Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s Championship Course has won high praise from the European Tour after a stringent inspection by officials in the run up to the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2007, taking place from January 18-21.
Tournament Director, Miguel Vidaor and European Tour agronomist, Graeme MacNiven dropped in on the club to check preparations for the US$2 million European Tour-sanctioned event, in which American, Chris DiMarco will defend his title against stiff opposition from a “who’s who” of stars, including South Africa’s Retief Goosen and European Ryder Cup heroes Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson.
High on the officials’ check-list were enhancements to make the course even tougher for the pros – and more exciting for spectators. These include new bunkers on the first and 11th holes, new tees on the third and sixth, narrower fairways and tougher rough. Two tee extensions have also been added on 16 and 17, where the strong head winds caused problems for players in 2006. Overall, the improvements have increased the length of the course by some 150 yards, to nearly 7,400 yards.
“The course is in good condition and all the changes are very good,” said Vidaor. “We were particularly pleased with the new tees on holes three and six. The event is shaping up really well, which comes as no surprise when the inaugural year was such a success.”
Impressed by the findings of the recent inspection, the Spanish Tour official, who has 14 years’ experience with the European Tour, said the course preparations were going according to plan and he did not expect to return for any further inspection until he returns for the tournament in January.
The comments from top Tour officials have been welcomed by Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which owns the Championship. “The Tour is a small world and the word is spreading that the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is a great event with great weather, superb accommodation for players at the Emirates Palace Hotel and, of course, a challenging course that’s in very good condition.”
The successful inspection is a ringing endorsement for the men tasked with ensuring the course is in top condition for the Championship – Course Superintendent Mike Clarke, Assistant Superintendent Isagani Gatil, Consultant Agronomist Dan Green and their team of 44 green keepers and 20 landscapers.
Green, a Florida-trained British consultant who advised Abu Dhabi Golf Club on preparations for the inaugural Championship in 2006, has worked at the UK’s prestigious Sunningdale club; for tournaments such as the Johnnie Walker Classic in Bangkok; and as design coordinator for British legend Nick Faldo on his Eagle Ridge golf course in the Philippines.
“How the course plays is ultimately down to the weather on the day, but in terms of our preparation of the tees, fairways and greens it’s looking extremely good,” said Green. “The improvements to the course certainly toughen it up for the pros, but it’s still a course that club members will want to play and enjoy. It has come up a level and is a better course for the changes. The Tour officials were pleasantly surprised that it’s in such good condition.
“Hole three, in particular, is a stunner. It’s so different, a monster hole. The new tee radically changes the way the entire hole is played. There’s no chance of cutting the corner now. A birdie on three would be a very good score.”
Commenting on what the other improvements mean to players, Green added: “The introduction of a new bunker on the left of the first hole means that accuracy is now more important than length.
“The new tee on six has made the hole longer, while the fairway has been widened to bring both the left and right hand lakes more into play. Players are going to need to think and strategize more here.
“On the 11th, the new bunker that has been added on the left on the landing area means that placing the ball on the fairway will be far more difficult. The fairway has also been narrowed, so again accuracy is essential.”
Mike Clarke, a New Zealander who has been based at Abu Dhabi Golf Club since its development in 1991, said work on enhancing the course began in August – nearly six months before the 2007 Championship.
In recent weeks, the rough around the greens has been overseeded with perennial rye grass brought in especially from the United States.
“After talking with the European Tour, we’re aiming to make the rough around an inch longer for 2007, increasing it to 10cm, which not only ups the difficulty factor, but gives greater definition to the course – it’s going to look great,” said Clarke. “There has been so much attention to detail.”
How the course looks to a television audience of millions around the world has been a key consideration behind improvements to the course, said Dan Green.
“A lot of what we’re doing here isn’t just for the golfers, but for spectators and sponsors,” he said. “The Abu Dhabi course is better than many on the European and US Tours in terms of how it looks on TV. Thanks to the combination of colours, and with the overseeded rough, the definition between the fairways, semi rough and rough will considerably enhance the TV pictures, which is good news for Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, because it means people will want to visit Abu Dhabi and see it for themselves, and for the tournament’s sponsors, because their branding will show up nicely, enabling them to get their message across.”
Among the high profile sponsors for the Championship in 2007 are Diamond Sponsors Etihad Airways and Aldar; Platinum Sponsor Etisalat, Emirates Palace, Standard Chartered Bank; Gold Sponsors Nissan, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Omega and Xerox, Official Newspaper Gulf News, Official Magazine Middle East Golfer, Official Radio Station Radio 2 and Official Media Partner AME Info.
The 2007 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship will begin with the Al-Masaood Pro-Am on Wednesday, January 17th, when sponsors and their guests have the chance to play and socialise with some of the world’s best professionals.
“People tend to think the Championship is a four-day event, but with the practice rounds and the Pro-Am it’s really a week in full tournament mode for the green keepers and maintenance staff,” said Green. “Our job isn’t complete until the players tee off on the morning of the final round.”
