Dubai Golf & Viya Golf Club Life | Jan - Feb 2024

KICKING OFF 2024 WITH TWO DP WORLD TOUR EVENTS AT EMIRATES GOLF CLUB & DUBAI CREEK

WELCOMING OUR INCOMING CAPTAINS TO DUBAI GOLF & VIYA GOLF

CELEBRATE THE MOST ROMANTIC DAY OF THE YEAR ACROSS OUR PROPERTIES

11-14 January 2024

Originally founded in 1988 as the member’s magazine for Emirates Golf Club, ‘CLUB LIFE’ is the quintessential guide to what’s new and what’s next in and around Dubai Golf and Viya Golf Clubs, tailored to our network of Club members and residents across the United Arab Emirates. Discover the flavours of the month across the Clubs’ dining scene, seek out the latest lifestyle trends with unique fitness supplements, and digest the latest golfing tips and updates from the group’s 11 premium golf courses. The magazine is produced

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CLUB MANAGER’S MESSAGE

DEAN NELSON CLUB MANAGER, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

As we bid farewell to the festivities of Christmas and welcome in the New Year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very healthy, happy, and prosperous 2024.

It was great to see so many members enjoy the New Year’s Eve Party on the Lawns with the Michael Jackson and Tina Turner tribute

HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

As we look forward, The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is just around the corner and our Agronomy team, led by Matt Perry, have been working tirelessly once again to deliver the finest playing conditions. With Rory leading the big names, it’s great to see fellow Ryder Cup stars join him in this Rolex Series Event.

CAPTAINS DAY

This year’s Captains Day will be hosted on Saturday 9th March, with Captain, Frank Duggan, pulling out all the stops to ensure the day will be fun filled with some very creative additions. With both the Majlis and Faldo courses being used, it will present a unique playing experience for all Members. We look forward to seeing as many Members taking part and supporting the Captains charity, Heroes of Hope.

acts bringing in 2024 with songs we all recollect so well. We also saw over 140 members enjoy the Christmas Scramble in December, congratulations to the prize winners and a very big thank you to the culinary team for the fabulous mince pies and to Santa for his appearance on the course!

GOLF ACADEMY

It’s very exciting to see the new Golf Academy take shape. The unforeseen delays were disappointing, but we have a great addition to the Clubs’ facilities. The new technology includes additional launch monitors, putting analysis and air-conditioned teaching bays. The F&B outside with rooftop seating will offer stunning vistas across the golf courses and Dubai skyline. We will continue to review our practice facilities and strive to continue to enhance this space.

COURSE CARE

I would like to thank Members for their continued support in helping maintain our courses. The importance of repairing ball marks, divots and raking bunkers is vital to ensuring the best possible playing conditions. It’s vital that we care for our courses and for our fellow golfers who are playing behind us.

Thank you for supporting our wonderful Club, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

MEMBERS TRIP TO IRELAND

August sees the annual Members trip visit Ireland with rounds booked include the 2027 Ryder Cup venue, Adare Manor, County Louth, Dromoland Castle, The K Club and the week is rounded off at the European Club. With some fantastic golf on offer, whiskey tours and a visit to the world-famous Guinness Storehouse, it’s sure to be a memorable trip for all. For further information, please visit the Membership desk at the Club.

CLUB MANAGER’S MESSAGE

STEPHEN HUBNER

CLUB MANAGER, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

Firstly, I am delighted to wish you and your family a very happy new year and I hope that 2024 brings you joy, laughter, and prosperity.

2023 was a wonderful year at Jumeirah Golf Estates. As promised at the beginning of the year, we worked extremely hard on upgrading our colleague training to enhance your experience at the Club. In

DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

In November we were proud to host the 15th edition of the DP World Tour Championship. Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard won his first Rolex Series event, shooting an impressive 8-under par 64 on the final day to win by two strokes on 21-under par. Rory McIlroy claimed his fifth victory in the season-long Race to Dubai, and Matt Wallace scored an incredible 12-under par 60 around the Earth Course on Saturday.

Throughout the four days, we welcomed more spectators to Jumeirah Golf Estates than ever before. 79,310 fans and guests from Dubai and the other Emirates with over 30% from abroad attended the tournament. On Friday morning, we experienced a severe thunderstorm challenging the team. I was extremely proud of the way in which everyone came together to ensure the course and other areas were ready to host the event.

Our new Clubhouse Hospitality proved to be a popular addition and we will work to further improve this for next year. I would like to thank our Members for supporting the event and for their patience during the build and take-down period. We have already started working with the DP World Tour on the 2024 event to enhance the overall experience for our members and we will keep you updated on the progress as we move forward.

line with our sustainability goals, we completed our Solar Car Park shading, which generates enough power to supply almost 10% of the total electricity consumption at Jumeirah Golf Estates. I very much hope that in 2023 you noticed the many improvements made across the operation and I assure you that we are committed to continuing to exceed your expectations in 2024.

CLUB CAPTAINS

I would like to thank Jonathan Hall and Evelyn Downham for their outstanding contribution to the Club over the past two years as Vice Captains in 2022 and Captains in 2023. Our Captains worked extremely hard throughout their tenure, bringing new ideas, supporting our Club events and trips, and helping raise awareness of the Junior Colleague Fund. Thanks to Jonathan and Evelyn for all they have done for the Members and colleagues at the Club, and I hope they enjoy a more relaxed year as a member in 2024!

We are delighted to welcome Anna Rafferty and Noel O’Leary as our new Club Captains for 2024. Both Anna and Noel are long-term Members of Jumeirah Golf Estates and have made a significant impact in their role in the Members’ Consultative Committee and as our 2023 Vice Captains. Thank you to Anna and Noel, and we will look forward to working together in the coming year, so that we can continue to move the Club forward and deliver memorable moments for our valued Members.

CLUB INVESTMENT IN 2024

In 2024 we have exciting plans to expand the gym and upgrade pool area with a larger leisure pool and new furniture. In addition, we will be resurfacing the tennis courts. These will be summer projects to ensure less interruption to your membership experience while the work is being carried out.

We will continue to improve the conditioning of the golf courses and practice facilities by upgrading several of our machines and adding some new additions also. This will assist our Golf Course Superintendent, Stuart Horwood, and his team in our goal to ensure you enjoy the finest playing surfaces in the region.

Finally, I would like to thank you for your support of the Club throughout 2023 which is hugely appreciated. I hope that you continue to enjoy your time at Jumeirah Golf Estates in 2024 and look forward to seeing you at the Club soon.

CLUB MANAGER’S MESSAGE

DAVID TAGGART CLUB MANAGER, DUBAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB

By the time most of you are reading this, we will have had the great pleasure of witnessing Dubai Creek Golf &Yacht Club back on the DP World Tour calendar for the first time since the 2000 Dubai Desert Classic. I hope our prayers for clear skies and a stern breeze were answered. A massive good luck to the Emirates Golf Club team as well for a successful staging of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic!

We are delighted to welcome our 2024 Club and Lady Captain, Kevin Savage and Janet Kim. The 2024 Captain’s Drive-In event was a massive success, enjoyed by all that participated. We are very fortunate to welcome a Korean Captain in back-toback years and we look forward to Janet repeating the same success with the ladies

section that Gene had with the men’s section in integrating more Koreans within the wider membership.

Kevin Savage will undoubtedly bring his own flare to his captaincy and we look forward to seeing his boyish grin at many prize giving’s this year. In all seriousness,

the Club will benefit greatly from Kevin’s warm personality and his ability to create a firm sense of community.

We wish you both the best of luck during the 2024 season and look forward to working with you to make your year a roaring success.

Thank you and congratulations to our outgoing Club Captains, Gene Cha and Shiba Wahid. One of the great successes of this year has been the celebration of the Club’s diversity. Gene had a particularly rich vein of form to close out 2023 and ran the risk of being reprimanded by the Handicap Committee in his year of Captaincy… Indeed the South Korean flag now flies in the Locker Room after he led them to victory in his own event –The Nations Cup. No pressure, Kevin.

We are delighted to announce that the Junior Captain for 2024 will be Samara D’Silva and that Janet and Kevin will be deputised by Retna Schepens and Shankar Balasubramaniam. Samara is an outstanding young woman who we know will represent the club excellently throughout the year. We also wish you the best of luck in your applications to college. Thank you also to our outgoing Members

Consultative Committee who have been instrumental in our efforts to make our Handicap administration more effective. There have been plenty of healthy debates on this issue as well as tournaments administration. As I have mentioned before, there has also been a strong focus on integrating new Members into the Club which has been handed over to the incoming committee for 2024.

CLUB MANAGER’S MESSAGE

JULIAN DANBY CLUSTER CLUB MANAGER, VIYA GOLF

Traditionally, the turn of a new year has always been a key period in people’s minds for lots of reasons. For some, it is a time to look forward, drop bad habits and start the year with a positive mindset. For others, it is a time of reflection at what went right, what didn’t go so well, what they want to change, and what they are looking to keep doing. For Viya Golf it is very much a time for reflection, a time for gratitude and at time for planning a journey of continuous improvement.

REFLECTING ON 2023

2023 was a year of change for Viya Golf. It was our first full year of operations in Abu Dhabi, a period in which we restructured various operational elements of the business to improve our customer offering, introduced many new faces to the team, undertook the integration of our different operating systems, implemented new processes; as well as introduced our booking and rewards application, Viya.

Viya App has been a tremendous value-add not only to our Members who enjoy a range of exclusive discounts, benefits, and rewards, but also to guests who gain access to our facilities and enjoy rewards with their loyalty across all touch points including golf, golf lessons, dining, leisure, and retail.

We also undertook various projects throughout the year including the introduction of exciting new facilities and renovations of existing. At Yas Links Abu Dhabi, we were delighted to open the iconic ‘Crafty Fox’ gastro-tapas and sports bar, which has been a great hit with Members, golfers, and the residents in and around Yas Island. The views of the city skyline across the mangroves are truly the best in Abu Dhabi and we are excited to see the impact of the restaurant on the dining and entertainment scene in 2024.

At Saadiyat Beach Golf Club we renovated and expanded our Club restaurant, including an uplift to our outdoor bar, again, with stunning views of the golf course and coast of Saadiyat Island. We introduced floodlights to our short game area, upgraded our on-course water coolers and renovated the refreshment pavilions.

Yas Acres Golf & Country Club saw the launch of our new Kids Club, ‘Little Acres’, highlighting our vision for the Club to be a community hub for all families. Little Acres includes a soft play area, reading corner, theatre room playing all your Disney favourites and a party room available for private hire.

We also introduced a new outdoor children’s swing area by the pool, a Food Truck to improve the overall dining offering, we installed a new sound system to improve the general ambience, uplifted the interiors of the lobby, as well as enhanced the changing rooms to better serve our guests.

All enhancements to our Clubs have seen a rapid up uptake in memberships in the latter half of 2023 which has been extremely gratifying to see, and we’re very much looking forward to meeting many more new faces in the new year and doing our utmost to deliver memorable experiences with every visit.

LOOKING FORWARD

As we head into 2024, our foot is pressed firmly on the pedal!

You may have heard the saying ‘if you’re standing still, you’re actually falling behind’. Nothing is truer than this for Abu Dhabi right now. It’s incredible to see the energy within the capital, show through the growing portfolio of events and increased construction projects coming to life. We are privileged to work alongside our partners including Aldar, Miral, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the Department of Culture & Tourism, who are key drivers behind the long-term vision for Abu Dhabi. As Viya Golf, we are honoured to play our small role in oiling the wheels.

On the project side, we most certainly are not standing still.

Within golf, the groundwork undertaken in 2023 by all partners is already paying dividends to our industry, seen through the growing number of tourists playing on our golf courses and dining at our bars and restaurants. The move of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to the penultimate event on the DP World Tour in November 2024, was tremendous recognition of a world-class event on an outstanding golf course and will be another key driver in the growth of Abu Dhabi as an internationally renowned hub for sports enthusiasts.

Yas Links Abu Dhabi will see Hickory’s undergo renovation in Q1, with a strong focus on bringing an elegant, entertaining, and family-focused atmosphere to the outdoor dining area, which unquestionably has the best views in Abu Dhabi. The main reception, gym, studios, and Academy building will see complete renovations, amongst other aesthetic upgrades around the Club.

At Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, we will complete a new first tee Starters Hut, designed to improve the first tee experience. The Driving Range will be extended back to its original specifications to ensure we can deliver a great grass tee surface year-round.

At Yas Acres Golf & Country Club, our latest facility is due to open in early 2024, the new pet garden called ‘Happy Tails’. As the residential community grows around Yas Island, we want people to see that the Club is for everyone, no matter two legged or four legged.

Outside of the exciting new-year projects, we strive towards continuous improvement of our customer service and standards. Over the last 12 months, we have bolstered our Learning & Development team across the company and worked hard on establishing the culture of ‘service excellence’ throughout every aspect of the business. It’s not easy to deliver consistent service excellence and unfailingly get it right, however, we are determined to work hard as a team, support one another, and ensure a memorable experience is provided everyday across our Clubs.

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THE FUN STUFF

pizza making • movie theatre • birthday parties • trampoline • tree library • soft play • outside play • children of determination accessible

THE LATEST AT TOPGOLF DUBAI

MIKE WALTON DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, TOPGOLF DUBAI

Well, what a season we have had so far! This venue is always electric, but it never fails to surprise us as we come towards this time of the year just how fun things get at Topgolf Dubai! The weather is glorious, meaning the tee line is even more of a treat, the drinks are sweeter, and the food gets tastier – especially with Toad in the Hole now open!

50,000,000 BALLS

There is no better way to start my piece for this edition of Club Life than to talk about the huge milestone we hit as a venue in November of 2023, where we reached 50,000,000 golf balls hit since our opening in 2021. FIFTY MILLION GOLF BALLS! It is crazy to comprehend, but with our commitment to creating the most all-inclusive venue in Dubai, with something for everyone, we have continued to grow at an incredible rate, with our venue becoming more and more popular, with visitor numbers increasing rapidly!

With this, our venue sits at #1 for the greatest number of golf balls hit week-on-week, beating the likes of Las Vegas, Thailand, or Chendu in China! Almost every day of the week, Topgolf Dubai reaches capacity, with something special on every night of the week to keep you guys coming in through the door for a unique experience every single time, with players from all over the world wanting to take a swing.

We hope you kept up to date with our 50,000,000th golden ball winner and all the prizes we ran around this event to celebrate on our social media, and if not, make sure to follow @topgolfdubai on all social media channels so you don’t miss the chance to partake in our next event, give-away or party that we have lined up!

P.S. Just to flex another little bit, we also won two awards in the latter half of last year, at the TimeOut and WhatsOn awards for Best Entertainment Bar & Venue in Dubai – just in case you hadn’t heard…

TOAD IN THE HOLE

Toad in the Hole, our brand new bangin’ British Gastropub on Level Three of our venue, has had a bangin’ launch since November of last year and has been growing more and more popular as the weeks go on and word gets around the street about our incredibly tasty dishes. Perfectly described by our Head Chef James Hitchens as “traditional British dishes with a contemporary twist”. Not to mention our super cool beverage menu featuring some very interesting and exciting signature cocktails!

Our very highly rated Sunday Roast has hopped up to the top spot on some widely known critiques ratings as a “must-try”. Personally, I am happy to put my neck on the line and say that Toad in the Hole has the best Sunday Roast in Dubai also. You can quote me on that. But honestly, there’s only one way to judge, and that’s to jump in on a Sunday and take your pick from our Wagyu Beef, Chicken, Lamb, or Vegetarian Nut Roast with all the trimmings, and you can add your first house drink to that for only AED 35.

Trust us, will not be disappointed. Best of all, when you visit on Sunday and purchase four Roasts, you will receive one hour of Topgolf game play for free to use on the day! Swing down on the day or book your table online.

TOPGOLF ACADEMY

The Topgolf Academy has seen record growth in 2023, almost doubling 2021’s visits and involvement. It is a credit to our Academy Team but also to our brand, enabling absolutely everyone to get in to the game of golf with all equipment included, one-to-one coaching from a PGA Professionals, and the best technology in the world (tracking software used on the DP World Tour!) used in venue for beginners to get going, for practiced golfers to fine tune their swing or for top professionals to challenge themselves in the comfort of an exciting, fun and casual venue.

This is the most cost-effective and accessible way to start swinging, so it’s no wonder our academy has gone from strength to strength. To note, our most popular offer within our academy lies with our Junior Holiday Camps, ran in the summer, half-terms, Christmas holidays, and everything in between.

EVENTS

With the festive celebrations all coming to a close, we seen a record number of events, groups of all shapes and sizes, from small private events in our suites, to full floor tee line buy outs for hundreds of people. We have cemented our place as the very best event space in Dubai.

Whether you have a small or large group, we can assure you the most personalized and perfect experience for your visit. We cater 365 days a year from opening until close at 2AM every night. We can accommodate you and your crew no matter what the occasion! Get in touch with our dedicated events team at events@topgolfdubai.ae or visit our website to find out more!

VENUE ENHANCEMENTS

As we step into the new year, we are under no illusion to stop building on what is already the most exciting entertainment venue in the land, but only to keep our finger on the pulse, and provide even more enhancements to our stellar venue that will only improve your experience with every visit. Last year we made some notable improvements.

