Rafa Nadal and Cantabria Labs presented the Spin&Swing golf circuit this Tuesday at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. This initiative aims to go beyond the sport itself, uniting experience, values, and social commitment to benefit the projects of the Rafa Nadal Foundation. It is an exclusive activity for companies, connecting legacy, movement, and the future, as detailed in a press release.ù
Rafael Nadal and golf
The circuit, which will be played in teams, will take place in four stages: La Manga Club in Murcia (February 26-27), Club de Campo Madrid (April 21-22), Pedreña in Santander (June 11-12), and Camiral A Quinta do Lago Sport Resort in Girona (October 22-24).
Monica Carrillo, news anchor for Antena 3, hosted the event, which was attended by Rafa Nadal, founding patron of the Foundation; his wife, María Francisca Perelló, director; and Juan Matji, president of Cantabria Labs, the company behind the project. The former tennis player's mother, Ana María Parera, president of the Foundation, the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, the president of the Spanish Golf Federation, Juan Guerrero-Burgos, and Jesús Sánchez, owner and chef of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Amós, among others, were in attendance.
“This is an important day for the Foundation, which is taking small but firm steps. It's my personal idea. To create opportunities for children living in vulnerable situations, you need professionals, and to find them, you need resources. We've already generated recurring income in the tennis tour, and now we want to do the same in golf, which is a special sport because you can enjoy competing and playing with people of all levels, and it has a unique social component,” explained Nadal, who added that he will take note of “the suggestions made by the participants.” “Everything is subject to the principle of trial and error. We wanted another stage, but four is fine for now to learn and then continue it for many years.”
“It’s a circuit that brings together a little bit of everything. Having the opportunity to meet different people and create synergies, with very positive experiences and people from different worlds who have stories to tell. There will be six players per team, and the four best scores will count. The points from the entire circuit will be added together. We will try to make it a fun and enjoyable event. And that each year it moves to different venues,” added the Mallorcan, whose motivation is the “education of boys and girls who were destined to have a very difficult future.” “The basic principle is to keep growing and helping more and more people. It’s also about combining philanthropy and leisure, having a good time,” concluded Rafa, who will not be able to compete in the first event with the team that will bear his name, because he is still recovering from surgery on his right hand. “There will be a good replacement,” he assured.
“Organizing a golf tour is a challenge for the Foundation because it’s something new. We’re very motivated and excited. The format is different, linked to sports and values closely tied to the Foundation. We need income and to generate sustainability for our projects, so the intention is for it to be an annual event,” explained Mery Perelló. “The proceeds will go to the Rafa Nadal Foundation Centers, part of the Education and Sports project in Palma, Madrid, and Valencia,” announced the director. “We have many success stories, and we’re very fortunate to see how we can change the lives of these boys and girls who live in challenging areas with limited resources,” she concluded.
During the question-and-answer session, Nadal spoke about golf. “What initially hooked me was the inability to do other things because of all the injuries I had. It helped me disconnect in beautiful natural settings. It was also a way to get together with the people I love because you can talk while you compete,” said the Manacor native, who confessed that he had been tempted to play professionally. “But to suffer, no. If one day I'm fit enough not to make a fool of myself, I'd consider it. Those circumstances haven't arisen. I'm grateful for the invitations I've received, but I need to be able to compete with some guarantees.” Rafa recalled that he once played “with Severiano Ballesteros” at the Country Club. “It was an unforgettable experience,” he acknowledged. “I follow golf weekly, and she (his wife) suffers because of it,” he joked. “I saw Rahm play in Riyadh,” he noted. “And I follow Sergio García, Ángel Añora, who has a very bright future…,” he affirmed.
