By Kent Gray
Captain Catriona Matthew and her European upstarts deservedly earned the main plaudits at last September’s Solheim Cup but there was a hidden hero with Dubai connections behind the scenes at Gleneagles. Former Emirates Golf Club superintendent Craig Haldane was responsible for the world-class presentation of the Jack Nicklaus-designed Centenary course where Matthew’s side edged Juli Inkster’s Team USA 14½-13½ to win the biennial competition for the first time since 2013. The Centenary course previously hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup but Haldane and his team are doing a grand job on all four courses at the fabled Perthshire venue, including here on the par-3 13th on the Queen’s Course which has been beautified with recently planted heather areas between the tee and the green. Gleneagles celebrated its golfing centenary in 2019 and with so many picturesque holes on offer, a stay and play at the historic Gleneagles Hotel is a must for golf aficionados.

gleneagles.com

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By Kent Gray
One of the Middle East’s leading golf agronomists has landed a dream role at revered Scotland sports estate Gleneagles and goes with the blessings of  – and a glowing reference from – his old employer Dubai Golf.

Craig Haldane has been appointed Golf Courses Manager at the former Ryder Cup venue in Perthshire after a successful 17-year stint in the Middle East, 12 of them in Dubai and the last 11 based at European Tour venue, Emirates Golf Club. The 44-year-old South African will be responsible for Gleneagles’ three championship courses – the King’s, Queen’s and PGA Centenary (which hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup) – as well as the prestigious hotel’s Par 3 layout. He joins at an exciting time with Gleneagles set to host the Solheim Cup in September 2019, also on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Centenary layout.

While sad to see Haldane go, Dubai Golf chief executive Chris May is delighted for his outgoing Director of Golf Course Maintenance who has embraced over-arching responsibility for Emirates G.C. (Majlis and Faldo courses), sister property Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and until recently Al Mouj Golf in Oman, since 2011.

“One of the things I said to Craig is he leaves the club [Emirates G.C.] in a better place than when he joined,” May said.

“He has really developed as an individual with the opportunities he’s had within the company and he’s delivered multiple tournaments and done a great job. He moves to Gleneagles with our best wishes and I’m sure he’ll be successful there. We’re very thankful to him for everything he’s done during his time in Dubai, not only on the golf course but within the entire operation.”

Haldane was playing the mutual appreciation game after an emotional farewell with his team at Emirates G.C. on Monday.

“I’m really proud of the team I built at Emirates Golf Club and feel that we have provided all over the years with an opportunity to grow,” he said.

A fine example of Haldane’s handiwork on the Majlis.

“Dubai Golf has really invested in my development over the years, both in agronomy and outside that, leadership in particular. We’ve developed a service culture within the Dubai Golf structure, which I’ve been a big part of and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed that. I think year after year, having the opportunity to host the events that we do has been exceptionally challenging and exceptionally rewarding at the same time. I consider myself very fortunate to have been given these opportunities…it’s been a privilege to work for them to be honest.”

Haldane’s leadership qualities obviously resonated with Gleneagles’ owner, Ennismore, which has charged the South African with coordinating the entire agronomy operation after the three courses were previously overseen by individual head greenkeepers. At the venue’s seasonal peak, Haldane will run a team of 50 over the three and a half courses.

“I’m delighted. Opportunities like this don’t come up in 20 years,” Haldane said.

“The advert spoke a lot about management of people, leadership and culture change which is a strength of mine. When I saw the advert I really felt like I can go there and make a difference. That, along with a hunger to further challenge myself in a completely different climate and culture meant I simply had to jump at it.”

The Gleneagles role continues a fairytale ride for Haldane who “fell into agronomy” after originally studying sports administration and marketing. He started his career as an apprentice at Fancourt, was grow-in superintendent on the famed George estate’s ‘The Links’ layout – now rated the No.1 course in South Africa by Golf Digest – before moving to Ria Bintan Golf Club in Indonesia with the Gary Player Group. His Middle East odyssey began in 2001 at Riffa Golf Club (now redeveloped and rebranded as The Royal Club), Bahrain where he eventually succeeded Steve Johnson as superintendent before moving to Dubai. After a year at the old Nad Al Sheba 18 holer (9 of which were inside the race track and were redeveloped into The Track, Meydan Golf), he joined Dubai Golf in 2006.

The PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles. Picture courtesy Gleneagles.

Matthew Perry, meanwhile, has been appointed Haldane’s successor after eight years at Dubai Creek. The Englishman starts as Emirates G.C. superintendent next Monday in the run-up to the 10th Omega Dubai Ladies Classic in December and the 30th anniversary of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic next January.

“Matthew has been with us for eight years at the Creek and the condition at the Creek over the past few years has been phenomenal so he deserves his opportunity to step up and take over the reins at Emirates G.C.,” said May.

The team turn out for Haldane’s farewell.

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The canvas for this magic is the Majlis, the marquee course at Emirates Golf Club which proves a layout needn’t be monstrously long or set up like a U.S. Open snore fest to lure players and patrons alike.

Leaderboard charges, largely courtesy of the three reachable par 5s on the back 9, are common place. The collection of 15 other equally compelling risk-and-reward holes ensure southward scoring fluctuations are just as likely, and no less dramatic, especially if the wind whips up.

Craig Haldane is the agronomy artist entrusted with ensuring Karl Litten’s 29-year-old canvas is a fair and aesthetically fitting test each February.

Dubai Golf’s Director of Course Maintenance is sizing up a 10th ODDC as chief superintendent and as ever the club’s harsh desert environ presents new challenges.

A noticeable shift in seasons – by Haldane’s calculations the summer heat lingers six weeks longer than it did when he first began working in the region 16 years ago – means still active Bermuda growth has complicated overseeding with Ryegrass seed to the fairways, tees and rough.

A subtle change this year has seen the green surrounds overseeded with a new variety of ryegrass. The Poa Trivialis allows Haldane’s team to mow lower than normal, bringing the old school bump and run into the Classic equation. The greens remain Bermuda year round but a new tool means the surfaces promise to present even smoother than before, if that is even possible.

“The obvious question re greens is ‘how fast’ are they, when in fairness our aim has very little to do with green speed. For us the smoothness of the ball roll and firmness of the surface is priority,” Haldane explains.

“For the past three seasons we’ve been monitoring our greens moisture levels on a daily basis using a device called ‘The Pogo Stick’ which measures the volumetric water content as a percentage on all surfaces. This means we can manage all our greens to a specific moisture content giving us greater consistency and allowing us to water each individual green on merit.”

The Pogo Stick might have proved its worth, but for Haldane his key resource is his dedicated staff, 90 percent of whom have been at the club as long as he has.

“Our aim this year is, as always, to present a well maintained golf course that is tough but fair. Rough is mown with a progressive cut from 32mm to 64mm and then to 75mm. We want golfers to have the opportunity to hit the ball into the green but to also realise that unless they are hitting it from the middle of the fairway, their ball will likely not hold the firm greens.

“Seeing professionals hacking out sideways is certainly not the goal. If players keep it in the short mown areas they will score well with firm and true greens.”

Cue more Majlis magic.

Editor’s Footnote: Every year Haldane and his team like to spice things up with a mowing surprise. This year hasn’t disappointed with spiral targets mown into the tartan fairway patterns. The centre of each of the “landing targets” are 300 yards from the tee except on the 2nd and 17th holes which are at 90-100 yards to the green given they are short par 4s.
The 18^th has an additional target in the lay up zone in front of the water at 90 yards. 

– This article first appeared in the February edition of Golf Digest Middle East. Image and video footage courtesy Craig Haldane/Dubai Golf

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