Al Ghazal is renowned for its friendliness.
NB: No spikes at all not to damage the browns which have to be swept after putting.
Course Designer
Unknown
Opened in November 1997
Green Fees
Thu-Sat: C
Sun-Wed: B
18 holes, buggy, mat hire: C
Location
400 metres (two minutes by road) from the terminal
Facilities
It features an English-style hilltop clubhouse (edged by a large terrace with room for up to 200 guests), with a luxurious, unpretentious feel about it. Restaurant Tel 02 575 8040
Fusion Cuisine, opened 8am-8pm, last food order 8pm, no Dress Code, live music ; alcohol served.
Pro shop
The Royle golf visual communication system can assess your swing on monitors with graphic overlays that enable you to compare your swing with those of some of the world’s best-known players.
The academy also features Durnian Frames – specially designed metal frames through which golfers can perfect their swing plane by following the line of the frame. Other facilities: Swimming pool and tennis courts and an advanced practice facility. The facility has a sports field which is now home to the Abu Dhabi Football Academy. There is also a health club equipped with gym, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi and there are three tennis courts and two multi-courts where basketball, five a side football and volleyball can be played.
The golf course has gone through many changes over the years and has turned into one of the best sand courses in the world.
" Owned/managed by Abu Dhabi Airport Duty Free, Al Ghazal Golf Club is regarded as the leading desert golf course in the World.
The sand course may well be novel to many visitors, but it also presents an exciting challenge to both the novice and the experienced golfer.
Instead of 'greens' there are 'browns'. These are created by compacting rolled and treated sand, and - as players quickly discover - they give an extremely true putting surface. The feature holes are 1,16,17,18 - several of which have water hazards. In addition to the customary hazards, players must also contend with the numerous burrows dug by desert lizards known as dhubs. Bunds are raised areas of oil and sand found on/in browns and hazards but do not form part of the brown or hazard itself. They are deemed immovable obstructions and relief may be taken for stance and swing under Rule 24-2b. This does not apply if the ball lies in a bunker". The Abu Dhabi World Sand Golf Championship, hosted by Abu Dhabi Duty Free, was held at the Al Ghazal Golf Club.
It was won by Greg Owen in 2004 and Thongchai Jaidee in 2005.
