Club de Campo appoints Olazábal for nine-hole renovation
Olazábal Design has been appointed to renovate the back nine of the Yellow course at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in the Spanish capital.
The design firm – led by double Masters winner Jose María Olazábal – will renovate tees and greens, widen fairways and increase the length of some holes.
The back nine of the Yellow course was originally designed by Seve Ballesteros in 1993. The front nine and the Black course, which is hosting this week’s Mutuactivos Open de España on the European Tour, were designed by Javier Arana.
The club is also considering adapting the routing to better suit the increasing number of golfers.
“I am extremely proud and feel very privileged to be chosen to follow Seve with the renewal of the Yellow course at Club de Campo,” said Olazábal. “This club is very special for me; I still remember winning the Spanish Boys Championship here when I was 14 years old.
“It is one of the best golf courses in Spain without a doubt. We want to update these nine holes to ensure they are more playable but still demanding by modern standards by widening fairways, greens and tees, while taking into account sustainability and the environment.
“I’m excited to get started, as we look to embrace the spirit of Seve’s original design and attract more golfers to experience this fantastic golf course.”
Juan Carlos Vera Pro, director of Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, said: “It is a great joy for the club that a figure of the status of Jose María Olazábal will build upon Seve Ballesteros’ legacy with the renewal of the Yellow course at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. Preserving Seve’s essence will be an important part of this project, and there is no better designer in the game to meet this objective.”
The club has also recently completed remodelling work on its short game and practice area, overseen by Stirling & Martin.