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In addition to providing a stunning setting for the UAE Challenge, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is leading the way in the region with its sustainability practices and environmental protection processes.
Implementing sustainable practices is part of the European Tour Group’s commitment to furthering golf in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner. At Saadiyat, adopting sustainable practices is a top priority.
Cory FinnViya Golf and Abu Dhabi’s director of golf course agronomy, has been one of the driving forces behind the work that has been done in recent years to ensure that Saadiyat remains a model of what can be done.
Give back to the environment
“It’s not just the club’s goal, it’s my goal and our team’s goal, which is to better manage the land created here,” he said. “We’re a unique property. It’s pretty cool to create a man-made ecosystem that really gives back to the environment.
“In the clubhouse and inside the pitch, we don’t use plastic. That’s in the restaurant, on the pitch. Three years ago, the club changed the water system to use recycled water, which is much better for the environment in Abu Dhabi, At the same time, it also saves a lot of costs for the club.
“With the water change, we decided to go down this road and try to make the turfgrass we use here more sustainable. We remodeled all the fairways and surrounding areas 24 months ago. Well done to our new recycled water, it reduces our water usage, and it’s actually a better grass for the golf course.”
curriculum sustainability
In addition to on-field sustainability, the club also provides a sanctuary for more than 190 species of birds, more than 100 gazelles and native plants. They also actively support the hawksbill conservation program on Saadiyat Island.
“Saadiyat is the only Audubon-certified golf wildlife sanctuary in the UAE,” Finn said. “We have 190 species of birds here, some of which are considered extinct. We have over 100 gazelles living and roaming freely here without any intervention from us. They live off what is on the property.
“We’re also very sensitive to hawksbill breeding grounds off the golf course. We’ve gone through a period where we’ve dimmed or turned off the lights on the driving range so we’re not disrupting their breeding cycle when they come ashore to spawn.
“As far as I know, they follow the moonlight, so if they go to the wrong place, they get confused. The beach is very important to them because it’s one of the few hawksbill breeding grounds.”
Turtle Rehabilitation Area
challenge tour star maverick antcliffe He helped release the ‘Eagle’ into the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s turtle rehabilitation area ahead of the UAE Challenge and got a hands-on look at Abu Dhabi’s marine life.
Maverick Antcliff (left) at the Turtle Rehabilitation Area at the Louvre Abu Dhabi
Image Credit: Supplied
Reflecting the natural habitat of sea turtles, Louvre Abu Dhabi was chosen as a rehabilitation area for marine animals to exercise and acclimatize in preparation for their eventual release into Abu Dhabi waters.
The Wildlife Rescue Program is a joint collaboration between Abu Dhabi Environment Authority and Abu Dhabi National Aquarium to rescue, restore and release native wildlife to ensure future generations enjoy a world full of natural treasures.
European Tour group becomes first professional golf tour to commit to net-zero carbon emissions when it signs UN Sport Climate Action Framework, along with the Framework’s Zero Competition Pledge – requiring all signatories to commit to a 50% reduction in direct emissions by 2030 years to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
Closing the 2023 season, the R&A-backed Rolex Challenge Tour Finals will be a net-zero event.
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