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Virginia.

When Gecko returned to Atalaya in February, the Colombian Álvaro Arizabaleta captured First Place after three days of play on the demanding New Course. His final score was an impressive 191 strokes (-22). Now a member of the Spanish Federation, Arizabaleta finished the 2018-2019 Gecko season with three victories and 10 top five finishes out of the 20 tournaments he played. Previously, he won the Gecko Order of Merit two times in a row. These wins provided him with invitations to play at the European Tour Q-School and at some Challenge Tour tournaments.

Londoner Piers Berrington placed Second with 197 shots (-16). In March of 2019, Berrington won The Gecko Tour Grand Final championship played on Villa Padierna Golf Club’s Alferini course. His win was the result of an intense playoff against Christopher Sahlström of Sweden.

Third Place was captured by Casper Simberg of Finland with 199 strokes (-14). Simberg is a member of the Finnish Mens’ National Team. In 2019 he was the best Finnish player in the European Individual Championships and represented Finland in the Euro Team Championship.

The foundation of The Gecko Tour is to provide an “affordable and highly competitive winter golf tournament experience on the Costa del Sol”. The tour mixes youth and seniority, and the result is extremely positive. When seasoned golfers interact with and play against younger players, the older have the opportunity to polish their games and maybe once again think about the European Tour and the younger gain a platform for growth and stepping stones to the future.

Atalaya Golf & Country Club is every year honoured to support and proud to participate in this very worthwhile tournament.

La entrada The Gecko Tour returns to Atalaya se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

We suffered further torrential rain overnight and more is forecast today. Unfortunately, the Old Course will not have recovered sufficiently for the Championship to be played tomorrow. Regrettably, we have made the decision to postpone the event until April 4 / 5.

We hope everyone will be able to play on these revised dates. We will hold the reservations for non-members for these dates, however if you are unable to play, please contact the Championship Office at vonlimburger@atalaya-golf.com to arrange a refund of your entry fees or a green fee voucher to play the Old Course on another day.

For players who have pre-paid the dinner fees, again we can hold these for the April date or if you wish, arrange a refund. If you prefer to receive a refund, please approach the restaurant staff.

We are sorry the weather has conspired against us this time, but look forward to welcoming everyone in April, when you will enjoy perfect playing conditions.

Best regards

The Championship Committee

Atalaya Golf & Country Club’s most important golfing event of the year is just around the corner! The 2020 von Limburger Open Championship will be held on Saturday and Sunday, the 25th and 26th of January. All federated amateurs are eligible to participate.

The two-day, 36-hole, Medal Play event has gained the reputation of being one of the Costa’s most prestigious annual golf tournaments and attracts a field of more than 100 competitors from all of Spain and Europe.

With a history that dates back more than 20 years, the tournament is always played on Atalaya’s championship Old Course to honour the memory of the course’s designer, Dr. Bernard von Limburger. To this day Dr. von Limburger is universally recognised as Germany’s greatest golf course architect.

Each year the tournament offers challenging playing conditions and difficult pin positions to even the lowest of handicappers.

This year’s championship will culminate with dinner and a prize-giving ceremony after play on Sunday evening in Atalaya’s newly remodeled Ventanas de Atalaya restaurant. Thousands of Euros in prizes will be awarded to the tournament’s best players.

Long-term Atalaya member Philip Fisher was last year’s champion. Fisher carded a gross score of 162 over the tournament’s two demanding rounds.

This year’s all-inclusive, non-member entry fee is €125.00. Reservations are now open and can be made online at: vonlimburger@atalaya-golf.com.

Reserve your spot today while space is still available. This event is a “sell out” every year.

La entrada RESCHEDULED – 2020 von Limburger Open se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

Peláez finished a very challenging Day One round in First Place on the leaderboard. Carding 69 points, she never looked back. She maintained her commanding position and remained in the tournament’s top slot throughout the next three days of play. She scored another 69 on Day Two, a 73 on Day Three, and again a 69 on Day Four. Amazingly, the rising star played under par on three of the tournament’s four days. Her consistent play provided her with a very impressive four-day total score of 280 strokes.

Almeria’s Marta López walked away with the tournament’s Second Place honours. López, after six birdies and only one bogey, signed a spectacular final-round card of 67 strokes and finished the championship only four strokes behind Peláez. Her total score was 284 strokes. López’s strong finish is testimony of her unyielding determination to win.