With 2,350 solar panels installed at Topgolf Dubai over the Summer last year, we are proud to announce that we were 38% more energy efficient in September 2023 in comparison to previous years. For such a large venue to make a conscious change resulting in such a drastic positive impact, we are super excited to stay developing and exploring new avenues to which we can continue to improve and create a more sustainable and efficient venue.

For a venue on ours that runs on its technological advancements, we are so driven to have a long-term commitment that will impact the energy output from Topgolf as we become even more environmentally friendly. As well as this, and after the welcomed addition of the Bunker Arcade and the opening of Toad in the Hole last year in 2023, work is well underway on more venue enhancements for the coming year. We can’t wait to show you what’s in store! Watch this space.

As a closing note, I want to thank you personally and on behalf of all the team at Topgolf Dubai for being a part of the growth of our venue as we head in to our fourth year of operation. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

OF RULES SCHOOL

FRANCO BOTHA

DIRECTOR OF GOLF, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

With the winter golfing season now in full swing at most Clubs, I thought it may be a good opportunity to remind golfers on how to determine if a player may take “free relief” or if relief should be taken with “penalty”.

It is a common mistake to confuse the two and should always be referenced with playing partners, local rules and if still in doubt a Club Official.

RULE 3.7.1 | WHEN FREE RELIEF IS ALLOWED

You are allowed free relief from an abnormal course condition when you have interference from such a condition anywhere on the course except when the ball is in a penalty area or when the abnormal course condition is out of bounds.

Interference exists when any one of these is true:

• Your ball touches or is in or on anabnormal course condition,

• An abnormal course condition physically interferes with your area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or

• Only when your ball is on the putting green, an abnormal course condition on or off the putting greenintervenes on yourline of play.

No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Your Ball. There is no relief:

• When playing your ball as it lies would be clearly unreasonable because of something from which you are

not allowed to take free relief (such as when you are unable to make a stroke because of where your ball lies in a bush), or

• When interference exists only because you choose a club, type of stance or swing or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances.

RULE 16 | RELIEF

FROM ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS (INCLUDING IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS), DANGEROUS ANIMAL CONDITION, EMBEDDED BALL

16.1 – ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS (INCLUDING IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS)

This Rule covers free relief that is allowed from interference by animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions, or temporary water:

• These are collectively called abnormal course conditions, but each has a separate definition.

• This Rule does not give relief from movable obstructions (a different type of free relief is allowed under Rule 15.2a) or boundary objects or integral objects (no free relief is allowed).

16.2 – DANGEROUS ANIMAL CONDITION

A “dangerous animal condition” exists when a dangerous animal (such as venomous snakes, stinging bees, alligators, fire ants or bears) near a ball could cause serious

physical injury to the player if they had to play the ball as it lies. A player may take relief under Rule 16.2b from interference by a dangerous animal condition no matter where their ball is on the course. This Rule does not apply to other situations on the course that could cause physical harm (such as a cactus).

16.3 – EMBEDDED BALL

Ball Must Be Embedded in General Area. Relief is allowed under Rule 16.3b only when a player’s ball is embedded in the general area. There is no relief under this Rule if the ball is embedded anywhere except in the general area.

But if the ball is embedded on the putting green, the player may mark the spot of the ball and lift and clean the ball, repair the damage caused by the ball’s impact, and replace the ball on its original spot (see Rule 13.1c(2)).

16.4 – LIFTING BALL TO SEE IF IT LIES IN CONDITION WHERE RELIEF ALLOWED

If a player reasonably believes that their ball lies in a condition where free relief is allowed under Rule 15.2, 16.1 or 16.3, but cannot decide that without lifting the ball:

The player may lift the ball to see if relief is allowed, but:

• The spot of the ball must first be marked, and the lifted ball must not be cleaned (except on the putting green) (see Rule 14.1).

• If the player lifts the ball without having this reasonable belief (except on

the putting green where the player may lift under Rule 13.1b), they get one penalty stroke.

If relief is allowed and the player takes relief, there is no penalty even if the player did not mark the spot of the ball before lifting it or cleaned the lifted ball. If relief is not allowed, or if the player chooses not to take relief that is allowed:

• The player gets one penalty stroke if they did not mark the spot of the ball before lifting it or cleaned the lifted ball when not allowed, and

• The ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2).

• Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 16.4: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

INFORMATIVE SECTION

As a reminder, “nearest point of relief” is not always the “nicest point of relief” and a general rule of thumb it may be worth consulting playing partners if ever in doubt. These are just a few examples to help guide you during a round, and apply the correct rule, when free relief may be taken as opposed to relief with penalty. The following rules listed below will provide more detail on how, and when relief should be taken from Penalty Areas.

RULE 17 | PENALTY AREAS

17.1 - OPTIONS FOR BALL IN PENALTY AREA

Penalty areas are defined as either red or yellow. This affects the player’s relief options (see Rule 17.1d).A player may stand in a penalty area to play a ball outside the penalty area, including after taking relief from the penalty area.

17.3 – NO RELIEF UNDER OTHER RULES FOR BALL IN PENALTY AREA

When a player’s ball is in a penalty area, there is no relief for:

• Interference by an abnormal course condition (Rule 16.1),

• An embedded ball (Rule 16.3), or

• An unplayable ball (Rule 19).

The player’s only relief option is to take penalty relief under Rule 17. But when a dangerous animal condition interferes with the play of a ball in a penalty area, the player may take either free relief in the penalty area or penalty relief outside the penalty area (see Rule 16.2b(2)).

With a growing golfing community globally and within the UAE, we understand that the Rules of Golf may be overwhelming to most, but it remains the responsibility of all golfers to know the Etiquette of Golf and have a basic understanding of the Rules of Golf.

Most Clubs in the region frequently host social events around the education of the Rules of Golf and would like to take this opportunity to encourage all golfers to attend one of these events per year. Another suggestion would be to challenge yourself to learn two new rules in 2024 and download the R&A Rules of Golf 2023 App, which is great tool to save you strokes on the golf course and help further educate fellow golfers. There is a difference between knowing and understanding the rules versus knowing how to apply the Rules of Golf.

UPDATE AGRONOMY

MATTHEW PERRY

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

Well, the time is upon us for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2024 and the Golf Course Maintenance team has been busy over the last month getting the golf course ready.

We started with overseeding the rough, tees and approaches as in previous years which is quite an operation. We cut the areas very short to shock the Bermuda grass so that it doesn’t compete with the Rye grass seed we put down. This way the Rye grass grows without another active growing grass and germination is smooth.

The seed came up quickly this year and you can see the difference in 2 weeks.

Once the seed is up, we start to fertilise regularly to help the grass develop and become stronger. It is important we protect so areas so we get good growth as high traffic can cause the new grass seed to really struggle and get to the height we require.

The cutting of the tees and approaches happens early as they are low heights of cut. This will mean we start a little bit higher, but they reduce to the height needed for the tournament and the rest of the winter season.

Through the start of January, we really start to work on details around the course. This can include cleaning all grass lines and trimming low hanging trees. These are time-consuming jobs, and we need all the team to work together to make sure we achieve this. I can’t thank the team enough for their constant effort and we at Emirates Golf Club are very lucky to have such a dedicated team.

We do only two rough cuts before the tournament as we want to get it high enough for the players to at least struggle a bit if they go in it. The tournament is a week earlier this year so we will have to see if we get like previous years but hoping we can.

A huge congratulations to Jessie Ocampo our Golf Course Maintenance Administrator who won the Admin Person of the Year at the Middle East Hospitality Awards 2023. This is well deserved for a colleague who has worked for Dubai Golf for over 30 years and is an integral part of the team. A person who is back of house and one many people won’t see, but what he does for our team is nothing short of amazing.

We do hope you enjoy the Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2024 and the course after it. We promise to get the rough shorter as quickly as we can.

Wishing you all a Happy 2024 and golfing year.

UPDATE AGRONOMY

STUART HORWOOD

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

The DP World Tour Championship is a distant memory but it’s important to take note of the achievements from the Agronomy team. The golf course played and presented the best it possibly could and it’s a great foundation to continue to improve for next year. Thank you to all Members for their support and we hope you were proud of your golf course. Thank you to all management in Dubai Golf for their support which helps the continued improvements on both courses.

Our focus is now ensuring our Members have the best possible playing conditions for the winter months and targeting special events in the calendar to peak like Captains Day and the Club Championship. You can expect a higher level of attention to detail and less disruptive works over the next few months.

The rain that came on Friday and Saturday during the tournament was a shame for the firmness of the course, but there are several benefits for us after rain including free nitrogen and a flush of the salt build-up in the soil. The resulting rain caused various changes to our initial tournament plans, including the changing of the pin position on hole 8 on the Friday due to the puddles created around the course. A special thank you to Matt Perry from Emirates Golf Club and to Harry Wells at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club for sending additional support on the Friday morning to assist with opening the golf course.

A polite reminder to all that bunkers should be raked after you’ve played in them with no exception. Please try not to walk down bunker faces. Repairing pitch marks as soon as they are made supports a quicker recovery and less scaring on the green, and lastly golf buggies are to be kept in the fairway, when driving no tight turns or circles on the fairway. All the above will help us keep the course in the best possible condition.

UPDATE AGRONOMY

HARRY WELLS

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT, DUBAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB

It has been a period of much excitement as we have got ready to place ourselves back into the DP World Tour’s calendar and prepare our golf course for what was set to be a thrilling event of some of the best players on the Tour.

We are currently getting ready to close off our preparations, however by the time you are ready thing, we are hoping all prayers have been answered and that the rain stayed away for the week of the tournament. It’s been an incredible showcase of teamwork as the team have spent endless hours preparing the course, and it’s been amazing to look back on how far the course has progressed over the last couple of years.

With the colder winter weather truly upon us, we must do everything we can to protect the golf course.

For the benefit of your fellow players please be reminded and take very good care of the golf course. It helps also when Members themselves encourage each other to do so. Please repair your own pitch marks, plus one more on each green, and observe cart path restrictions when they are in place. Replace each divot you take and please also avoid walking up the faces of the bunkers.

VIYA GOLF

UPDATE AGRONOMY

COREY FINN

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT, YAS LINKS ABU DHABI, SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB & YAS ACRES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

It’s that finally the great winter golfing weather is now here, and all three clubs are in great condition. It really shows the hard work put in during the summer months by the Agronomy teams pay dividends now when course conditions are so good. All Clubs continue to work through normal winter maintenance periods with individual Clubs also working towards through various events or projects.

YAS LINKS ABU DHABI

Yas Links Abu Dhabi unfortunately has seen Gregg Hood, Golf Course Superintendent, finish his time with us due to personal reasons. Gregg has been working within the Clubs for the last two years and for the last ten-months specifically at Yas Links Abu Dhabi. Gregg made a real impact on both the course and the staff, and I would like to thank him for all his efforts and support during his two years.

The team here continue to be busy with routine maintenance procedures and have more recently had a strong focus on the Academy Par 3 Course working through drainage issues and improving bunker

playability through reshaping bunker faces, and ensuring sand depths are correct and adding fresh sand where required.

Additionally, the team continue to look at ways to improve the Clubhouse areas with the planting of 60 new date palm trees along the main entrance & swimming pool area and an improvement to the courtyard area.

The Driving Range outfield used to have no turf grass and took two years of drainage repairs, irrigation repairs and replanting to bring it back to a presentable standard which is now 100% turf-grass. Moving

forward the team will look to continue to elevate the outfield with the addition of target greens.

Upcoming, the team will continue with bunker sand level checks and reshaping of bunkers on the golf course, beginning with green-side bunkers as an immediate focus and any additional drainage works. Additional to these works, ice plant and selfseeding bushes will be managed through an eradication programme consisting of spot spraying and hand removal. General maintenance of all turf areas will continue to be a focus with routine monthly maintenance programs.

YAS ACRES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Yas Acres Golf & Country Club continues to remain in great condition and the team do a great job to present this course consistently day in day out. It’s great to see the course busy with guests daily and the course condition not being affected by the increase in play. Again, we encourage Members & guests to please fix ball marks, divots, and rake bunkers to ensure those following are not affected.

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club continues to go from strength to strength with the teams focus strongly on the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship event. This sees the team, work through an increased workload specifically related to tournament golf with a focus on key play areas (increased mowing frequency) and bunker presentation.

Many man-hours have gone into the bunkers which are extravagant to say the least at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club with sand level checks, redistribution of sand, adding fresh sand where required and compacting of bunker faces.

The Agronomy team would appreciate if

Members and guests could take more time in repairing these bunkers if a wayward shot enters these.

The main putting green is now back to full health after a period of struggles coming out of the summer months. The team have worked hard to bring this back in short time after it was found issues relating to the rebuild in 2019 of this green. Multiple depth aeration has been completed to improve root depth and growth and break through a pan layer than was created during the rebuild as well as granular seaweed applications and products a flush salt that were tied up in the top layer of the soil profile.

Hole 16 palace works, while understandably a major inconvenience to all, and entirely out of the golf clubs’ control, have mostly gone along without too many hiccups with the end near. Hopefully as we welcome the new year all works will be complete and contractor’s completely off site.

Upcoming, the team will continue with any bunkers for which weren’t completed before the amateur and will move back to routine maintenance programmes which have been adjusted and moved recently to accommodate the Amateur event.

UPDATE RECREATION

DOUGIE GAIR HEAD OF RECREATION, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

What better way to start the year off than with another exciting edition of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic? I hope everyone is thoroughly looking forward to this year’s event, and I look forward to seeing many of you during the week enjoying the golf and entertainment on offer!

As always, the facilities will be affected with some closures and alternative opening hours. Please note the following operating hours of the leisure facilities at Emirates Golf Club from 15th – 21st January 2024 (subject to change).

FITLAB GYM CLOSED ALL WEEK

SWIMMING POOL CLOSED ALL WEEK

FITNESS STUDIO & CLASSES CLOSED ALL WEEK

UP & RUNNING CLOSED ALL WEEK

ROSELEAF CAFÉ CLOSED ALL WEEK

PADEL TENNIS OPEN FROM 5PM DAILY

SENSASIA SPA OPEN FROM 5PM DAILY

PILATES STUDIO OPEN FROM 5PM DAILY

TENNIS OPEN FROM 6PM DAILY

SQUASH CLOSED MON - WED OPEN FROM 6PM THURS - SUN

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND ALL THE VERY BEST FOR 2024.

PADEL TENNIS

There are 22 courts to choose from across our properties, with ample opportunities to play the fastest growing sport worldwide! As well as general play bookings (90-minute bookings are AED 50 each for all Dubai Golf Members), there are nine coaches ready to take your game to the next level, as well as lots of options to join up and socialise with others and fall in love with the game together.

WELCOMING 2024

2023 was a huge success for Recreation & Padel Tennis at the Club with Member usage of the facilities at the highest rate I have seen in my time with the company, so a huge thanks to you, and well done on keeping up your fitness journeys!

Moving forward into 2024 I am eager to see our facilities improve and grow even more. Our Full Moon Yoga classes will continue through the cooler months, so please look out for communication on our upcoming classes to be held on 25th January and 24th February, and come and enjoy a relaxing class under the moon & stars.

BabySplash Swim classes will resume on 17th February for children aged three months to three years old, so if you have a little one, sign up for the classes on either a Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday morning in the Pool.

Padel Tennis continues to go from strength to strength, with more and more Members now enjoying the game. If you haven’t tried it yet, why not make that your New Year resolution, you’ll get hooked just as much as the rest of us, I am sure!

For more information on any of the above, please contact FitLab Reception on 04 417 9850 or erecreation@dubaigolf.com.

COUNTRY CLUB UPDATE

MAI MOHAMED HEAD OF COUNTRY CLUB, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

WELCOMING A NEW BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU & KARATE ACADEMY

In partnership with Livefit, we are delighted to welcome Team Najmeddin Academy, providing beginner to advanced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Karate lessons at the Club. Lessons will start in the new year and we are excited to welcome juniors to kick-start their journey with the team.

If you would like to find out more, please get in touch with the Country Club team who will be able to assist.

STUDIO CLASSES WITH VIYA FIT

If you're looking to get your fitness and wellness journey started, please be reminded of our extensive host of group classes available to all Golf and Country Club Members at Jumeirah Golf Estates. With a host of group classes available for the little ones like swimming and ballet, to an extensive variety of gym and studio classes like Zumba, Pilates and Boot camp, we have it all. Classes are available to book directly with our Reception team.

UPGRADES AT THE COUNTRY CLUB

Over the last few months, the Country Club has gone through some exciting new projects to further enhance your leisure experience. We have installed two automatic doors at the Country Club and gym entrances, as well as introduced a brand-new Reception desk, a quiet corner where the reception desk used to sit and made some changes within the gym.

Coming into 2024, we have a few more projects in the pipe line and we look forward to getting started with our pool enhancements and further gym and Country Club renovations. We thank our Members and guests for your ongoing support as we work to provide the best experience possible.

