The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters broke new ground in March this year when it moved from its home for the past 23 years, Doha Golf Club, to the recently-opened championship layout at Education City Golf Club, which is located just a few miles away.
Built next to Education City Stadium, one of the host venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the golf courses at Education City were designed by two-time Masters Champion José María Olazábal, with the facilities comprising 33 holes split into three courses of 18, nine and six holes. The club also boasts a double-ended driving range, and a state-of-the-art coaching academy housed in the venue’s Centre of Excellence.
Players and spectators at the tournament – which was the last European Tour event to be staged before the Covid-19 lockdown – were impressed with the condition and presentation of the course, which was in large part thanks to the hard work of Education City’s green staff and its array of John Deere equipment.
John Deere was initially chosen as the club’s preferred equipment supplier when it opened in 2018 and became the Official Golf Course and Turf Maintenance Machinery partner. Education City is quipped with a comprehensive range of John Deere machinery, including the latest E-Cut hybrid electric greens and fairway mower technology. The local John Deere dealer, Progressive Trading, has supported the golf course throughout the partnership with machine selection and set-up, to ensure that the entire fleet delivers a quality finish to the playing surfaces.
During the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, John Deere and Progressive Trading were able to invite key customers from diverse countries to visit the venue, meet the greenkeeping team, and review course maintenance solutions and performance under unique climatic and championship conditions.
“Such an event is a great opportunity for customers to experience turf management from a new perspective, in a different part of the world with different challenges such as high temperatures,” said Carlos Aragones, John Deere’s Manager Sales & Marketing, Golf & Turf Europe, North Africa, Near & Middle East and CIS. “All this was represented at Education City Golf Club’s state-of-the-art venue. My sincere congratulations go to the event management and greenkeeping team for the outstanding quality of presentation and the tournament’s success.”
Education City General Manager Michael Braidwood added: “Our guests were particularly impressed by the facilities and extremely high standards of course maintenance. They also appreciated how Education City Golf Club organised and delivered a very successful championship tournament, while supporting the continued growth of the game of golf in the Middle East.”