Dubai Golf Club Life | Sept - Oct 2022 by Viya

SEP/OCT 22

VIYA GOLF APPOINTED TO MANAGE ABU DHABI COURSES

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB WELCOMES INCOMING CAPTAINS FOR THE 2022/23 SEASON

FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Members,

On behalf of the team across Dubai Golf we hope you had an enjoyable summer. It is great to welcome you all back to our Clubs, as we approach what is set to be an incredibly exciting season ahead for Dubai Golf.

The talk of the town is of course that Dubai Golf recently announced that it will take over the operations of three renowned courses in Abu Dhabi; Yas Links, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Acres Golf & Country Club under its ‘Viya Golf’ brand. We look forward to making a success of this venture with your continued support.

With our family of clubs growing, Dubai Golf members will be able to enjoy the facilities at these clubs at preferential rates. Please contact your club’s membership services for advice on how to book your round during this transitional phase.

The proceeding pages will also hopefully provide insight to a hive of activity across our Clubs, and we look forward to welcoming you to a host of these events and festivities in the weeks to come ‘off the course’.

In the meantime, happy golfing.

William

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

DUBAI CREEK

A NEW SEASON AHEAD

Barney Coleman

CLUB MANAGER

Emirates Golf Club CLUB UPDATE

Welcome to the 2022-2023 season!

I trust you have enjoyed some down time over the summer period and great to see the club becoming busier once more as members return to town in line with schools starting back from the end of August.

The major news, from 1st September, is we are delighted to announce that Dubai Golf will manage the world-standard golf, leisure and dining operations at Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, and Yas Acres Golf & Country Club, effective 1st September 2022 under our Viya Golf brand. Further information on this exciting development can be found later in the magazine.

At your second home, 1st September also signals the new term for our club captaincy as we welcome Campbell Steedman and Marivi Arias as our captains for the 2022-2023 season. I know I am speaking on behalf of all members and EGC colleagues to wish them a very enjoyable year ahead! Campbell and Marivi will be admirably supported by our vice captains Frank Duggan and Fiona Berry. The golfing season officially starts with the Season Opener on Saturday 8th October. The Golf Tournament Calendar is now available also.

Summer Projects Update

As always, the team have worked hard over the summer months on several projects with some still to be completed during September.

Majlis Driving Range

The re-grassing of the range with new target areas is almost complete. The main grassed tee has been levelled.

Majlis Short-game Area

Grass changed to Bermuda Tiff Eagle as per Majlis greens

Majlis Greens

Surrounds on some greens were further levelled following the settling period of the new greens

Majlis Tee Box 7

Extended to offer more teeing options around the lake

Majlis Tee Box 13

New Pro tee (for the Dubai Desert Classic) has been extended following cart path deviation

Majlis Hole 9

Path introduced to the right of the green to help manage damage from cart traffic

Royal Majlis

Event lawn increased in size

Majlis Cart Paths

Edges have been repaired

Faldo Hole 13

Removal of sandy waste across the hole and new tee boxes will be ready by end of September

Other

Par 3 Course and Padel reception clubhouse will open for business once power supply from DEWA is established. This area will also include changing rooms and shower facilities.

Farewells

Chef Nic has left EGC over the summer after 7 fabulous years, we wish Nic and his family all the best in Ras Al Khaimah as he takes the next step in his career. Nic along with F&B Manager Steen and Chef Max oversaw the revolution of our F&B outlets including Spike Bar, Jones and carine. We thank him for all his efforts and wish him well!

Viya App – Golf Booking Process

Following the survey last year many members highlighted the frustration in the peak booking process whereby names needed to be entered prior to finding a tee time, this has been modified and will be launched shortly. Modification of a tee time once within the 3-day cancelation period will now also be allowed under specific conditions.

Introductions

I am pleased to introduce to you our new Golf Experience Manager, Conor Friel. Conor joins us from Ireland and will be an integral part of the Golf Operations team moving forward. Please do ensure to introduce yourself to Conor when you see him around the club and welcome him to Emirates Golf Club.

Golf Etiquette

With the new season upon us we must continue to focus on and improve etiquette across the board. Last year 276 members received letters from myself regarding etiquette breaches. This is a high percentage of the membership. Please look after your course by repairing pitch marks, raking bunkers, filling divots, and driving carts as expected (NOT in sand areas or close to greens/tees). On this point the GPS challenges including GEO fencing (restricted areas) has been resolved with the provider. Thank you for your support as we try to improve this important part of the club experience.

Spike Bar and Jones

The televisions on the Spike Terrace have been replaced both on the members terrace and far side, we hope these improve your experience of watching live sport in Spike Bar. Jones will also have the terrace area enhanced for the winter season. Plus, the new Event Pavilion will soon be operational.

We look forward to welcoming you back to the club for the new season.

Dubai Moonlight Classic

Please see statement below regarding the 2022 event;

“The Dubai Moonlight Classic with the full support of the Ladies European Tour (LET) and its partners have made the decision to postpone the tournament which was originally scheduled for October 2022 to next year.

The Dubai Moonlight Classic is an innovative and historic golfing tournament, being the first women’s tournament to ever be played in the Middle East and the world’s first nighttime golf tournament.

To continue achieving the tournament’s goal of delivering successful events, which included the exemplary 2021 tournament and of inspiring the next generation of female golfing talent, the tournament will look to remodel the format and bring new and exciting experiences for its players, partners, and fans, while simultaneously

broadening the international audience through new channels.

The Dubai Moonlight Classic is grateful for its partners and the Ladies European Tour for their ongoing support and looks forward to continuing to work together in the future.”

It is disappointing that we will not be welcoming the LET golfers back to the Faldo this October but look forward to a bigger and better event in 2023.

One positive for the memberships is that last October/November Dubai Golf hosted four major events in the space of 5 weeks. This season only the DP World Tour Championship will take place over the Earth course from 17th - 20th November. The Moonlight Classic on the Faldo plus the APAC at Dubai Creek and the AVIV Dubai Championship over Fire will not take place resulting in less course closures and increases tee time availability.

