COPE Cantabria has visited the facilities to discover a venue that combines nature, sport and gastronomy.
In the Oyambre Natural Park, the legacy of Severiano Ballesteros represents both present and future. Santa Marina Golf Club stands as the only 18-hole course designed by the genius from Pedreña in Cantabria. A legacy that the club’s team cares for day after day. At COPE Cantabria, we were able to see it first-hand as our entire team travelled there.
At Santa Marina, we were welcomed by its General Manager, Mariano Sáiz Vega, also from Pedreña, who feels both “responsibility and pride” in managing a course that, he says, remains “largely unknown in Cantabria.”
The character of a genius
Seve Ballesteros conceived golf as a challenge that should make the player think, and that philosophy permeates every corner of Santa Marina. According to Mariano Sáiz, Severiano himself infused all his character into the design of a course that is a true challenge.
“He created a competition course. It’s not a long course, but it demands considerable technique. It’s not just about hitting long shots — you really have to use your head,” Sáiz explains.
“This course is the only place in Cantabria that bears Seve’s name — and that’s a real shame.”
The difficulty of fitting 18 holes into the original estate and the seamless integration with the natural surroundings are two of the design’s masterstrokes. Well known is his particular tribute to the Augusta Masters on holes 4, 5 and 6, designed to test a golfer’s character. Sáiz admits that the course once had a “tough reputation,” but continuous maintenance has steadily improved the playing experience.
Mariano Sáiz shares the feeling that Spain still struggles to fully recognize the magnitude of Seve Ballesteros, despite his status as a global legend. “One of our newest members, who lives in Dubai, was already speaking with top players such as Justin Rose about Seve, and they would come to Cantabria to do anything in his honour,” he recounts. For the Santa Marina manager, the lack of tributes in his own homeland is evident.
A human and gastronomic team
The General Manager becomes emotional when speaking about the 30-person team working at the club. Thanks to them and the investment of its members, the course has overcome a very difficult initial period since he took over management in 2013. It is now in such condition that “you can play all winter long.” The Santa Marina family continues to grow and is approaching 1,400 members, although Sáiz points out that the vast majority are not from Cantabria.
The finishing touch to the Santa Marina experience is its gastronomy. The on-site restaurant, open to the public, features chefs Rafael Cayuso and Julio Día, who “are pulling out all the stops to surprise.” For Sáiz, service, course maintenance and gastronomy are the three pillars of success: “If you achieve all three, people will leave wanting to come back.”
Source: Redacción COPE Cantabria, Santander.
From Golf Santa Marina, we would like to thank the prestigious Cadena COPE radio network for its coverage and interest in our roots, as well as for highlighting the dynamism, growth and commitment of our club to sport and the natural environment. This recognition reinforces the work we continue to carry out and positions Golf Santa Marina as a benchmark both within and beyond Cantabria.
You can listen to the full interview through this link.