The Spanish Tourism Office held its first ‘I Need Spain’ golf event with Andalucía at Dundrum House, Co Tipperary. The event was attended by top representatives from the Irish travel trade as well as golf course directors from the Andalucía region, and 12 teams played. 
It was an enjoyable sunny day, followed by a great dinner with a Pig on a Spit as a main course. The competition was individual Stableford points of which the overall winner was Sean Skehan of Killester Travel and, in the Ladies category, Lorraine Cunningham of LCT, who won a trip to Spain with golf and accommodation.
Spain is the first European golf destination and the second worldwide – and Irish golfers represent around 10% of the total market. With over 430 golf courses it is a very significant golf destination. Andalucía alone accounts for over 100 of these in its eight provinces – Almeria, Huelva, Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba and Jaen, with most of them in Malaga and Cadiz.
Golf directors from Baviera Golf, Golf El Rompido, Santa Clara Golf, La Monacilla Golf, the Andalucia Golf Federation, Hotel Almenara, La Cala Resort, Elba Costa Ballena, Hotel Golf Isla Canela and Vincci Golf played with the Irish trade.