LADY CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

Hoping this doesn’t sound repetitive, and for the benefit of old and new members whom I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting (yet), I would like to introduce myself as the new Lady Captain for the season of 2022-2023.

My name is Marivi Arias, I was born in Peru, I am a lawyer, mother of Sergio (Peruvian Diplomat) and Sebastian (Physics student at Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh), and wife of Andy, who is responsible for bringing me here and spending the past 11 years of my life in Dubai.

My love affair with golf started quite young. I was 12 years old and getting ready to board a flight from Lima airport with my parents when a strangely dressed man (White trousers, white shirt and bright red blazer – the colours of the Peruvian flag) came over to talk to my father. He was my dad’s lawyer and the Captain of the Peruvian Junior Golf team travelling to Quito, Ecuador for a South American Golf Tournament. After chatting with my dad, he turned to me and said “Why don’t you start playing golf? We need new girls for the national team”.

And that was it!! I started to investigate all about the game of golf and became quite intrigued about how it was possible for someone to enjoy hitting a little white ball with those funny sticks made of metal and wood (yes! real wood! I come from that era).

My parents didn’t understand my newfound obsession. My dad, a serious football follower and a Fronton player, and mum, fond of badminton didn’t comprehend the fun in whacking a motionless ball in the air with no one to hit it back to me!

After my annoying insistence, my dad jointed a golf club near our house and I started to take golf lessons. A year and a half later I was selected for the National Team, to play in a Junior South American Golf Tournament in Bogota, Colombia. Subsequently, I was honoured to dress in the Peruvian colours many times, representing my country for fifteen years as a Junior and then as an adult.

The road to this moment in my life has been long, countless tournaments, a few golf clubs in different countries, and many friendships cemented through our sport.

Marivi Arias

The past year as Lady Vice Captain, allowed me to learn so much working closely with our outgoing Lady CaptainAmarjeet Radia - to whom I’ll be eternally grateful. One of my proudest memories as a Lady Vice Captain was to be able to help a new group of Lady Beginners start to play golf and pass to them vital information about etiquette rules, game formats and golf rules. They are a fantastic group of new golfers (I called them “my daughters”) with whom I had so many fun moments together. I’m sure they will keep progressing and will turn into great golfers very soon.

Many people asked me if I’m excited upon my new role as the Emirates Golf Club Lady Captain, and the truth is that I’m beyond excitement. It is such an honour and a responsibility to lead such a unique group of Ladies. The EGC Ladies Section is truly the heart and soul of our club, no question about it.

Every day among the Lady members is an experience, a challenge, a party, and a time to reflect. The Ladies section is a composite of women from so many different parts of the world, with their own traditions, customs and beliefs, all wonderful and unique in their own particular way.

I have been planning for months the details of my year as a Lady Captain. I’d like to make the new golf season a memorable and enjoyable one for all the ladies. Maybe the highlight of the year will be our annual golfing trip away. I’m planning to propose that the Ladies travel to Peru at the end of May 2023 to enjoy the wonders that my country has to offer. This could be one of those trips that stays in your memory for a lifetime.

I can’t wait for all the action to start: our weekly tournaments, our social gatherings, the Ladies Moonlight Tournament, the Desert Classic, our always fun Curtisy Cup, our annual trip away and so many more moments in between to enjoy together, creating new memories close to our hearts.

I feel so lucky to be able to work this year with our Club Captain, Campbell Steedman, and our new Vice-Captains, Fiona Berry and Frank Duggan. I’m sure that together we will achieve all our targets and goals for the season ahead, among them maintaining the good work of our past captains, and introducing new ideas and initiatives for the benefit and enjoyment of all our members.

Golfing Season 2022-2023, let the fun begin!!

CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

As we enter into the new 2022-23 Season, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our Members to the Club, and to wish you a happy and healthy season ahead. I would also like to start by thanking last year’s Club and Ladies’ Captains, Abdulfattah Sharaf and Amarjeet Radia, for their leadership, engagement and support throughout the 2021-22 Season.

To those who I have not yet met, my name is Campbell Steedman, and it is a great privilege and honour to assume the role of Club Captain for the coming season. Emirates GC is a very special Club, and to assume the responsibility of both leading the Club, and supporting all of you as our Members, is a quite unique opportunity to which our former Captains over the past 33 seasons have set the highest standards.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, some years ago, I have been based in the UAE for the past 16 years – throughout which time it has been a pleasure to be a member of the Club, building a core group of friends

who all engage actively in Club life. Sally (my wife) and I got married in the same year as the Club was established, while our children (Stephanie and Charles) have each got married over the past year.

Although based primarily in the UK, all are very supportive of this very special opportunity, and all look forward to visiting the UAE and joining a number our Club events throughout the year ahead. On the work front, I qualified in Scotland (and then England and, subsequently, the Czech Republic) and have been practising law for over 35 years - with my current role being to lead the regional Corporate practice as a Partner with the international law firm, Squire Patton Boggs, based out of the DIFC.

Sport has always been an essential part of my life, with an interest in all sports and having played many (not always to the best standards) –including rugby, tennis, hockey (field and ice), cricket, squash, football (soccer and American), baseball and lacrosse! However, golf (again, not always to the best standard) is my core sporting passion, and was always an essential part of my childhood – with my father having been

a scratch golfer. I first played in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), before continuing to play while my parents lived in Tanzania, Malaysia, Canada and, of course, Scotland. I continue to be a member of clubs in both England and Scotland, and play regularly with our son and son-in-law (both of whom are good golfers), while my brother, Hamish, owns the oldest club manufacturing business in St Andrews.

Turning to the Season ahead, a key aspect of my interest in golf has always been to embrace and apply the core values of the sport to both my golf and career. While seeking to win is always a driver in any sport, golf’s core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgement are all key values to life and business, and are all aspects of the sport which, if we all adopt the same, will continue to make Emirates Golf Club one of the world’s leading clubs – not just in the playing standard which we all enjoy, but also in the culture of the Club.

To engage with all staff at the Club with respect and courtesy, and to play with honesty, integrity and sportsmanship are key goals which I hope we will all continue to embrace this coming Season. This will also help to create an environment which I hope we will all enjoy, and where time spent in the Club facilities (and not just on the course) will add value, and enjoyment, to our golfing lives.

