The new El Encin course in Madrid has been officially opened, and has also been announced as the venue for this year’s Madrid Masters tournament on the European Tour. The event will take place from 6-9 October.

Designed by the American firm of von Hagge, Smelek & Baril, the course is part of a country estate owned by the Madrid municipality, and is intended finally to incorporate a hotel, other leisure facilities and potentially another eighteen hole golf course. 

Environmental issues have been paramount during the design and construction of the course, including solar energy capture, the use of recycled waste water for irrigation and the selection of turf species that require less water.

“The original site was completely flat and in an industrial zone, with a six lane highway on one border and a train on another. The golf course is very new and landscaping still needs to mature,” said architect Rick Baril.