The podium’s Third Place was captured by France’s Orphee Burgnard. Carding 71 strokes on the final round, Burgnard’s four-day total score was 285, merely five strokes more than that of champion Peláez.

On Day One after a disappointing bogey on the first hole, tournament champion Peláez was quick to assure that this setback was her only mistake of the day. She proved her point by capturing four birdies and finishing the round with 69 strokes, three under par.

On Day Two Peláez once again carded a three under par score of 69. With a two-day six under par score of 138, she started her third round with a four point advantage over her closest opponent, Huelva’s María Teresa Toscano.

Unfortunately, Day Three turned out to be less than sterling for Peláez. She signed a 73-stroke card. Although unhappy with her errors and especially her double bogey on Hole Two, she hung on to her number one position on the leaderboard and started her final round two strokes ahead of the Basque Oihana Etxezarreta.

Day Four clinched the tournament win for Peláez. She again carded a very impressive 69 strokes, with five birdies and two bogeys.

Peláez is a student at the University of South Carolina in the United States. Before this most recent Women’s Andalusian Cup win, she placed first at the 2016 Madrid Women’s Championship held at Golf Santander and received as a college freshman in 2017 medallist honours at the NCAA Columbus Regional. She also contributed significantly to the triumph of Spain in the European Under 18 in 2015 and, more recently last summer, to the silver medal in the 2019 European Team Absolute.

The best of aspiring amateurs from Spain, Europe and the UK participate in the Women’s Andalusian Cup. The tournament provides these young golfers the opportunity to earn points in both the Amateur World Ranking and in the Absolute, U18, and U16 Women’s National Rankings. According to Pablo Mansilla, President of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, the Women’s Andalusian Cup attracts a very strong field. The tournament is Andalucia’s second most important and prestigious tournament for lady amateur golfers.

La entrada Ana Peláez – 2020 Women’s Andalusian Cup Champion se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

The tournament is open to all federated golfers 18 years of age and older with handicaps of 26.4 and better for the men and 36 and better for the ladies. A Scratch Division is also offered.

The Heineken circuit travels throughout the east of Spain from north to south, stopping at the finest of courses each area has to offer. At the end of the series, all of the winning pairs from the tournament’s various stops will compete in the Grand Final and the 2019 Circuito Mediterráneo champions will be crowned.

Throughout the circuit, five Euros of every participant’s green fee is donated to the Luchadores AVA Fundación, a non-profit organisation “…born to give hope to all of those people with neurological disorders and their families through comprehensive care.” At Atalaya a total of €540.00 was collected in support of this very worthy foundation.

Before the start of the competition all players received a “welcome pack”, and after play everyone gathered at the newly refurbished Ventanas de Atalaya restaurant for a cocktail. Some 30 prizes were raffled off to tournament participants in addition to the normal awards provided to the day’s winning pairs. The ladies and gentlemen who captured “longest drives” and “closest to the pin” were also honoured.

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La entrada Atalaya hosts Heineken Charity Golf Tournament se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

Created by Meliá Hotels International, each year’s series consists of six qualifying events and a grand final. Played on primer courses scattered throughout the whole of Spain, the tournament has gained the reputation of being arguably one of the country’s best circuits for amateur golfers. Marking the 13th consecutive year that the series has been played, Atalaya Golf & Country Club is honoured to have been chosen to host the 2019 tournament final.

The fight to reach first place was in no way inhibited by the unscheduled Friday rain, and competitors remained committed to skilfully demonstrating their fine-tuned golfing talents until the very end of the 36-hole Stableford event.

On Saturday evening Meliá’s newly renovated Sol Marbella Estepona Atalaya Park hotel was the venue for the tournament’s gala dinner and prize-giving ceremony. Attendees enjoyed magnificent catering and delightful festivities in the hotel’s appealing and welcoming atmosphere.

The series began in May when the 12th+1 circuit made its first stop at the Real Sevilla Golf Club. June found the tournament in Madrid at El Encín Golf. July’s qualifier was played in Galicia at La Zapateira – Real Club de Golf de La Coruña. In September the tournament travelled to the Basque Country to the Real Golf Club de San Sebastián’s Jaizkibel course. Next, Buenavista Golf at Meliá Hacienda del Conde in Tenerife hosted the tournament’s fifth qualifier. And finally before stopping at Atalaya Golf & Country Club for the 2019 grand final, the sixth leg of the 12th+1 series was played in October in Mallorca.