In addition to embracing the values set out above, it is also my aim to help grow our Club profile through deliverable initiatives such as increasing youth golf, supporting our Scratch League team and integrating the various golfing groups across the Club, while also encouraging increased utilisation of the Club facilities – whether par-3 golf, tennis, F&B, spa treatment, swimming, gym sessions, padel tennis or any other Club activities. I hope also to support certain charitable initiatives during the year ahead, about which we will share further details in due course.

While all such initiatives are goals for the coming year, the most exciting aspect of Club Captaincy which I am looking forward to in the season ahead is, without doubt, golf. The events which the Club hosts are always exceptional – whether our Club championship, our monthly medals, the Desert Classic or just a round with friends. I hope that Captain’s Day will be a special event for all participating, and in May 2023 I shall be looking to arrange a Captain’s Tour to the country which is the “Home of Golf”. I hope that all such occasions will be enjoyable, and memorable, to all.

In looking forward, there are two groups with whom it will be a privilege to work with in the year ahead. Firstly, our entire Club Management and Staff teams, under the leadership and direction of Chris May, Barney Coleman and Cian Hurley, are a very special group of people, and I look forward to working together with them throughout the season. The other group is a quite unique and committed group, and comprises our Lady Captain, Marivi Arias, Club Vice-Captain, Frank Duggan, and Lady Vice-Captain, Fiona Berry. It will be an honour, privilege and great experience to work together. Marivi and I have been discussing how best to continue to build the Club, and we very much hope that you will all find the 2022-23 Season to be memorable, and enjoyable, with an engaged, collegiate, respectful and friendly Club culture which sees Emirates Golf Club continue to be recognised as a unique and very special club.

Provided I can successfully drive a golf ball on 8th October, I look forward to assuming responsibility as Club Captain, and to a memorable year ahead, in relation to which I wish you all an enjoyable, and successful season.

DIRECTOR OF GOLF

SCHOOL OF RULES

I hope you have enjoyed your summer breaks and managed to spend some time away from the desert heat!

In this month’s rules article, I would like to address a couple of rules queries that came up here at Emirates Golf Club during the summer. There have been some discussions, and debates, on equipment that may or may not be used on the golf course when playing a competitive round of golf.

Rule 4 in the R&A and USGA Rules of Golf covers the player’s equipment and details what may or may not be used during a round of golf. The essence of this rule is that it permits the use of equipment that does not take away from the natural skill and judgment that a player must employ when playing the game.

Distance Measuring Devices

The use of distance measuring devices (DMD’s) has been a hot topic in recent years, particularly due to the advances in technology seen used in these devices. Importantly, DMD’s can be used as long as slope

information is not obtained. So, anyone using slope readings on their rangefinders is only permitted to do so in practice sessions. To be more practical, most tournament local rules will allow these devices to be used, provided the players do not use the slope readings in assisting them, and they only use the distance measurement readings. In this case, slope measurements should be switched off.

As an example, here is an excerpt from our Tournament Local Rules for the Emirates Amateur Open staged at EGC every season:

“A player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g. gradient, wind speed, temperature, etc.) the player is in breach of Rule 4-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such additional functions are actually used.”

Another topic of discussion was the use of ball markers that may offer slope information. Such ball markers cannot be used in golf.

Here is an example of the type of ball marker in question:

My understanding about the rule is that because the ball marker could be used in judging a slope or contour, it is therefore not allowed. It essentially takes from the skill and judgment required from the player’s side when, in this case, playing on the putting greens.

This is primarily based on Rule 4.3a(I)/I, which is an interpretation on Rule 4.3a in the latest version of the official Rules of Golf.

Because the ball marker in question offers the ability to gauge slope, it is not legal.

This is also backed up by Part 6 of the Equipment Rules book.

Part 6.7 refers to Rule 4.3 and also notes that “features designed to measure, gauge or interpret slope” are illegal.

Part 6 of the Equipment Rules also covers tees, gloves, shoes, clothing, use of tape, distance measuring devices (DMD’s) and the use of alignment devices. It is quite an extensive section on permissible equipment in the game and gives a real insight into the mindset and framework used when equipment is being considered for use within the rules.

Other relevant points in line with this Rule of Golf:

- It is very important to remember that training aids are not permitted to be used on the golf course, during a competitive round of golf.

- One must be careful about reading articles online about the Rules of Golf – often they are misinterpreted which is why I would advise only to follow the rules book and/or discuss with a rules official if necessary.

- The best online sources for rules information are the actual websites of the R&A and USGA – the two governing bodies under which the rules are created, monitored, and reviewed.

- Sharing articles that are incorrect would be teaching golfers the wrong information, which of course nobody wants. We all know how difficult the rules and their interpretations can be so I would be hesitant to assume people’s comments/opinions from online articles are correct.

Always make sure the individuals involved are qualified in the rules!

If you have any rules queries that you would like to discuss over the coming weeks, then please do not hesitate to ask on your next visit to the club or simply email your query to me at churley@dubaigolf.com.

If you enjoyed the article and found it helpful, feel free to drop me an email at the above address, quote the code SORACH, and be entered into a prize draw!

TOURNAMENTS

Just like that the summer is over and we head into a packed 2022/23 Tournament Calendar. Please do keep an eye out for the full schedule which will be released via email, the Member Whatsapp group, as well as being displayed around the club.

The new season will officially kick off on October 8th with the Mixed Season Opener on the Majlis.

Tournament Information Sheets / Entry Form

Included under the tab ‘Entry Form’ for each tournament on Viya will be a ‘Tournament Information’ sheet. This will contain information such as the shotgun times, format of play, where to signing up alone or in pairs/team, entry deadlines, prize breakdowns and the entry fee to name a few. We hope this will help to clarify lots of frequently asked questions.

Tournament Cancellation Policy

The club cancellation policy of 72hrs applies to events. The tournament fee will be charged for late cancellations and no shows.