DIVE IN WITH HUNA AQUATICS

YOUR PREMIER SWIM ACADEMY AT JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES WITH OUR TEAM OF EXPERT COACHES

LEARN MORE

A CELEBRATION OF MIKE TRACEY

Mike was involved with Emirates Golf Club from the Club opening, becoming a Member shortly afterwards and it remained an important part of his life until his passing in November. Mike was honoured to be Club Captain from 2009-2010 and was always a keen and active golfer. Mike was an important part of the social fabric of the Emirates Golf Club and was a great friend to many across all nationalities. He felt it was important to welcome all to the Club, and indeed helped many current Members integrate in to club life and enjoy everything the Club has to offer. He was particularly inclusive and welcoming to our Junior Colleagues and was always supportive and helpful to them at all times.

On November 20, an evening to ‘Celebrate the Life of Mike’ was held at the Pavilion on the Club Lawns with over 250 family, friends and Members attending to show their respects. Several Club Captains spoke along with family members including Josie, who Mike would have been very proud of, and golfing friends with several video messages from overseas to accompany the live speeches, the many photos of Mikes life and specially selected music. The evening was a very special and is something that Mike would have enjoyed being part of.

Mike was a real stalwart of Emirates Golf Club and the golfing community in the UAE, he will be sadly missed by many.

“The entire Kamps Family was saddened to hear of Mike’s passing. He was a true gentleman, great family man and loved friend by so many. He had a great sense of humour and balance of life. So many Thursday four balls with him, enjoyed and cherished. Please pass our deepest sympathy to Josie and children. Mike was a unique man.”

Butch & Judy Kamps

A MESSAGE FROM OUR MEN’S CAPTAIN

FRANK DUGGAN MEN’S CAPTAIN, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

Another year is quickly drawing to a close and in other Dubai Golf Clubs this means “changing of the guard” of Captains and Vice Captains. To the 2023 Captains, I hope you enjoyed your role and time in the position, to the incoming 2024 Captains, I wish you every success and look forward to interacting with you in the next year.

In Emirates Golf Club, the last months have been busy with tournaments and Club’s activities, however the months have been tinged with sadness with the sudden passing of a Club long-time Member and stalwart, Mike Tracey. Our sympathies, thoughts and prayers are with Lady Vice Captain, Josie. In his years at Emirates Golf Club, Mike was always ready to guide and support new Members to integrate into the Club. Many Members remember fondly Mike introducing us when we joined into the various playing groups. Mike was held in high regard by many past Captains as he was always ready to

advise and guide incoming Captains, me included. While Mike is not with us physically any longer his spirit certainly lives on.

On the tournament front we have had several big Club events in the last months, we had a huge turnout for the Diwali Scramble with over 230 players across the two courses. A big thank you to Rekha for leading the organisation of the event and to the Club, especially F&B for a wonderful event. We also had a big field for the Al Dobowi, which is one of the longest running events in the Club.

In early December we turned on the Club’s Christmas Tree lights, there was a big turnout of Members and families with the children really enjoying the life-size Gingerbread House that took Chef Dyan and his team 20 days to make.

The Captains had to get their hands dirty at this event as we had to mix all the ingredients for the Christmas cakes. I got to play in the Colleagues & Members Christmas Scramble for the first time in my 16 years at Emirates Golf Club, it was a fantastic fun event, and I truly enjoyed the day especially with special thanks to my playing Colleague partners, Tess and Rodel.

We played out of our skins but fell short to teams with stronger set-ups. A big congratulations to our colleague, Jega, for a hole-in-one on the 12th hole on Faldo Course in the event which was enthusiastically celebrated by one of his

playing partners who thought it was his ball in the hole. The Members Christmas Scramble was very well attended event with over 140 players. We recognize the great efforts of Santa on the 12th hole on the Faldo Course trying to beat more than 36 teams in the Nearest to the Pin challenge, with poor Santa in full outfit, rumour has it he lost 6kgs.

It seems the waiting time on the 17th hole of the Faldo Course may well give birth to a pop-up restaurant / bar as I note the Club management were doing a survey during the event (I hope they will have draft Asahi there).

It was great to see a good spread across the prize winners in this event with many new faces on the podium, I mention, in particular the Sharma men, who came third with three generations of the male side of the family playing together, so well done.

Finally, a big thank you to the Lady Captain and all the ladies who drove the organisation of the Junior Colleagues Christmas Scramble Raffle and did a sterling job selling the tickets.

The hard work resulted in an increase in the amount raised this year, thanks to all Members who bought tickets and donated prizes.

Looking ahead to the beginning of 2024, which are particularly busy golfing months in Dubai with the weather at its coolest, it will be interesting to see how the new event at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club turns out.

In Emirates Golf Club, we have the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, now moved up to the first full tournament of the DP World Tour season.

With all the turmoil in golf as a consequence of LIV, I hope the Classic attracts a big fan turnout to recognise the players who have stayed loyal to their principles and are sticking with the PGA and DP World Tour, especially the Ryder Cup players who no doubt has been offered large financial incentives to jump ship like some of their Ryder Cup teammates accepted recently.

During the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, we are working with Falcon to have a clinic for Heroes of Hope, like what was held at Jumeirah Golf Estates during the Race to Dubai. The Lady Captain and I attended this event and we both found it a deeply humbling experience. We will communicate the dates and time for the clinics, and I sincerely hope many Members will turn out for the event.

The Majlis Course, I believe will be in spectacular condition within the new year, and the competitions will no doubt be excellent and well supported during the walking season, which has been extended to the end of February, a result of the Members survey on the topic.

I give continued applause on behalf of the Members to Matt and his team on the condition of both courses. In the recent video by Matt stated we as Members can all contribute to the course quality by doing our part to rake bunkers and fix pitch marks and divots.

In November, I had the opportunity to play behind the ladies in their Tuesday competition. It was clear that the ladies play at a better pace, but what was most startling for myself and my playing partners, was that we did not have to fix a single pitch mark on the greens, found no bunker not raked, and could not see any unrepaired divots on the fairways. The only logical conclusion we could come to that it must be the male Members and visitors who are leaving behind un-repaired pitch marks, divots and not raked bunkers. This is a call to action for all Members, but particularly the gents on their on-course etiquette during your rounds.

Another point on etiquette, it seems that some teams, especially fourballs in match plays, believe that keeping pace does not count, however, in match play it is expected that groups keep pace with the group ahead and it is not acceptable to take five hours plus to play, which I witnessed recently as I was stuck behind a fourball men’s match play. It is also common courtesy to allow singles and mixed matches to play through, especially when the marshals request this to happen.

It is much appreciated that we have the full management team now in place at Emirates Golf Club. We welcomed our new General Manager, Dean, in November, and he has clearly hit the ground running with fresh initiatives, ideas and improvements. He is very visible to all colleagues and Members, which we all like to see.

The operations team are now fully up and running to ensure the best golfing experience for the Members. The new team, with the support of Dubai Golf, have a lot of plans as recently communicated by Chris May for the Club. These are very exciting, and the Members are now seeing the value of hosting Topgolf in material positive consequences for our Emirates Golf Club Members. Also, in 2024 the management, Members Consultative Committee and Handicap Committee have plans to revise several areas to ensure everyone understands the Club charter and rules to ensure continued positive experience and fair competition at the Club.

Finally, in these times of global turmoil, I hope everyone had a peaceful and enjoyable festive season wherever you decided to celebrate, and a fantastic and successful 2024. I look forward to welcoming you to the Club, soon.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR LADIES CAPTAIN

FIONA BERRY

LADY CAPTAIN, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

Well, where did that year go? It’s incredible to see that I am already a third of the way through my Captaincy. What do they say about time flying when you’re having fun!

It’s sad to start with bad news in that my Vice Captain, Josie Tracey, lost her husband, Mike, in November. Mike was a stalwart of Emirates Golf Club, a past Captain and a great ambassador. The Club has lost someone very special, and our thoughts go out to Josie and her family at this terrible time.

Mike would have been the first to say that the show must go on, and so it has. The inaugural Men’s Captain to the Ladies Trophy was won by Helen Srivastava with an excellent score of 40 points. Frank’s generosity meant that a few of us lucky ladies got to take home some beautiful Waterford Crystal glassware.

In November we watched a wonderful finale to the DP World Tour with Nicolai Højgaard frustrating many of us who were hoping against hope that Tommy Fleetwood could somehow get over the line. Alas not but an exciting watch, nevertheless. What made it special too was watching the Heroes of Hope displaying their skills on the driving range, a very humbling experience.

At the beginning of December, we had the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony which has taken on a life of its own. The main foyer was packed to capacity and the audience was treated to a spectacular display of food and a rousing rendering of Christmas songs. Full marks too to the Events team who erected the tree and decorations.

By the time you read this, the festive season will be over, so I hope that all of you who celebrate it had a happy and peaceful Christmas wherever you spent it. The weather is just about reaching perfection and we will soon have the spectator and hospitality pavilions in full working order for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Essential though the work is, it will be a pleasure not to have one’s round of

golf played to a soundtrack of forklift trucks and power tools, if only for a few weeks.

We are now in the middle of the walking season which gives us a golden opportunity to shed a few pounds and see parts of the course that we normally wouldn’t. Back to carts as from 17th February.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR MEN’S CAPTAIN

NOEL O’LEARY

MEN’S CAPTAIN, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

Hello everyone and welcome to 2024.

By this stage I hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful festive season and are looking forward to tackling the fairways and greens of Earth and Fire in the year ahead.

It is a huge honour to be your Men’s Captain for 2024 and I look forward to working alongside our wonderful Lady Captain, Anna-Retha, to ensure that we do everything in our power to represent both the Members and Jumeirah Golf Estates in

the best way possible. I know both of us are excited about what lays ahead and are determined to enjoy the journey.

Massive congratulations to our outgoing Captains, Jonny, and Evelyn, who have both thrown themselves into the role and given it absolutely everything. The Captains Day event was superb and a great way to showcase the energy and drive that both Captains have given throughout the year. They have done an incredible job of building on the great foundations laid by

our inaugural Captains, Steve Drake and Sile McIlroy. Myself and Anna-Retha know that we have big shoes to fill!

A huge well done to both Rishad Moloobhoy and Tanya Harrison who will be our 2024 Vice Captains. I know both of you are incredibly proud to have been selected and I have no doubt you will both step up to do an amazing job.

As ever, our entire offering across Jumeirah Golf Estates continues to go from strength to strength. Franco Botha and his Golf Operations team continue to make sure that we all benefit from an unrivalled experience every time we step onto the first tee. There are not many places in the world where you can arrive at the first tee and be guaranteed a friendly smile, a high five and a huge hug from your Starter.

The Tommy Fleetwood Academy is an incredible facility with such a fantastic offering for golfers of all levels. Tim Backhouse & Michael Sweenie lead a great team at the Academy, and I am sure we could all benefit from some fine tuning (or sometimes even a complete swing rebuild!).

Our local hero, Tommy Fleetwood, did everything in his power to deliver a “home win” in the recent DP World Tour event. I know everyone will agree with me when I say that Tommy and the entire Fleetwood family have done such a fantastic job of integrating into Jumeirah Golf Estates life. It is not every week that a world-class golfer rocks up to play in a Thursday Curry Club!

that we have a huge variety and depth of quality in our restaurant offerings for all of us to enjoy.

Meanwhile, Stuart Horwood and the Agronomy team continue to inspire and amaze in equal measure over the dedication and talent they bring to the golf club every single day to ensure that we walk out onto two absolutely stunning golf courses.

Every year the team face different challenges to keep both courses in incredible shape and each year they rise to the occasion and deliver to a superb standard. As Members, please think of the big smile you put on Stuart’s face every time you fix a divot, repair a pitch mark, or rake a bunker. We all have a role in keeping both courses to a great standard.

I would also like to give a special mention to Carl Downham and to his Scratch team. Carl has worked so hard with his team throughout the past year and we should all be proud of the manner in which they compete and fly the Jumeirah Golf Estates’ flag high. We have such an incredible level of strength in depth in terms of scratch golfers throughout the Club and I have no doubt the team will continue to compete strongly in the year ahead.

A little bit about myself. I am from Dublin, Ireland and I have been a Jumeirah Golf

Estates Member for the past 10 years where our home is in Lime Tree Valley with my wonderful wife, Martina. Prior to living in Dubai, we lived in Switzerland for five years before deciding to swap the snow for the sand. As for golf, I love my golf, but my golf doesn’t always love me!

For those of you who I have yet had the pleasure of meeting, I look forward to getting to know you throughout the year across the various fairways and dining establishments of the Club.

Finally, I would like to give a massive acknowledgement to Stephen Hubner. Stephen lives and breathes the Club. His passion for all things Jumeirah Golf Estates, whether it be the Member experience, his genuine care for those who work for him or his pride in representing our great Club and driving it forward, Stephen leads from the front in all aspects of Jumeirah Golf Estates.

See you all on the Jumeirah Golf Estates’ fairways soon… and hopefully never in the rough!

A MESSAGE FROM OUR LADIES CAPTAIN

ANNA-RETHA RAFFERTY LADY CAPTAIN, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

I’m writing this a few weeks before I officially take over from our lovely captain, Evelyn. It will be an honour to serve as Lady Captain at Jumeirah Golf Estate in 2024. I’m grateful for being offered this opportunity and feel blessed to have had Evelyn Downham as well as Sile Mcllroy as my predecessors. A big thank you to both of you for leading and showing me the way to follow. It’s a privilege to support our amazing group of lady golfers. Evelyn, you have been so kind and generous helping me to understand all the little things that goes into making it a great year. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say another big thank you for all that you have done and brought throughout 2023.

Our Ladies ICC season has started with our first away game on 22nd November 2023 at the Abu Dhabi Golf course. We gave it our best shot in our pink tops and came second by only three points. We are so proud of Sue Stevens, one of our newest Members, who won the overall individual competition at Abu Dhabi Golf Club with a great score of 36.

Our second ICC game was on home turf, the Fire Course on 13th December, against Abu Dhabi Golf Club and the Emirates Golf Federation. Well done to everyone involved! We’ll have the third ladies ICC league game at Jebel Ali Golf Course on 24th January 2024 followed by the final on 17th April 2024.

In early December, the ladies held their annual Christmas Scramble which saw 24 players in various ranges of festive colours and decorations. Dinner followed under the stars at Tap & Grill. We exchanged Secret Santa gifts and had to say goodbye to our 2023 Captain in our own way. It was a great night full of stories, memories, and great laughs.

Many thanks to Adam Stastny, Franco Botha, Kian Higgins, and Ed Atack who help oversee the organisation of the ladies’ section at the Club.

We had our Captain’s day on 9th December. What a roaring success, led by our 2023 Captains, Evelyn Downham and Jonny Hall, to mark the end of their tenure. They kept everyone engaged in a putting competition with great prizes from our amazing sponsors and lovely Club Members. It was a fun day filled with sponsored ‘watering’ holes on all the Par 3’s.

There were special visits from our Captains with supporting beverages to keep the pairs competition charged and hydrated. We ended the day with a great sit-down dinner on the Earth Terrace listening to live music. There was another fun target golf competition led by the Tommy Fleetwood Academy as well as a golf cart auction to aid our Junior Colleague’s Fund.

Our new Lady Vice Captain, Tanya Harrison, has been announced. Thank you so much Tanya for joining me on this 2024 captaincy journey. We are going to have an adventure!

MY SHORT STORY

I was born and raised in South Africa and spent most of my childhood on a farm in rural Mpumalanga. I was a boarder during high school in Pretoria, Gauteng and studied at Stellenbosch University in the Cape Province. I moved to the UK after completing my studies. I worked all over the UK as a locum and travelled through Europe for a couple of years, before taking a permanent role in London working in the NHS. It was during my time working as a locum that I met my husband Conor on the Isle of Man. We have two beautiful kids aged five and seven.

We moved to Dubai in 2017. We have been fortunate to call Jumeirah Golf Estates our home since we landed in Dubai, but for an eight-month stay in our neighbouring Victory Heights. I joined

Jumeirah Golf Estates in 2019 after joining the ladies group lessons, under Michael Sweenie, in 2018 at the then European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI). The golf lessons were initially a reason to get out of the house after having my youngest son, but it soon became a well-loved hobby where I have met some amazing people and found a wonderful new community of friends.

I’d like to wish Noel O’Leary a fantastic year as Club Captain and hope to have a tremendous golf season with my fellow Members. A big thank you to all colleagues, management and Members for your support and guidance in 2023. I will continue to build a strong and supportive community of lady golfers whilst having some competitions and fun along the way. I cannot wait to see what 2024 will bring and wish you all a happy New Year.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR MEN’S CAPTAIN

KEVIN SAVAGE

MEN’S CAPTAIN, DUBAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB

Happy new year 2024 to all Members and colleagues here at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Welcome to all new Members and congratulations on joining the most sociable Golf Club in Dubai with the most amazing golf course.

It is an honour and a privilege to be your Gents Captain for 2024 and I’m so looking forward to playing with as many Members as possible this year. As usual, we have an abundance of competitions in the months ahead so do please sign up. There will be an overseas Captain’s Golf Trip for Members – details to be announced soon!

From Thursday 11th – Sunday 14th January, we saw our Club host the inaugural DP World Tour event, The Dubai Invitational, with some of the top golfers paired with amateurs battling out on our very own golf course.

To host this competition is testament to the pride and outstanding effort put in by our golf management and Agronomy team, and it was a fabulous weekend of golf.

