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Welcome to my personal website

Thanks for visiting my personal website (currently being fully translated): you can now navigate through the different sections:

- Biography: how I started playing golf, the golf courses where I have worked, my achievements as a player and other miscellanea.

- Understanding Golf © Interactive CD-ROM: the ideal tool for teaching professionals, golf schools and academies.

- Gallery: some interesting photos taken over the years with famous players and in special events.

- Golf lessons: available at Bonalba Golf & Spa (Alicante).  Please use the contact form for more information and prices.

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Biography: the beginnings

I took up golf in 1972 at the age of 6. This is my first member´s card at Villamartín Golf Club.

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All I can recall from those days is going to the driving range and taking some lessons from the club pro, Emilio Rodriguez, when he joined the club in 1978.

clik para ampliar With my brother Carlos (left) at the back of the 9th green   (now the 18th) at Villamartín.
With my brother Carlos (left) on the 14th green (now the 5th) at Villamartín. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar My father and brother (right) on the 14th green                 (now the 5th) at Villamartín.

I can remember traveling to Almería to play Almerimar Golf Club and Cortijo Grande, when the latter was still an 18 hole course.

My mother and brother (left) on the 2nd hole (now the 8th)
at Almerimar, in 1978.
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clik para ampliar My father, Pablo Garralón, on the 9th hole (now the 15th)
 at Almerimar (now the ), in 1978.
My Spanish Golf Federation card in 1980. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Putting on on the 14th green (now the 5th) at Villamartín.
Teeing off the 15th (currently the 6th) at Villamartín. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Driving off the lower tee at the par 3 8th (now the 17th) at Villamartín.
Practicing from the top tier at the driving range in Villamartín. clik para ampliar

 

The formation years

After my father passed away in 1981, Villamartín Golf Club aloowed me to carry on using the course and gave their support. Without their help I would not have been able to turn pro. My sincerest thanks to Juan Miguel Buendía and all the Pedrera famil (the owners) for their help.

Summer time was the busiest at the Club. 8th tee, Villamartín Golf Club, summer 1986 clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Driving off the 3rd (nowadays the 4th) at Los Moriscos Golf (Granada) in May 1986.
 
I used to play Villamartín every weekend
10th tee, October 1985.
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Villamartín, October 1985. Driving off the 10th. The extension of the clubhouse can be seen being built in the background.
My swing in 1985. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar I used to caddy for local pro Pascual Jiménez in pro competitions in summer time. Here, Pascual and Antonio Parrón at the RACE Golf Club in Madrid in 1984.
Caddying for Pascual at Lomas Bosque, in 1986. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar 1987. Playing with Manolo García “Super Nou” the  Campeonato de Levante at Costa de Azahar (Castellón).
Playing a ProAm at Lomas Bosque (Madrid) with Juan Miguel Buendía, Alfonso Piñero and Juan Alonso in 1987. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Club de Campo del Mediterráneo (Castellón) in 1987, playing the Teams Campeonato de Levante  with Bruno Dureux,  Miguel Mesquida and Carlos Otero.
Driving off the 11th at Villamartín. clik para ampliar
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My first gross under par scorecard, signed by Jaime López Climent.

 

People at Villamartín

With Pablo Gómez, Pascual Jiménez and Jose María Buendía, in a pro tournament in Mallorca in 1988. clik para ampliar
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 Pablo Gomez, Raúl and Pascual in the old
Caddy-Master´s office at Villamartín.
Jose María and Pascual
at the driving range.
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clik para ampliar Emilio Rodríguez practicing.
Tomás, an unforgettable character in Villamartín. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Raúl and Pepe González at the driving range.

Jose María Buendía, the Mesquida family
and the Carlos-Roca brothers.

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clik para ampliar Tom Birch, one of my regular partners those days. He left to Florida in 1987.

Pablo Gómez, during a practice round in Mallorca in 1988.

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clik para ampliar The Benardout family and other friends.

Bruno Dureux, one of my regular playing partners in the 80s.

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clik para ampliar Rafael and Miguel Carlos-Roca, two of the toughest guys to beat I have ever come across.

Juan Alonso, a great player and friend with his characteristic golf swing. Villamartín, par 5 5th.

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clik para ampliar Ramón Izquierdo, driving off the 10th.
One of the most popular characters at Villamartín.

