Golfing legend and Nakheel Golf host business forum on board G550 Gulf Stream aeroplane

The UAE journalists had joined Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman, Nakheel, David Spencer, Director, Nakheel Golf and Norman at a business round table in the sky, to discuss the vision of Nakheel Golf for the development of commercially sustainable golf complexes for residential and leisure purposes.

"Nakheel Golf is one of the four pillars of business revenue within the overall umbrella of Nakheel. We have been pursing the tourism and leisure property market aggressively for several years and Nakheel Golf is the natural progression as a business stream within our overall development plans. What has made us uniquely different to the other golf developers in this region is our unparalleled experience. From the very beginning we have employed the greatest modern golf course architects, as well as the very best team of golf developers and managers. The experience that has been brought to Nakheel by these experts ensures that we will be the dominating force within the golf industry in the UAE for the foreseeable future," commented bin Sulayem.

Nakheel Golf is the first company within the Middle East to direct not only the development and construction of each residential and leisure community, but to also manage and operate each complex once completed. Adding to this business advantage is Nakheel Golf's fully integrated associations with the world's leading and most cutting edge golf course designers, who are chosen at the embryonic stages of each developments design, to guarantee that every one of Nakheel Golf's leisure developments are unsurpassed in style and leisure content.

The environmental approach to all of Nakheel Golf's projects is also unique to the company, as they choose to improve and heighten the indigenous flora and fauna, whilst researching ways to minimise water consumption at each course. Through their work with the Environmental Institute of Golf, chaired by Norman, Nakheel's research and development division has been integral to the development of future technologies for the water management of golf courses. In the UAE particularly, golf courses consume large amounts of water, up to 2.2 million gallons per day. To reverse this high consumption rate, each course within Nakheel Golf's portfolio will use the latest in eco-friendly technology, including soil amendments, reverse osmosis and treated sewage water which will reduce the consumption by up to 30 per cent, creating some of the world's most ecologically sound leisure developments.

"In this day and age there is a huge onus on the developer and the management teams to protect and enhance the environment of a golf course and its surrounding area. I am always personally involved right at the beginning of the design phases through to completion, to ensure sustainability for the future development, as well as adaptability to future challenges. The newly created Eco-signature courses, of which Jumeirah Golf Estates will be my first, adhere to strict guidelines that we have established as the minimum standard. These environmental requirements cover all aspects of the design, construction and the maintenance, and subsequently monitor and control the sustainability of the game, whilst protecting the natural resources and improving the micro and macro environment," commented Greg Norman.

For Nakheel Golf, one of the underpinning elements for each course is the ecology and the undertaking of developing environmentally sound courses. Nakheel Golf has undertaken high level research and development of genetic turf engineering which will be tested for use in the developments scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2007.

"Nakheel Golf continues to strengthen its hold within golf course design, and with new projects underway, we will be more than driving this commercial hub of golf tourism. The next quarter will see the 'four-ball' developer announced for the fourth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, along with further exciting projects that will continue to grab the world's attention," concluded Sulayem.