For those of you who don’t know me, I was born in North London, married to a Northern lass, Paula, and we arrived in Dubai in May 1995. Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club soon became a regular place to visit on weekends, especially the Boardwalk! Our first golf lessons were here at the Creek, and we eventually graduated to the Par 3 Course. At that time there was

a long waiting list to join so we just enjoyed the social side. When our son, Adam, finally decided he liked playing golf we became Members in 2010 and quickly embraced the Creek hospitality.

In fact, we spent so much time here, we finally decided to live here too! The golf club has always felt like home and our colleagues at the Creek are most definitely a part of our family. There is always such a warm and personal welcome from reception, reservations, bag drop, changing rooms, green keeping and maintenance!

Finally, I would just like to thank outgoing 2023 Captains, Gene and Shiba, for all the hard work they have done in promoting our wonderful Club and supporting the many competitions we’ve held over the last year.

I’m very much looking forward to working besides Janet Kim, our Lady Captain for 2024, as well as our Men’s’ Vice Captain Shankar Balasubramanian and Lady Vice Captain Retna Schepens, and we are all keen to hear any suggestions or concerns you may have so that Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club remains world class both on and off the golf course.

Here’s to a great 2024, I look forward to an enjoyable year of golf with you all.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR LADIES CAPTAIN

JANET KIM

I am honoured to spend 2024 as the Lady Captain of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, the most beautiful Club and golf course in Dubai.

When I came to Dubai, I started playing golf with my family, had a lot of fun participating in various tournaments and playing with friends. My golf has also improved from playing with the Dubai Creek Members!

The first game of 2024 begins on Wednesday 17th January against the ICC (Inter Club Challenge) at Montgomery Golf Club.

Our Dubai Creek team has won the ICC Championship for the past four years in a row since 2020, so there is a lot of pressure this

year, but I will be trying to have fun with the goal of harmony and growth, not just winning.

During my tenure at Lady Captain, I will look to prepare various events to ensure an enjoyable round for our Club Ladies and strive to make 2024 a memorable year. Of course, I will help the Gents Captain, Kevin, and cooperate so that all Members can have fun playing.

Based on my little experience, I will do my best to spend a great 2024 with the Dubai Creek Members and our Captain to make this year one to remember for everyone coming to our Club.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy 2024.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR LADIES CAPTAIN

DEIRDRE DUDENEY

LADY CAPTAIN, YAS LINKS ABU DHABI

As incoming Lady Captain, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our new and existing Members a happy and prosperous 2024.

My sincere thanks go to our Ladies Captain of 2023, Leonie Sullivan, for her commitment and support to all our lady Members, I hope I can emulate her organisational skills and grace while arranging the many events ahead. I am very grateful to Yas Links Abu Dhabi for giving me the opportunity to represent and support our lady Members. My focus this year will be to encourage as many Members as possible to take part in

the numerous tournaments in the Club which are always aided and fully supported by the management team.

I am from Dublin in Ireland and arrived in Abu Dhabi with my husband, Sean, in 2015, we have two boys Alex and David. I started playing golf with my father in 2002 and have enjoyed the friendships made over the years that golf uniquely provides.

I feel very fortunate to be a Member of Yas Links Abu Dhabi and am looking forward to an exciting year ahead.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR LADIES CAPTAIN

HÉLÈNE SIMMONS

LADY CAPTAIN, SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB

I am proud to step up as Lady Captain for 2024, after working as ‘Acting Lady Captain’ since October following my predecessor, Joyce Joman, the inaugural Lady Captain, who unfortunately left the country before the end of her term.

Under Joyce, the Saadiyat Ladies Thursday morning sessions have gone from strength to strength, and I would like to thank Joyce for her tireless work. We now have a full schedule of fun and competitive rounds throughout the year, including The Saadiyat Super Bowl, our yearlong competitive series, which was won this year by Anita Wanningen.

I moved to Abu Dhabi six years ago and have been addicted to golf for the last five, although it’s a bit of a love-hate relationship! I was introduced to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and loved the beautiful course and the down to earth, inclusive, feel of the Club.

Along with Leonie and Deirdre, from Yas Links Abu Dhabi, and captains from the other Abu Dhabi golf clubs, we have planned the new Abu Dhabi Ladies Fun Tournament. This is a yearlong event of eight matches, rotating through each course, aimed at fostering links with lady golfers from across the city.

I am really looking forward to my Captaincy, working alongside Mark Slater, the Men’s Captain to improve the experience for all Members by providing open communication between members and management. My main goal during my captaincy is to continue to provide an inclusive, fun and thriving environment for ladies’golf.

A FESTIVE SEASON TO REMEMBER

WEDNESDAY 14TH FEBRUARY

Escape into a world of romance as we create unforgettable moments on the iconic day of love. Indulge in exquisite cuisine, sip on delightful drinks, and dance the night away to the rhythm of your heart.

SUNRISE FEAST

SPIKE BAR, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

FRIDAY – SATURDAY 9am – 11am

Savour a scrumptious array of breakfast favourites including viennoiseries and fruits, one main dish prepared a la minute, along with fresh brewed coffee or tea.

AED 75 PER PERSON

dubaigolf.com/spike

JAZZ FRIDAYS

JONES THE GROCER, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

EVERY FRIDAY 7.30pm onwards

Enjoy an evening of whites and reds alongside a carefully crafted cheese board, set to the smooth sounds of live jazz music on the Jones Terrace overlooking the stunning Majlis Course views.

AED 199 PER PERSON

dubaigolf.com/jones

AT DUBAI GOLF WHAT’S ON

Embark on an enchanting Ramadan experience at Emirates Golf Club, where the allure of magical Iftar unfolds beneath the open skies, amidst the sophistication of our meticulously curated Lawn and Pavilion settings.

Indulge in our decadent daily Iftar buffet for AED 295 per person. Purchase a table of 10 and one dine for free.

Corporate and private Ramadan Gathering packages are available upon request.

SUNSET SUSHI

BŌTA, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

EVERY FRIDAY 6pm – 9pm

Enjoy exquisite sunsets whilst taking advantage of unlimited sushi and sashimi for only AED 120 per person.

dubaigolf.com/bota

VIXEN SOIRÉE

CRAFTY FOX, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

EVERY TUESDAY 6pm – 10pm

Join us for the ultimate low-key girl’s night at your favourite gastropub and sports bar inclusive of two complimentary drinks for the ladies.

dubaigolf.com/craftyfox

STUDENT SUNDAYS

TOPGOLF DUBAI

EVERY SUNDAY

9pm onwards

Beat the University blues with Sunday Swings when you enjoy AED 40 off the first hour of your game play to make it the ultimate end to your weekend.

topgolfdubai.ae

LATE

BREAKFAST

BOARDWALK, DUBAI CREEK

AFFAIR

EVERY SATURDAY & SUNDAY 11.30am – 1pm

Enjoy a lazy weekend with our extended breakfast offer at AED 98 which includes one main dish, a glass of fresh orange juice and a special dessert with a cup of coffee. Add free flowing mimosas for an additional AED 98.

dubaicreekresort.com

VIXEN SOIREE

CRAFTY FOX, YAS LINKS ABU DHABI

EVERY WEDNESDAY 5pm – 9pm

Make it the ultimate girls’ nights and enjoy two selected beverages and 50% discount on selected meal at your new favourite relaxed gastropub and sports bar.

viyagolf.com/craftyfox

SAADIYAT SOCIAL

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB

EVERY MONDAY – WEDNESDAY 4pm – 8pm

Get the gang together for the happiest hour in town when you quench your thirst on a host of selected beverages starting at only AED 23.

viyagolf.com/hawksbill

GRILL & CHILL

ROOTS BAR & KITCHEN, YAS ACRES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

EVERY FRIDAY

7pm – 10pm

Kick-off your weekend right and feast on a live barbecue station and salad buffet overlooking stunning flood-lit views of the golf course, perfect to enjoy with family and friends when children under 6 years old dine for free.

AED 99 PER PERSON

viyagolf.com/roots

2-FOR-1 STEAK ACRES GRILL HOUSE, YAS ACRES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

EVERY TUESDAY 6pm – 10pm

Take advantage of an unmissable dining experience when you enjoy one of our ever-popular selected steak dishes to receive the second for free.

viyagolf.com/grillhouse

INTRODUCING CHEF GUIDO

Previously part of the 1* Michelin team at “Osteria della Brughiera”, Bergamo, and Jumeirah Golf Estates, Bussola, Chef Guido is taking on Yas Links Abu Dhabi.

With 18-years of experience, his expertise lies in crafting authentic Italian dishes with a flair for traditional handmade pasta and regional specialties.

What influenced your decision to relocate from Bussola, Jumeirah Golf Estates to Yas Links?

I joined Bussola in July 2022. Bussola is more than a kitchen to me— it’s a canvas to paint flavours and experiences.

I poured my heart into creating enticing promotions, unveiling the Chef’s Special, and curating a tantalizing A la Carte menu that resonated with our guests.

However, when I heard Yas Links was hiring, I saw a new and exciting opportunity to move from a single outlet to the multiple kitchens of Hickory’s, Crafty Fox, and the exhilarating challenge of orchestrating events. My canvas expanded, and my possibilities multiplied! It was an invitation to my culinary creativity further and to innovate and elevate the dining experiences of our guests.

What culinary adventures are you planning for Abu Dhabi?

To elevate the culinary landscape by bringing fresh ideas to the table; a new brunch experience and redefining the afternoon tea, aiming to make it a unique experience. For me, it’s all about adding a flair of innovation to Yas Links to elevate the joy of savouring every bite and experience.

What fuels the inspiration behind your culinary creations?

My culinary inspiration stems from a deep-rooted passion for authentic Mediterranean flavours, particularly rooted in the richness

of Italian traditions. Having graduated from Alma Italian Cooking school and honed my skills at “Osteria della Brughiera” in Bergamo, I carry the essence of traditional Italian cuisines in my heart.

My time in Abu Dhabi has also been a journey of cultural immersion, where I’ve been inspired by the diverse culinary landscapes and the vibrant tapestry of flavours from around the world.

When you’re not behind the restaurant kitchen, what’s your go-to comfort food that you enjoy making for yourself?

There’s something incredibly soothing about simple yet soul-satisfying dish like spaghetti aglio e olio or a classic pizza Margherita.

These dishes transport me back to the essence of traditional Italian flavours and remind me of the simple joys that drew me into the world of culinary artistry in the first place.

What are 3 ingredients you simply can’t imagine cooking without?

Basil, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil. Basil’s freshness, lemon’s zesty brightness, and the richness of olive oil are my go-to elements, infusing every dish with vibrant flavours and a touch of Mediterranean magic.

Are there any surprising local flavours influencing your menu?

Coriander! Its aromatic profile brings a unique dimension to the dishes, creating an intriguing fusion between Mediterranean tastes and the vibrant local influences of Abu Dhabi.

A dish no one could convince you to like.

Salads and greens in general!

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

CLUBHOUSE TROPHY

Saturday 11th November 2023

Emirates Golf Club welcomed 99 golfers for the 1pm shotgun on the Majlis Course for the annual Club House Trophy tournament.

The Overall Winner with a superb round of 42 points and taking home first place with a better back nine, was Jignesh Sangani. Mr Sangani produced a stellar score card with five birdies and one eagle. Along with a clean sheet on the back nine, four of the five birdies were made on the back nine, along with the eagle on the 18th hole.

Oliver Ravenscroft produced the best gross score with a gross 72 (36 points) with four birdies and four bogeys.

The Overall Runner-up, just beaten with a better back nine, was Avtar Jalif. Avtar bagged seven birdies throughout his round, as well as one eagle on the 16th hole. Third place went to Chris Gould with 40 points. Chris produced a sterling round, consisting of five birdies and only one bogey! The highlight

of Chris’ round was the front nine holes. He produced three birdies and six pars!

The winner of A Division, with 39 points and a better back nine holes, was Paul Bryne. Paul produced a picture-perfect score card, with two eagles and two birdies, and completing the round (+1) gross. The Runner Up for the A Division was Sean Millensted. Sean also had 39 points today but was beaten by Paul with a better back nine holes. Sean had six birdies, but the highlight of his round was the back-to-back birdies on the picturesque holes eight and nine.

The Winner of B Division with 39 points and a better back nine holes, was Mohd Tukiran Mawi. Mohd played a great round of golf and bagged six birdies. Four of these birdies were accompanied by five pars on the back nine holes! The Runnerup for the B Division was Luke Hill, also with 39 points. Luke created a great round with seven birdies. The highlight to Luke’s game was his four back-to-back birdies from holes 13 to 16.

LADIES HERITAGE TROPHY

Tuesday 28th November 2023

The Majlis Course hosted the second and final round of the 2023 Ladies Heritage Trophy. 61 players competed today for the title. Lady Captain, Fiona Berry, kindly provided the winning prizes for the 2023 Heritage Trophy. Fiona said, “I have been a part of Emirates Golf Club from the start and the Heritage means a lot to me, so I thought it would be very fitting to provide pictures from the past to show how far we have come.”

The Overall Winner of the 2023 Ladies Heritage Trophy was Minkyeong Kim with 37 points in round one and 40 points in round two. This gives her a total of 77 points, claiming the title. Minkyeong made 16 birdies over the 36 holes and two eagles! The highlight of Minkyeong’s game today was her four birdies over five holes on the front nine.

Overall, second place went to Nonita Chand with two solid rounds of 37 points, creating and overall score of 74 points. Nonita produced four birdies to secure second place, beating Chantelle De Villers with a better round two to take second place.

Chantelle De Villers claimed third place overall; also, with 74 points. Chantelle produced two great rounds of golf. The highlight of her game today was the eagle on the seventh hole.

The best score of round two was produced by Margaret Breen with 41 points! All aboard the Birdie Train! Margaret produced an amazing eight birdies! The best score of round one was produced by Najla Bartette. The highlight of Najla’s round was her three back-toback birdies on the front nine holes of the Faldo Course.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

LADIES MONTHLY MEDALFORD

We would like to thank Park Hyatt Dubai and Suited and Booted for their continued support and we would also like to thank SensAsia Spa for sponsoring the On Course Special Events from today going forward. The Ladies Medalford competition was played on the Faldo Course and there was a field of 55 lady golfers.

The winner of the Silver A Division with a Net 73 (+1) and a better back six holes was Amarjeet Radia. Amarjeet bagged four birdies throughout her round and one eagle.

The best Gross went to Anne-Gely Bouigue with a gross score of 80 (+8). Anne’s par train was strong with 12 pars across her round. The runner-up of the Silver A Division was Yulia Golubeva also with a Net 73 (+1). Yulia managed an amazing six birdies. Third place went to Annabel Ayres with a Net 74 (+2) and took third place with a better back nine holes. Annabel had two birdies and eagles the 18th hole! The winner of the Silver B division was Alison Cowley with a level par net 72. Alison had three birdies and two eagles, securing first place. Haide Wright was the runner-up with a Net 74 (+2). Haide had five birdies in her round. All five were on the back nine holes, three of which were back-to-back. Third place went to Avani Shah with a better back nine holes and with a score of net 75 (+3). Avani had three birdies in today’s round, all on the back nine holes.

Dong Jin Kim won Bronze Division with an amazing net 68 (-4). Dong Jin had five birdies and two eagles across her 18hole round! Hyun Kyung Bae won the stableford competition with 34 points with a solid back nine holes consisting of 18 points.

Within the on-course “Nearest to the Pin” events, Naima Maya won on hole two and Nonita Chand won on hole 12.

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TOURNAMENT RESULTS

THE LOUNGE SPA LADIES

Wednesday 1st November 2023

With the season now up and running, Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted The Ladies Halloween Tombstone Event, sponsored by The Lounge Spa. The ladies therefore took to the fantastic Earth Course. The format of the day was the Individual Tombstone Halloween Special, where each player would play their own

THURSDAY CURRY CLUB

Thursday, 2nd November 2023

Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted 28 players on the Fire Course in a nine-hole Pairs Scramble event for this week’s Thursday Curry Club, with the weather cooling down it was all set for a fantastic evening of golf.

The format was a Pairs Scramble where each player played their own ball on the tee and the best ball was chosen. Both players then play from the chosen ball and the process repeats itself until the ball is holed, the team with the lowest net score at the end wins.

The winning pair of Kian Higgins & Scott Keller took the victory as they shot an impressive score of (-7) net (net 29). The team of two were net (-7) through their first seven holes till they eventually cooled off the round with back-to-back pars as they won Thursday Curry Club by one stroke.

Club Manager, Stephen Hubner, and his partner Peter Martensson recorded a (-6) net as they made four birdies an eagle and four pars. Third place was the team of Ed Atack & Massimo Spezi who shot a very respectable (-4) net which started with five pars in a row before a solo eagle on the first

ball until they had hit their net handicap allowance of shots. Once they have done this, they would place the ‘Tombstone’ into the ground where their ball has come to rest. The player who has laid their ‘Tombstone’ last is declared the winner!

Congratulations to Yulia Golubeva for winning with a spectacular net 72 and therefore played the entire round without needing to lay down her ‘Tombstone’. Yulia was the only player to not need to lay down her ‘Tombstone’ after a stunning round of golf around the very difficult Earth Course. Yulia would also go on to win the Nearest the Pin on hole six with a fantastic shot onto the green and therefore would pick up her second prize of the day.

