-
Star-studded event with golfers from across the yachting industry.
-
Head-to-head matches on world-famous golf course.
-
Unique opportunity to develop commercial relationships.
As the dust settles on the third edition of the Barcelona Golf Invitational tournament, there can be no doubt this year’s event will be one to remember – for exciting golf, star appearances and valuable networking.
The increasingly popular international event, presented by BOAT International and Voly, and sponsored by IGY Marinas, attracted golfers from across the global yachting community to compete, hone their skills and socialise with like-minded players.
This year’s tournament saw superyacht owners and captains tee off alongside golfers from the wider industry at the prestigious Camiral a Quinta do Lago Resort (formerly known as Camiral Golf & Wellness). Host to the Spanish Open on three occasions, the beautiful 500-acre resort in the Costa Brava has been selected to host the Ryder Cup in 2031. The golfing took place on the famous Stadium Course, which attracts some of the world’s top golfers and was previously part of the DP World Tour.
The perfect venue
As excitement mounted before the competition, special guest Trey Niven, a highly-respected PGA professional, coach and Sky Sports pundit, commented: “The Stadium Course at Camiral is an incredible venue – technically challenging, visually spectacular and the perfect venue for an event like this. I’m excited to connect with fellow golf enthusiasts and see what they bring to the course!”
Trey was joined by Tom Whitehouse, a former DP World Tour professional turned elite coach, who returned to the event to host a dedicated short game clinic. Tom and Trey were on hand to give tips and guidance to help players refine their technique prior to tee off.
Teams of four, featuring superyacht captains and other golfers from the community, then stepped onto the esteemed greens to compete for this year’s Gold Cup, with the Voly team emerging victorious. Prizes were also awarded for Nearest to Pin, Beat the Pro and Longest Drive.
Unique networking opportunities
It’s not just the competitive golfing action that makes the Barcelona Golf Invitational special. The prestigious event provides participants an exclusive opportunity to forge valuable relationships with industry professionals in a convivial setting.
During the two-day meet up, guests were invited to a cocktail reception, padel masterclass, holistic pilates, barbeque and after-party, which enabled players to network off the course.
Simon Brian, IGY’s VP of Operations for Europe, said the format created a “relaxed and engaging environment”, enabling more natural interaction and relationship building. He added: “The shared activities facilitated meaningful conversations and strengthened connections in a way that is often more difficult to achieve in traditional networking settings.”
This was especially true for captains, yacht managers and key industry stakeholders who made up a high proportion of attendees. Together, they benefitted from the rare opportunity to forge connections both on and off the course, with fellow yachting professionals including golfers from shipyards and refit companies and marinas.
Plans are already underway for next year’s competition, which if the Barcelona event is anything to go by, will be in one of the highlights of the social season. Superyacht captains and golfers, watch this space!
