He Valderaduey golf course has already completed its first year of existence with a clearly positive balance for this sports facility that is a source of pride for a city like Zamora that had waited so long for it. Consolidating a golf course is not a matter of a year because, as with any garden area, time is needed for both the grass areas and the trees and other decorations necessary for the practice of this sport to consolidate.
The condition of the course is more than acceptable for such a young facility, something that players who come from abroad recognize, but it needs to continue “dressing up” and around 200 bushes will be planted soon, which will enhance it but also add difficulty to the course. which is not always optimal for a course where the handicap of most players is quite low.
The greens are very firm although a couple of them need a little more attention. The players were also surprised by the high level of the tees: all very straight and firm.
One of the aspects to improve for the future and thinking about getting a good performance out of the field, is the development of the school that is being achieved in terms of new players of legal age, but not so much with children who want to learn to play this sport. In this regard, the course managers themselves regret that in Zamora golf continues to be considered an elitist sport, something that is far from reality as evidenced by the prices that members pay: 65 euros per month, while the green fee is 6 euros daily and 4 euros for 9 holes, and 9 euros on Sundays.
Regarding the number of members, the forecasts of 200 in the first year have not been reached, but the 131 could increase significantly throughout 2023 if the number of players from other fields that perhaps are waiting for Valderaduey to be provided with the planned infrastructures such as parking, club house, club room, etc. They have been some works that have been delayed a lot due to the rains this winter but it is expected that they can begin in a few days.
The losses in 2022 have been high, although within the forecasts and it is expected that the situation will begin to improve with the arrival of spring: “We hope that more people will come because we also plan to reforest some areas gradually so that the field grows with the players. But we don’t want people to suffer playing here because the player who maintains this field is not a professional”, acknowledges the director of CG Valderaduey, Osorio Pinilla, who also points out that “people who come from abroad are scarce because up to now it is a unknown field and also does not have a clubhouse or other facilities. It is a field for Zamoranos and if people from outside come, great. But the goal is to reach 300 members in two more years in order to cover expenses. It is a 30-hectare specialized garden and the costs have tripled and have not been passed on to prices”.