 

1989-1992: Real Club de Golf Campoamor,
my first job

Campoamor Golf Club opened in In November 1989 and I was appointed as the golf pro. My duties included: teaching, setting the course up, running competitions, selling green fees, etc.

At the 1st tee, summer 1990.

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clik para ampliar Alberto Iglesias and brother and Juan Pedro Gómez Sar, October 1990.

Manolo de Miguel, father and son, regular visitors.

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clik para ampliar At the driving range, October 1991.

Pedro Jaquero (middle) and Paco Parra
at the reception desk in 1991.

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clik para ampliar During a prize presentationat the clubhouse with                  Jean Kingsley.

 

1992-1993: Los Moriscos Club de Golf (Granada)

I left Campoamor in January 1992 to take over as head pro  at Los Moriscos, where I would be running the golf shop and the driving range and school. Looking back in the years, this 2 year spell in Granada was possibly the most satisfactory in my career.

At the 5th (now the 9th), November 1992.

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clik para ampliar Playing a bunker shot at the 9th (now the 18th).

At the clubhouse, with my wife Concha and our little doggy Perecval. February 1993.

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clik para ampliar During a ProAm prizegiving ceremony with Antonio Parrón (the pro at Granada Golf), Vidal Carralero (my predecessor at Los Moriscos), Sebastián Bruna and Manolo Díaz, both from Guadalhorce Golf Club.

 

1995-2006: La Manga Club (Murcia)

I joined La Manga Club in February 1995 as a teaching professional. With a lot of work and effort, together with my colleagues Martyn Vaughan, Calvin O´Carroll and Ángel Luis Saura we managed to make the Golf Academy a reference in quality and service which lasted until 2006.

North Course, 10th tee, February 1995.

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2006-2007: La Serena Golf (Murcia)

I took the position of Sports Mangaer and Head Golf Pro at La Serena Golf when the course opened in September 2006. Following a first very successful year from all the team, the ownership decided make us redundant and proceeded to replace us with their friends and relatives.

At the 9th, during a photo shoot for cleveland Golf, the golf school´s sponsor then.. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Juan Martos, the first manager at La Serena. I learnt more about golf management from Juan in one year that I had        in the whole of my career together.
Ramón Carrión, Rubén Santamaría and Juan Martos, the first team at La Serena. A group of true professionals. clik para ampliar

 

2008: Mosa Golf (Murcia)

I worked for Mosa Golf as an assistant to the Manager from May to December 2008. The best from this spell was no doubt working alongside a group of professionals like Inma, Laura, Melissa, Pili and Nina, and sin of course Cristian and Tim, the golf pros

Nina, Tim, Laura and Inma in the old reception office.
With Tim Coombe during a prize giving ceremony.

 


 

El Campeonato de España

En Mayo de 1987 gané en el RACE (Madrid) el Campeonato Interterritorial de España de 2ª Categoría, siendo el primer jugador de Murcia en ganar un Nacional en cualquier categoría.

Fue una semana difícil, con un campo duro, jugando desde barras blancas (con 6502 metros, el RACE fue durante muchos años el campo más largo de España) y un tiempo horrible, lluvias, el campo inundado y vendaval tres de los cuatro días, por lo que los resultados fueron astronómicos. En este torneo pude experimentar por vez primera la “presión”, especialmente el último día, saliendo de líder y aguantando la guerra psicológica y en ocasiones el juego sucio de mis compañeros de partido, más mayores y experimentados que yo.

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Aunque el campeonato era un simple Nacional de segunda categoría, este pequeño éxito que significó sobreponerme a todas las adversidades durante cuatro días terminó de decidirme a buscar una carrera en el golf.

 


 

El profesionalismo

Lo tenía claro: quería ser profesional de golf. Ya sabía por entonces que no era un gran jugador, pero esperaba mejorar con el tiempo y sobre todo vislumbraba que el golf se convertiría en un negocio y una profesión de futuro, con la creación de nuevos campos.

A finales de 1987, la única forma de acceder a profesional era desde una categoría denominada “Aspirante” que daba acceso a torneos profesionales donde poder obtener los resultados necesarios (4 en un año) para poder examinarse. El acceso a pruebas profesionales estaba limitado a un cierto número de aspirantes, aunque también había varios campeonatos específicos para ellos.

clik para ampliarMe estrené como profesional en el Campeonato de España de Aspirantes que se jugó en el campo Los Lagos, de Mijas, en Diciembre de 1987, acabando en 13ª posición.

