The Arabian Ranches Golf Club in Dubai has completed a renovation of its greens at the championship course with both the practice facilities and the golf course now re-opened to both its members and the UAE’s public.

Construction work began on all 18 greens at the Troon Golf-managed, Ian Baker Finch-designed course on June 1, earlier this year.

Throughout the renovation, Sean Kinsley, director of Agronomy Emaar Hospitality Group, was on hand with his team to supervise the project’s progress. The practice putting green at the Emaar property was also rebuilt during the summer, whilst the driving range, turf nursery and the desert surroundings on most holes were also enhanced as part of the ambitious course improvement programme.

“This has been the largest enhancement the club has ever undertaken, since we opened back in February 2004. I’d particularly like to thank the patience of our members who have either deferred or suspended their membership until now. It’s going to be fantastic welcoming them back and showing them first-hand the work we have put into re-surfacing each of the greens and replacing them with a new higher quality playing surface,” said Kinsley.

The renovation was undertaken by Desert Landscape, a division of Desert Group, who completed the project two weeks ahead of schedule. The course was closed to pave way for a greens renovation due to the invasion of foreign grasses, which had affected the uniformity, appearance and smoothness of the greens.

 “They’ve been fantastic throughout and we’ve achieved so much in tandem. From re-surfacing our greens to eliminating the existing mixed turf sward and replacing it with a new higher quality playing surface. It’s been a huge team effort!” Kinsley added.

“Before we started, it was clear that the existing Tifeagle Bermuda turfgrass had become weakened and contaminated with off type mutations, Tifway 419 and significant Paspalum encroachment. However, by bringing together the right expertise, we have now managed to remove this plant material along with the top 150 mm of greens/collars root zone and replaced it with a new USGA Greens Root Zone (greens core) and Red Sand (collar core), before replanting with Platinum TE Paspalum,” Kinsley explained.

Now complete, it is expected that the grass at Arabian Ranches Golf Club will exceed surfaces of other clubs in Dubai, re-establishing itself as a local favourite, and one of the best value courses in Dubai. Having avoided any significant delays, many ex-members are excited for the club to re-open its doors, to come back and play their home course. – TradeArabia News Service