Located next to Abu Dhabi International Airport. Opened in November 1997, Al Ghazal’s 18-hole, par-71 sand course, presents an exciting challenge to both the novice and the experienced golfer.
On the 8th of May 2004, Al Ghazal Golf Club hosted the inaugural Abu Dhabi World Sand Championship featuring some of the world’s top golfers including Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Paul McGinley.
Located only 500 metres from the terminal building, it is ideal for transit passengers, for whom free transit visas and complimentary transportation to and from the club can be arranged.
Once at the club, all equipment can be rented, making it easy for visitors to play a round (or two) between flights. The club is also open to the local community, and has a full fixture list for the season.
The sand course may seem a little unusual to many visitors; instead of ‘greens’ there are ‘browns’. These are created by compacting rolled and treated sand, and - as players quickly discover - they provide an extremely true putting surface. The front nine holes (par 35) are played on an archeological site which, thousands of years ago, was the original Abu Dhabi coastline; the back nine (par 36), have been constructed on flatter reclaimed land. In addition to the customary hazards of water and the rough, players must also contend with occasional burrows dug by desert lizards known as dhubs!
For travellers interested in working on their golfing technique, the teaching academy features the most advanced and innovative golf teaching technology in the world. Here, the process of learning golf is both enjoyable and effective. The Academy has installed a Royle Golf Visual Communication System, through which golf swings can be professionally assessed on monitors. This enables students to compare their swings with those of some of the game’s greatest players.
The system is complemented by ‘Durnian Frames’ - specially designed metal frames through which golfers can perfect their swing plane by following the line of the frame. These frames have been designed by Dennis Durnian (a pro on the Seniors Tour), and the AGGC is only the third teaching centre in the world to host this advanced technology.
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