1988
The Desert Miracle
That was the name given to Emirates
Golf Club, when it became the first
championship all-grass golf course in
the golf region, way back in 1988.
The
brainchild of His Highness General
Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
the Club was built as an attraction
to the growing corporate sector and
the then burgeoning tourist industry.
Within a month of opening the most
important regional golf tournament
- the Pan-Arab - was taking place
on the newly named Majlis course.
Designed
by Florida-based course architect
Karl Litten, the original 18 holes
were built in and around the dunes
of a beautiful site on the edge of
the city of Dubai, donated by Sheikh
Mohamed, on whose instructions, the
desert flora was maintained, as it
is to this day, in its natural state.
1989
The
club's international recognition was
confirmed in 1989 with the Club's
first European Tour event - the Dubai
Desert Classic. Fourteen years later
the tournament reaches hundreds of
millions of TV screens around the
world every year, and most of the
world's top players, including Tiger
Woods and Ernie Els, have taken part
in what is now one of the European
PGA Tour's top events.
1995
In
1995 the club was voted the Favourite
of the Year by the players of the
European Tour, and in 1996 the second
eighteen holes - the Wadi Course -
were completed, bringing Emirates
Golf Club to its current 36-holes.
2003
Today,
Emirates Golf Club maintains its position
as the leading golf club in the region
and continues to meet international
standards in every aspect of its operation.
As
the original "desert course"
in the Middle East, the Majlis remains
in many peoples' minds a miracle -
The Desert Miracle.
Emirates
Golf Club has managed to retain the
traditional Arabic warmth of welcome
and quality of service, not just for
golfers, but also for all members
and visitors. And the facilities are
not restricted to golf. With superb
tennis and squash courts, an extensive
gymnasium, a beautiful swimming pool,
spectacular outlets and shops, the
Club is a haven for sports minded
people and casual visitors alike. |