In second place was Willemijn Roeterdink who shot a net 73 (+1), Willemijn fought courageously on the back nine with a gross birdie on the par four 15th hole, although a harsh lip out from 12 feet on the signature 17th hole would prove to be pivotal as she would go on to miss out on the top spot by one shot. Although after this wonderful tee shot on the 17th hole, Willemijn would win the Nearest the Pin on course competition.

hole by Ed, which was backed up by birdies on holes three and four.

There were two on-course competitions, including the nearest the pin on hole two and the longest drive on the par five fifth. Conor Duffy won the nearest the pin on the second with Jamie Hallett winning the longest drive on hole five.

OMA EMIRATES MEDALFORD IN ASSOCIATION WITH CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

Sunday 5th November 2023

The Fire Course played host to the prestigious OMA Emirates Medalford in Association with Christie’s International Real Estate, where 67 golfers showcased their skills in an exhilarating competition. The tournament featured the Medalford format, where each participant competed in both a medal and a stableford division. If a player was unable to complete a hole, they automatically joined the stableford division by marking an “X.”

The day was filled with remarkable performances and fierce competition, resulting in the following winners and notable achievements: Winning Beat the Pro was David Bainbridge, the Nearest to the Pin winner, sponsored by Christie’s International Real Estate, on the eighth hole was Chirs Wilmot and on the 11th hole was Samarbir Kochar.

Runner-up to the stableford division was Ed Long with 35 points, followed by the winner, David Martin with 35 points on count-back. In the gross division, runner-up was Marc McStay with gross 73 on count-back. David Bainbridge would pick up his second prize of the evening winning the gross division with a score of 70 (-2) which included four birdies and two bogeys, the steady round would see him win the gross division by three strokes. In the junior net division,

Samarbir Kochar came out on top with a net score of 71. Winning the gross division was Lukas Astrom, scoring gross 73.

Winning the seniors division was Chris Wilmot at a final score of net 72. Winning the ladies division with a net 72, Aalaa Somji after a brilliant back nine charge which included two gross birdies on 12 and 14. In Division B of the gents’ section, in third place came Eric Shehadeh with a net score of 74, followed by Ravi Khanna at net 70. Jerome Carle won Division B with a Net score of 68 (-4) which included six net birdies with four of them coming in a six-hole stretch around the turn.

Third place in the gent’s Division A section was Alan Dobbins at net 73 followed by runner-up, Anand Rajagopal, at net 70. Winning Division A with a fantastic score of net 69 (-3) was Adam Hodgkins after a very steady round which included birdies on holes four and 10, not to mention the eagle three on the par five seventh hole.

The winner of the November OMA Emirates Medal went to Russell Wilson after an unbelievable round of net 67 which included an extraordinary eight net birdies with five of those arriving in the first seven holes.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

TOMMY FLEETWOOD ACADEMY JUNIOR SERIES BY DAVID GARDNER

FROM ST JAMES’S PLACE

Friday, 3rd November 2023

With the season underway, Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted another edition of the Tommy Fleetwood Academy (TFA) Junior Medal Series. The event was held over the front nine of the Fire Course with the great participation of 50 Juniors playing. After, the players gathered to enjoy a chef’s buffet and presentation. This Competition had four different divisions including the forward tees, gross competition, girls’ competition, and TFA tees.

Tommy Fleetwood Academy had its tee markers placed out on the course for the younger juniors who don’t have a handicap. Congratulations to Madhav Manoj who posted a score of 29 (+5) to win by two shots from second place Ishika Kaul who shot a very respectable 31 (+7).

The winner of the forward tee competition goes to Milana Rozhko with a great score of net 32 (-4), two shots behind was Maxime Baillache with net 34 (-2) who finished their

round with a net eagle of the par four ninth hole. The winner representing Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club from the signature tees was Ethan Alan who scored a fantastic net 37 (+1) playing off a handicap of seven. Losing out via count-back to Ethan was Tommy Carr Junior with a score of net 37 (+1).

Finally, in the gross competition winning on count-back with a score of 38 (+2) gross, was Tommy Carr Junior with a very consistent round which would include seven pars and two bogeys. Unfortunately, missing out via count-back, Alexander Rushika whose bogey on the par five seventh hole would prove costly to the overall score.

There were two on-course prizes, winning Nearest to the Pin on hole eight was Tommy Carr Junior whilst Alexander Rushika won the raffle for Beat the Pro completed by Tommy Fleetwood Academy Professional Diarmaid Fraser.

THE LADIES 3-BALL SCRAMBLE

Wednesday, 8th November 2023

With the DP World Tour Championship just around the corner, this was the last event for the ladies to take to the Fire Course before the closure this coming Sunday. 15 ladies took part in a three-ball scramble format where each player tees off, the best tee shot from the team is selected, and the other non-selected balls can be picked up and played from the selected ball. This continues until the ball is holed.

One of the exciting on-course competitions was the “Nearest to the Pin” contest, which took place at hole 14. Sylvia van Der Tol displayed remarkable precision hitting her tee shot to the distance of just 3.5 feet!

The triumphant team of Philippa Stumbles, Claudia Kilcullen, and Lady Captain Evelyn Downham showcased their exceptional teamwork and skill to secure the championship. They achieved a remarkable score of -17 (55), which was highlighted by three net Eagles on the back nine, including a memorable eagle on the 18th hole.

Sue Stevens, Trudi McMullan, and Anna Retha Rafferty demonstrated extraordinary consistent play to secure the runner-up position with a score of -15 (57) and a gross score of 71.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

THURSDAY CURRY CLUB

Thursday, 9th November 2023

The Thursday Curry Club at Jumeirah Golf Estates brought together 34 players in 17 pairs for an exhilarating round of golf on the 9th of November 2023. The event featured a Pairs Scramble format, offering a unique and engaging experience for all participants.

In the Pairs Scramble format, both players teed off, selecting the best tee shot, and continued this collaborative play throughout until the ball is holed. Both players contributed at least three tee shots each, and the total scoring was calculated by the best net score. The handicap allowance was set at 50%, with 35% from the lowest handicap and 15% from the highest handicap in the pair.

Kian Higgins and Ty Berger demonstrated skilful play, securing the third-place spot with an impressive score of net 31 (-5). The pair birdied both the par fives although they couldn’t find the extra birdie which would have put them in with a shot of securing the win. Neil Gallagher and Jacob Wissum exhibited exceptional teamwork and a remarkable feat of five birdies

in a row, securing the runner-up position with a score of net 30 (-6). The pair made use of their shot on the fourth hole as they would make a net birdie, although two pars on the last three holes would ultimately cost the duo as they would lose on count-back to the eventual winners.

Ed Atack and Conor Duffy stole the show with an extraordinary performance, achieving a flawless round marked by an outstanding six birdies and no bogeys, ultimately clinching the win with a score of net 30 (-6). A fantastic birdie on the par three, eighth hole, would boost their count-back chances as Ed hit his tee shot to eight feet, and this was finished off by holing the tough right to left putt down the hill.

Jacob Wissum picked up his second prize of the evening displaying precision and accuracy with an outstanding shot on hole eight, earning him the title of the “Nearest to the Pin” winner. Ty Berger also with his second prize of the night showcased exceptional power and distance, securing the “Longest Drive” accolade with an impressive drive on hole five.

JUMEIRAH

PAIRS BY THE LOUNGE

Saturday, 25th November 2023

SPA

Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted the monthly Jumeirah Pairs by The Lounge Spa over the Earth Course. This event was battled out in a Pairs Scramble. In this format, both players tee off, and the team selects the best tee shot. From within a club length of the chosen ball, both players hit their own balls, and the team continues to select the best shot until the ball is holed out.

Richard Aybar & Chris Wilmot secured victory, achieving a remarkable gross score of 61, embellished with an outstanding tally of 10 birdies and an impressive eagle on the par five, 14th hole. Coming home in a gross 29 split them apart from the field and this back nine score would help them win on count-back from second place.

Peter Norris & Alan McNamara claimed second place with an impressive 10 gross birdies, achieving a net score of 61 and a gross score of 63. Their outstanding performance was closely contested, ultimately losing on count-back to the eventual winners Richard

Aybar and Chris Wilmot. Craig Rooney & Steve Noon clinched third place, their round included two net eagles on the 12th and 18th holes, contributing to an overall net score of 63. Their feat included a birdie on the challenging par three, 17th hole, which presented additional difficulty due to the prevailing wind conditions.

Tommy Fleetwood Academy PGA Professional, Jamie Dreelan, participated in the live “Beat the Pro” competition by placing his tee shot within five feet on the challenging par three sixth hole. Remarkably, only two players in the field managed to surpass Jamie’s shot, with Paul McMahon emerging as the fortunate winner of the raffle, earning a 45-minute lesson with Jamie.

The “Nearest the Pin” competition took place on hole 17, and the victor was Ben Lewis, who landed his tee shot a mere two feet from the flag, showcasing exceptional precision on the tough par three.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

THE PARK HYATT DUBAI LADIES

Wednesday, 29th November 2023

Jumeirah Golf Estates played host to 16 ladies on the Fire Course, engaging in a Pairs Shambles event proudly sponsored by Park Hyatt Dubai.

The format of the event was a ‘Pairs Shambles’, where each player teed off individually, and the best shot was chosen. From that selected tee shot, both players played their own balls until the hole was completed. The selected ball played as it lay on the course, while the second ball could be placed within a club length of the chosen one, maintaining the ground conditions. Additionally, each player was required to contribute a minimum of six tee shots throughout the round.

Sherma Ayrton and Jane Vorster emerged as the winning team, delivering an impressive net score of 59 (-13). Their exceptional performance boasted a remarkable 11 birdies and one eagle, securing their victory by a notable four-shot margin over second place. Notably, Sherma played six strokes under her handicap on the day, contributing significantly to their outstanding performance. Mitsuko Emmerson and Dilek

Yildiz secured second place with a strong performance, achieving a score of 63 (-9). Their impressive round featured two eagles and six birdies with only one drop shot on the day. A particularly noteworthy event was Dilek’s remarkable gross birdie on the demanding par three, 14th hole, played over the water, which significantly contributed to their overall score and helped them clinch second place via count-back.

Anna-Retha Rafferty and Claudia Kilcullen displayed a commendable performance, securing a score of 63 (-9) during the event, which landed them in third place. Despite their impressive score, they narrowly missed out on third place, losing out via count-back.

In the on-course competitions featuring “Nearest to the Pin” challenges on holes eight and 14, Lisa Lynch emerged victorious, claiming the “Nearest to the Pin” on hole eight. Meanwhile, Sarah Blomfield showcased her precision by winning the “Nearest to the Pin” on the challenging par three, 14th hole.

THURSDAY CURRY CLUB

Thursday, 30th November 2023

Jumeirah Golf Estates recently reinstated the popular weekly Thursday Curry Club for the first time following the DP World Tour Championships. The event took place on the front nine of the Earth Course, attracting a total of 32 participants for the pairs scramble event. Afterwards, all golfers gathered in Kasturi restaurant for the presentation and dinner.

The winners of the Thursday Curry Club were Gerhard Vorster and Lee Johnston, securing their first victory in the competition. Their exceptional performance led them to a remarkable net score of 34 (-4) on the challenging Earth Course.

Securing second place with an impressive net score of (-4), Conor Duffy, the reigning champion, partnered with Kieran Blackshaw, the

Golf Experience Manager, to claim second place in the Thursday Curry Club. Despite their strong performance, they narrowly missed the top spot, losing out on count-back after matching the winning score.

Despite their impressive performance, Ronan Curtis and Alex Whayman, mirrored the second-place score, as they secured third place after narrowly missing out via count-back in the highly competitive event.

During the event, there were two on-course competitions. Jean Viollet triumphed in the “Nearest to the Pin” challenge on hole six. Meanwhile, James Finnigan, secured victory in the “Longest Drive” competition on hole nine.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

TOMMY FLEETWOOD ACADEMY JUNIOR SERIES BY DAVID GARDNER

FROM ST JAMES’S PLACE

Friday, 1st December 2023

Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted the Tommy Fleetwood Academy (TFA) Junior Medal Series. The event unfolded over the front nine of the Fire Course, drawing in participation of 43 juniors. Following the eventful play, players gathered to savour a chief’s buffet and partake in an awards presentation held on the Earth terrace.

The competition comprised of seven categories, catering to various skill levels and tee markers. These included the net winners from four distinct tee markers: Signature Tees, Forward Tees, TFA Junior Tees, and the newly introduced St James’s Place (SJP) Tees, spanning distances of 100-150 yards from each green. Additionally, the event featured categories for the overall girls’ champion, gross winners from both Forward and Signature Tees, and the best net performances from SJP & TFA Tees. The event was further enriched with engaging activities such as the “Beat the Pro” challenge on the second hole, completed by TFA Professional Joe O’Connor, and the “Nearest the Pin” competition on hole eight.

Alexander Rushika emerged as the gross winner from the Signature Tees, delivering a remarkable score of (+1). His round featured two bogeys and an impressive birdie on the par five, seventh hole. In the Forward Tees category, Milana Rozhko secured the gross win with a score of (+11). Her round included noteworthy performances with three pars achieved on holes four, five and eight.

Paulina Murach clinched the title of overall girls’ champion, delivering a score of (+8). Notably, she achieved a remarkable gross birdie on the challenging par five, seventh hole. Additionally, Camelia Sebti secured the title of the best girl from the TFA tees, posting a score of (+10). Meanwhile, Iraisa Kaul claimed the best girl from the SJP Tees title with a score of (+12) from the 100-150 yards range from each green.

Ethan Alan secured victory from the Signature tees, boasting an impressive net score of (-3). His exceptional performance included consecutive net birdies on holes three and four. Samarbir Kochar claimed the second spot with an even-par performance. Following closely, Dhruv Sharma and Kabir Mishra secured the third and fourth places, respectively.

Eugenio Galeppini claimed victory from the Forward tees, delivering an impressive even-par performance. His round featured two net birdies on the fourth and ninth holes. Milana Rozhko secured the second position with a commendable score of (+2), closely followed by Gary Feng in third place with a score of (+3). Aditya Tomar rounded off the top positions with a score of (+4).

Victoria Rushika emerged victorious from the TFA tees with a solid score of (+3), showcasing a remarkable gross birdie on the fifth hole and consistent play throughout the round. Securing the second position was Kiaan Maharaj with a commendable score of (+7). Arjun Koduro followed in third place with a score of (+9), while Aditya Tomar claimed the fourth position, posting a score of (+11).

Ansh Dutta secured victory from the SJP tees with an impressive even-par score, featuring two notable gross birdies on the second and sixth holes. Frankie Fleetwood claimed the second position with a score of (+5), closely followed by Reese Hitchen in third place, also posting a score of (+5). Alex Andrews rounded off the top positions with a score of (+12).

In the on-course competitions, Samarbir Kochar triumphed in the “Nearest to the Pin” challenge. Additionally, the “Beat the Pro” raffle was claimed by Gary Feng.

LADIES CHRISTMAS TEXAS SCRAMBLE

Wednesday, 6th December 2023

Jumeirah Golf Estates recently welcomed the ladies to the Fire Course for the annual Ladies Texas Scramble event. This event was proudly sponsored by Park Hyatt Dubai and The Lounge Spa. Every player took centre stage, teeing off with the best shot selected, each player would then take turns hitting from the selected shot and this process would continue until the ball was holed.

The winning team of Willemijn Roeterdink, Sylvia van Der Tol, Rosine Natali, and Juliette Castell emerged triumphant with a remarkable net score of 54 (-18). Their exceptional performance included an incredible 14 birdies and two eagles, clinching the title by a compelling two-shot margin.

THURSDAY CURRY CLUB

Thursday, 7th December 2023

Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted Members and guests for the latest instalment of the Thursday Curry Club, a hugely popular members event hosted by the Kasturi Restaurant. The play took place on the Fire Course. Members and their guests engaged in a Pairs Scramble format across the front nine as they battled it out to be crowned this week’s Curry Club champion!

Securing victory in this week’s edition of the Thursday Curry Club was the dynamic duo of Edward McCullagh and Sean Barnes, delivering a stellar net score of -5 (31) to claim the title by a narrow one-stroke margin. Their remarkable round, embellished with six birdies, across the front nine of the Fire Course, despite a minor setback with a bogey on the first hole.

Securing a commendable second place in the fiercely contested Thursday Curry Club was the duo of Garvit Yildiz and Dilek Yildiz, delivering a strong net score of -4 (32). Their impressive round featured five birdies, however, a pivotal bogey on the third hole proved consequential, leading to a thrilling, and closely fought competition, ultimately missing out on victory by a mere stroke.

Securing an impressive second place in the standings was the team of Lisa Lynch, Bettina Schrockenfuchs, Anna Abbott, and Shuang Sha. Their outstanding performance yielded a commendable net score of 56 (-16), marked by a remarkable achievement of four eagles, among which was a notable net hole-in-one.

The event hosted the “Nearest to the Pin” competition on every par three. Kristen Blomeley secured victory on the difficult second hole. Anna Abbott demonstrated her skill on hole eight, claiming victory. Hole 11 saw Lisa Lynch’s precision earning her a welldeserved victory, while Jane Voster displayed outstanding accuracy, clinching the final NTP challenge on the par three, hole 14.

Securing third place were Darren James and Kenny Murray, matching the impressive net score of -4 (32). The pair managed to record four birdies and no drop shots, despite their stellar play, a count-back determined their placement, leaving them in a closely contested third position.