Emirates Match Play Championships

The draws for the Emirates Match Play Championships will be released in early October. All participants are reminded to read the respective format sheets to be clear on the rules prior to commencing their matches.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Emirates Red Hot Open 2022

Saturday 20th August 2022

Emirates Golf Club hosted its annual Red Hot Open competition this past week. A fun event which sees both men (3/4 handicap) and women (full handicap) play from the red tees, offering a different, but no means easier, challenge! The event is a stableford format, with the overall winner being awarded from the net division.

Mark Hughes was crowned the 2022 Champion with a score of 38 points. A superb back nine of 20 points for Mark included gross birdies at the Par 4 17th and the Par 5 18th holes. In runner up position was Ken Owiti with 36 points and a better back nine score. This was down to net birdies on the 10th, 11th, 14th & 18th holes resulting in a back nine of 22 points.

In the Gross Division, Sanjay Dhandsa won with a score of 38 points. His round included gross eagles on both the 13th and 17th holes! James Yeomans was runner up with 37 points.

There were also two nearest the pin competitions. These were won by Arif Shuja on the 4th hole, and Niels Zilkens on the 15th hole.

Dubai Golf Colleague Golf Championship

Wednesday 31st August 2022

Emirates Golf Club hosted the final fixture of the Dubai Golf Colleague Golf Championship on Wednesday 31st August 2022. The ever-popular annual event sees colleagues from each of the three clubs, EGC, JGE & Creek, plus Topgolf, get together for an afternoon of golf. The combined scores across the three fixtures will decide the 2022 winners.

After the first two fixtures, the cumulative scores were as follows:

1st Place – Emirates Golf Club, 831 points

2nd Place – Jumeirah Golf Estates, 761 points

3rd Place – Dubai Creek, 744 points

ON COURSE EVENTS

There were four nearest to the pin competitions.

Hole #4 – Jega (Emirates Golf Club)

Hole #7 – Tom Rigby (Dubai Creek)

Hole #11 – Abhi Rana (JGE)

Hole #15 – Julius (JGE)

PAIRS EVENT

In the pairs event, Kevin Dike and Jayakumar Jaya from Emirates GC won with a score of 50 points. Mohammad Arshad and Asim Ali from JGE came second with a score of 48 points. In third place was Jay Gurung and Sabin Khanal from JGE with 46 points.

TEAM EVENT

In the team event, where the best 10 scores from the 12 pairs counted, Emirates Golf Club used their home advantage to win with a score of 385 points. Dubai Creek came second with 366 points, while JGE had 364 points to finish third.

OVERALL WINNERS

The overall winners of the Dubai Golf Colleague Golf Championship 2022 was Emirates Golf Club with a total score of 1,216 points. Jumeirah Golf Estates came second with a score of 1,125 points, with Dubai Creek third on 1,110 points.

Ladies Stableford Competition

Tuesday 6th September 2022

Emirates Golf Club hosted the first Ladies Stableford Competition of the new season. A total of 27 ladies competed on the Faldo Course.

The overall winner was Deirdre Kemp, with an impressive 39 points on her return to Emirates Golf Club.

Winner in the Silver Division (17 handicap and below) was Monica Palao with a solid score of 36 points.

Our Bronze Division (18 handicap and above) was won by Martha Wong with an impressive 37 points total.

AGRONOMY

Well summer for the Golf Course maintenance team means closures and projects. It’s never easy during the hotter months but do feel we have achieved quite a lot and wanted to give you an insight of what was done and still ongoing leading into the cooler and busy months.

Course Closures

We had 2 course closures for each course this summer as we have done in the past. This is when we do our cultural practices like hollow coring and heavy topdressing. It was the first time the Majlis greens have had any major work done to them as they are still classed as in their infancy. What we wanted to achieve with the Majlis work was to help the levels of the greens and take out any high areas we might have. This was done by scarifying the greens aggressively. The heavy sand then helped with really getting the levels and encourage the grass to grow through.

Faldo Projects

The Faldo course had its usual work done to it and very happy with how quick they recovered from our the work carried out. This shows they are in good health and look forward to bringing the height of cut down as the temperatures cools and get those great speeds again.

• Leveling tees that were quite bad due to being divoted over time. Some needed a bit more work so was turfed or re sprigged.

• Filling in the gap between the fairways on hole 13. This is so we can make it easier for the shorter hitters.

• We managed to do a great job on Tropical Signal Grass eradication this summer. Its not fully gone but happy with what was achieved and will continue next summer.

Majlis Projects

As the whole of last summer was about the greens, we felt there was a lot more jobs we wanted to do this summer and the list below is a snapshot of what was achieved since June 2022.

• Leveling of greens surrounds that we felt we too high and not uniform to the edge of the greens.

• 13th tee extension on the side of the Ladies 9th tee. This is so it can be used not only for the Desert Classic.

• 7th Tee extension to increase surface area and can spread wear even more.

• 9th Green side cart path. It was always felt that the grass to the right of the green got very worn from cart traffic, so putting the cart path will negate that and improve turf quality.

• Entrances to grass areas from cart paths have been fixed so not a huge step to drive over.

Practice Areas

The driving range got a full redesign this summer. We closed for 3 weeks to achieve this and very happy with the result. We enlarged the target greens and shaped some so they cater for both ends of the range.

The grass we brought in was turf grass and is Paspalum type. This grass is strong and will present very well throughout the year.

Chipping green was also redesigned and sprigged with the grass we have on the Majlis greens. This grass came from our nursery which comes in very handy for projects like this.

We are very much looking forward to the coming golfing season and hope you enjoy the changes we have made on both courses.

Happy Golfing

Dear Members,

DINING UPDATE

It is my pleasure to welcome you back to Emirates Golf Club after this year’s summer break, with plenty going on at the club as we approach what is set to be an exciting conclusion to 2022, with the FIFA World Cup and an exciting festive period to come.

Spike Bar and Terrace

Tag along with your group to Spike Bar for some amazing happy hour offers. Our daily happy hour is from 6pm to 8pm on our selected wine, Spirits, and bottled beer. There are also some great combo meal deals available too.

