Troon Golf, ® has been selected to manage Abu Dhabi Golf Club, located in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Combined with The Montgomerie Dubai and The Dunes at Dubai Sports City, Abu Dhabi Golf Club marks the third golf facility in the Middle East to be managed by Troon Golf.
Abu Dhabi Golf Club is a semi-private facility featuring 18 holes of world-class golf on the National course and an additional, more forgiving, 9-holes on the Garden course, just ten minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 20 minutes from the city centre.
Resting upon undulating terrain and lush fairways, both courses roll through the surrounding desert and create a flourishing oasis meandering around seven salt-water lakes, lined with mature palms and ornamental shrubs. The iconic clubhouse designed in the shape of a falcon landing on a golf ball has three floors of lounges and fine-dining restaurants. This dramatic clubhouse serves as a symbol of the high standards the club has become known for.
Coming off the second successful Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the Abu Dhabi Golf Club continues to turn heads. By hosting this European Tour event annually, the club has positioned itself as a major golf destination.
With a vision to elevate Abu Dhabi Golf Club to even higher levels, D.J. Flanders has been announced as the new general manager at the club along with Saeed Elgazar, as the assistant general manager & director of food & beverage.
D.J. Flanders earned his degree in professional golf management from Mississippi State and started his career with Troon Golf in 1999 when he became the head golf professional at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas. He later served as the Director of Golf at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. before taking his previous position at The Phoenix Seagaia Resort in Miyazaki, Japan, home of The Dunlop Phoenix Tournament.
Saeed Elgazar, fluent in Arabic, was educated at the University of Alexandria, Egypt and has worked as the food & beverage manager at a number of prestigious international restaurants and hotels in Greece and other parts of the world including the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. as food & beverage manager. While there, he directed operations at the famed Deseo restaurant. Saeed joined Troon Golf in 2004 directing the F&B operations at Anthem Country Club in Nevada before moving to The Club at St. James Plantation in Southport, North Carolina in 2005 where he was directly responsible for eight food & beverage outlets out of 3 clubhouses.
“This is another big step for Troon Golf in the UAE and will present all of the clubs with many exciting new opportunities; additional cross marketing and enhanced member benefits to name a few,” said Mark Chapleski, area managing director, Troon Golf Middle East. “We are looking forward to creating a greater awareness of the advantages and benefits of the club and are fortunate to have two highly experienced professionals in D.J. Flanders and Saeed Elgazar at the helm. Abu Dhabi marks the fourth Troon Golf facility in the Europe/Middle East region to host a Tour event and we will use this experience to raise the club’s profile even further within the inbound target markets.”
The Abu Dhabi Golf Club is owned by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) and recently underwent the first of a $5.5 million two-phase upgrade programme. TDIC believes that the agreement with Troon Golf complements the upgrade to deliver a truly consistent world-class golfing experience.
“This appointment reflects our commitment to taking the golf experience in the UAE capital to the next level,” said Lee Tabler, CEO, TDIC. “Troon is renowned for creating extraordinary experiences at the greatest golf properties in the world by providing superior service, amenities and playing surfaces. We are looking to harness this expertise to lift the overall offering to members and guests.”
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Troon Golf is the world’s largest golf management company, overseeing operations at more than 185 courses located in 30 states and 22 countries.
Troon Golf www.troongolf.com