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La entrada 12th+1 Golf Meliá Circuit plays Grand Final at Atalaya se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

President’s Day at Atalaya is traditionally a members’ event and ranks at the top of the list of the club’s most important functions. Each year a full day of activities is planned that always starts with an 18-hole qualifying Individual Stableford competition on the Old Course. Members strive to accumulate the highest number of Stableford points possible. The goal of every participant is to do the necessary to win the coveted President’s Cup trophy. The entire field, regardless of handicap or division in which a person competes, is eligible to win this sought after trophy. The only criterion is to score more Stableford points than anyone else.

This year Doris Müller took the challenge very seriously and played a nearly flawless round. Playing off of an exact handicap of 10.1, Doris had little room for error. Bogeys were out of the question, and on eight holes a par only yielded two points. The maths says it all. Doris played an outstanding round, assuring her the tournament win.

A great deal of personal planning on the part of both President Michael and his wife Evelyn went in to making the day perfect for all, setting the bar high for the next president. The couple chose golf caps inscribed “President’s Day” to give to all participants as a special souvenir. This gift was only the beginning. Evelyn served her own home-made goulash, with cheese, bread and drinks to all at the turn, and then before the round was over, all players were offered one more treat – a glass of cava.

Golf was only the beginning of a very festive day. After a short break and time for a nap, golfers and their significant others returned to the club for an evening of reflection on the highlights of the day, as well as dinner and dancing and, of course, the awarding of prizes to all of the tournament’s top scorers.

Musical interludes were provided by popular area sax player and Guadalmina member Gary Michael (https://soundcloud.com/gary-michael-sax/tracks) and Costa del Sol favourite Zoë Louise (www.zoelouise.com).

This year competitors were categorised into three divisions, with two for the men and one for the ladies. In Men’s Division I (handicap 0 – 16.1), Jorge Vanni captured First Place with 39 points, and Andoni Basterrechea took Second Place with 36 points. Cachy Siconolfi was Third with 35 points. In Men’s Division II (handicap 16.2 +), Raul Rodriguez was First with 35 points and Paul Wiget was Second with 33 points. Also with 33 points Karl-Johan Raaegaard placed Third, as a result of his higher handicap. For the ladies, Martine Arnold scored 37 points to place Second and Eileen Audas was close behind in Third with 36 points.

But in the end no one’s performance came close to that of Doris Müller. She very deservingly will have her name inscribed on the President’s Cup as the 2019 tournament champion, becoming a tangible part of Atalaya’s history.

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La entrada Doris Müller captures the President’s Cup se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.

Atalaya’s Captains Kajsa Schmidt and Franz Arnold, the tournament’s organisers, skilfully divided participants into seven highly competitive teams: Alpine (with players from Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland), Fjords & Lakes (representing Norway and Finland), Germany, Spain, Sweden, UK/Ireland, and United Nations.

Members of each team represented their country of birth or country of citizenship. The mighty UN team served as a melting pot for all who did not qualify as members of the other six teams. UN team members represented Atalaya’s smaller nationality groups – Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Russia, Serbia, USA, and the like.

With each of the seven teams hoping to capture the tournament’s coveted trophy, named after Pat and Jack Odell who originally sponsored the event, Saturday’s format was “Four-Ball-Better Ball” and Sunday’s was “Greensomes Stableford”.

This year’s tournament stars were the pair of committee member Peter Hood and Louise Spruce, who carded scores of 46 and 45, respectively. Their amazing two-day run, mounting a total score of 91 points, assured their UK/Ireland team the tournament victory (314 points). This year’s Second Place honours went to team UN, with a highly respectable 302 points. The Fjords & Lakes gang snuck in dangerously close behind with 301 points to capture Third Place.

Honourable mention is extended to the Swedish pair of Gunilla Parmlid and Gunnar Ottosson who tied with Spruce and Hood at the top of the Day Two Leaderboard, scoring 45 points.

The International Tournament is just one of several tournaments set aside throughout the year exclusively for Atalaya members. For more information about the many benefits Atalaya Golf & Country Club membership affords contact: info@atalaya-golf.com.

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La entrada Team UK/Ireland 2019 International Tournament Winners se publicó primero en Atalaya Golf & Country Club.