Al Badia Golf Club Awarded Gold Flag Status

Wishaw (United Kingdom) – March 17, 2014 – The annual 59Club awards, presented by Europe’s leading golf-specific mystery shopper service and regarded by many as the ‘Oscars’ of the golf service industry was recently hosted at The Belfry, UK. Al Badia Golf Club, home of the European Challenge Tour Grand Final, has been awarded “Gold Flag” status from their benchmarking company 59Club for providing an unrivalled member and guest experience from the club, highlighting the great golf course presentation and golf operations along with their Food & Beverage excellence.

Al Badia not only celebrates being one of the first golf clubs outside the UK to win a gold flag award, but managed to do so within their first year of being part of 59Club and has seen them ranked alongside Wentworth and The Belfry in the UK.

59Club benchmark all aspects of the golf club experience from both a member and guest perspective, even having a mystery member integrating into the membership to see the full experience. 59Club aims to seek the best individuals and teams in the golfing industry and work with over 100 golf clubs throughout Europe and the Middle East of which only four clubs received Golf Flag status.

James Shippey, golf club manager said: “For us to be awarded the gold flag award in our first year is something of which we are immensely proud. We have been focused on improving all aspects of the club, and in many areas we have achieved these improvements quicker than we expected – although we are always striving for further improvement and to continue our development as a golf facility – with the aim of becoming the industry leader.”

Patrick Ryan, golf course superintendent at Al Badia Golf Club, was nominated in the category for ‘Best golf course superintendant’ signifying that the golf course condition is recognised among the best.

59Club is fast becoming the industry standard for measuring and comparing customer-service levels and analysing all key revenue streams for golf venues, and is committed to the on-going development of club managers and PGA professionals.

Al Badia Golf Club, managed by InterContinental Dubai Festival City, boasts an 18-hole championship golf course designed by the renowned Robert Trent Jones II, as well as an award winning club house facility. The club house is home to two dynamic restaurants, the signature ‘Blades’, international Spikes as well as the chic Tee Lounge and exclusive Trent’s bar. The golf club hosts meeting facilities from the high-tech Boardroom or Houbara meeting rooms to the Shaheen function room and outdoor, exotic Lawn area for banquet dinners or cocktail receptions. Al Badia Golf Club is also home to the regions only TaylorMade Performance Lab golfing academy, for seasoned golfers to fine-tune their swing, or the novice to learn their first pointers.

Contact:
James Shippey – Golf Club Manager
Tel: +971 (0) 4 601 0102
Fax: +971 (0) 4 601 0102
Email: james.shippey@ichdfc.ae