In September this year, Les Roches is launching a new Postgraduate Diploma in Golf Management, enabling our students to compete against the best golf programs in the world. Here the Program Director, PGA Golf Professional Gonzalo Sánchez, gives an idea of what to expect…
As a PGA Professional who has worked at TPC Sawgrass and Real Club Valderrama, I know golfing excellence when I see it. So I am delighted to become the inaugural Program Director for this exceptional golf management diploma by Les Roches.
This is a program that covers all aspects of the golf industry: starting from a history and introduction to the industry, before taking students through agronomy, mechanics, marketing, golf academies, tournaments, golf club operations and golf course design. And all of it taught by professionals who are among the best in the industry.
If that sounds like it could be of interest to you, then the first step to learning more about what you need to do to get into our Postgraduate Diploma (PG) would be to contact either myself or our Head of Course Raúl Castro and make an appointment.
We can then explain the different classes that our students will be taking, along with the schedule, the lecturers for various courses and, of course, our fantastic business field trip to Miami.
Drive towards the golf industry
Our goal is that by the end of this course, we have ‘created’ professionals who can use their Les Roches Golf PG to apply for any position in the golf industry.
And it’s an industry that continues to thrive. Note that the golf sector in Spain, where you will be studying, is now worth more than €5 billion a year and has an indirect impact of over €12 billion a year. These figures have been increasing by more than 10% each year after Covid, and it makes Spain the premier destination for golf in the world, with over 1.5 million golfers every year – 98% of them coming from Europe.
With our new Golf Management diploma, you’ll gain an expert view into the business of golf tournaments and courses.
Being a ‘flag’ destination for golf creates a snowball effect for real state around the industry, generating more than €40 billion in this sector. And from a human capital perspective it generates over 120,000 direct and indirect job positions.
Outside of the Madrid region, Andalucía – home to Les Roches Marbella – is the community with the highest number of federated golfers, boasting more than 45,000 playing golfers. All of us in the industry here can see the amazing growth that golf keeps delivering year after year, as well as its future potential. And of course, it situates Les Roches Marbella in perhaps the best area in Europe in which to study a golf management program!
What makes the golf industry special?
One of the most special things about this industry is that it opens many and different doors around golf club operations. There are opportunities ranging from a management role, to finance, marketing, merchandise, food and beverage, agronomy, mechanics, golf professional, caddy master, human resources and, of course, the teams behind the tournaments.
The south of Spain, and more specifically Marbella, is known for hosting the biggest and most important golf tournaments in the world. Whether thinking back to 1997, when the Ryder Cup was celebrated at Valderrama Golf Club (just 30 mins away from Les Roches), or right up to date with the 2023 Solheim Cup which took place at Finca Cortesín (20 mins away from Les Roches), or the many other international and European level courses around the area, such as The San Roque Club, Los Naranjos, Las Brisas, Villa Padierna, etc…
Now let’s talk about the impact that bringing one of these tournaments to the area has on the industry, directly and indirectly. As I mentioned, the latest important tournament was the Solheim Cup, which brings the best female golfers in Europe together to play against the best women golfers from America. This last September 2023, Finca Cortesín hosted the Solheim Cup. Breaking TV viewing records, and with 200,000 people at the golf course, generating more than 15,000 hotel room bookings, the event generated over €57 million for the area of Costa del Sol and Marbella in just seven days.
All this data gives credibility that the golf industry in Spain, and more specifically in Marbella, is a huge business. It is a business that is growing, that keeps growing year after year.
And now Les Roches is getting directly involved by launching this very exclusive, important and complete golf program. Our Postgraduate Diploma will allow students to submerge themselves into a very versatile and profitable industry. It’s a program that will be lectured by the best professionals in the area, and which provides a route to being part of a successful business.
I very much look forward to welcoming you to Marbella to study our Postgraduate Diploma in Golf Management!
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