Sotogrande, in partnership with the international LIV Golf league and the NGO Betania, has launched an innovative initiative to use golf as a tool for social transformation. This activity, set to take place at the Almenara Golf Club course within the SO/ Sotogrande Golf & Spa Resort, aims to instill the values of golf in 30 young people at risk of social exclusion in the Campo de Gibraltar region, with the goal of enhancing their personal and social development.
This collaboration seeks to positively impact the lives of young people aged 7 to 16 who participate in the “You Have Wings to Fly” program by the Betania NGO, which promotes the educational and social development of minors in vulnerable situations. Over the coming months, these children will receive golf lessons from professionals at Almenara Golf Club, located at the SO/ Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort Hotel. Through these lessons, they will not only learn the physical skills of the sport but also the values associated with it. Starting in the first quarter of 2025, the same activity will be conducted at the new Golf Academy, also at Almenara, which is scheduled to open in April 2025.
Participants will be provided with all the necessary equipment, including a complete set of golf attire (polo shirt, pants, and sweater). They will be accompanied by expert coaches who will guide them through their first steps in golf, helping them to gradually improve while enjoying the sport.
Golf as an Educational and Social Tool
Golf, often perceived as an elite sport, actually promotes key values such as honesty, responsibility, perseverance, and respect. Without referees on the course, players are responsible for their own actions, underscoring the importance of integrity and self-control—values that will be instilled in the young participants.
Beyond the emotional and social benefits, golf also contributes to physical improvement, enhancing flexibility, motor coordination, and muscle tone, which are essential for promoting healthy lifestyle habits in young people.
A Project with Local and Global Impact
This initiative in Sotogrande is part of LIV Golf’s global strategy “Potential Unleashed,” which aims to improve the lives of 5.4 million young people worldwide over the next five years. In Spain, Betania serves as a strategic partner, channeling resources and support to minors in the Campo de Gibraltar.
The project also builds on the 2023 visit of Torque GC team players to Betania’s headquarters in La Línea de la Concepción, where they learned firsthand about the NGO’s programs and the people they support. This meeting marked the beginning of a collaboration that has grown into this year’s activity, strengthening ties between Sotogrande, LIV Golf, and Betania.
Sotogrande’s Commitment to the Community
With this initiative—one of many Sotogrande has undertaken—Sotogrande reaffirms its commitment to the local community, solidifying its role as a catalyst for social change in the Campo de Gibraltar and promoting development and cohesion in the region.
