Golf Director at West Cliffs Golf Course.
Francisco gave some time for a Q&A session to provide insights into the West Cliffs experience.
GEO: We know this project was a long time in the making, can you very briefly give us the background to how West Cliffs came in to being - how and when did you become involved in that process?
Francisco:13 years ago I got employed by Golfbeltico to help the golf director with the increase number of members at PDR and to help on the supervision of the new golf course. At the time was known as Falesia d’El Rey. The project was different form. Most of the holes close to the Cliffs, more houses. After a few years, the name was changed to “the Cliffs”, and the course have moved to a more inland course (very similar from what we have now), with less houses. The company that owned the project when into serious financial difficulties and we thought that the project was going to died. We Oxy took the project, I started to be much more involved, as on the process of decisionsm as in the construction.
GEO: What will people see and experience when they come to West Cliffs Golf Links?
Francisco: The scenery is spectacular. The Club house very different from what we have in Portugal, with a lot of space and light. This is the first impression.
When the go to the course, what comes is the way the course in involved with the nature. All the vegetation, bunkers and course are very natural. Finally the views – sea views in every single hole.
GEO: Given your role in this project, how involved have you been throughout the realization of West Cliffs Golf Links?
Francisco: As said before, very involved in all decisions related to golf from the beginning of the constrction and now with all the operation.
GEO: From the start of the project, sustainability was clearly part of your thinking, but what led you to the OnCourse® Development programme and how did you find the experience of working towards and gaining certification?
Francisco: Been on this piece of land, we needed to keep it as natural as possible. Having a certification like GEO, was the recognition that we care about nature, preservation of species and the community. We learned a lot during the hole process.
GEO: Can you describe some of the priorities from your point of view to make sure the development of West Cliffs was done in a responsible and sustainable way?
Francisco: We needed to use what we had on the property, and at the same time get ride of the bad species, like ice plants and acacias. The use of the water was one of our main goals. The choose the grass, area’s of construction, etc, with the use of water always in our mind. We have one of the courses with the smallest grass area in Portugal.
GEO: What were the main lessons you learned during the design and construction of West Cliffs and what measures are you putting in place to ensure the future management and operations the club continue to follow the good work that has been done?
Francisco: When all the intervenients push for the same side, is it much easier, and what looks impossible comes to reality. We build the golf course in one year. Cynthia, Pragosa, Golfscape and all the others with the supervision of the owner where fitting to finish the golf course in June, date of 20 years at PDR. Without all this union this wasn’t possible.
The same idea for the future. All teams needs to have the same goal, and fight for it all together. From the lowest greenkeeper to the top of the shareholder.
GEO: What would you say to other golf projects are the main benefits to integrating sustainable thinking into your business planning?
Francisco: First, you need to have a different way of thinking, or at least, a different way compared to the past. Sustainability is something that will help you in the future. Start the project with that in mind. You need to adapt some of the process and sometimes it seems that you are going in the wrong way. But when if finish, you feel released and you helped the community. And in most of the times, you saved a lot of recourses.
