Oysters, 800 HP and a Charity Heart: Private Greens Business Cup in Canyamel

Oysters, 800 HP and a Charity Heart: Private Greens Business Cup in Canyamel

On the first weekend of October the driveway to Golf de Canyamel filled with familiar engine sounds, quiet conversations and the rustle of palm leaves. Around 120 participants accepted the invitation to the Private Greens Mallorca Business Cup. Many had travelled especially for the event—mostly from Germany, with two delegates even coming from South America—to play a round on the 18-hole course, network and celebrate together in the evening.

The weather cooperated: while other parts of the island experienced occasional showers, the east coast showed its friendliest side. On the greens you could hear the discreet click of clubs and, now and then, the distant chirping of cicadas—typical for an autumn day in Canyamel.

Organizationally the event followed the motto Business meets Leisure, a concept also reflected in Between Coffee Stall and Business Lounge: RCD Mallorca Launches Business Club for the Island. CEO Volker Sternberg brought together various industry networks and made sure the tournament deliberately left space for conversations. Bruno Felixberger, the course director, appeared visibly pleased with the mix of sporting competition and relaxed gatherings in the clubhouse.

An audible and visual highlight off the course were the supercars the Dörr Group provided via Motorworld. A particularly striking example was a McLaren Elva with 800 hp and a special livery, in which several guests took short test drives. The car drew curious looks from the crowd and a deep roar from the engine added a touch of race atmosphere to the otherwise calm club grounds, echoing island-wide events like the 550 Challenge in Mallorca: A Treat for Petrolheads, a Burden on Everyday Life.

The culinary part of the evening began with oysters, freshly opened by an oyster shucker at a stall. Later there was a buffet of grilled specialties; with music and good spirits results were announced and raffle tickets were drawn. The men's gross winner was Karsten Hutwelker, and the women's gross winner was Iris Echevarria, who had travelled from Chile. The raffle and other activities offered prizes with a total value of over €20,000. The club atmosphere recalled earlier tournament celebrations such as Ten Years of T Golf Calvià: A Day That Smells of Fresh-Cut Grass and Sea.

What made this gathering special was that it was not just about business and enjoyment. Through the sale of raffle tickets, an auction and additional donations, a five-figure sum was raised and donated to the Rudolf Pichlmayr Foundation. Dr. Annika Ollrog, the foundation manager, emphasized the importance of the support: the foundation runs a rehabilitation center for children awaiting transplants and, according to its own information, cares for around 130 affected children from across Germany each year. Contributions like these help maintain therapy programs and care services.

Representatives of the Dörr Group were also on site, including Patrick Vancura, who explained details about the McLaren and organized test drives. For many guests the combination of sporting challenge, high-end cars and a charitable purpose was exactly what they expect from a business cup: networking in a relaxed atmosphere with a tangible benefit for society.

What remains for Mallorca? On the one hand, the visible desire to use the island as a stage for serious business events that give international guests a reason to visit outside the high season. On the other hand, the positive effect when leisure and fundraising come together: local service providers, the clubhouse, caterers and experience providers benefit directly, a boost to local businesses also visible in events like VIP Pre-Christmas in Santa Ponsa: Aperol, Luxury Cars and an Evening for the Island Community.

A brief outlook: organizers of similar future events can learn from this model—intelligent scheduling on the course, high-quality experience elements like test drives and a clear, transparent link to a social cause create added value for all involved. For Canyamel the weekend remains a reminder of how sport, pleasure and assistance can go hand in hand.

In the evening, when the clubhouse lights came on and the sea in the distance was only visible as a dark line, the day wound down with conversations about golf shots, engines and donations. As people on the island like to say, small steps often bring the greatest impact—especially when many take them together.