Family and Golf go Hand in Hand for Maria Garcia Izquierdo, Golf Operations Manager at Costa Navarino

How do you create work/life balance between your career in the golf industry and family life?

Luckily, working at Costa Navarino is how I met my husband, and our lovely adopted dog, Carmen is from the Costa Navarino Pet community. We have both strategically agreed not to speak about work in our personal time and that is what is helping us balance our personal lives and careers.

Does your family play golf with you? If so, how often do you guys play?

All the family got into golf at the same time, when we were kids, but I was not too keen on learning golf. it was only 4 years ago when I came to Costa Navarino that I start really appreciating and being passionate about it. My husband and I, although we are not professional golfers, are so blessed because we have amazing golf professionals in our team, who are always willing and eager to share their knowledge and passion for golf with us. We try and make the most of this and either have a lesson or play on one of the four courses at Costa Navarino about twice a week.

If your family plays golf with you, who is the best player in the family?

Obviously myself! Carmen comes with us most of the time, but she is more focused on hunting out the out-of-bounds balls and enjoying the breathtaking views, than learning golf herself…she still has a long way to go, and Odysseas, my husband is the second best.

If you and your family could only use one golf club for a round of golf, what club would it be and why?

Of course the superhero club,  the rescue, for obvious reasons.

What is one golf club on your family’s bucket list to play at that you have not played yet?

Actually, my home golf club when I was a child was the El Real Club de Golf Sevilla , and I would love to go back there and play with my husband, my parents, and my brother, and bring Carmen with us.

Do you have a special golf memory?

I remember volunteering in a Volvo Tournament, when I was a teenager, in which my job was to hold a microphone for the camera man. I had so much fun being around all the professional golfers and the vibrant atmosphere. Then my first Messinia Proam, 4 years ago,  brought all those memories back to live. I really love the environment of a good tournament.