WATCH: Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club gets a major facelift
Matt Perry, EGC Course Superintendent, explains balancing act to get Majlis into shape
Gulf News met up with Matt Perry, Emirates Golf Club Golf Course Superintendent, to chat through the update on ‘Project Greens Renovation’ of the Majlis Course.
The renovation started on May 2 and the course will reopen for play on September 30, firstly for EGC members only and then for non-members from October 17.
Matt has been in Dubai 12 years and has overseen this ambitious summer project and he explained the extent of the project to Gulf News.
“We have recreated the original size of all 18 Majlis greens plus the practice putting green as designed by Karl Litten in the late 1980s,” he said.
“It has resulted in a 33 per cent increase in green size on average and as brought many more greenside bunkers into play with the biggest green size increase of 67 per cent on hole No. 1.
“The greens have been rebuilt under USGA specifications, which involves layers of drainage, gravel and sand.
“The original greens of the Majlis were push-up style, using just the native sand but as agronomy knowledge and technology has advanced over the last 30 years or so, it was right to bring such a classic style course into the 21st century.
“We have used Tiff Eagle grass for the greens and the sprigs were flown over in two refrigerated containers from Georgia, USA.’
“We are delighted with the take up of the sprigs and with two weeks left before the reopening, we are already cutting and rolling the greens every day.’
Parallel to the renovation of the greens, Matt and his 73-strong agronomy staff have also managed other enhancements to the Majlis Course, including bunker drainage, tree thinning and trimming, to encourage air circulation especially around the greens, levelling of some of the tees as well as increasing their size, and enhancing tee stones and their surrounds.
Matt and his team are responsible for the maintenance of the Majlis Course, Faldo Course, Par 3, the landscaping around the club and a new addition has been Topgolf Dubai at Emirates Golf Club.
“The management of Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Golf and Wasl have been hugely supportive of this summer project work and I would like to personally thank them along with the support from especially the 2020-2021 club captains, Boyd Edmondson and Naema Maya,” Matt added.
The Majlis Course and Emirates Golf Club is an iconic flagship facility that was first announced to the golfing world in the late 1980s. It now looks like it will be back to its best and all at Emirates Golf Club should be rightly proud of all their efforts.