Durante 1988 jugué diversos campeonatos con poco éxito, mezclando vueltas muy buenas con vueltas terribles, lo que me impedía pasar los cortes.

A finales de ese año la Federación Española de Golf, aparentemente ante la falta de profesores de golf en los clubs, sacó una norma que permitía acceder a profesional desde el campo amateur, teniendo o habiendo tenido handicap 3. Era evidente que esta fórmula era mucho más ventajosa y opté por pedir de nuevo mi status amateur y recuperar mi handicap 5 que tenía al pasar a aspirante. Gracias al entonces Presidente de la Federación Murciana, Jose Antonio Nuño de la Rosa, me dieron un periodo de espera reducido y así en Mayo de 1989 recuperé el handicap.

A finales de ese año hice mi examen de Reglas y pasé a profesional. En Noviembre de 1990 aprobé en Aloha las pruebas para Asistente de Maestro, y en 1992 conseguí en El Saler (Valencia) la categoría de Maestro.

Durante los años 90 jugué sin demasiado éxito en distintas pruebas de los circuitos profesionales que se celebraban en España. En éstas casi siempre jugaba una vuelta buena y una mala o viceversa, cosa que me impedía pasar los cortes.

Debido a las muchas responsabilidades adquiridas y el volumen de clases de golf que tenía que dar al fichar por La Manga Club en 1995, prácticamente dejé la competición, limitándome a jugar en ProAm y torneos locales.

De 2000 a 2002 jugué con bastante éxito el Circuito de Andalucía de Profesionales, por entonces el circuito regional más fuerte de España. Este capítulo lo actualizaré próximamente en esta misma web.

A partir de 2003 me centré en la recién creada APGRM (Asociación de Profesionales de Golf de la Región de Murcia), logrando ser campeón del circuito en 2003 y 2004, y subcampeón en 2005. Puede ver más acerca de la APGRM al final de esta misma página.

 


 

My holes in 1

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I´ve been lucky to achieve three holes in one so far, none of then duruing a competition though. All three holes in one came after were well hit, solid shots.

 

7th May 1992, 2nd hole at Los Moriscos, 119 metres par 3. Into the wind, I hit a perfect 7 iron (John Letters Trilogy). The ball pitched just short of the hole, bounced once and went in.

 

 

 

 

 

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My second hole in one was during a playing lesson on the 2nd hole on the North Course at La Manga Club. In this occassion I hit a pitching wedge (Mizuno TP-19) wich pitched past the hole and spun back to go in.

 

 

 

 

 

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My last hole in one to date was on the 14th of April 1999, at the par 3 6th in Villamartín. I had always rated this hole as particularly tough, but in this occasion I hit a solid 3 iron (Tommy Armour 845) straight at the flag that bounced twice and went in.

 

 

 

 


 

The PGA of Murcia (APGRM)

The PGA of Murcia (APGRM) was founded on the 2nd of December 2002. Its founder members were Juan Morales, Álvaro Herrero, Pablo Gómez, Juan Pedro Gómez Sar and myself. Juan Morales was the engine behind this initiative and was designated as the first President.

The APGRM Pro Tour started in 2003, and it included 9 tournaments. This was the first ever tour of these characteristics in the Region. 

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The final 2003 ranking (top 10 players) was as follows:

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The 2nd edition of the APGRM Pro Tour took place in 2004, consisting of 8 tournaments:

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The final 2004 ranking (top 10 players) was as follows:

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2005 saw the 3rd  edition of the Pro Tour, this time with atotal of 9 tournaments:

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The final 2005 ranking (top 10 players) was as follows:

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There was no Tour in 2006. The only event was in December at la Serena Golf, which was won by Calvin O´Carroll. The APGRM Pro Tour was again played in 2008, the winner being Álvaro Herrero.

The Pro Tour had the support of all local courses in Murcia and in particular La Manga Club who provided the prize money between 2003 and 2005. 

 

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INTERACTIVE GOLF CD-ROM: "UNDERSTANDING GOLF- REVISED UK & INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS"©

Thinking of taking up Golf? Then this is for you!

Understanding Golf – Revised UK & International Editions © is a simple yet highly effective introduction to the game of Golf, designed to convey all aspects of the game, as easily as possible. Ideally suited to the beginner, it also acts a useful reminder to the more established golfer.

