The Emirates Golf Club is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and it will also be the 25th Dubai Desert Classic, which has been played on the Majlis course for all but two years.
To mark the historic occasion for the club, it has come up with a novel idea to record the history of both the club and the tournament – a unique gallery comprising one of the clubs used by the various champions from the tournament when they won, or from the same year.
Starting from the Ben Hogan persimmon driver of 1989 champion Mark James to the Titleist wedge of defending champion Stephen Gallacher, with which he holed his second shot for an eagle two on the par-4 16th on the Sunday last year, the collection has clubs from every one of the 24 championships that have been hosted so far.
The gallery is the brainchild of Chris May, CEO of Dubai Golf, who said the thought first crossed his mind almost three years ago when on a visit to the Wentworth club in Surrey, England, host venue of the BMW PGA Championship and headquarters of the European Tour.
He said: “It took us almost two years to turn the idea into reality. It was a massive logistical issue getting in touch with all the past champions, and I must thank Mohammed Juma Buamaim and his team at golf in DUBAi for their assistance in getting this done.
“We just thought it added great value to the history of the golf club and what better time to do it than the 25th anniversary of the club, and the championship.”
The clubs are on display on either side of the main door of the clubhouse. It is an open display, which means fans can actually touch and feel the clubs, but cannot take them out.
Next to the gallery is a framed pinflag from the 20th Dubai Desert Classic, which has the signature of each and every winner, barring the legendary Spaniard Seve Ballesteros.
However, his family donated a Slazenger sandwedge used by him in 1992, and the pattern of wear on the grooves clearly shows how pure his ballstriking was.
What: Champions Club gallery
When: Permanent display, open all days
Where: Clubhouse of Emirates Golf Club
Contact: 04-3801234
LIST OF CLUBS
Following are the clubs put up in the gallery…
1989 Mark James – Ben Hogan persimon driver, the only wooden club in the collection
1990 Eamon Darcy – Titleist sand wedge 1991 No tournament
1992 Seve Ballesteros – Slazenger sand wedge
1993 Wayne Westner – Gary Player Anvil 9 iron
1994 Ernie Els – Callaway Big Bertha 3 wood, the course record was set using this club
1995 Fred Couples – Cleveland sand wedge
1996 Colin Montgomerie – Gold plated Ping Zing putter
1997 Richard Green – Ping Anser putter
1998 Jose Maria Olazabal – McGregor Tourney 60 degree wedge
1999 David Howell – Mizuno Tour Star putter
2000 Jose Coceres – Callaway Big Bertha 3+wood
2001 Thomas Bjorn – Taylor Made Burner 3 wood
2002 Ernie Els – Taylor Made X300 5 iron
2003 Robert Jan Derksen – Cleveland sand wedge(signed)
2004 Mark O’Meara – Titleist 907 D2 8.5 degree driver(signed)
2005 Ernie Els – Titleist 905T 8.5 degree driver
2006 Tiger Woods – Nike VR driver 10.5 degree
2007 Henrik Stenson – Callaway 58 degree wedge
2008 Tiger Woods – Nike VR driver 9.5 degree
2009 Rory McIlroy – Titleist Vokey 46 degree wedge(signed)
2010 Miguel Angel Jiminez – Ping Tour 60 degree wedge
2011 Alvaro Quiros – Callaway X 56 degree wedge
2012 Rafael Cabrera Bello – Titleist 910H hybrid club,20 degree
2013 Stephen Gallacher – Titleist Vokey wedge 52 degree(signed)