Adding to the event were two on-course competitions. Garvit Yildiz claimed his second prize of the evening, claiming victory in the Nearest to the Pin challenge on hole two. Meanwhile, Alex Whayman showcased his power and distance, clinching the Longest Drive title on hole seven.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

CAPTAIN’S DAY 2023

Saturday, 9th December 2023

Over the past weekend, a memorable Captain’s Day unfolded at Jumeirah Golf Estates, curated by both Jonathan Hall, the 2023 Men’s Captain, and Evelyn Downham, the 2023 Ladies Captain. This unique event was set as a format of a Pairs Scramble where each player hits their shot, and the best shot is chosen until the ball is holed. The captivating setting allowed each Captain to craft their ‘own course’ for the day: Evelyn’s course encompassed the front nine of the Fire Course and the back nine of the Earth Course, while Jonathan’s circuit intertwined the front nine of Earth and the back nine of Fire. Both courses were artfully equipped with activations and refill stations, strategically positioned across the courses.

Before the commencement of play, Jonathan and Evelyn orchestrated a vibrant array of activations across the Driving Range and Putting Green. The Driving Range buzzed with energy as players engaged in a thrilling Longest Drive contest, whilst the Putting Green hosted a riveting 168 foot putting competition. These engaging contests not only offered players the chance to win exciting prizes but also provided an avenue to contribute to the Junior Colleague Fund.

Emerging victorious in the overall competition was the formidable duo of Adam Hodgkins and Martin Stewart, with a remarkable total of net (-12). Their outstanding performance featured two net eagles, notably achieving one on the challenging third hole on Earth and another on the 17th on Fire. They would eventually be victorious by one stroke over second place.

Claiming victory on Evelyn Downham’s meticulously crafted course were James Finnigan and Marc Beattie, securing an impressive score of (-10). Their stellar performance was punctuated by tallying seven net birdies and an impressive two net eagles.

Securing the runners-up position in a thrilling count-back finish at (-9) were the duo of Paul McGee and Joshua Clarke. Their exceptional performance throughout the courses culminated in a tie, ultimately claiming second place via count-back. Unfortunately for Tom Neale and Ben Wise, a costly bogey on the 18th hole of Earth Course proved decisive in the countback, narrowly missing out on the runners-up position.

There was a wide variety of on course competitions taking place across Evelyn’s course. Russ Wilson displayed precision, securing the Nearest to the Pin (NTP) on hole two of Fire, sponsored by Black & White. Adam James showcased accuracy, claiming victory in the NTP contest on hole eight of Fire, sponsored by Fairway Homes.

Alex Daniel demonstrated remarkable skill, triumphing in the NTP challenge on the 17th of Earth, sponsored by Mezzanine & The Black Sheep. In the ladies’ category, Tanya Harrison exhibited impressive power, winning the Longest Drive sponsored by iServiceAnyCar & Pacific Prime with a remarkable 240-yard drive.

Securing victory on Jonathan’s course was the dynamic duo of Alan McNamara and Ian McInerney, with an impressive score of net (-11). Their round was marked by an astounding tally of 12 net birdies, on Jonathan Hall’s combined course.

Securing an impressive second place, winning on count-back was Thomas Purdy and JJ O’Toole with a score of (-10). Their round was highlighted by a solid display of golf, accumulating 10 net birdies without any bogeys, showcasing their consistent and strategic play.

Third place in the competition were David Bainbridge and Tom Stephenson, showcasing remarkable skill and determination. Despite playing off scratch, their exceptional round stood out with an impressive tally of 11 gross birdies.

The day was enriched with on-course competitions across Jonathan’s course. Ronan Keating showcased precision, securing the Nearest

to the Pin (NTP) on hole four of Earth, sponsored by Black & White. Mark Schoombie exhibited accuracy, clinching the NTP on hole six of Earth, sponsored by Fairway Homes. David Hadley displayed exceptional skill, triumphing in the NTP on the 14th hole of Fire, sponsored by Mezzanine & The Black Sheep. Finally, Ollie Henderson showcased remarkable power, winning the Longest Drive sponsored by iServiceAnyCar & Pacific Prime with an impressive 333-yard drive.

The day’s excitement soared with the highly anticipated ‘Longest Putt competition’, where David Bainbridge emerged triumphant, claiming the grand prize. The competition unfolded before the round, involving each player taking five strokes towards a flag positioned 168 feet away. The top five closest to the flag advanced into a thrilling final showdown.

Ultimately, David Bainbridge showcased exceptional putting finesse, securing victory in the final round, and walking away with the coveted prize, a brand-new golf residential buggy courtesy of our sponsors ‘The Buggy Guy’ by Mike Murray.

During the prize presentation Franco Botha, Director of Golf, thanked the Captains and all the sponsors for the fantastic day. “I would like to send a big thank you to our amazing captains Jonny and Evelyn for a fantastic year! Furthermore, I would like to thank all the sponsors, iServiceAnyCar, Pacific Prime, Mezzanine, The Black Sheep, Fairway Homes, Black & White & The Buggy Guy as without your support today wouldn’t have been possible”.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

LADIES ICC LEAGUE

Wednesday, 13th December 2023

Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted the second round of the Ladies ICC on the Fire Course, featuring an individual Stableford format that brought together the best talents from Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Emirates Golf Federation, and Jumeirah Golf Estates. Each team’s best eight scores out of ten players were integral in determining the overall team’s standing.

Jumeirah Golf Estates’ own Sherma Ayrton delivered a stellar performance, achieving her lowest-ever score of 43 points. Sherma’s remarkable round was marked by an impressive tally of seven net birdies and two net eagles. Her outstanding display not only earned her victory in the individual standings, but her valuable points would help her team climb the overall rankings.

Securing an impressive second place at the Ladies ICC was Jumeirah Golf Estates’ own Nicsha Rodriguez. Nicsha’s stand out achievement included a remarkable gross 38 on the back nine, featuring a crucial gross birdie on the challenging par four, 17th hole. This pivotal birdie played a significant role, securing her second place by a mere stroke.

Securing a commendable third place with 37 points was Jane Vorster. Jane’s performance included five net birdies and an impressive net eagle on the par four, 17th hole.

There were two gripping on-course competitions. Jane Vorster displayed remarkable power and distance, clinching the longest drive title on hole seven. Meanwhile, Nicsha Rodriguez

showcased exceptional precision, in the Nearest to the Pin on hole 14 with a fantastic approach shot that nestled within five feet of the pin.

At the conclusion of the second round, the team standings in the Ladies ICC were as follows: Abu Dhabi Golf Club closed with a total of 462 points, while Emirates Golf Federation secured 501 points. Emerging at the forefront was Jumeirah Golf Estates, leading the charge with an impressive total of 517 points.

THURSDAY CURRY CLUB

Thursday, 14th December 2023

This Thursday marked the return of the Thursday Curry Club, taking place on the Fire Course’s front nine. The format as usual was a pairs scramble, where each player teed off, with the best-positioned ball chosen for subsequent shots until the ball is holed. With the wind playing a large factor on keeping the scores low as we would see winds up to 15-20mph and gusts of up to 35mph. The special guest for this week’s Beat the Pro competition was Challenge Tour player

Curtis Knipes who proved to be tough opposition for the Members. Emerging victorious in this week’s Thursday Curry Club were Jamie Hallett and newcomer Mitsuko Emmerson, showcasing exceptional synergy with an impressive net score of (-4), 32. Their stand out performance featured two net birdies and a remarkable net eagle, achieved flawlessly without any drop shots. Mitsuko’s debut in the weekly competition proved remarkable, setting a high standard for the forthcoming weeks alongside Jamie.

Securing a commendable second place in a closely contested round were Adam Stastny and Lee Johnston, posting a competitive net score of (-3), 33. Their stellar performance was marked by an impressive tally of three birdies without any drop shots. Their victory

via count-back highlighted the intense competition as they positioned themselves narrowly behind the winners in this instalment of the Thursday Curry Club.

Ian McInerney and Steve Noon secured a commendable third place in this week’s Thursday Curry Club, posting a competitive net score of (-3), 33. Their round showcased impressive consistency, marred only by a costly drop shot on the challenging par five, fifth hole. Despite this setback, they managed to recover to finish in the podium position. Six skilled players showcased their prowess by landing inside Curtis’ tee shots, including Men’s Captain, Jonny Hall, Steve Noon, Lukas Astrom, Andrew Cummings, Nicholas Whiteford and Jonathan Brown.

These remarkable shots earned them entry into an exciting raffle, with the prize being a 45-minute lesson from Tommy Fleetwood Academy PGA Professional, Joe O’Connor. Jonny Hall emerged victorious, securing this valuable coaching session.

Louie Thorne claimed victory in the final on-course competition, securing the Longest Drive on the seventh hole of Fire.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

THURSDAY CURRY CLUB

Thursday, 21st December 2023

The latest edition of the Thursday Curry Club brought forth a thrilling round on the front nine of the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Battling the elements of slightly wet and windy conditions, 40 Members teed it up once again in this week’s Curry Club.

Tommy Fleetwood Academy PGA Professional, Joe O’Connor, and his partner Mark Schoombie claimed victory in this week’s Curry Club with an outstanding gross score of 29, (-7). Their performance was nothing short of stellar, featuring a spectacular tally of five birdies and an eagle, flawlessly navigating the course without dropping a shot.

Simon Astrom and Lukas Astrom secured a commendable second place in this week’s Curry Club with a solid gross score of 31, (-5). Their round was marked by an impressive tally

of five birdies and an eagle, illustrating their consistent and strategic play, despite a lone bogey on the challenging par three, fourth hole.

Reigning Club Champion, David Bainbridge, and partner Jill Bainbridge showcased their prowess with a commendable third-place finish securing a score of net (-4), 32. Their performance was marked by three net birdies and an impressive net eagle on the challenging par four, ninth hole

There were two on course competitions, Lukas Astrom won the Longest Drive with a Putter contest on hole three. Meanwhile, Lewis Delaney demonstrated precision and accuracy, securing the Nearest the Pin title on the challenging par three, sixth hole, with an impressive shot landing just five feet from the pin.

CHRISTMAS SCRAMBLE

Sunday, 24th December 2023

The spirit of the season came alive at Jumeirah Golf Estates as it hosted the much-anticipated Christmas Scramble Competition on the Fire Course. This event took on the format of a spirited fourball Texas Scramble, attracting an impressive turnout of 116 Members wearing their best Christmas outfits.

In an outstanding display of skill and teamwork, the quartet of Hash Kapadia, Tara Hession, Aharron Leo, and Jamie Green emerged victorious in the Christmas Scramble Competition with a remarkable score of net (-22). Their stellar performance included an impressive feat - they didn’t register a single net par throughout the round. Every hole saw them scoring either a net birdie, eagle, or bogey, ultimately securing a resounding victory winning by two strokes.

Securing a commendable second place in the Christmas Scramble Competition were Josh Worton, Cahal Altman, Andrew Cullen, and

Sven Wiegand with an impressive net score of (-20). Their round was nothing short of remarkable, highlighted by an astounding tally of seven net eagles and six net birdies helping them win on count-back from third place.

Claiming a commendable third place were Richard Stumbles, Philippa Stumbles, Kristen Blomeley, and Chris Othen, concluding their round with an impressive score of (-20). Despite their exceptional performance, their placement was decided by a count-back.

The Christmas Scramble Competition featured two exciting Nearest the Pin contests. Thijmen Lips showcased remarkable precision, claiming victory on hole eight with an impressive shot landing just three feet, 10 inches from the pin. Additionally, Nick Whiteford displayed exceptional accuracy, winning the Nearest the Pin competition on hole 14 with an equally impressive shot, finishing just three feet away.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

THURSDAY CURRY CLUB

Thursday, 28th December 2023

The year’s final chapter for the Curry Club unfolded on Thursday, hosting a thrilling Pairs Scramble Members Competition on the front nine of the Earth Course. Welcoming 46 Members and their guests, this event marked a fitting end to the 2023 season.

In a captivating finale to the year’s last Curry Club event, a three-way tie at (-5) stirred excitement. Ultimately, the duo of Ed Atack and Ty Berger secured victory in a dramatic fashion, clinching the top spot via count-back.

Ed’s pivotal moment came with a solo birdie on the challenging ninth hole, sinking a remarkable 20-foot putt for a net eagle. This exceptional shot proved to be the deciding factor, propelling his team to a well-deserved victory. Securing an

admirable second place was Louis Thorne and Stuart Caswell. Their remarkable display featured a commendable tally of five net birdies without a single drop shot. Particularly noteworthy was their exceptional finish in the closing three holes, securing back-to-back-to-back birdies.

Securing a commendable third place was Matthew Broderick and Lee Johnston. Their performance included four gross birdies without a single drop shot, ultimately concluding with a net score of 31 and narrowly missing out via count-back.

Lee Johnston showcased his precision by winning the Nearest the Pin contest on hole four, while Jay Chinchanker impressed with the Longest Drive victory on the ninth hole.

NEW YEAR’S EVE JUMEIRAH PAIRS

Sunday, 31st December 2023

At Jumeirah Golf Estates, the monthly Jumeirah Pairs members event unfolded with great excitement, welcoming 52 teams to the Fire Course for a riveting day of golf. The format for this month’s event was a Pairs Shambles. In this format, each team selected the best tee shot, and both players continued the hole by playing their individual balls from that chosen position.

Claiming victory in the Jumeirah Pairs were Martin Ayrton and Sherma Ayrton, securing a remarkable score of net (-13), 59, via count-back. Their impressive round was marked by a total of four net eagles, with Martin contributing three of these extraordinary shots.

Securing a commendable second place in the Jumeirah Pairs were Mark Castell and Juliette Castell, matching the winning score of net (-13), 59. Their remarkable round was marked by a tough net bogey on the challenging par five, 18th hole, which ultimately proved

pivotal in the count-back decision, leading them to narrowly miss out on the victory.

Finishing in third place were Ravi Khanna and Roma Khanna, concluding their round with an impressive net (-12), 60. Their exceptional performance featured a remarkable tally of eight net birdies and two net eagles.

The event featured two on-course competitions, the ‘Beat the Pro’ challenge on Hole 11 was hit by Golf Services Executive, Ed Atack, landing 12 feet on the challenging 205-yard hole. Five players managed to beat the pro, and Cavit Yildiz emerged victorious, securing a raffle prize - a 45-minute lesson with Head Professional Tim Backhouse. Additionally, Jayson Hilton demonstrated exceptional accuracy, clinching the Nearest to the Pin competition on hole eight.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

DUBAI CREEK SENIORS OPEN

Saturday 11th – Sunday 12th November 2023

The 2023 Dubai Creek Seniors Open unfolded as a remarkable testament to experience and triumph in golf, captivating participants, and spectators alike over two days of intense competition. The event set at Dubai Creek, witnessed seasoned golfers showcasing their skill and unwavering determination.

The tournament’s first day highlighted exceptional precision among the players. Dwight Yorke claimed Nearest to the Pin on the fourth hole. Robert Shakespeare followed suit on the eighth hole.

Pritam Mirchandani’s expertise shone through with the Nearest to the Pin on the 14th hole, while Stephen Hurn exhibited remarkable accuracy by claiming the Nearest to the Pin on the 16th hole.

On the second day, the showcase of outstanding shots continued. Andrew Smolak secured Nearest to the Pin on the fourth hole, while Mark William displayed precision on the eighth hole. Kevin Savage showcased expertise on the 14th hole, and Karan Satyanarayan exhibited accuracy by claiming the Nearest to the Pin on the 16th hole.

In the net category, exceptional performances were witnessed. Shankar Balasubramian displayed skill and secured third place with a score of -3 (71, 68). Sergio De Souza claimed the runner-up position, impressively scoring -5 (71, 66).

Alexey Leshchenko emerged as

the net winner, demonstrating outstanding performance with a score of -7 (68, 67).

The gross category also showcased exceptional talent. Michael Nielson secured third place with a score of +5 (76, 71). Mark Williams exhibited skill and claimed the runnerup position with a score of +2 (69, 75). John-Paul Fitzgerald emerged triumphant as the 2023 Champion, boasting a score of -3 (71, 68).

The Dubai Creek Seniors Open encapsulated the essence of experience, skill, and sportsmanship, highlighting the dedication and talent of senior golfers.

30TH DUBAI DUTY FREE GOLF WORLD CUP

Monday, 27th November 2023

The Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup is always one of the most highly anticipated events in the duty free industry golfing calendar and this year’s 30th edition was no exception. The two-day event saw 93 players compete to be crowned the 30th anniversary champion, round one was played at Trump International Dubai and culminated at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club for the final round.

The two-day stableford event organised by Dubai Duty Free allows their industry guests to enjoy two stunning golf courses in a fantastic atmosphere surrounded by friends, guests, and colleagues with an incredible selection of prizes up for grabs throughout the respective Men’s, Ladies’, and Senior’s divisions.

Commenting on the success of the tournament, Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman & CEO, Colm McLoughlin said, “The 30th Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup is an exceptional event to host. I am delighted to see it grow to become one of the most popular and enjoyable social events in the travel retail industry calendar, and to reach this milestone year, which coincides with our operation’s 40th anniversary, is truly remarkable. I’m happy to see familiar and new faces joining us for two days of friendly competition. Our congratulations go to all our winners. Thanks also to the team at Dubai Duty Free for their efforts and to Trump International and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club for making this year’s event so enjoyable.”