Every Saturday & Sunday Spike Bar offers you a Weekend Roast from12.00pm to 6.00pm. Indulge in a plate of your choice of Beef Roast or Roast Pork Belly served with roasted root vegetables, Yorkshire pudding & gravy for AED 100 per person, or upgrade your meal to include two pints of hops for AED 195 per person. On Sundays, enjoy a classic Sunday Roast Buffet for AED 100 per person starting at 7.30pm, as well as Spike’s weekly Sunday Quiz Night hosted by Phil Richardson.

carine

Come experience breakfast at Carine on Saturdays and Sunday from 9am to 1 pm. You can start your day on weekends with basket of bread and pastries with a selection of eggs cooked to perfection. Our signature pain perdu or freshly made waffles with chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream will surely make your weekend mornings bright and sweet.

SPIKE BAR NEW MENU

Jones the Grocer

For a limited time remaining, enjoy Jones’ summer dinner deal for AED 66, valid until September 30th. This 2 course menu has a great variety of Starters and main courses. You can even upgrade this meal to a 3 courses for just AED 10.

The wine and cheese continues for the rest of season as this seems to be our members favourite Fridays. Friday nights at the club are synonymous with a warm atmosphere, limitless cheese, charcutrie and wine at Jones the Grocer for just AED 199 along with the live jazz music.

Have you tried our essentially thirst quenchers yet??

The Essential Green has been our customers favourites. What is yours? They are completely vegan and made with real fruits and no sugar, you can indulge them any time of the day all year.

Our cooking workshop takes place 2 times a month. We invite all our customers to join us along with their little one and spend some quality time creating the art.

Pools & Huts

Looks like the smoothies have been the best sellers in the huts to beat the heat for the golfers. Have you tried the mini snacks yet? Ask our staff for the menu so that you can enjoy them while you are on the go.

Smoothies

Emirates Pavilion

Our new pavilion is all set, and we are taking bookings already. The venue will be launched ahead of the bulk of this winter’s football activity. You may start hosting any meeting, private events with us and make them memorable. For more details kindly get in touch with our events team.

RECREATION UPDATE

I hope that this finds you well and welcome to the start of another season at Emirates Golf Club!

Over the summer, we have been working hard improving certain areas of the facilities. Our Swimming Pool had a deep clean and chlorination and has had small works done in and around the pool to enhance the area. We have introduced new towels, and we will replace most of the sun loungers and umbrellas on September 15th. Our Squash courts have also seen some work, with the flooring on both courts being completely replaced. This has been much needed and brings the courts back up to a excellent standard. Our new Padel/Par 3 clubhouse will also hopefully be completed soon and ready to welcome you!

Elite Sports Academy, swimming provider at Emirates Golf Club are delighted to return this September. On top of their 7-day-a-week swimming programme at the club, Elite Sports are delighted to offer a brand-new gymnastics academy, available for children aged 3 – 10 years of age, for both girls and boys.

The sessions will be available to all golf club members and children can avail of a free trial session with Elite Sports, with the schedule of sessions as follows:

Tuesday

•4.00 – 5.00pm (3 – 6 years)

•5.00 – 6.00pm (7 – 10 years)

Sunday

•9.00 – 10.00am (3 – 6 years)

•10.00 – 11.00am (7 – 10 years)

Free sessions will commence on Sunday to begin with, starting Sunday 4thSeptember 2022, and you can register your child via www. elitesports.ae or calling 04 554 5916.

Elite cannot wait to welcome children new and old to both their Gymnastics & Swimming sessions this season.

In other news, we are delighted to have Let’s Dance by Sasha King at FitLab. Let’s Dance are at Emirates Golf Club every Wednesday & Saturday from 1-9pm and give members the opportunity to learn all forms of dance from Ballroom to Wedding to Party. If you are interested and want to learn more, please contact Sasha on +971 58 658 1162.

We also have both Gymnastics and Aqua Aerobics underway!

For our other classes, please see the below table for what we have on offer for members of all ages!

Yin Yoga with Arathi Appaiah Let’s Dance with Sasha King Zumba with Olesya Daher Elite Swim Academy Pilates by Jeanique ZATA Tennis Academy Karate with Paolo Gandini

The Flying DAF Squash Academy Personal Training with Fit Lab Instructors Padel Academy

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

As always, please reach out direct to myself should you have any questions or queries of a Recreation kind.

Many thanks, Dougie

VIYA GOLF APPOINTED TO MANAGE ALDAR’S ABU DHABI GOLF COURSES

Viya Golf, part of wasl Hospitality & Leisure, has entered into a management deal with Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties (“Aldar”), to manage its golf operations (courses and clubhouses), leisure facilities, and all dining outlets at some of the world’s finest golf courses; Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, and Yas Acres Golf & Country Club.

The new agreement, effective 1st September 2022, sees Viya Golf look at all aspects of the golf operations; maintaining areas of existing

excellence and delivering operational improvements to enhance all golf, leisure and dining experiences for members and visitors. This includes adding Aldar’s clubs to the popular Viya App, giving its members unrivalled rewards and access to golf, leisure and dining experiences.

Viya Golf Chief Executive Officer, Christopher May, said: “We are proud to announce the addition of Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Acres Golf & Country Club to our golf

portfolio. We are excited by our new relationship with Aldar. We will deploy our best-in-class golf services, dining, leisure and management expertise, alongside industry leading technologies, to not only deliver Abu Dhabi’s very best golf and leisure experiences but to grow the game of golf and help drive tourism in the Emirate.”

Klaus Assmann, Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Hotels and Hospitality said: “Our golf portfolio includes some of the world’s best courses and complements our diverse range of leisure and hospitality assets located

at two of Abu Dhabi’s most desirable destinations, Yas Island and Saadiyat Island. With Viya Golf, we hope to further expand the experience at our courses, attracting even more visitors from local communities, the wider region and overseas.”

Yas Links Abu Dhabi is a true links golf course, perfectly located on the western shores Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island with stunning views of the Arabian Gulf. Home to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championships and consistently ranking in the Top 50 world’s golf courses, Yas Links is a must-visit golf destination for residents and tourists alike. The Kyle Phillips designed 18-hole course presents a challenging test to all golfers, whilst the 9-hole par 3 course and flood-lit practice facilities, complete with Toptracer, complete Yas Links.

