SPONSORED CONTENT: When the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic begins on May 1, the emirate’s pioneering golf club will continue its tradition of pushing the innovation envelope.

Golf first met grass in the Middle East at Emirates Golf Club’s legendary Majlis layout in 1988 and now, 31 years later, the club’s sister course will host part of the Ladies European Tour event’s new-look Pro-Am under lights. 

The emirate’s extended golf season will be showcased like never before to a global audience but it won’t just be the futuristic Dubai Marina Skyline shinning bright. So too will be Dubai Golf’s commitment to sustainability thanks to a 12-month upgrade to the Faldo course’s floodlighting. 

Etihad Energy Service Company (Etihad ESCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of DEWA, partnered with Abacus Lighting to fully retrofit the 18-hole championship course with LED lighting. The replacement of the existing metal halide solution over three months has improved the overall quality of light across the golf course, enhancing energy savings by 60 percent and reduced a whopping 499.375 tons of CO2.

The installation of the new LED lights on the Faldo Course at Emirates Golf Club is a continuation of Dubai Golf’s push towards sustainability in an environment, given the climatic conditions, often at odds with green practices.

Last year Emirates Golf Club partnered with National Geographic in the pursuit of the complete elimination of single-use plastic water bottles at the club. The initiative was showcased when the club held the first ever ‘National Geographic Planet’ or Plastic Golf Tournament’ on December 15, 2018. The tournament set the precedent for the movement, as all players received a refillable water flask instead of the plastic bottles usually provided. The reduction of single-use plastic will continue on in 2019, with a drastic drop in use of plastic cups, straws and bags at the club to soon follow suit.

“Sustainability has always been one of the cornerstones of Dubai Golf’s ethical principles and we strive to be pioneers in this movement,” said Barney Coleman, Club Manager at Emirates Golf Club Club.

“Golf clubs have a huge geographical footprint in a city and it’s our role to not only provide the community and our members with the very best experience, but to do so in a way that lessens our environmental footprint; whether that be the use of commodities from local suppliers, or eliminating single-use plastics, something we hope to achieve fully by the end of this year. 

“Changing to a more ecological lighting system was a natural move for us and we’re thrilled to be the first golf club in the region to do so.”

Ali Al Jassim, CEO of Etihad ESCO, said: “Luxury leisure and recreation venues in Dubai could be high energy consuming and moving towards an environmentally-friendly approach, providing such facilities in Dubai, is a testament to the increasing awareness towards energy sustainability in the UAE.

“Our strategic agreement with Dubai Golf further supports the country’s efforts to achieve 30 per cent reduction in energy consumption by 2030 and brings us another step closer towards meeting our sustainability goals.”

Dubai Golf’s greener approach ramped up in 2011 when it implemented recycling across both Emirates Golf Club and sister club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club in partnership with Dulsco.

Every year the team at Dubai Golf Creek and Yacht Club partakes in the ‘clean up our world’ campaign in an effort to protect the local surroundings.

The 54-hole Dubai Ladies Moonlight Classic runs from May 1-3.

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