Abu Dhabi Golf Club

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The Abu Dhabi Golf Club is the first stand alone golf club to be run by the prestigious Sheraton Hotels and Resorts (part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts), and as with all Starwood properties the highest attention is paid to detail, and excellent personalised service. This gives the club a tremendous edge over other courses, as you really are made to feel unique, and the pampering will not stop if you are there to play a round of golf or to enjoy the extensive club facilities. Even though the club does not offer accommodation they have managed all the same to achieve an almost home away from home feel to it, where from the moment you enter the club house, you are made to feel welcome, not only by the attentive staff but also by the lively comraderie that exists between the privileged club members.

 Only a one hour drive or so from the centre of Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Golf Club is an inspiring oasis that was literally carved out of the desert with such skill, that once inside the club, you very easily forget that you are surrounded by a mass of desert and sand.

The club offers two International standard golf courses, the Garden and the National. The two courses occupy 162 hectares with an extensive irrigation system that pumps in over 2,500,000 gallons of water to ensure that the perfect game of golf is possible in the midst of the sprawling desert. Plus ensuring that the lush greenery, comprising of ornamental trees, shrubs, palms, flower gardens, and its seven salt-water lakes are constantly maintained to the highest standard. The greens are kept at 3 1/2 mm in the summer months and as low as 3 mm in the winter (October - April). The stimp is 8-9 during summer and 10-11 during the winter period which is excellent considering the US Masters is played on a stimp of 12 feet. 

The eighteen hole par 72 and 7,204 yard National course is designed to be challenging and yet fair. Completed in 1998 the course is fully mature, and offers golfers of all handicaps a great game of golf. Players will be amazed by the lush greenery and tested with a multitude of intelligent bunkers, water hazards and tricky greens. 

As an additional compliment to the National course, the par 72, eighteen hole, 6,498 yard Garden Course, offers a far more relaxing game of golf for those who are new to the game, or are wishing to test their game with new shots. This course is floodlit from holes 10 - 18 for those preferring an evening game.

The club seems to have mastered the fact that practice makes perfect, as they offer an incredible 350 metres long, 7.5 hectare piggy back driving range (the largest in the Gulf) that also includes target greens, they also offer  two eighteen hole putting greens, chipping greens, and practice bunkers. They are also in the process of opening an extensive and state of the art Golf Academy. This academy will include wonders such as video analysis, and undercover hitting areas that will allow you to have your game analysed by an elite team of hand-picked PGA professionals.

The club does have a privileged set of members yet is also keen to attract visitors who are looking for the ultimate golfing experience whilst in the Gulf. The club offers electrical golf carts, pull trolleys and even electrical pull trolleys for those that prefer to walk. Three types of golf clubs are available for rental, with Teitlist, Callager, and MacGregor (the first two are considered the VIP clubs) and are top of the range.  Shoes can also be rented, and the club also has a fully stocked Pro Shop that has a wide variety of clothing and golf accessories, sufficient to satisfy any  seasoned golfer.

Playing a great game of golf on an outstanding course is only part of the fun for any golfer, and the club house itself will always play an integral part in any golfing experience. The Clubhouse at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club is a wonder of modern architecture, and is designed in the shape of a falcon swooping down on a golf ball. The interior will also amaze, with a cool, sophisticated elegance, the stylish interior helps you to relax and leave all the worries of everyday life behind, whilst managing to retain a unique 'club' feel that leaves all pretensions behind.

The Clubhouse offers three floors of outlets, a piano bar that offers stunning views of the National Course from the 'belly of the falcon' and that plays live music in the evenings. The 37 floor that offers drinks and excellent light cuisine, and a stylish Mediterranean restaurant. There is also a cosy members only bar, which houses two full size snooker tables. 

If a friend or partner is not feeling up to a game of golf then there is always, the beautiful outdoor swimming pool, and also the health club that has an adequate gymnasium and a very nice relaxation area, that comprises of jacuzzi, cool pool, sauna, and steam room. This really is a great place to wind down, and relax.

The Club as previously mentioned, prides itself in making you feel unique and special, offering you attentive service with the finest attention to detail. This is shown in the range of toiletries on offer. The club not simply happy with a top of the range brand of toiletries (deodorants, cologne, etc.) is presently experimenting with different brands to see which is the more popular with guests.