The Arabian Gulf’s first beach-front golf course, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is a Par 72 links courses set amongst a stunning eco-conscious landscape. Designed by golf legend, Gary Player, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has a total yardage starting at 5,290, although the course can be extended to 7,784 yards for professional tournaments. More than 60 bunkers, three salt-water lakes and restored sand dunes provide breath-taking on-course hazards.

Yas Acres Golf & Country Club offers both world-class golf and a country club experience, the Fry/Straka-designed 3700 yard nine-hole golf course is nestled across 130 acres within one of the capital’s most in-demand communities, Yas Acres. The floodlit Par36 course features long holes, large bunkers and water in play on four of the holes to offer fun for golfers of all levels.

Viya is the region’s fastest-growing golf business, transforming and modernising the game across the Middle East through technologyled innovation. Alongside its sister business, Dubai Golf, Viya forms part of wasl Hospitality & Leisure’s diverse, fast-growing golf and leisure portfolio. The Group holds the regional license for the widely popular Topgolf entertainment venues, in addition to developing and operating its successful golf booking, lifestyle and membership app. Viya also recently launched the new golf holidays booking website, Viya Holidays, to help grow inbound tourism to the UAE.

Guidelines

Stephen Hubner

CLUB MANAGER

CLUB UPDATE

I hope that you are keeping well and that you are enjoying the slightly cooler weather here in Dubai.

Clearly many people escaped the heat through July and August and so the Club was a great deal quieter than the previous two summers. This has allowed us to make significant progress on the golf courses and with the training of team members in our restaurants and the golf operation.

Jumeirah Golf Estates

Restaurants

It has been wonderful to see the restaurants buzzing over the last couple of weeks since most people have returned from holiday. The recent quiz in Crafty Fox was a big success and the enhancements to Al Botanica and the pool bar have been very well received.

Over at the Tennis Academy, Tap & Grill has reopened after a short closure. The inside of the restaurant received a small refurbishment and new furniture, while the outside grass areas have been levelled to allow for increased capacity for the busy season ahead. The new furniture for outside will arrive at the beginning of October.

Our Italian and Indian offerings Bussola and Kasturi continue to prove popular with our members. If you haven’t tried them yet, then I highly recommend you do so. They both provide wonderful dining experiences!

Golf Courses

This year’s summer aeration projects are now complete, and our Golf Course Superintendent Stuart Horwood and his Agronomy Team are delighted with what has been achieved on both courses. Significant progress has been made in recent months with the removal of the invasive weed grasses, particularly on the Fire course. The landscaping projects to improve the look and playability of the desert and mulch areas continue to produce excellent results.

The re-grassing of the golf academy short game area has been successful. The new Paspalum surfaces will provide members with an enhanced experience for their practice and are growing well. We expect to open the much-improved academy at the beginning of November.

Introducing Our New Golf Pro Charlotte

We are delighted to welcome our new golf pro at the academy Charlotte Austwick. Charlotte comes is a British PGA Professional who brings a wealth of experience in coaching people of all ages and abilities. Please give her a warm welcome when you see her around the Club.

Captain’s Day

We are excited to have started the planning for our inaugural Captain’s Golf Day which will take place in December.

Our Club Captains, Steve Drake and Sheila McIlroy, have done an outstanding job in their roles, and we are all looking forward to creating a special day for our members to celebrate their year. The event is going to incorporate golf on both courses plus some great on-course food and drinks and a very fancy dinner afterwards. So that we can make the event extra memorable we are looking for sponsorship support.

If you are interested, then please let me know or speak to Steve or Sheila. More on the event will be announced soon. Thank you once again for all your support of our wonderful Club and for taking the time to read this update. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Warm Wishes, Stephen

Stephen Wilson

GOLF EXPERIENCE MANAGER

GOLF UPDATE

I hope this finds you well, it has been lovely seeing so many of you return over recent weeks from your Summer breaks, we hope you are enjoying being back at the club!

Markus Nielsen – Golf Intern

For those of you who have not had the chance yet to meet Markus, let me introduce you. Markus is a longstanding Dubai Creek member having grown up here in the UAE. He is currently studying a Sports Management Degree at the University of Northern Denmark and is spending three months with us here at Jumeirah Golf Estates to develop his knowledge of Club Management. You will see Markus around the club until the end of October so please make sure to keep an eye out for him!

Colleague Benchmarking Trip & Training

Our colleagues have enjoyed further benchmarking trips this month combined with 59 Club Training. We have used the down time this Summer to ensure that our Golf Operations Team have all the tools possible to continue to develop. The team have enjoyed trips to Arabian Ranches Golf Club and The Els Club combined with two training days with 59 Club Director, Mark Bull.

Alex Mickleburgh – Pro Sports International

We are delighted to announce the arrival of our new Retail Manager & Custom Fitting Specialist, Alex Mickleburgh. Alex joins us with a wealth of experience having been based at The Els Club for the last 5 years. He will be your go to man for all retail needs and equipment upgrades. If you do require any assistance, please reach out to Alex on email at alex@prosports.ae.

Goodbye Song!

It is with mixed emotion that I inform you all of Song’s departure from Jumeirah Golf Estates. Song will finish up with us on Saturday, 27th August. During his time at the club, Song has built up fabulous relationships with our members and we are proud that he is now going to go on to pastures new with fond memories of the club and some incredible experiences. Thanks for everything Song, we wish you all the best!

Weekly Captain Match

As we approach the main season again, a gentle reminder of our weekly Captain Match on a Tuesday morning, for those who are not aware, each week Steve Drake (Club Captain) & myself take to the course around 6:30am with two of our members for a friendly and sociable match. If you would like to register your interest, please reach out to me at swilson@dubaigolf.com and we will arrange our game!

Thank you for your continued support at the club, we are very much looking forward to the cooler temperatures coming for us to all enjoy our golf that little bit more!

