Al Mouj Golf is celebrating having won the International Environmental Golf Club Award for 2023 at the Golf Environment Awards, a UK-based program that recognises excellence in environmentally sustainable practices within the sport.
Located at the ocean’s edge within premium lifestyle destination Al Mouj Muscat, Al Mouj Golf is a World 100 course and the awards, organised by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), reward outstanding clubs for how they protect and preserve their natural surroundings.
Since 1995 they have shone a spotlight on eco-conscious matters within golf, attracting hundreds of entries from clubs throughout the world with the winners recently announced at a glittering awards ceremony at the annual BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition in Harrogate, England.
Al Mouj Golf has a long-term commitment to driving sports tourism and to preserving nature and is both a haven for wildlife and a model for sustainability, and it is one of only 20 clubs worldwide to be certified by both Audubon International and Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) for environmental excellence. This latest accolade recognises how brilliantly it demonstrates efficient management across the areas of Nature Conservation Management, Turfgrass Management, Waste and Water Management.
Adding to Al Mouj Golf’s impressive credentials is its status this month (February) as the first club in the Middle East to host The International Series, an elevated series of events featuring top level pro players competing on the Asian Tour, once more highlighting the club’s significance on the world stage.
Al Mouj Muscat CEO Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani, commented: “It has been a great month for Al Mouj Golf and extremely gratifying to earn global recognition once again. As leaders in sustainability, we are seeing tangible results from introducing environmental initiatives and practices, achieving an increase in habitat varieties whilst at the same time improving playing experiences for golfers and providing a positive contribution to wildlife.
“Ten years ago, our Greg Norman designed course opened its doors as the first ever links course in the Sultanate and since then it has had a significant impact on sports and leisure tourism in Oman. In addition to being custodians of our country’s incredible natural beauty, we are innovators who create opportunities for people from all over the world to come and enjoy our natural environment.”
Al Mouj Golf preserves its five freshwater ponds which are habitats for 173 different bird species, and its partnership with Haya Water allows for the collection and composting of grass, plants and tree cuttings. In addition, treated wastewater is used for irrigation and the club retains and rejuvenates the natural Khor as part of its picturesque environment.
Al Mouj Golf is a lush green 72-par course set along 2km of pristine coastline and this latest award win takes its tally of titles up to 23 including being voted in the Top Two in the GCC by Today’s Golfer magazine. It is a three times host of the Oman Open, part of the European Tour and has a resort-like feel owing to additional facilities and services including a teaching academy and floodlit driving range, a fully equipped Pro-shop and a restaurant.
The club is a key tourism asset of Al Mouj Muscat, a joint venture between Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Omran, and Tanmia and Oman’s first Integrated Tourism Complex which attracts 4.9 million visitors a year to its mix of retail, leisure and entertainment options including hotels and a 400 berth luxury marina. Al Mouj Golf has now received 23 International Awards and has welcomed 16,000 golfers in addition to hosting 35,000 guests, with many more expected as part of this latest competition.
The course is a key asset of Al Mouj Muscat, the Sultanate’s leading leisure and lifestyle destination, and a joint venture between Majid Al Futtaim Properties, OMRAN, and Tanmia. As Oman’s first Integrated Tourism Complex Al Mouj Muscat has delivered significant socio-economic impact on job creation, development, foreign direct investment, growth in the number of SMEs as well as across the tourism sector.