We catch up with LIV Golf ahead of its first trip to Valderrama, preview the Aramco Team Series’ return to where it all began at Centurion, and look back on another successful Golf Digest Middle East Play & Stay event.

Wonderkid Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat gives us an insight into how he balances life on the road and school, plus Lee Westwood relishes a ‘homecoming’ in the Asian Tour International Series.

The Golf Digest Hot List also gets to grips with the best golf balls on offer this year.

All this and much, much more in the July 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

The post Get the July 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here today! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

DJ Khaled reveals his passion for golf, while Mark Chapleski gets set for the easy life in retirement.

Abdullah Al Naboodah takes us through his new role with the European Tour Group, while Lucas Herbert gives tips on mastering the greens.

Golf Digest Middle East’s Play & Stay is back, and we are inviting you to join us at Yas Island’s top venues for a weekend to remember.

The Golf Digest Hot List also gets to grips with the best wedges on offer this year.

All this and much, much more in the June 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

The post Get the June 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here today! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Rory McIlroy. Getty Images

Have you secured your Yas Island Golf Staycation yet?

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to compete on these two great golf courses and enjoy a night’s stay with evening brunch & breakfast included.

FOR ONLY AED 1,295 you and your friend will get:

• One spot in nine-hole tournament (individual stableford format) at Yas Acres Golf & Country Club with 5pm shotgun on Friday June 9
• Evening brunch for two with house beverages at Stills
• Overnight stay for two at Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi – Yas Island
• On Saturday June 10, breakfast for two at Jing Asia & one spot in 18-hole tournament (individual stableford format) at Yas Island Abu Dhabi

Book now to secure your spot before it’s too late. Time is running out, so act fast!

The post Play & Stay: Now you can win a Pro-Am spot at the 2024 Dubai Desert Classic appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Golf Digest Middle East’s Play & Stay competition is back — and this time we are heading to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to offer one of the finest golfing experiences the capital has to offer. 

Following the successful inaugural edition in Dubai, GDME Play & Stay — in association with Viya Golf — returns bigger and better. 

For just AED 1,295, you and a friend (twin share or double) can enjoy a two-day staycation on Yas Island with one playing spot in each round at Yas Links Abu Dhabi and Yas Acres Golf & Country Club, either side of a luxury pampering at Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi – Yas Island on June 9 and 10. Non-golfers can chill at Crowne Plaza’s Cyan Beach or pool and enjoy discounted offers at the Crowne Fitness spa and sauna.

It’s no problem if you’re a couple that golf together or a pair of golfing pals looking for an epic weekend away either. A second spot in either tournament can be booked for AED 150 (Yas Acres) and AED 290 (Yas Links).

Registered players will arrive at the hotel on Yas Island on Friday for a reception, followed a short jaunt for an early evening nine-hole showdown over Yas Acres’ stunning course. 

Following a luxurious night at Crowne Plaza, including a Friday night brunch with house beverages at Stills, and Saturday breakfast at Jing Asia, guests will head to the famous Yas Links to blow away the cobwebs in an 18-hole shotgun competition on the coast of the windswept Arabian Gulf.

THE PLAY

Yas Acres Golf & Country Club
First up on early Friday evening is the UAE’s newest arrival on the golfing scene. Yas Acres Golf & Country Club opened last year to a great reception from local golfers and visitors from abroad, and it continues to grow in popularity, having been added to Viya Golf’s growing portfolio of clubs across the UAE. 

The nine/18-hole set-up is perfect for experienced golfers, budding youngsters, weekend warriors and those who just like to relax and let the others do the hard work.

The par-36 track will test golfers with long holes, spanning 130 acres, across challenging contours and a low ridgeline that runs through the centre of the course. Some massive bunkers add to the experience and, while the fairways are generous, water is in play on four of the holes to keep you on your toes. 

On top on the fully floodlit Fry/Straka-designed nine-hole course — stretching from 2,554 yards to a challenging 3,700 yards from five different tee boxes — Yas Acres has a lot more to offer in the heart of Yas Island.

Away from the course, golfers of all levels can work on their game at the world-class floodlit practice facilities, including two chipping greens, with practice bunkers, USGA-approved putting greens — and the longest driving range in the UAE.

The club also offers a gymnasium, padel tennis, swimming pool, plus three restaurants with views over the course.

YAS LINKS abu dhabi
Saturday’s tournament will be a day to remember regardless of your score as competitiors will follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s greatest golfers at the famous Yas Links. This is a true links golf course, located on the western shores of Yas Island with views of the Arabian Gulf and is home to the DP World Tour Rolex Series Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. 