Kind Regards,

Stephen Wilson

REFER A FRIEND AND BE REWARDED

Introduce and encourage a new member to join your club and you and the new member will each receive a credit to your respective member accounts

The club offers two levels of credit for successful referrals:

• Full Single and Family or Corporate Membership – both parties would earn AED 1,500

• Weekday Single and Family or Young Professional Membership – both parties would earn AED 1,000

The following membership categories do not qualify for the program:

Student Golf, Junior Golf, Temporary Memberships, Summer Pass, Academy, Overseas Golf, Spouse or additional adult memberships, add-ons (such as PH Lagoon and Leisure Add-on)

*Terms & conditions apply

Contact your respective Membership Team to learn more.

FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER

DINING UPDATE

I hope you are all well. With summer’s end approaching the cooler season and have plenty planned for the coming months. Stay tuned to keep up to date with all our events and promotions!

Gabriel Bertea

Quiz Night at Crafty Fox

We are pleased to announce that our classic Friday Quiz Nights with Quizmaster Robert Duce have returned! On Friday 7th October, gather your group’s best brainboxes and test your knowledge at Crafty Fox’s Friday quiz night with exciting prizes to be won. Make sure to take advantage of the happy hour from 6pm - 8pm with your favourite beverages starting from AED 35.

Book your table at dubaigolf.com/craftyfox/quiz

With ROBERT Duce

DINE WITH US

Chivas Regal Whiskey Dinner at Kasturi

On Friday 23rd September from 7.30pm onwards, indulge in a specially curated four-course Set Menu, paired with a varied selection of Chivas Regal Whiskeys for AED 420 per person.

Appetizers | Chivas 12YO

First Course | Chivas 13YO Bourbon

Mains | Chivas 13YO Sherry

Desserts | Chivas 18YO

Book your table at dubaigolf.com/kasturi-chivas

The Great Brew Tour: Oktoberfest

Following on from the great success of our last edition of ‘The Great Brew Tour’ at Tap & Grill, we’re thrilled to announce its return, bigger and better than ever. Taking place on the new terrace at Crafty Fox over two weekends (14th – 16th & 21st – 23rd October), get ready to enjoy a range of German brews and classic street-foods as well as pub games, live music and more. Stay tuned for more information within the coming weeks!

Halloween Brunch & Clubhouse of Horrors

This Halloween, our beloved clubhouse will be transformed into a supernatural clubhouse of horrors for a day of frightening fun and ghoulish games and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Featuring live entertainment, prizes for the best dressed families, a haunted maze and much more, be prepared for a day of spook-tacular activities! Stay tuned for more within the coming month!

•

CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

I hope you have enjoyed a restful summer and welcome back to those who have been travelling.

The UAE golf season is almost upon us and there are a number of golfing events to look forward to through to the end of the year with a few special events in the making. We will also be running a ‘CaptainPro Challenge’ for those who wish to take on myself or Beatrice and Mike Major (or one of the professionals). Details of the format and how to challenge us will be released soon.

As you may have seen, the golf course maintenance team has had a busy summer and have made big strides in tackling the paspalum and crab grass growth, alongside various other works and tree planting. The heavy summer maintenance works are now paying off and there are different challenges to master with the extension of several green side fringes and runoff areas, which has received positive feedback.

Some may have also noticed a marked reduction in the grain on the greens, which will likely make for friendlier putting statistics. Here’s to low scoring this season!

DUBAI CREEK CAPTAIN

Max Burrow

The coming months will also see the commencement of this seasons UAE Scratch League, where our mens team will be looking to rekindle form of past years after narrowly missing out on the knock-out stages of the event last year.

Best of luck to the team.

Best Wishes,

Max Burrow

Before the season gets well underway, I would like to bring your attention to the rules of golf. Please see below some rules of the game which I see most commonly misunderstood here at Dubai Creek.

GOLF & TOURNAMENTS

Rules of Golf

Giving Advice

During a friendly game, many golfers simply ask their playing partner what the line they should take for a 10ft putt, or, whilst on the tee what iron they hit. This behavior is fairly normal for a friendly game, however is against the Rules of Golf in competitive play. Of course, the exception to this ruling would be in a team event.

Searching for a Lost Ball

Prior to 2019, the search time for a lost ball was 5 minutes. Since the rule change, you now have 3 minutes! The clock begins when you begin the search for the ball, not after you have hit your shot. If the ball is not found in the 3 minutes, the ball is considered lost.

Sprinkler Heads

Relief from a sprinkler head is only granted if your ball or stance is interfered with. The line of play, between your ball and the hole, is not covered in this ruling. For example, if you are putting from off the green and there is a sprinkler between yourself and the hole, unfortunately you do not get free relief!

Lastly… Don’t forget our Local Rules regarding Sandy Waste Areas

Sandy Waste Areas are deemed part of the General Area as defined in the Rules of Golf. Players can ground their club in these areas without penalty. Bunkers are distinguishable from waste areas by there being a rake present. Sandy waste areas do not have a rake present. When a ball lies in a sandy waste area, relief can be taken if the intended swing line is affected by the line of earth between the grass bank and the sand. The ball can be dropped in the waste area, at the nearest point of relief and no nearer the hole.

Titleist Dubai Red Hot Open

Winner - Harry Chandler (39 points)

Runner-Up – Anders Kron (38 points)

Third – Wenjie Li (37 points)

DG OMA Emirates Monthly Medal

Overall Winner - Paul Abouchacra (68)

Best Gross - Max Burrow (72)

Mens Division 1 Winner - Kamal Akhras (72)

Mens Division 2 Winner - Mark Phoenix (69)

The Open Championship

Overall Winner - Raghav Gulati & Wenji Li (47 Points)

Overall Runner-Up - Christian Klynge & Celeste Cordova (45 Points)

Gross Winner - Hannah Alan & Glory Xavier (38 Points)

PING Dubai Creek Open 2022

Overall Champion - Jamie Roslyn Camero (70)

Overall Runner-Up - Rohit Menon (72)

Mens Net Division Winner - Tauseef Khan (64)

Ladies Net Division Winner - Irun Kim (61)

ACADEMY UPDATE

With the new season upon us, make sure you make the most of the nice weather and attend the Dubai Creek Academies for a whole host of social activities and lesson offerings. From Padel to Golf to Tennis we have you covered! Activities such as ladies coffee morning, junior development programmes, social evenings and coaching sessions are all readily available at the wonderfully situated creek academy.

