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The ACSP is a cooperative effort between the United States Golf Association (USGA) and Audubon International, a US-based society that conserves and restores natural ecosystems and promotes ecologically sound land management. Its positive impact extends beyond the boundaries of the golf course and helps benefit the community.
"The degree of environmental stewardship incorporated from day one into this design is in keeping with TDIC's overarching approach to development. Along with enforcing environmental initiatives, Audubon helps expand positive benefits beyond the boundaries of the golf course to help the community at large,"
said Lee Tabler, CEO of TDIC, the master developer of Saadiyat.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, which encompasses the stunning Par 72 ocean front, opens in December 2009. It is the second UAE capital-based course to apply for the programme after Abu Dhabi Golf Club which is also owned by TDIC and is home to the European PGA Tour-sanctioned Abu Dhabi Golf Championship (registered in 2008).
To achieve full registration, the club has to complete five key environment management practices, which are: environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation and water quality management. Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, which is managed by Troon Golf, the world's largest golf management company, expects to achieve full registration within two years.
A number of SBGC initiatives are already well underway. These include a protection zone for a nearby section of beach which is a hatching spot for hawksbill turtles, a modern computer-controlled irrigation system, a project-wide water strategy and sand dune protection guidelines.
"All SBGC employees will undergo thorough training in environmental stewardship. The Audubon International certification also requires yearly audits to ensure that the course continues to implement natural resource management. To that end, we have ensured that many of these aspects have been addressed from the initial stages of construction and will be in place from the very opening of the course," said DJ Flanders, General Manager of SBGC.
In addition to the environmental criteria, the programme also involves a community outreach and education aspect. This includes a programme for schools with educational trips to the facility to teach school children about the sustainability of the golf course. It also involves the surrounding community through volunteer schemes, workshops and tours.
Furthering the environmental friendly credentials, TDIC confirmed that SBGC has registered for E-Par, the internationally recognised golf course environmental management programme. Designed to conform to international environmental standards, E-Par is a holistic online eco-management resource which allows SBGC to consistently monitor and enhance its environmental administration and processes.
The 18-hole course is shaped in a figure eight and is organically designed so that golfers don't ever have to play the same hole twice.
As the social and recreational heart of Saadiyat Beach District, the club provides exclusive amenities such as a golf academy and practice facilities. The iconic clubhouse on the premises adds to the overall unrivalled golfing experience with its breathtaking views of the pristine sandy beach.
Posted by Rana Mesbah
