Saadiyat Beach Celebrates World Environment Day With Prize Audubon Sanctuary Honour

Saadiyat Beach will have good cause to celebrate World Environment Day – Friday, June 5th.

The famed United Arab Emirates (UAE) golf club, and designed by Hall of Fame legend, Gary Player has achieved designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.

Corey Finn, Senior Assistant Superintendent, completed the effort to obtain sanctuary designation on Gary Player designed course in the UAE capital.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is one of over 900 courses in the world to hold the title of Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.

Welcome to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club – Photo – www.golfbytourmss.com

I had the great pleasure of again playing the golf course during the course of this year’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and while the course inhabits over 150 bird species what does stand out is a thriving gazelle population.

The gazelle and golfers alike seem very much at ease around the course that overlooks the stunning Arabian Gulf.  Indeed, it is a very unique relationship one that Saadiyat can be rightfull proud and now even moreso following the honour bestowed on the club.

To reach certification, a golf course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas. These categories include:

 Environmental Planning
 Wildlife and Habitat Management
 Outreach and Education
 Chemical Use Reduction and Safety
 Water Conservation
 Water Quality Management

Aside from a superb abundance of birdlife and gazelle, the desert-like course has also reduced its water consumption by over 30% over the past 3 years and with a local community partnership to allow for the use of recycle water, water consumption will be reduced even further.

It was noticeable that management is dedicated to continuous improvement.

Commenting on the recent achievements, Clinton Southorn, Cluster Director of Agronomy said: “Saadiyat Beach Golf Club was designed with sensitivity to the surrounding natural environment of Saadiyat Island. Through this certification, we demonstrate our responsibility when it comes to environmental stewardship, and in ensuring a safe and healthy
environment for the wildlife that inhabit the golf course, and are vital to Abu Dhabi’s ecosystem.

“I am proud of the dedication and work of Corey Finn, who led the certification effort in collaboration with our teams. We look forward to continuing our work with Audubon International to drive sustainable and positive impact in our local
community and across the globe.”

Praising Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Christine Kane, CEO at Audubon International added:  “Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property.”

And Francisco de Lancastre David, Cluster General Manager at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Abu Dhabi said: “Our vision for Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is to successfully operate a world-class golf course in full harmony with its natural environment. The club is immensely proud to be a certified Audubon International golf
course and we will continue to assess our ongoing practises to ensure we are operating at
the most efficient levels.”

The stunning Par 72 Saadiyat Beach Golf Club course was the Arabian Gulf’s first beachfront course and the scenary as you work your away around course is like a postcard setting.

The course is host venue of the first Ladies European Tour event in Abu Dhabi, the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open, and voted ‘Best Course in the UAE’ in 2015 and ‘Best Course in Abu Dhabi’ in 2019, World Golf Awards, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is recognised globally as a world class golfing destination.

And Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, along with Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Yas Links Golf Club, form a key part of Aldar Properties’ hospitality portfolio. Aldar Properties is committed to embedding a culture of sustainability across its entire business, under the key pillars of economy, community, people, environment, and governance. In 2019, Aldar published its first sustainability report outlining the Company’s sustainability focused accomplishments as well as its strategy in this regard.

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, endorsed by the United States Golf Association, provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat and protect natural resources. Golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia have achieved certification in the program.

To find out more about future environmental projects at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Yas Links Golf Club, please contact Jenene Batts: marketing@aldargolf.com

*Thank you to Danielle Burrell at Performance 54 



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