The evening celebrations paid tribute to the best-performing properties within 59club’s mystery shopper programme of 2022.

59club’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag awards were presented to 10 properties across the Middle East, Africa & Asia for having achieved the required standard of customer service as well as providing the finest facilities and services for their customers enjoyment, as independently adjudicated by 59club’s comprehensive benchmarking system.

Emirates Golf Club received the highest of those accolades on the night — the Ultimate Service Excellence Award — for their leading performance within the Gold Flag Designations. They also saw their F&B department awarded the team of the year title, a triumph that Mark Bull, 59club MEA Director, revealed had seen Emirates’ CX performance across the F&B department rise by five per cent and the overall golf operation up by six per cent over the past 12 months.

Cian Hurley, Director of Golf at Emirates Golf Club, said: “We are delighted to have won the 59club Ultimate Service Award here at Emirates Golf Club. This is a true reflection of the overall team effort that goes into reaching and attaining the level of service standard we aim for. Working alongside the team at 59club has helped us to realise this achievement, the support provided is invaluable to us.”

Those properties achieving Gold Flag Designations on the night were: Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Hamra Golf Club, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Dubai Hills Golf Club, Els Club, Dubai, Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Trump International Golf Club, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club and Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, six Silver Flag Designations were awarded to Al Zorah Golf Club, Arabian Ranches, Bryanston Country Club, Meydan Golf, Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai, and Vattanac Golf Resort. Aquella Golf & Country Club, Riverdale Golf Club and Thana City Country Club claimed Bronze Flag Status.

Further celebrations were in store for Abu Dhabi City Golf Club after they took the double crown having seen both their Retail & Membership departments awarded 2022 team of the year titles.

Rhian Lobo, General Manager, said: “We’re thrilled to win best Membership sales team, best retail store and reach the 59club Gold Flag award. Congratulations to the entire team for providing exceptional customer experience standards throughout the facility.”

Trump International became the my59 Ultimate Service Excellence Award winners, an honour they have retained for the fourth consecutive year, having consistently demonstrated their commitment to regularly analyse and advance their customer service levels using a wealth of satisfaction surveys.

First time 59club winners Yas Acres Golf & Country Club took to the stage — having only opened last year — and were awarded Agronomy Team of the Year for their consistency on the golf course.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club claimed the Golf Operations Team of the Year award.

Meanwhile, 59club Asia saw success from two newcomers to the 59club community: with Aquella Golf & Country Club claiming a Flag Designation and both the Retail, and F&B Team of the Year accolade.

Vattanac Golf Resort also proved that standards at the Cambodian resort are amongst the highest in Asia, after they scooped 59club’s Golf Operation Team of the Year title, and their greens department won Asia’s Agronomy Team of the Year award for consistently delivering a well-defined and presented golf course of the highest standard.

“It was our pleasure to gather the industry together at JA Resorts for a celebration of the success across MEA & Asia,” said Bull. “Congratulations to all winning clubs and managers. We are already looking forward to making the 2024 awards a bigger and better event for all.”

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Chief among them was a third successive ‘Golf Group of the Year’ title which underpins Dubai Golf’s performance across all business elements – sales, service, operations, retail, food and beverage, and management.

It was a particularly good night for Emirates GC which won ‘Ultimate Members Club’ and had Craig Haldane and Barney Coleman recognised as ‘Greenkeeper of the Year’ and ‘Golf Manager of the Year’ respectively.

Emirates GC

Emirates GC and Dubai Creek also received Gold Flag awards, 59Club’s industry benchmark which recognises the finest membership clubs and commercial venues around the golfing world, including The Belfry, Celtic Manor, Monte Rei and Gleneagles, as well as golf groups such as Marriott Golf and Arabella Golf.

The ‘Ultimate Members Club’ is awarded to the club with the highest average scores of all those receiving a ‘Gold Flag’.

“This is a fantastic achievement for Dubai Golf, further cementing its reputation as world-class amongst a host of leading international golf resorts and clubs,” said Mustafa Al Hashimi, Chief Hospitality & Leisure Officer of wasl Asset Management, owner of Dubai Golf, following the awards ceremony at The Belfry Resort.

Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club

Christopher May, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Golf, added: “We are delighted to be recognised for our commitment to service excellence at this prestigious award ceremony once again.

“The teams at both clubs have focused on improving the service in every area, and it is rewarding to see this compare favourably to some of the best golf operations in the region and overseas.”

Pictured in the main image above at Emirates GC are (from L to R) Abdulla Ali Al Noon, Club Manager – Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Christopher May, CEO – Dubai Golf; Mustafa Al Hashimi, Chief Hospitality & Leisure Officer of wasl Asset Management; Barney Coleman, Club Manager – Emirates Golf Club; Craig Haldane, Director of Golf Course Maintenance – Dubai  Golf.

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