Spain’s ‘endangered’ golf property

A new law will have a profound impact on the availability of Golf property in Spain...

In the 1970s golf courses began to appear on the Costa del Sol, gradually at first and then by the fistful throughout the 1980s, 1990s and beyond. Tourists flocked, attracted by the fact that they could play cheap public golf in the year-round sunshine.

But soon the residential developers spotted a money-making opportunity and many courses went private to residents whilst the rest put their prices up. The Costa del Sol was in danger of biting the hand that fed it, but that’s all to Change.

The Junta de Andalucía (Regional Government) is drawing up a new decree which states that all new golf courses in Andalucía will have to be public and not part of any housing developments. Hotels and leisure facilities will be permitted but no residential property.

The new courses will also only be able to use recycled water. Although there is no date set for approval, the decree is set to be passed without fuss and will have a major impact on the 300 more courses predicted to join the existing 95 courses in the region.

Golf tourism ‘big business’

Adam Gale, Managing Director of Costa del Sol estate agent Duchy Estates comments, “Golf tourism is big business for Andalucía creating hundreds of jobs and bringing in 512 million euros to the region in 2006 alone, but golf course owners and developers have got greedy.

The courses that remain pay-and-play are now more expensive than comparable courses in the UK and a minority are in bad shape for the prices they charge. Other courses have gone private and players either have to cough up a phenomenal amount for a golf share or buy a property to get on the fairways.

The Costa del Sol was in danger of losing out on golf tourism due to greed so this new decree is very welcome. We should now be able to go down to brass tacks and promote a coastline that has great weather, is easy to get to, has superb golf courses and affordable green fees.”

Of course this will ultimately make golf property an endangered species. The protected views, big green back gardens, abundance of on-site facilities and ability to tee off virtually on the doorstep will be preserved for the owners of current residential golfing stock. Expect these properties to at worst hold their value, and at best, increase markedly in price.

For more information, visit http://www.duchyestates.co.uk