{"id":4259,"date":"2019-06-07T15:57:11","date_gmt":"2019-06-07T15:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ladiesingolf.com\/ugpm-university-golf-program-malaga\/"},"modified":"2020-07-24T10:59:08","modified_gmt":"2020-07-24T10:59:08","slug":"ugpm-university-golf-program-malaga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ladiesingolf.com\/en\/ugpm-university-golf-program-malaga\/","title":{"rendered":"UGPM. University Golf Program M\u00e1laga"},"content":{"rendered":"

UGPM Pioneering University Golf Program in Spain.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Up until recently, if young golfers wanted to study a degree at the same time as continuing with top-level golf coaching, they would have to go to the USA. Now, the University Golf Program Malaga (UGPM) offers an alternative. Based at the Miguel \u00c1ngel Golf Academy and the Real Club de Golf Guadalhorce, this program, which began just four years ago, now boasts 32 students. Apart from providing the opportunity to combine university studies at the University of Malaga with top-level golf, it also offers other educational programs such as a Spanish for Foreigners course or a course in Sports Management and Marketing – the latter, thanks to an agreement with the Johan Cruyff Institute. The support and monitoring of students, the educational and sporting advice, a fantastic competition schedule, as well as a team made up of a wide range of top professionals, all make the UGPM a quality university program, unique in Europe.
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The project was conceived almost five years ago and had its first intake during 2014\/2015. It was the dream of a businessman and golfing enthusiast who saw the gap in the market. Javier Mart\u00edn-Montalvo, together with his wife, Marta D\u00edaz, started this initiative when they became aware of this niche market. \u201cIf student golf players wanted to study higher education and maintain top-level golf coaching, the only option was to go to the USA. There were no programs available here which combined university studies with golf\u201d says Marta D\u00edaz, Head of Admission and Teaching at the UGPM. \u201cTherefore, we approached the University of Malaga (UMA) and outlined our project. Coincidentally, in 2013, the UMA had approved the University Athlete\u2019s Charter, which includes a series of measures for promoting and supporting sport at university. This led to a collaboration agreement which grants the students of UGPM the status of University Athletes, providing them with a series of rights to help them combine education and sports. These include an allowance for hours dedicated to training and competitions, medical and physiotherapy care, access to special grants and aid programs, and much more. For example, this year we have students who are graduating from the first intake and they have had between 8 and 10 optional subject credits recognised. These are awarded as a result of the hours spent training within the program, as well as time dedicated to representing the University of Malaga in Spanish and European University Championships.\u201d<\/p>\n

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he programme, which started with four students, has continued to grow, both in the number of students enrolled and its academic offer. \u201cWith regard to the development of the program, we have increased the academic content as we have started getting more students. This has gone from four in 2014\/15 to 32 in the latest intake (2018\/2019)\u201d, says Marta. Therefore, in the second year, and driven by a demand from European students, they launched the GAP year, which involves an intensive Spanish learning program prior to starting university. \u201cThis is an intensive Spanish course offered by the International Language Centre of the University of Malaga. The GAP students learn Spanish while they improve their golf following our coaching and competition program. The following year, they have the option of direct access to the University of Malaga, thanks to the recognition of studies of European countries\u201d, says Marta.<\/p>\n

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But that\u2019s not all. The program continues to improve its offer with online training programs, offering two options: Freshmen year with Arizona State University or with the Johan Cruyff Institute. The latter is specialised in education in sporting management and marketing as well as sponsorship of sports people. \u201cAt UGPM, we take special care of our academic programs for the players. We make sure that we offer each player the academic program which best suits them regarding their education, profile and future ambitions. The structure of the sports programme is that of a high-level course. It offers students flexibility when they are combining their studies with golf. There\u2019s a difference between the study load of a student on an Engineering or Health Sciences course compared to a student who is studying Business Administration. The time they can dedicate to training and competitions varies from between 50% to 30% depending on the university degree they are studying. In the case of the one-year programs (GAP, Arizona State University or Johan Cruyff Institute), there is a much greater time spent dedicated to golf, around 50%, as they have less pressure from their studies\u201d, Marta tells us.<\/p>\n

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The professionals who make up this program are the coaches Daniel Colomar and \u00c1ngel Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez, the sporting director Walter Bolumar, who coordinates the training and competition schedule. The area of physical preparation is led by Jos\u00e9 Enrique Garc\u00eda, who also takes care of sports psychology. They all work daily on the development of the students, who can also count on academic support for issues such as university access, tutoring, academic procedures and accommodation. The service is so personalised that there is a limit to the number of students per class.<\/p>\n

The programme could not have a better location. The Miguel \u00c1ngel Jim\u00e9nez School is the base where the UGPM students receive their technical preparation. The international recognition of the Miguel Angel Jim\u00e9nez Golf Academy is very important for the UGPM, but above all, it is worth highlighting that both the students and the team at UGPM are very impressed with the quality of the facilities and the personal care offered by the Academy. In addition, the UGPM has agreements with the Real Guadalhorce Golf Club, Lauro Golf and Mijas Golf for using their courses.\u201cThe programme is growing, so it is common sense to offer more courses where they can play, providing a more enriching experience for our students\u201d, says Marta. With a competition schedule which takes in more than 30 official competitions a year, as well as 10 internal leagues, there are many benefits to UGPM, \u201cThere is a competition atmosphere present throughout the whole year\u201d, Marta tells us. She feels tremendous satisfaction because, in addition, the University of Malaga has won the Spanish Universities Championship for the third year and the UGPM player, Esperanza Serrano, has been proclaimed champion at an individual level. Esperanza is studying Chiropody at the UMA. She is a perfect example of how university studies and golf can be combined in Spain. Another example is Carmen Garc\u00eda G\u00e1mez, who studies Technical Engineering at the UMA. Thanks, UGPM, for your dedication and for starting such a useful and positive initiative for Malaga in Spain.<\/p>\n

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UGPM Pioneering University Golf Program in Spain. Up until recently, if young golfers wanted to study a degree at the same time as continuing with top-level golf coaching, they would have to go to the USA. Now, the University Golf Program Malaga (UGPM) offers an alternative. Based at the Miguel \u00c1ngel Golf Academy and the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[]},"categories":[894],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t