Ortiz-Patiño Renews Support For EIFG

Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, founder and honorary president of Club de Golf Valderrama, continues his longtime support of The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), with a $10,000 donation.

"Jaime has been such a good friend to The Institute and this contribution is greatly appreciated," said World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman, Institute trustee and chairman of its Advisory Council. "We are so grateful for his continued support."

Ortiz-Patiño received the GCSAA's highest honor in 1999, the Old Tom Morris Award, and he has served terms on The Institute's board of trustees, its Advisory Council, and chaired the "Investing in the Beauty of Golf" endowment campaign. Ortiz-Patiño and Club de Golf Valderrama are recognized at the Champions Club level of The Institute's cumulative giving program for donors who have contributed between $250,000 and $499,999 since 1987. They are also a member of The Institute's annual giving program, the Platinum Tee Club, for donors who contribute $5,000 or more annually. Club de Golf Valderrama also funds GCSAA's Valderrama Award.

The Valderrama Award is a two-year grant that allows citizens of Spain to study turfgrass management in the United States. The award is based on leadership potential and academics and the winner also receives an all-expense paid trip to the annual GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show.

"I have always believed strongly in the work of The Environmental Institute for Golf," Ortiz-Patiño said. "The results coming out from GCSAA's Golf Course Environmental Profile are tremendously helpful and I enjoyed another productive trip to the GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show in New Orleans as well."

Club de Golf Valderrama is located in Andalucia, the largest and southern-most region of Spain. Valderrama's golf course was designed in 1974 by Robert Trent Jones Sr., GCSAA's 1987 Old Tom Morris Award winner. Valderrama hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, the 1999 and 2000 World Golf Championships - American Express Championship and the European Tour's flagship event, the Volvo Masters, from 1988-1996 and 2001-2008.

A Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary since 1997, Valderrama is frequented by more than 90 bird species, as the golf course sits directly in the path of the narrowest part of European birds' migration route to Africa and back. With 40 acres of wildlife sanctuaries at Valderrama, made up of mixed woodland, dry grassy banks or damp valley floors, wildlife can flourish in peace and safety, developing the diversity that naturally occurs within the norms of the local geology and climate.

The Environmental Institute for Golf is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.

GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.