"Understanding Golf" © comes in two different editions for the English and the European public and is available on a CD-ROM (designed for Windows ®) containing 8 sections. Each section focuses on the key aspects of Golf which all golfers should understand in order to appreciate and enjoy the game. It is available to golf clubs and schools, sponsors and businesses, in English and Spanish.

RRP: prices start at 1000 EUR for a branded copy in a one off licence fee. There´s different versions and branding options suited to golf pros, clubs, schools, busineses, etc.

Would you like to have your own branded CD?: Please carry on reading to see some examples of how your finished branded CD could look like.

Your CD / golf lecture can become a very interesting vehicle for you to show your products. Every screen in the presentation can be branded to include logos, pictures or commercial messages of your choice.

This way your pupils and clients will not only benefit from the contents of the lecture, they will also have the chance to see your publicity for the length of the session.

Please see some examples of individual branding below.

Welcome screen: start the presentation with a picture, a logo or a welcome message.


 
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Welcome screen: are you a golf pro? why not include your name, the services you offer and your contact details together with your sponsors´ logos?


 
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The presentation: display your company logo, brand or a corporate message in the bar at the bottom of each of the 273 screens.

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Chapter screen: design the introductory screen to each of the 8 sections in the show.

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Chapter screen: use your branded CD to advertise yourself including your name and contact details together with your sponsors´ logos.

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Other branding options: have you got a marketing idea or a proposal? Simply say what you have in mind and I will study it. It's that simple. You can choose a basic branding package or opt for a completely modified version. It can be done. Here are some basic examples:

 

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Display your Company Logo, Golf Club Crest or Motif or choose your National Flag

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Display your course Scorecard under the "Rules and Scorecard" Sections.

 

Would you like to run a private class or conference at your Club or golf school?Presented on a large screen in a package with a wall projector, it becomes a fantastic formative and didactic activity for any type of golfer.

The presentation divides the different areas of Golf into 8 sections, from understanding the vocabulary of Golf to the more advanced aspects of the game, such as choosing the equipment, being the Rules and Etiquette of Golf the cornerstone of the whole presentation. From the very beginning the aim of the author was to reach out to the beginner and at the same time, not to bore the expert player.

Your custom lecture: If you are a club manager, a golf professional, a tournament sponsor, golf society or a business, you can now organise your golf lecture based on Understanding Golf – Revised UK & International Editions ©. A full thematic conference takes about an hour and a half. During this time your club or school crest, business or organization logo may be visible to all people present.

Organising a golf lecture based on Understanding Golf – Revised UK & International Editions © is an activity which will pay for itself and for which you will quickly and easily find different uses. How?

  • As a part of a series of golf lessons.
  • As a condition to obtain a handicap.
  • To improve the formation of your employees.
  • As an alternative activity during a golf tournament or event.
  • To improve and boost social relations at the Club.
  • During fairs and congresses.
  • To incentivate your employees.

These conferences are not useful only to the golfers and beginners. They will also improve the image of your Club, school or business among your clients and external partners. A golf lecture is the perfect platform to help you promote your golf course, school and Pro-Shop, through a distinctive product which will make you stand out above the competition.

How it works: Very simple: confirm a place, date and time and that´s it. The price includes the journey, the programme and a wall projector. A detailed slide-by-slide guide is included if you wish to do the presentation yourself.

 

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PHOTO GALLERY

Watching an exhibition match between Seve Ballesteros and Johnny Miller at La Manga Club in November 1980
 
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clik para ampliar Playing a ProAm at La Manga Club in 1989 with Jose Antonio, Manolo and Nieves.
Jose María Olazábal teeing off the 7th at Villamartín, during the practice round of the 1994 Open del Mediterráneo. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Jose María Olazábal and Paul McGinley during the play off at the 1994 Open del Mediterráneo.
Playing Cortijo Grande´s old layout with Juan Morales and JuanPedro Gómez Sar clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar  Severiano Ballesteros, my true golfing idol.
Howard Clarck, winner of many European Tour titles. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Paul Broadhurst, a very charming golfer.
Ronan Rafferty, winner of the 1989 European Order of Merit. clik para ampliar
clik para ampliar Laura Davies and my colleague Martyn Vaughan, during a video shooting at La Manga Club.
Alison Nicholas, winner of the 1997 U.S. Open. clik para ampliar
Jose María Olazábal in Roda Golf.

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