Likewise, there were multiple senior golfer categories to celebrate those who still very much enjoy playing. The overall senior winner (50+) was Igor Dusutin with rounds of 41 and 32, the overall super senior winner (65+) was John Sutcliffe with rounds of 36 and 32 and the overall super-super senior winner (70+) with rounds of 33 and 35, was Dickie Pyne.

The winner of the coveted trophy of the 30th Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup with two excellent rounds of 35 and 41 points totalling 76 for the tournament was JTI Worldwide Duty Free General Manager for the Middle East, Africa, UK & Ireland, Philip Haine.

Playing some superb golf, the overall local winners in the Men’s and Ladies divisions were Ara Nakhnikian (33 and 37) and Naima Maya (34 and 36 points). The Visitors were also able to deliver some brilliant golf with Steve Flanagan taking the overall visitors prize in the Men’s division with rounds of 38 and 37 points and Nancy Miller in the Ladies division with rounds of 31 and 34. There were no easy victories with Augstine Fox (71) and Dan Kongsted (70) securing the runner-up and second runner-up positions in the overall men’s division respectively and Rekha Dandopadhyay (65) and Smruthy Thomas (64) claiming the runner-up and second runner-up positions in the overall ladies’ division respectively.

Taking the gross prizes on day one were Amarjeet Radia in the ladies category and Luke Maga in the men’s category. Winning day one’s stableford were Ninu Smith and Art Miller, with Barbara Foley and Damien Fox taking the runner-up spots.

Day two saw the golfers return to the ever-tricky Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Taking the best gross prizes on day two were Linda Cappell and Michael McGinley and the stableford was won by Satnam Kaur and Chris Blades with Linda Boland and Lucas Roberts finishing in runner-up.

Accuracy and power off the tee were tested with the Nearest to the Pin and Longest Drive competitions over both days. The on-course events were won by Naima Maya, Nancy Miller, Joseph Andrade, James Finnigan, Jeannie Archer, Linda Boland, and Luke Maga. In addition, as a surprise to mark 30 years of the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup, a group of friends of Dubai Duty Free commissioned a special caricature artwork to present to senior Dubai Duty Free management past and present.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

OMA EMIRATES MONTHLY MEDAL

Sunday, 19th November 2023

The November Edition of OMA took place on 19th November. The event witnessed remarkable displays of skill and determination, culminating in a series of impressive victories across various categories.

The overall winner for the OMA Medal November edition was Sammy Eldin, finishing with an impressive score of -3 (68), resulting in a two-shot victory. The best gross prize was taken home by Max Burrow, after a score of +3 (74).

In Division A, Tariq Al Sawaidi’s outstanding performance gained him the runner-up position with a commendable score of -1 (70). Masa Shariff, took home the overall prize in the division with a matching score of -1 (70), once again winning on his better back nine.

In the men’s division, the competition was fierce and tightly contested. Essa Farooq secured the runner-up position in division B with an impressive score of -1 (70), while Alexander Wright claimed victory with a matching score of -1 (70), by improving on his better back nine performance.

Glory Xavier emerged as the ladies’ division net winner with an outstanding score of 71.

The on course Nearest to the Pin competition were won by James Kang, John Paul Fitzgerald, Audrey Wulff and Vihaan Sharma on holes five, eight, 14, & 16 respectively.

LINCOLN DUBAI GOLF PRO-AM SERIES

Sunday, 26th November 2023

The Dubai Creek fixture of the Lincoln Dubai Golf Pro-Am Series took place with 20 Professionals and 60 Amateurs competing alongside each other.

Finishing the day in first position was the team of Thomas Bjorn, Keith Phillips, Cian Hurley, and Stuart Quinn with 92 stableford points. Bjorn helped his team to victory after a scintillating

round of (-4), consisting of eight birdies. David Laing, David Gowans, Candice Wang, and Anish Bhatia secured the runner-up position, with a very respectable score of 86 points. Leading the individual PGA Professional category, after a round of level par 71, which consisted of 15 pars, was Dubai Creek’s Director of Golf, Michael Major. Tied second place after rounds of 75 (+3) was Matt Rice, Louis Gaughan, and Jules Lompech. Rounds of +4 (75) was enough to guarantee tied-sixth position for the following four professionals, Hassine Wallani, Purna Sharma, David Gray, and Stuart Smith.

After a superb tee shot, the Nearest to the Pin on hole five was won by Nelly Shani, whilst the Straightest Drive on the challenging 12th hole was won by Candice Wang.

LADIES ICC LEAGUE MATCH

Wednesday, 29th November 2023

Finishing the day in first position was Janet Kim with 40 points winning overall with a better back nine. Janet Kim was a key player for Dubai Creek. Cristina Famira secured the runner-up position, with a very respectable score of 40 points winning on a better back nine. Marije Van Koolwijk obtained third place with a total of (37) points.

OMA EMIRATES MONTHLY MEDAL

Sunday, 3rd December 2023

The December edition of OMA Emirates Monthly Medal took place, the final Monthly Medal of the season. With a field of over 90-plus golfers, it was sure to be fiercely contested.

The overall winner for the December edition OMA Emirates Monthly Medal was Janet Kim, finishing with an impressive score of -1 (70), resulting in a one-shot victory after a round which included nine pars and five birdies.

The best gross prize was taken home by Mark Williams, after an impressive score of +2 (73).

In men’s division A, Jehangir Makhdum took home the overall prize in the division with a score of 71 (E). Anish Bhatia’s outstanding performance gained

Following exceptional tee shots, the Nearest to the Pin was won by Cristina Famira & Roma Khanna on holes five and 14.

Dubai Creek dominated with a total of 290 points. Els Club achieved a commendable total of 245 points, and Monty secured a total of 229 points, showcasing a competitive performance.

him the runner-up position with a commendable score of +1 (72).

In the men’s division B, the competition was fierce and tightly contested. Ravi Khanna secured the runner-up position with a solid score of +3 (74), while Min Soo On claimed victory with a score of +1 (72).

The current ladies captain Shiba Wahid emerged as the Ladies’ Division winner after an outstanding score of 72 (+1).

The on-course Nearest to the Pin competitions were won by Yulia Golobeva, Mark Hughes, Andrew Docherty, and Shiba Wahid on holes five, eight, 14, & 16 respectively.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

LADIES MONTHLY MEDAL BY PARK HYATT DUBAI

Wednesday, 6th December 2023

The Dubai Creek fixture of the Ladies Monthly Medal by Park Hyatt took place on 6th of December 2023. Special thanks to the Park Hyatt for sponsoring this event and a big congratulations to Mini Phillip for placing first in the Mego Han Ladies OOM 2023 with a total of 605 points – a very impressive score accumulated from eight different rounds.

Finishing the day as the overall winner was Shiba Wahid with a score of (-5), 66. Shiba had eight net birdies and seven net

pars. The Division A winner was Beatrice Galeppini with a score of (-3), 68, and the Division B winner was Mini Phillip with a score even to par E (71).

Following an exceptional tee shot, the Nearest to the Pin on hole 14 was won by Isabella Ricci. Isabella then managed to one putt, securing her birdie on the hole.

CAPTAIN’S DAY 2023

Saturday, 16th December 2023

The annual Captain’s Day was contested recently at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. This year’s event was another great success with over 100 players turning out to compete and celebrate the year of Club Captains Gene Cha and Shiba Wahid.

The afternoon produced some excellent golf and a great deal of competition, and in the end the winning pair was Anders Kron and Candice Wang. These two had a superb score of 11 under par (60) in the ‘Pairs Betterball Stroke Play’ format.

Two strokes behind were the pair of David McDonald and Scott Harrison with a score of nine under par (62). The third pair was Farad Lakdawala and Jehangir Makhdum with a score of 8 under par (63).

Following exceptional tee shots, the Nearest to the Pin, sponsored by Men’s Captain, Gene Cha, was won by Saeed Malik, Gregory Mathieu, and Rob Lammiman on holes five, eight, 14, and 16.

Ladies’ Captain, Shiba Wahid, sponsored the Straightest Drive on holes four and 12 as well as the Nearest to the Pin in Three on holes 10 and 13. The winner for the lady’s category was Chloe Schepens for both the Straightest Drive and Nearest to the Pin.

The winner for the men’s category for the Straightest Drive was won by Shankar Balasubramanian and the Nearest to the Pin in Three was won by Markus Nielsen.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

BEAT THE PROS

Sunday, 10th December 2023

10 teams battled it out with our PGA Professional team in a fun Texas Scramble event. Scoring between all groups was extremely tight – with only four shots separating first place and last place.

The Pro’s team consisting of Matt Kidd, Reynard Kleynhans, Ian Lynam & Rukmini Mehta, narrowly missed out by one shot with a score of (-15), 57 net, putting them in third place. The top two teams both had a great score of (-16), 56 net; however, the defending champions Richard Croudson, Brian Lawson, Tyrone Waugh & Shawn Driedger could only settle as runners up in the 2023 edition.

Ian Taverner, Paul Haggart, Sheldon Ritchie & Matthew Bishop produced a stunning back nine holes, totally nine under par net to take home the title of 2023 Beat the Pro Champions!

ABU DHABI AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Tuesday 12th - 14th December 2023

The Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship took place at the Club, welcoming 86 players from over 13 countries. It’s extremely exciting to see the event grow in stature since its inception in 2018.

The first two days welcomed the players with great conditions & perfect playing surfaces. After 36 holes, Ireland’s Keith Egan led the pack with scores of 68 & 72 (-4). Victor Pena & Thomas Schmidt follow closely behind both on three under par for the first two rounds. Scotland’s Sam Mukherjee, his brother Cameron & England’s Zach Chegwidden trailed by three shots on one under par.

The wind picked up for the final round, making conditions extremely tricky with the difficult pin placements. Scores reflected this with only seven players scoring par or better. Thomas Schmidt (73) & Keith Egan (76) was no longer in contention. This left Sam Mukherjee alone at the top of the leader board with a final round of 66, bogey free in very testing conditions and fantastic golf which allowed him to be the 2023 Abu Dhabi Amateur Champion.

TURKEY TROTT

Sunday, 17th December 2023

The best end to the golfing calendar at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is always the Turkey Trott, a Pairs Scramble event which welcomes Members & associates from across all the Viya Golf Clubs to come together in their Christmas outfits. 36 teams took to the golf course in their Santa hats & Elf ears while the Christmas themed buffet was waiting on their return.

The top three teams had to be separated by count-back, all on 11 under par. Sophia Bochet & Eugenie El-Chayeb finished in third place, with Mason Geddes & Brad Coombes in second. Taking home the turkey was our Club Manager, Julian Danby, and Natalie Storey!

VIYDER CUP

Saturday, 4th November 2023

We would like to thank all who turned up and participated in the first Viyder Cup. You will always be remembered as the participants who helped start this great concept.

There were some close games and some not so close due to other determining factors however the matches were played in good spirits and we hope you enjoyed the day.

The inaugural winners of the Viyder Cup were Yas Links Abu Dhabi who managed to win 7-3 on the day in some tough conditions with the breeze causing some havoc out there, but nonetheless well played to all.

Once again, as emphasized by Francois Bosch and Mark Slater, we look forward to the next Viyder Cup in 2024 at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club where their team will be hopeful of taking the trophy on home soil!

TEAM SALSA

Saturday, 18th November 2023

The on-course competition on hole eight was won by Michael Eckman, who won two sleeves of Titleist Tru-Feel golf balls, well done Michael!

Finally, the Team Salsa was won by the team of Abdulrahman Allaqeeti, Asaad Al Muharrami, Tirth Shergill and Jee Hye Kim with a great team score of 93 points, with each person in the fourball winning an AED154 voucher to use our new Gastropub, Crafty Fox!

Well done to our winners and we hope to see you again soon!

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

NOVEMBER MONTHLY STABLEFORD

Saturday, 25th November 2023

29 golfers participated in the monthly Club event and it is fantastic to see that participation is increasing as we progress through the winter period.

Onto the results, starting with Division A, which was for golfers who played from the 54 tees and the 66 tees. In second place with a score of 37 points was won by Catherine Grossman. Catherine won herself an AED 275 Crafty Fox voucher. In first place in Division A and the winner of the Monthly Stableford was Jee Hye Kim with an impressive score of 41 points. Jee won herself an AED 450 voucher for the Crafty Fox.

Next we have Division B which was for golfers who played from the 70 Tees. In second place with a score of 34 points was Chris Sealey. Chris wins himself an AED 275 voucher for Crafty Fox. In first place in Division B and the winner of the Monthly Stableford is the golfer in fantastic form Mr Aart Lehmkuhl with a score of 37 points. Aart wins himself an AED 450 voucher for the Crafty Fox.

DECEMBER MONTHLY MEDAL

Sunday, 3rd December 2023

We had a great attendance of 38 players for the December Monthly Medal. The golf course was playing outstanding with the greens rolling incredibly well. Well done to all the Agronomy staff for ensuring the course is in fantastic condition especially during a busy National Day weekend.

Beginning with the Gross division, winning an AED 400 voucher for Crafty Fox, a massive congratulations go to Thomas Nesbitt as he shot a 70 (-2), well done Thomas.

In Category A (12 and below) and starting with the runner-up, winning an AED 250 voucher to Crafty Fox was Tirth Shergill, with a net 68 (-4). That means in first place in Category A and winning an AED 400 voucher for Crafty Fox go to Jerome Natali with a fantastic score of net 68 (-4) BB9.

Continuing with Category B (13 and higher), and in second place winning a AED 250 voucher to Crafty Fox went to Mohammed Thabet with a net 72 (level par). That means in first place in Category B and winning an AED 400 voucher for Crafty Fox went to Saleh Al Ameri with a fantastic score of net 67 (-5) An outstanding score around the Links.

DECEMBER MONTHLY STABLEFORD

Sunday, 14th December 2023

35 golfers participated in the monthly Club event and it is fantastic to see that participation is at an all time high. Many thanks to all participants for competing in our Club events.

Onto the results, starting with Division A (13 and higher), in second place with a score of 37 points was won by Ying Hoong Fun. Fun wins herself a AED 375 Crafty Fox voucher with first place going to Tim Kennett with an impressive 42 total points winning an AED 500 voucher to Crafty Fox.

In Division B (12 and lower), in second place with 38 points was Damon Mitchell winning an AED 375 voucher to use at Yas Link’s brand new Crafty Fox. The winner of Division B was won by Karl Bishop with a score of 38 points BB9 and winning an AED 500 voucher to dine with at Crafty Fox Abu Dhabi.

CHRISTMAS SCRAMBLE

Saturday, 23rd December 2023

It was a great turnout to our 2023 Christmas Scramble at Yas Links Abu Dhabi, with 40 players taking on the Links course. It was a brilliant day with a host of festive prizes and on-course competitions to be won. The Best Dressed Male was won by Abdulrahman Allaqeeti, with Stephanie Bochet taking on the ladies win. The Best Dressed Team for the event was won by Andrew Banks, Austin Banks, Alexander Banks and Gul Khan for their matching outfits!

Winning the Nearest to the Pin competitions included Yas Links Abu Dhabi PGA Professional, Jaco Stander, on hole eight and Eric Keyes on hole 13. Onto the Scramble results and in second place with a score of 55 Stableford points was the team of Ricus Lehmkuhl, Will Royce, Eric Keyes and Manny Ostojic. Winning the Christmas Scramble with a score of 57 points was the team of Russell Stewart, Luke Kellock, Colin Gow and Bradly Holdsworth.

NICOLAI HØJGAARD WINS DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP AS RORY MCILROY HUNGRY FOR MORE AFTER WINNING FIFTH RACE TO DUBAI TITLE

Nicolai Højgaard won his first Rolex Series title as a back-nine birdie barrage saw him sign for a closing 64 and a two-shot victory at the DP World Tour Championship.

While even before the first tee shot had been hit, Rory McIlroy had sewn up the 2023 Race to Dubai with a week to spare in a season that has seen him win two Rolex Series events, secure three top tens in Major Championships and miss just one cut on the DP World Tour.

Højgaard had led after days one and two at Jumeirah Golf Estates but entered the final round three shots off the pace before pulling himself right into contention with a front nine of 33.

He was back on top with a gain on the tenth and then reeled off five birdies in a row from the 13th to get to 21 under and hold off the challenge of his Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland and overnight leader Matt Wallace. Fleetwood and Hovland signed for a pair of 68s, one shot less than Wallace, to sit two ahead of defending champion Jon Rahm, South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon.

Højgaard finished fourth over the Earth Course in his only previous appearance at this event in 2021, catapulting himself into the top ten

on that season’s final Rankings and he will finish 2023 second behind Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy.

While becoming an international player and starting his career on the PGA TOUR this year, he recorded seven DP World Tour top tens to earn his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, winning half a point as Luke Donald’s men defeated the United States. He added to that tally by finishing second at last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge and brought that form to Dubai, where he is now a three-time DP World Tour champion and enters the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.

“It means a lot, it’s the sweetest one,” he said.

“So much hard work has been put in over the past couple of years –it feels amazing, this is for family and everything they put in over the years. So much hard work going into this, for it to happen like this is unbelievable.