17th September, Saturday

18th September, Sunday

SEPTEMBER 2022

GOLF 10:00-11:00

PROGRAMME 08:00-09:00 09:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 17:00-18:00

INTO GOLF 10:00-11:00 JUNIOR PROGRAMME 09:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 17:00-18:00

19th September, Monday JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMME 16:00-19:00 PRO-AM DOUBLES 19:00-21:00 JUNIOR PADEL PROGRAMME 17:00-18:00 GET INTO GOLF 07:30-08:30 18:00-19:00

20th September, Tuesday JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMME 17:00-19:00 TUESDAY SOCIAL NIGHT 20:00-21:30

21st September, Wednesday JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMME 16:00-19:00

MONDAY SOCIAL PAR3 19:00-20:30

JUNIOR PROGRAMME 17:00-18:00

18:00-19:00

22nd September, Thursday PBI ELITE DOUBLES 07:30-09:30 JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMME 17:00-19:00 JUNIOR PADEL PROGRAMME 17:00-18:00 JUNIOR PROGRAMME 17:00-18:00

23rd September, Friday GET INTO GOLF 07:30-08:30 18:00-19:00 JUNIOR PROGRAMME 13:30-14:30

24th September, Saturday JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMME 08:00-11:00 PBI SEASON OPENING DOUBES TOURNAMENT 08:00-12:00 16:00-21:00

25th September, Sunday

30th

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Dear friends,

What a great start to 2022 we have had! Looking back on the past year has been a pleasure, as we begin to really appreciate what a special place Topgolf has been for everyone since opening. Through the ups and downs of a tricky 2021, it is encouraging to see how we have grown from strength to strength and have dived in to this year with even more excitement and ambition. The first two months of 2022 have gone by so fast, and with so much to look forward to, we have no intention of slowing down.

With the support of RAKBANK, we have been able to offer new and improved prizes and promotions for our RAKBANK Leagues, resulting in the largest number of entries to the Leagues so far. Get in touch with us soon to book your spot for the next round and be in with the chance to have amazing fun and win some amazing prizes!

TOPGOLF UPDATE

Mike Walton

When we say Ladies Night, you know what that means. Our new booking system makes it easier than ever to organise your ultimate Ladies Night experience at Topgolf Dubai. Let us cure your Monday Blues with food, drinks and classic gameplay - don’t miss out, spaces fill up fast!

The new month sees the beginning of so many extra additions to Topgolf Dubai. Including our brand new Topgolf Sunday Funday Brunch which has proven to be a fan favourite. Including two hours of food, refreshments, classic Topgolf gameplay and guaranteed good vibes in Dubai’s favourite entertainment venue - this is Brunch like you’ve never experienced it before.

We have an exciting addition to the venue in the new Topgolf Garden, located outside of mini golf on the lower ground floor. Head down and check out the Topgolf Garden to chill out with great food, great drinks, great views and great people.

Finally, we can’t wait for everyone to try out our new menu that has just launched. We have added over twenty dishes to our

already tasty menu and are so excited for visitors to sink their teeth in to so much good new food (especially the lamb burger). Compliments to the chef!

To finish up, we would again like to thank you all so much for your continued support. It makes us so happy to see everyone have an amazing time at our venue, and we are really excited to welcome everyone back to Topgolf for what is going to be an even bigger and better year.

Mike Walton Director of Operations

Topgolf Dubai

For more on what’s happening at Topgolf, please be sure to visit topgolfdubai.ae or connect with us on any of our socials to keep up to date.

Dubai Golf members can avail their exclusive 25% food and beverage discount at Topgolf Dubai.

Discount is not applicable on Game Play or on any promotions.

Graham Forbes

SALES & CUSTOM FITTING SPECIALIST PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL

PROSPORTS UPDATE

We are pleased to announce the New TSR driver range from Titleist. A refined design from the previous TSI model which elevates every aspect of performance. Titleist has a reputation for excellence, and it is clear to see that from its tour launch date there where 4 wins out of 8 tournaments from players putting it in the bag straight away, and its 6th overall since its inception on tour. The most notable of these wins was the 150th open at St Andrews won by Titleist’s own Cameron Smith.

The new TSR range features several subtle refinements that make it faster through the air. Your same swing will result in more clubhead speed simply through eliminating resistance. The new face technology increases ball speed from every strike across the face even on miss-hits. The new TSR range offers the same surefit technology to maximize your ball flight through correct positioning of weights and through the sleeve to dial in on your desired ball flight.

To find out more and for fitting enquiries please contact your retail manager and custom fitting expert to maximize your potential from the tee to gain more enjoyment from your game today!

ON VIYA

MARA LOUNGE AND RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT

ENJOY THE CAFÉ LIFE WITH VIYA APP

Wasl 51 in Jumeirah is fast becoming one of the trendiest restaurant hubs in Dubai with a number of home-grown concepts from boutique coffee shops to insta-worthy cafes offering the perfect setting to catch up with friends and enjoy delicious dishes.

Mara Lounge and Restaurant is no exception and is sure to tick the box of all your foodie cravings, offering cuisines from different countries across the globe, at a budget-friendly rate. Customer satisfaction is at the forefront of their restaurant, so you can expect nothing but the highest quality of service and food!

Atmosphere

The relaxing ambiance is present as soon as you walk through the door at Mara Lounge and Restaurant with its bright and welcoming interior of calming neutral tones and high ceilings. The modern art covering the walls, as well as decorative plants will make you feel right at home. Take a walk up the winding stairs to the 2nd level terrace with open views of the restaurant below.

As well as a relaxing interior, Mara Lounge provides an outstanding service to ensure a memorable dining experience from start to finish.

Your Member Discount

You can enjoy 10% cash-back in Viya Rewards on every spend, 7 days a week. Treat yourself to a complimentary meal when you pay using your Viya Reward points!

Discover Abu Dubai’s Finest Courses with Viya. Book your round online or on the Viya app.