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It may have been an inauspicious start to life in the Spanish capital , but it was one that was to introduce the youngster to the sport that would change his life . “ My uncle was caddying at a country club nearby and he suggested I go and make money by helping out on the tennis courts . The tennis courts were a further 2km walk from the golf course , which was already a 3km walk from where we lived . On the way on the first day , my grandmother and I passed someone playing golf . He told us that , by chance , he needed a caddy , so I stopped to help him ,” Piñero recounts .
And so his golfing career began . He was also a talented footballer and nearly switched his allegiance to the game , “ but my father encouraged me to carry on with golf and at 16 I turned pro . I won my first tournament at 21 ,” he says .
Success followed as an international player , and Piñero has used the benefit of his experience of playing on the best courses around the world to design various golf courses of his own . “ I always think about the people who are going to play – the amateurs as much as the professionals ,” he says . “ Often the best courses are those that were designed 70 to 100 years ago . New courses generally are too difficult for amateurs with too many large undulations . When designing a course , you need to think about the technique needed to play these holes and well as showing off the natural beauty of the terrain .”
His innate understanding of people , as much as golf , has also seen Piñero become a much-loved ambassador for La Reserva de Sotogrande , where he works with international clubs , has developed the golf clinic and is available for one-to-one training . As Captain of the men ’ s team in the 2016 Olympics in Rio , he hosted famous names at La Reserva in April , including José María Olazabal and Sergio García , to celebrate the return of golf to the Games after 112 years .
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