“We know there are a lot of birdies but we have to hit the shots and hole the putts, anything can happen we were just focused on the job today, to walk up 18 knowing there’s a good chance feels good.

“I played some really good golf. I have to say this is the best golf I’ve played in a tournament and the strongest field in my three wins. My game feels good, I felt good before going out and to finish it like this feels good.

“This is the sweetest way to finish the year, I cant believe we finished on such a high note, I’m definitely going to enjoy this.”

England’s Fleetwood joined the lead from ten feet at the first and it was soon a three-way tie as Hovland got up and down from the sand on the par-five second. A monster 40-foot eagle putt on the same hole handed Fleetwood a two-shot lead but he bogeyed the fourth after finding sand off the tee and soon had company at 17 under.

Wallace made a 40-footer of his own on the sixth and ahead at the par-five seventh Hovland made a two-putt birdie before hitting the front on his own from five feet on the eighth.

The Norwegian failed to find the green in two at the next and the resulting bogey left the door open for Højgaard to join the lead. The 22-year-old had made a two-putt gain on the fourth, holed a long putt at the fifth and hit a beautiful tee-shot into the next before putting an approach to five feet at the tenth. Fleetwood found another gear after the turn, however, putting a pitch inside five feet on the tenth and a brilliant second to two feet at the next to move two ahead.

Højgaard had dropped a shot on the 12th but he put his tee-shot at the par-three 13th inside ten feet and then found the green at the parfive 14th in two to trim the gap to one.

Hovland also took advantage of the 14th with two putts but Højgaard was relentless, pitching from the first cut to seven feet for three birdies in a row and a share of the lead. Another beautiful approach to four feet at the 16th edged him ahead but Fleetwood holed a brilliant, curling 15-foot right-to-lefter on the 15th, only to see Højgaard make a fifth birdie in a row on the 17th after a tee-shot to four feet.

He missed a chance from four feet for six in a row but a Fleetwood three-putt on the 17th meant the he, Wallace and Hovland needed eagles up the last to force a play-off, a feat none of them could achieve.

Hovland added a further birdie at the 16th before parring the last after finding water, while Englishman Wallace had dropped a shot on the seventh and reeled off six pars in a row before birdies at the 14th, 15th and 17th sent him back up the leader board. Spaniard Rahm and Lawrence both carded rounds of 66, with Pavon signing for a 67 to sit at 17 under, one shot clear of another Frenchman in Victor Perez and two ahead of Scot Ewen Ferguson and Dane Jeff Winther.

MATT WALLACE BIRDIES EVERY

HOLE ON THE BACK NINE TO TAKE LEAD AT DP WORLD TOUR FINALE… BUT THERE’S A CATCH

On the Earth course he played like a man from outer space. Or at least a man possessed. Making nine straight birdies on his backnine, Matt Wallace completed the third round of the Race to Dubai’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in a mere 60 shots, 12 under par.

Great stuff clearly, but every one of Wallace’s 12 birdies and six pars comes with an asterisk. An overnight storm led to preferred lies being in operation, so the 33-year-old Englishman’s effort will not count in the former European Tour’s record books. What it did do, however, was take him to 16 under par and into the 54-hole lead, one stroke clear of FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland and fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood in the race for the $3 million first prize.

That “non-counting” fact is disappointing, but perhaps fair enough. Wallace himself admitted that “ball in hand” had aided him on at least two pitch shots from what he was able to turn into perfect lies.

Still, if his (almost) historic effort had been deemed official, Wallace would have equalled the records for most birdies in a DP World Tour event, the low-nine relative to par and most birdies in succession over 18 holes. He is though the first man ever to make those nine birdies on either a back nine or a front nine.

“It didn’t feel that good playing alongside what Matt was doing,” said a smiling Dan Bradbury, his playing partner who shot a “pedestrian” 68. “But I’m happy with my day. I was just trying to act normal around him. He missed one putt on seven, which he’s probably not too happy about. But it was all so easy. I was listening to him and his caddie. It was, ‘aim here’ and he hit it there. Every time. There wasn’t a weakness. One of those days. The phrase ‘couldn’t miss’ is appropriate.”

Wallace seemed equally nonplussed by it all, to the extent that the

World No. 87 didn’t realize the bunker shot he struck to a foot on the 18th green would have made him only the second man to shoot 59 on the DP World Tour (after Oliver Fisher at the 2018 Portugal Masters) had it fallen in.

“Dan said he felt like he had shot five over and he shot four-under,” Wallace said. “I putted nicely, which is a change from the form I’ve been in. I was so confident today. I felt like as long as I hit it on my line, I was reading them really well. I’ve been working towards this, so it’s really nice that it all came good there on the back-nine. I guess I’m just not scared to go low. I love making birdies and always want to make one more. I always want to push forward, and I guess it showed out there.

Asked to pick out the best shot on a day when he clearly hit so many good ones, Wallace identified two.

“The 3-wood into 14 was mega,” he claimed. “I just flushed it into the middle of the green. That was a great shot but the one that really pushed me on was the 6-iron into 12. Off an up-slope to a left pin, I hit it to four feet.

“And yes, I had no idea what I was achieving,” he continued. “Because you don’t think that far ahead. When I went onto the 16th tee all I was thinking was ‘ball in play.’ When I got down there, I had a perfect number. So I took it on. I went through the same process I would on day one. Then I hit it to a foot. It doesn’t always happen like that. But I hit a lovely shot. The confidence and the flow was there.”

Indeed, Wallace might not be done yet. Now that he is paying full attention, he has a singular aim in mind come the final round.

“Give me one more hole,” he said. “Hopefully I can do it [make a birdie] on the first tomorrow and get to 10.”

TWO-TIME MAJOR WINNER AND REIGNING MASTERS CHAMPION JON RAHM JOINS LIV

LIV Golf announced that two-time major winner Jon Rahm, the reigning Masters champion, has joined LIV Golf. Rahm will compete in the LIV Golf League beginning next season, which kicks off February 2-4, 2024, at LIV Golf Mayakoba in Mexico.

“I am proud to join LIV Golf and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport,” said Rahm. “I have no doubt that this is a great opportunity for me and my family and am very excited for the future.”

“When I first met Jon at the age of 17, I knew then that the golfing world was about to witness the birth of a new star. Jon has consistently validated that he is one of the top players in the world.

He’s a generational talent who has proven his merit as a multiple major champion and tremendous ambassador for global golf by placing the game ahead of himself,” said LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman.

“There are very few athletes with his pedigree of talent, leadership, poise, and commitment to bringing progress to the sport on a worldwide stage. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Jon to the LIV Golf family as the league continues preparations for a huge 2024 and beyond.”

Added Lawrence Burian, LIV Golf Chief Operating Officer: “LIV Golf is here to stay. The addition of Jon re-emphasizes that our League is not slowing down. We are continuing to invest and build aggressively for LIV’s long-term and exciting future.”

GOLF

Rahm’s impact as one of the most dominant players of the past decade spans the globe. The 29-year-old has amassed 20 wins, including the 2023 Masters, 2021 U.S. Open, and the DP World Tour Championship three times (2017, 2019, 2022).

The Spaniard has played in three consecutive Ryder Cups, helping lead Team Europe to victory in 2018 and 2023. This year, Rahm won four times while also finishing tied for second in the 151st Open Championship and tied for fifth in the DP World Tour Championship.

Throughout his career, Rahm has earned 93 top-10 finishes with accolades including 2021 PGA of America Player of the Year, twotime European Tour (DP World Tour) Golfer of the Year, and 2019 European Tour Race to Dubai Winner. Before turning pro, Rahm was the world’s No. 1-ranked amateur for a record 60 weeks, and twice won the Ben Hogan Award at Arizona State University as the nation’s top collegiate golfer.

Details on Rahm’s team will be announced at a later date. He joins LIV Golf’s star-studded, international field returning in 2024 with many of the sport’s biggest names including 2023 Individual Champion Talor Gooch (Smash GC), 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (2023 Team Champions Crushers GC), 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith (Ripper GC), 2023 PGA Championship winner and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka (Smash GC), six-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson (HyFlyers GC), two-time major winners Dustin Johnson (4Aces GC), Bubba Watson (RangeGoats GC) and Martin Kaymer (Cleeks GC), and many more.

LUKE DONALD NAMED 2025 EUROPEAN RYDER CUP CAPTAIN

Luke Donald has been named as the European Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.

The 45 year old Englishman returns to the role having led Europe to a 16½ – 11½ victory against the United States in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy, earlier this year.

He will become Europe’s first repeat Captain since Bernard Gallacher performed the role in three consecutive Ryder Cups, in 1991, 1993 and 1995.

Donald will be aiming to become only the second Captain to lead Europe to victories both home and away, following Tony Jacklin who achieved the double at Muirfield Village in Ohio in 1987, retaining the Ryder Cup following his team’s victory two years previously at The Belfry, in England, in 1985.

Donald said: “I’m delighted and honoured to have been given the chance to lead Team Europe in the Ryder Cup once again. Great opportunities don’t come along very often in life and I’m a great believer that when they do, you need to grab them with both hands –this is one of these moments.

“I’ve been fortunate as a player to have had many amazing times in the Ryder Cup over the years and so to add being a winning Captain to that, to form bonds with the 12 players like we did in Italy and to get the result we did, was very special indeed.

“The Ryder Cup means so much to me, so to be Captain again and have the chance to create more history by becoming only the second European Captain to win back-to-back is exciting.

“There is no question that being a Captain away from home is a tough task. But I have never shied away from challenges throughout my career and it is precisely the kind of thing that motivates me. I can’t wait to get another 12-strong team to Bethpage in 2025.”

Guy Kinnings, Executive Director – Ryder Cup, said: “Luke was a superb Captain in Rome and we are delighted that he will be returning to the role for the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York.

“He demonstrated clear, calm and meticulous leadership skills in Rome, and all those qualities will be big assets again for Luke and Team Europe as they take on the considerable challenge of trying to retain the Ryder Cup against a strong US Team backed by passionate support in New York.”

Donald featured as a player in the last European Team to win on American soil at Medinah Country Club in 2012 when he led José María Olazábal’s side out in the singles, securing the first blue point on the board in one of the most famous comebacks in the history of the biennial contest.

In total, he represented Europe in the Ryder Cup four times as a player, being part of a winning team on all four occasions, contributing 10½ points from his 15 matches.

He then served as a Vice Captain in 2018, under Thomas Bjørn, and Pádraig Harrington in 2021, before becoming Captain for the first time at the 2023 contest in Rome.

Donald also has an impressive in individual playing career having been World Number One for a total of 56 weeks, while in 2011 he became the first player in history to top the money lists on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and the PGA TOUR in the same year.

Credit: Golf Digest Middle East

DP WORLD TOUR STARS SET FOR RAS AL KHAIMAH CHAMPIONSHIP

Defending champion Daniel Gavins will be joined by fellow DP World Tour winners Rasmus Højgaard, Pablo Larrazábal and Thorbjørn Olesen at next year’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Ras Al Khaimah will host the DP World Tour for the third consecutive year, with Al Hamra Golf Club once again welcoming some of the world’s best golfers to the Emirate from January 25-28, 2024.

The event will be the third stop on the DP World Tour’s International Swing, following the inaugural Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort and the 35th edition of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Last year, Gavins won his second DP World Tour title in the most dramatic of circumstances as he claimed victory by just one stroke after a double bogey on the 72nd and final hole.

The Englishman had a three-stroke lead on the 18th tee but found the water twice on the daunting closing hole, however he held his nerve on the green as he made a 25-foot putt to take the title.

“It was fantastic to win my second DP World Tour title in Ras Al Khaimah, but I would have liked for it to have been less stressful,” said Gavins.

“I’m really pleased with how I kept my composure and made that putt on the last, it’s a moment I’ll always remember and it’s something I’m very proud of.”

Four-time DP World Tour winner Rasmus Højgaard will be looking to follow in his twin brother Nicolai’s footsteps when he tees it up in Ras Al Khaimah, after Nicolai won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2021.

“You want to win every time you play a tournament, and my brother and I are very competitive, so it would be special to see both of our names on the same trophy,” he said.

“I really feel as though I had an opportunity to win last year, so I’m hoping to make amends when I return to Al Hamra.”

Larrazábal, who is seeking a tenth DP World Tour title, has claimed four wins on three continents since March 2022, with two wins in Europe, and one each in Africa and Asia.

The Spaniard is no stranger to winning in the United Arab Emirates, having claimed the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in 2014, beating Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson to the title by one stroke. He also finished in a share of third at the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

“It will have been ten years since my victory in Abu Dhabi and it would be great to win again in the United Arab Emirates,” said Larrazábal. “I have really enjoyed my experiences in Ras Al Khaimah, and I’m sure we’ll get a warm welcome when we return in 2024.”

Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen will be teeing up in search of an eighth DP World Tour win and will arrive at Al Hamra buoyed by his tied fourth finish in the event earlier this year. The Dane has had consecutive winning years on the DP World Tour and he ended the season ninth on last year’s Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, his second-highest career finish.

“I always enjoy starting my season in the UAE, so I’m excited to return to Ras Al Khaimah in January,” said Olesen.

“Al Hamra is a great venue and it’s a course I felt very comfortable on earlier this year. I’m looking forward to going back.”

Credit: Golf Digest Middle East

59CLUB’S SPOTLIGHT SHINES AS THE 2023 EMINENT COLLECTION IS ANNOUNCED

The latest properties and leaders from the world of golf & hospitality have been welcomed into 59club’s ‘Eminent Collection’ at two exclusive events, hosted at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and at Wentworth Club, England on the 21st and 23rd of November 2023, respectively.

The ‘Eminent Collection’ was established in 2022 to honour longserving standards of customer service excellence delivered over a minimum of 5 years; with 59club Flag Designations, along with individual and team accolades, all contributing towards the global Eminent benchmark of excellence.

Recognition by 59club is unbiased, independent, and non-subjective, the only industry award of its kind, symbolizing a true badge of honour for those venues and people consistently delivering the finest levels of customer service,during 59club’s vigorous mystery shopper program.

The intimate ceremony, saw 59club welcome nine industry ‘leaders’ who join twenty-two individuals honoured with Eminent Status in 2022. The newcomers receiving the enviable Eminent titles were; Casper Schonfeldt, Discovery Land Dubai; Chris Eigelaar, The Belfry; Chris Fitt, Moor Park; Clinton Southorn, Troon; Francisco de Lancastre David, Finca Cortesin; HoussemBelabed, Gleneagles; Jason Adams, Rockliffe Hall; Matt Aplin, Goring & Streatley; and, Scott Fenwick,

Gleneagles. With only one new property having met the demands synonymous with the Eminent Collection in 2023; as Saadiyat Beach Golf Club join twelve existing ‘properties’ from within 59club’s international network. The elite Collection now represents The Belfry Hotel & Resort; The Celtic Manor Resort; Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Forest of Arden; Foxhills Club & Resort; Gleneagles; Golf Son Muntaner; The Grove; Rockliffe Hall; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and Yas links, Abu Dhabi.

Of the honours, Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO said; “What an incredible celebration of ‘excellence’! The Collection all came together to welcome our newcomers to this elite group of industry champions, whilst we honoured our existing members for a second term. The Eminent Collection is the ultimate accolade we can bestow on any venue or individual, and it remains 59club’s honour and privilege to continue to shine a light on the people who are shaping the direction the industry continues to take, by maximising the experience that every single customer can enjoy.”

59club’s signature partner; Club Car once again extended their commitment to the Collection, in true reflection of their devotion to honour customer service excellence; with both Reesink Toro & Golf Genius also aligning their brands with this unique portfolio of industry professionals.

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PROMINENT PARTNERSHIP WITH ROLEX AND DP WORLD TOUR AS DUBAI GOLF & VIYA GOLF HOST THE WORLDS BEST

Only the finest Clubs in the world that host Majors, or Rolex Series events are fortunate enough to have Rolex clocks featured in their clubs. Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates are no exception. Alongside The Open Championship, The Masters and the Ryder Cup venues, Rolex clocks will be featured in prominent locations throughout the Clubs.

The Rolex Series was launched in 2017 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Rolex’s partnership with the DP World Tour and comprises of five of the most prestigious events on the schedule. The 2024 Rolex Series tournaments are the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Genesis Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship, the Abu Dhabi Championship, and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

Golf is a sport that demands precision and accuracy. Rolex, as a brand, is synonymous with precision timekeeping. By placing Rolex clocks in golf clubs, it reinforces the idea of precise measurement and timing, which is crucial in the game of golf. This is a partnership we are very excited to be part of, which embraces the shared history of both brands in golf and our unwavering commitment to excellence.

STAY & PLAY WITH YAS PLAZA HOTELS

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Starting at an attractive rate of AED 655++ for 3-star hotels and AED 725++ for 4-star hotels, guests who book for two nights or more are promised greater savings on their stay. When booking for one-night guests can enjoy unlimited access to one park, two nights will give you access to two parks and

three nights give access to three parks (one park per day).

The exciting package also includes 20% off on food and beverage as well as the spa, an international buffet breakfast, complimentary Wi-Fi in the rooms and public areas and complimentary access to Cyan Beach.

Guests can enjoy a free ride to Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld, Ferrari World, Yas Mall, and Yas Beach. If you prefer a chill day at the hotel, the package includes access to outdoor pools and recreational facilities.

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