David Williams completes work on new practice area at Real Golf de Pedreña
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The new short game area with the junior clubhouse visible in the background
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The junior putting green and the multi-tiered practice green
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The new tenth hole on the Colt-designed course, which was completed this summer
The development of a new short game practice area has been completed at Real Golf de Pedreña near Santander in Northern Spain.
The project was led by architect David Williams, who recently worked to renovate and rebuild the ninth, tenth and eleventh holes at the club’s Harry Colt-designed 18-hole course.
The new practice area consists of a 450 sq m multi-tiered chipping green and a separate 175 sq m small putting area.
“The site of the short game area was an unused one close to the driving range of the club, and between that and the junior area which has a number of excellent other sporting facilities for juniors including small football pitch, basketball court, paddle court and swimming pool,” explained David Williams, principal of David Williams Golf Design and a former president of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects. “The club felt that a joint use with a putting green aimed mainly at the juniors and a chipping area for the members would provide a fitting addition to the club’s excellent practice facilities.”
The new facility has been developed on land that has been reclaimed from the sea in recent years, and is therefore only just above sea level. In order to avoid potential rootzone contamination issues, the decision was taken to raise both the chipping green and putting area a metre above the existing ground level.
Williams worked alongside Madrid-based contractor Garden & Golf to complete the work. The architect has also been rehired for the next phase of the club’s renovation work, which will focus on five more holes on the Colt-designed course.
Real Golf de Pedreña is also home to a nine-hole short course designed by Seve Ballesteros, who had a long association with a club.
The new practice facility is expected to open later this summer.