“I want to send a message of total gratitude to the members, institutions, clubs, associations,… because golf has had one voice during the pandemic.”.

“We are fortunate to have a healthy sport in which social distancing is very easy to maintain, and that is why we have emerged much stronger.”.

Gonzaga Escauriaza, re-elected President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation for the next four years, wanted to send a message to the members at the start of this new term, in which he faces new challenges for which, he promises, "there will be no lack of work and enthusiasm.".

In his first remarks after his re-election, he focused on thanking federation members, institutions, clubs, and other stakeholders in the Spanish golf sector for their unity and collaboration during such a challenging year as 2020. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to the federation members, institutions, clubs, course and greenkeeper associations, the PGA… to everyone, because golf has spoken with one voice during the pandemic. We had the first protocol approved by the Higher Sports Council and the Ministry. We are fortunate to have a healthy sport where social distancing is very easy to maintain, and that's why we have emerged much stronger. There are two poles: domestic golf, which has experienced a boom, and commercial golf. In the latter, we must try to reactivate tourism as soon as possible, because it is suffering greatly,” he stated.

Gonzaga Escauriaza, the sole candidate for the position this time, has outlined his vision for the next four years, for which he has assembled “a fantastic team.” “During this period, it is crucial that we make the right decisions on the strategic issues ahead: sustainability, public courses, digitalization of work… We must invest appropriately to ensure economic sustainability and maintain the highest level of golf,” he explained.

In these initial statements, he also gave a positive assessment of this year's sporting results, marked by the pandemic, noting that "we've won on every tour except the LPGA, and that speaks volumes about the level of Spanish golf." "Furthermore," he summarized, "Jon Rahm was world number one, Macarena Campomanes was world number one in the senior rankings... It's been extraordinary.".

“"It must be said to the member that he has made the right choice with this sport."”

At the same time, Gonzaga Escauriaza had words for the members, to whom the organization “has to give more and more: an extraordinary website and app… or the new world handicap, which I can tell you is a much better system that we will be delighted with. We have to give the player time until they play several tournaments and can use this new handicap. We will see then that it is a change for the better,” he argued.

“Ultimately, the member needs to be given many things, and they need to be told that they have made the right choice, because it is a healthy, healthy, healthy sport,” he added.

In his remarks, the President-elect also addressed what has been one of the most discussed topics in the golf sector in recent months: the role of our sport in the economic recovery, perfectly reflected in the study produced by IE University in collaboration with the Spanish Association of Golf Courses (AECG) and the RFEG.

“It has been a complete success. With the presentations we have given, we have been able to raise awareness of the importance of golf for the economy and the creation of solid direct and indirect jobs, some 120,000. The detail I like to mention is that seven out of every eight euros generated by golf go to other sectors: hospitality, taxi drivers, etc., sectors that benefit from golf,” he said.

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