Designed by American Kyle Phillips of Kingsbarns, Scotland, fame, Yas Links forms the heart of the island’s massive entertainment complex. 

As the name suggestions, Phillips fashioned this as a warm-weather links, using two million cubic yards of sand dredged from an adjacent marina to create the shape and contours of the masterpiece, before covering everything with salt-tolerant Paspalum turf. 

Amateurs lucky enough to call the UAE home and international visitors in the know have been smitten for years with one of the region’s most popular tracks, which has been home to the HSBC Championship since 2022, when it switched from Abu Dhabi Golf Club after 16 editions. Being a links set-up, the course offers new challenges with the famous Arabian Gulf breezes wafting in over the mangroves and the undulating layout. 

Beware the stunningly difficult three-hole closing stretch which has been the scene of many amateur-hour meltdowns.

THE STAY

Crowne Plaza
Friday night will be spent in style at one of Abu Dhabi’s most stylish hotels — the What’s On award-winning Crowne Plaza on Yas Island. Located in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s top destination island, the hotel resort overlooks Yas Links and has its own private Cyan Beach on the shores of the Arabian Gulf — perfect for sundowners and beautiful sunsets.

As well as all the entertainment venues on the hotel’s doorstep — including F1 racetrack, Ferrari World, Warner Bros and Yas Waterworld, Yas Mall is also only a stone’s throw away for those in need of retail therapy. For Golf Digest Middle East Play & Stay non-golfers who fancy the luxury life without straying too far, the hotel offers an outdoor pool, fitness centre, kids club, dining outlets and a shisha garden. Non-golfing guests can continue to use facilities on Saturday, with late-check-out  available.

Signup

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We’ve studied the 12 former winners spanning 14 Opens and 127 years at Royal St George’s and drawn an extremely long bow to select our long-shot winner for ‘Sandwich’ (golf is hard and picking winners of majors even harder!). We’ve even dug up a James Bond link to the famous Kent coast linksland.

Elsewhere, we get the inside oil on the Emirates Amateur Golf League’s Mini-Series at Jumeirah Golf Estates, visit the José María Olazábal-inspired golf resort in the Maldives and bring you all the shenanigans from Golf Digest Middle East’s inaugural Play & Stay at Trump Dubai and Radisson Hotels Dubai DAMAC Hills.

Russell Hill, the osteopath father of Middle East amateur No.1 Josh Hill, explains how to avoid falling into a perpetual injury cycle (and how to get out if you’ve already fallen) while Dubai Creek teaching professional Matthew Brookes shows you a simple way to nail your set-up for every full-swing shot.

Don’t miss our Playing Through feature which offers a fascinating insight into the future of the royal and ancient game and pick your next fairway wood weapon in the latest instalment of our Hot List equipment guide.

All this and much more in the July 2021 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided or download the bumper July 2021 issue FREE to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

The post Get the July 2021 issue of Golf Digest Middle East FREE today! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Like turning the traditional Stay & Play on its head by putting the playing before the staying and then upping the ante when it comes to the hotel side of the equation. The feedback after the inaugural Golf Digest Middle East Play & Stay proved this flip-flop was a hit, the field unanimous in their approval of the weekend hosted by Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills.

Ryan Westby and Leigh Molineux, in particular, savoured the golf at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai after being crowned champions of their respective divisions. Westby captured division A for 0-12 handicappers with 32 stableford points while Molineux not only won division B but also waltz away with the nearest the pin prize on Trump Dubai’s signature 17th hole. For the record, Molineux signed for 42 points to pip James Walsh by a point in the 13-24 handicappers division.

Other nearest the pin prizes – all the winner’s goodies came courtesy of eGolf Megastore –  were claimed by Devin Hipkin (3rd) and Louis-Florent Daspre who was closest to the pin in two fine strokes on the 8th. Robert Mullen, meanwhile, channelled his inner Bryson DeChambeau to claim longest drive glory on the 13th.

After golf came the sumptuous stay where participants and their significant others enjoyed the best Dubai’s swishest new 4-star hotel has to offer including a tasty post-match brunch at Hessa Street Kitchen.

After a full day of play after some early pampering (including beard trims by Bristles & Mane and neck and shoulder massages from Dreamworks Spa) and fun challenges from our pals at TEPfactor, the brunch and post-round nightcaps sealed a memorable day. But we weren’t done with a late, late check-out the following day allowing participants to enjoy Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills’ facilities including The Hills Pool Deck until late on Saturday evening.   

Check out all the action in our photo gallery and event video here:

GDME Play & Stay 1

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Photos and video by Mark Mathew

See you at the next Golf Digest Middle East Play & Stay, or will it be a Stay & Play? All to be revealed soon! Stay tuned.

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