The Miglianico Golf Club presented the 2016 season, the Golf Academy. The Golf Academy not only is competiveness, but it also involves a series of projects and investments, thanks to the collaboration with schools and to the growth of the youngest kids. And we do have many kids who play golf and many others willing to try: this surely confirms the excellent work carried out by the Golf Club team managed by Mario Dragonetti. In this regard, new members of the technical staff, namely important national golfers, were presented. The Manager of the Golf Academy is Massimo Mannelli, from the prestigious Acquasanta Golf Club in Rome, an outstanding golfer who even won an Italian Open in 1980. Mannelli was very excited as he talked about his new adventure. Gianluca Crespi, current technical director of the Italian Golf Team, is supervising the activities, as he is synonym of golf knowledge. Famous golfers, assisted by the historical instructors of the Miglianico Golf Club, such as Luis Gallardo who is involved in the promotional activities. On the other hand, many are wondering about Luca D’Andreamatteo’s future.

Luca D’Andreamatteo is the only golf pro that Abruzzo has ever had. It has only 24 years and is “pro” since he was 18, a talent for certain premature verses, now in 2016, has decided to make a change in his career.

The turning point is very clear: to fully focus on the professional activity, leaving in stand-by the career as instructor.

The reason is clearly explained by Luca D’Andreamatteo himself: “Over the past years the instructor activity has rewarded me with many satisfactions from the human point of view, but it is unquestionable that, from the technical point of view, this did not allow me to achieve good results during the competitions. This is normal and I regret nothing as this will always be an open door for me, but at the moment I must focus on my Pro activity: if I’m a professional golfer is because I want to achieve important results at this time of my career”. According to his plans, in 2016 he stated: “I will try to attend many competitions, in order to remove some…rust….I will play all the stages of the Italian Pro Tour, and then the European, Alps and Asian. I really can’t wait to play and challenge myself”. A watershed moment even in Massimo Mannelli’s career and life. Outstanding golfer, able to win an Italian Open, instructor of the Acquasanta Golf Club, the prestigious Roman golf club….Mannelli changed completely his life, at nearly 60 years of age. He packed up and moved to Miglianico, in the province of Chieti, close to Pescara, to work as Manager of the Golf Academy. “Well, I spent more or less 50 years at the Acquasanta Golf Club, not a few. I grew up there as a golfer, as a man and as instructor: that was an unforgettable experience. I moved to Miglianico, in Abruzzo, with the same enthusiasm as a kid and the skills of a man who witnessed many experiences. I will do my best and I will be at your back and call. I expect some collaboration by these kids’ parents, who will leave them to our staff: I promise them we will do our best to let them grow”.

Of course, not everyone can become a champion…but we hope to have some new Pro in Abruzzo: “One of the main goals of the Miglianico Golf Academy is this – continues Mannelli – and we are sure we can achieve it. Without forgetting that, even Luca D’Andreamatteo (the only professional from Abruzzo) can have all our technical support, if he wants to”. The supervisor of the Golf Academy is another famous name of the golf world, namely Gianluca Crespi, the current technical director of the Italian Team. Crespi will not be based in Miglianico, but he will visit us from time to time to assess our….work in progress: “Miglianico reminds me of positive memories, because during the 2009 Mediterranean Games our athletes won important medals in this golf course. However, I believe that here we can set the basis to work properly and even the Federation cares about the development of this Golf Club. I can only confirm the excellent work carried out by the Miglianico Golf management”