Abu Dhabi – Gary Player designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has received certification in Environmental Planning from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP), an international program administered by Audubon International designed to help landowners preserve and enhance the environmental quality of their property. The plan was developed by Marcus Hartup, Director of Agronomy, who is also recognized for his effort to plan environmental stewardship.
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses provides an advisory service to help existing golf courses develop effective conservation and wildlife enhancement programs. The worldwide effort is coordinated by Audubon International and is sponsored in part by the United States Golf Association.
“The open space of golf course is utilized not only by golfers, but is habitat for a variety of wildlife species,” explained Jim Sluiter, Staff Ecologist for Audubon International. “We welcome Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s commitment to the environment and to managing the golf course with wildlife in mind.”
By joining and participating in the ACSP, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will be involved in projects that enhance habitat for wildlife and preserve natural resources for the benefit of the local community. “The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program benefits both people and wildlife,” said Sluiter. “It’s a great way of the managers of developed properties and environmental organizations to work together to become better stewards of land and natural resources.”
After the environmental plan is approved, properties in the program may apply for certification in Wildlife and Habitat Management, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, Water Quality Management, and Outreach and Education by demonstrating that they have met minimum requirements for each category.
Audubon International is an environmental organization dedicated to educating, assisting, and inspiring millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife and natural resources around them. In addition to businesses, Audubon International also provides programs for golf courses, schools, communities, and new developments.
“We are very proud to have worked with the team at Saadiyat to help achieve this recognition from Audubon International. The environmental sensitivity directive issued by TDIC, the developer of Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, fit in perfectly with our continued commitment to design eco-friendly courses around the world,” said Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design.
About Gary Player Design
Widely recognized as the world’s most successful golf course architectural firm, Gary Player Design established by Marc Player in 1983 has over 325 championship courses spanning the globe. With an ever-increasing number of courses stretching across five continents and encompassing more than 35 countries, the firm is renowned for its select and ecological approach to design.
Magazines such as Golf Asia, Travel & Leisure, Golf Digest, Golf Week, Golf World Worldwide Golf, and The Complete Golfer have consistently listed Gary Player courses among the top places to play. Travel & Leisure Golf named Leopard Creek in South Africa one of the top ten Best International Courses; Geneva National was referred to by Golf Week as the best course you can play in America; and Golf, Inc. named Blacksearama in Bulgaria the 2010 International Development of the Year. Awards and accolades such as these are numerous, and for good reason. Gary Player Design doesn’t simply design the course and walk away; they also provide the consulting services that will guide a newly established project through the implementation steps necessary to ensure success. The results are premier golf courses & resorts that provide golfers with a unique style of luxury, the challenge of risk versus reward, and a truly memorable experience.
Although Gary Player’s golfing expertise influences every project, Gary Player Design offers three tiers of golf course design service; Black Knight Design™, Player Design™, and Gary Player Signature Design™. On Signature Design projects, Mr. Player is involved in every phase of design and development. With over 50 years of professional golf experience, Player, The World’s Most Traveled Athlete™ has visited and studied most of the great golf courses of the world so he understands that the design of a course takes both vision and respect for existing conditions. His design philosophy, and also that of The Player Group, is to create challenging yet playable courses that enhance the existing resources and retain the natural beauty of the land. Environmental sensitivity is a cornerstone of Gary Player’s passion for golf course design.
Gary Player, often referred to as the Black Knight, is one of the century’s greatest golfers and one of the original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He is one of only five golfers to ever win the Grand Slam on the PGA Tour and the only golfer to win the Grand Slam on both the regular and Champions Tour. Over the course of his career, Player participated in 438 Tour events, placed in the top 25 in 281 of them, and won 165 worldwide tournaments. Player, whose career earnings exceed $15 million, is a legend in his own time. Currently serving as The Global Ambassador to the World Golf Hall of Fame, he has been a three-time President’s Cup Captain and is ranked by Golf digest as one of the top ten all-time golf greats. Player’s iconic status in sport adds immeasurable marketing value to all golf course design assignments he accepts. His legacy will most certainly ensure Gary Player’s Design success for many years to come.
For further information on Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate or Black Knight International, visit www.garyplayerdesign.com or contact Scott Ferrell at + 1-864-477-2720.
Contact:
