Sandy Isle

Woods: personal endorsement

We're seeing everything happen in reality from a vision that we have been living for the last 12 months.

Abdulla Al Gurg
Quotes of the week

GOLF NIGHT
Sun, 8.00pm, Sky Sports 2

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Golf Night returned to the Dubai desert this week and found the impossible becoming a reality...

It will cost US$1bn so it's no surprise that the Al Ruwaya GC promises to be one of the most incredible golf courses in the world.

Located 20 miles inland from Dubai in desert terrain, the course is the first to bear Woods' name and when finished will feature 200 building plots ranging from US$1.5-22m.

A total of 11,000 mature trees have been imported from five countries including South Africa and Australia to grace the course while the water bill for the turf nursery is US$120k per month.

The grass is imported in turf form from America and, when ready, is rolled up in strips then laid like carpet on the course.

No wonder Golf Night's Mark Roe calls it "a wonderful piece of sculpture and engineering".

Woods himself is bowled over by the project and said: "It's hard to believe that it is coming to fruition - a project of this scale is something that has never been done in this region before. It's been an amazing challenge but it will also be unbelievably rewarding for everyone involved."

Abdulla Al Gurg, project manager at Al Ruwaya, explained how work has been progressing since Golf Night's previous visit last year.

He said: "We have started grassing at the development. We have completed grassing on holes on two holes - the fourth and fifth.

"The majority of the infrastructure work on the course is in shape. We've shaped all 18 holes and irrigation systems are installed on three. It's quite an exciting time for us. We're seeing everything happen in reality from a vision that we have been living for the last 12 months."

Vetting

Wealth isn't the only requirement for prospective members as all applicants will be heavily vetted before they are admitted to the exclusive development.

"The intent of Tiger is that when you play at the course you will enjoy playing with any of the 500 members who are there rather than close your eyes when you see another member pass by," said Al Gurg. "We are really choosing the best community that we can create at the development.

"The course itself is going to cost us US$140m - that includes the infrastructure works and works that have to go in to create this whole destination. It's among the top five (golf courses ever built)."

Unsurprisingly, Roe is impressed. "It's an incredible feat to take a flat piece of land and at some points on this course they have got it to rise 78 metres," he said. "The amount of sand you have to shift to do that is quite incredible.

"It is a wonderful piece of sculpture and engineering and the fact that money is no object does allow them the licence for their imagination to run wild.

"That's something I do find quite exciting when I look at the project but it's money gone mad to be honest."