Ford supports Dubai Creek Golf Academy

Making Ford the academy's official and exclusive automobile brand, the agreement provides additional investment for the academy's first-class facilities, a brand new 2003 Ford Explorer and Mondeo for the club's head pro and tournament administrator, branded clothing and equipment, and preferential leasing arrangements for staff.

All the academy's promotional literature and communications will feature the Ford logo, and the world famous Ford oval will also appear on golf balls used by the academy's popular driving range - an estimated 50,000 of them each year!

"Golf is the UAE's fastest growing sport and a great social activity," said Zafer Taher, Regional Marketing and Communications manager of Ford Middle East. "The sport is a perfect fit for Ford and the Dubai Creek Golf Academy is arguably the best golf academy in the region with great people and facilities to work with."

The association is also a boost for academy members and aspiring golfers. Besides additional resources to support existing facilities, special player kits are in the pipeline for the club's Par 3 nine-hole course, featuring branded scorecards, range balls and handy tip books on improving your game.

Christopher May, general manager of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, said: "The Creek Golf Academy is a landmark in Dubai for beginners and experienced golfers alike, and a top attraction for thousands of visitors to Dubai each year."

"We're delighted to announce this agreement with Ford, which will help raise the profile of the academy even further and strengthen its reputation for first-class golf facilities and instruction," May added.

Ford's dealer partner Al Tayer Motors will supply two brand new vehicles as part of the two-year association with the academy. The Ford Mondeo, launched in the region last October, has proved a big hit in the competitive mid-sized segment, while the latest generation Ford Explorer, launched in the GCC in 2002, has been a welcome addition to Ford's impressive SUV line-up.

Dr Andrew Humberstone, general manager of Al Tayer Motors, said: "The Mondeo and the Explorer are two of our strongest products and have helped the Ford brand make considerable headway in the UAE. This tie-up presents a great opportunity for these models to gain further visibility."

He added: "As an active member of the local community, Al Tayer Motors supports various sporting activities, including horse racing and tennis with Jaguar and endurance racing with Land Rover. We are delighted to put our name with Ford to this two-year partnership with the Dubai Creek Golf Academy."

With a dedicated floodlit nine-hole course and putting greens, the Creek Golf Academy offers tailor-made programmes for golfers of all ages and abilities.

Head golf professional Alan Mackenzie, former senior instructor at the world famous Gleneagles Hotel and Golf Courses resort in Scotland, leads a team of five vastly experienced resident professionals.

The academy also boasts a state-of-the-art swing analysis centre, using the latest V1 digital coaching hardware, not to mention close proximity to Dubai Creek's luxurious clubhouse, voted 'Best Clubhouse' in Golf World magazine's 'Best of the Best' awards.

Despite the hotter weather, the Dubai Creek Golf Academy's latest promotion looks set to guarantee plenty of action on the fairways over the summer.

For a fee, golf fans can play Dubai Creek's 18-hole championship course as often as they like from June 1 to September 13 and enjoy unlimited use of the academy's practice facilities for six months. Members of the UAE Golf Association, meanwhile, are entitled to the offer, which also includes 10 free golf lessons, for a fee.

Ford Motor Company, which has its headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, is the world's second largest automaker, with approximately 335,000 employees in 200 markets across six continents.

Its automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Automotive-related services include Ford Credit, Quality Care and Hertz. Ford Motor Company celebrates its 100th anniversary on June 16, 2003.

Ford Motor Company's history in the Middle East goes back more than 50 years.

The company's local dealers operate more than 40 showrooms in the GCC and directly employ more than 3,500 people, the majority Arab Nationals.