Lexis Sport was off on its travels again this week as the global press office headed to Madrid!
Turismo Madrid and the Royal Spanish Golf Federation have been campaigning hard for the 2018 Ryder Cup to head to the Spanish capital, and as part of this we invited a number of golf aficionados from the UK and Irish media to come out and sample exactly what the city has to offer.
Back in May 2010, the Ryder Cup Committee went out to Madrid to visit the proposed course site at Tres Cantos and to meet key members of the Spanish bid team, and with the host nation decision just a few months away, we wanted to recreate that visit for our guests.
Staying in the centre of Madrid, we were still only a short 20 minute train ride from what the bid team hope will be the scene of another triumph for Team Europe in 2018. Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design is the man who has spent literally thousands of hours coming up with the course plans that have been submitted to those making the decision - so who better to give everyone a private tour of the site than Robin himself.
The lay of the land just screams golf and its not hard to imagine the sweeping fairways and natural banks of spectators that could one day grace the area. Unlike many courses these days, the idea isn't to create a golf course through heavy excavation and re-shaping, but rather as Robin puts it, to 'simply drape the course over what we have already'. The sheer beauty of the site is something that impressed throughout, with one guest commenting that it was one of the most beautiful pieces of land he had ever seen for golf. Thankfully the sun shone on cue and gave everyone a glimpse of the kind of weather they could expect from a Madrid Ryder Cup - a far cry from the torrential rain of Celtic Manor, which Lexis Sport has only just dried off from!
There was no time for sunbathing as the site visit was followed by lunch with the bid team at the exclusive Puerto de Hierro golf club in the centre of Madrid before heading to another area of sporting beauty - Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium. We were treated to a private tour of the footballing cathedral, visiting the presidential box, home changing room and even being allowed onto the centre of the pitch - a honour usually reserved for the Ronaldo's, Kaka's and Casillas's of the world.
The passion, togetherness and determination of the Madrid bid team was clear for everyone to see. A Ryder Cup in Madrid would be fantastic not only for the local community but for the game of golf and the tournament as well. The final decision will be made by the Ryder Cup Committee at Wentworth on Tuesday 17th May - until then it remains full steam ahead for the PR effort and we are 'Todos Juntos' in our aim to bring the Ryder Cup to Spain!
Check out the latest on the bid at www.rcmadrid2018.com or become a fan: www.facebook.com/rcmadrid2018
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