Abu Dhabi Golf Championship (20 - 23 January 2011)

Abu Dhabi Golf Club, United Arab Emirates

* Voted the Most Improved Club by Middle East Golfer (2011)
* Voted the Best Academy by Middle East Golfer (2011)
* Voted Golf World’s Top 100 Golf Courses (2010)
* Voted the Best Sporting Club by Middle East Golfer (2010)
* Voted the Best Golf Club of the Year by Middle East Golfer (2010)
* Voted the Best Golf Course & Best Golf Club in the Middle East (2009)
* Ranked No. 3 in the Middle East by “Golf Digest” (2009)
* Voted the Best Golf Course in the Middle East (2008)

An oasis of tranquility carved out of the desert, the Abu Dhabi Golf Club is managed by Troon Golf and offers one of the most luxurious golf resort experiences in the Middle East.

The 18 hole championship course, home to the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the largest and most prestigious sporting event in the United Arab Emirates provides a tough but fair challenge, with lush fairways, strategically placed bunkers and generous greens.

Described as a “Super course” by leading sections of the golfing press, the 70 hectares feature one of the finest world-class 18-hole championship golfing facility in the Middle East.

The course was designed in 1989 and certain modifications were initiated, because of the incredible improvements in the playing equipment since that time. The course has been lengthened to 7,590 yards to host the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

Harradine Golf tried to ensure that the alterations and additions reflected the style and vision of the original layout, thus ensuring that the integrity and concept of the original design were mostly preserved.

CommercialBank Qatar Masters (02 - 05 February 2012)

Doha Golf Club, Qatar

* Ranked No. 2 in the Middle East by “Golf Digest” (2009)
* Voted the Best Designed Hole in the Middle East - 15th hole (2008)

Ever since 1998, the Club has hosted the prestigious Qatar Masters tournament, sponsored by Commercialbank and held in January as part of the European and Asian PGA tours schedule.

Each year many of the world’s top golfers compete on the Club’s unique and challenging desert-type Championship Course measuring 7,374 yards from the tournament tees.

Often described by the press and the players as the best course on the European PGA tour the Doha Golf Course is undoubtedly the best course in the Middle East. The QATAR MASTERS has been played in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and has included an impressive field, with such players as Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Ian Woosnam, Vijay Singh, Paul Lawrie, Colin Montgomerie, Paul McGinley, Richard Green, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Seve Ballesteros, Eduardo Romero, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson, Retief Goosen, David Howell, Nick Dougherty, Thomas Björn, Andrew Coltart, Darren Fichardt, Adam Scott, Alvaro Quiros, Rafael Cabrera, Louis Oosthuizen, Steve Stricker.

Lush fairways, greens and water hazards dominate an area which 14 years ago was a barren desert landscape. To complete the transformation from desert to golf course 1 300 palm trees, 10 000 trees and 5 000 shrubs were planted together with 65 cacti imported from the Arizona desert. Seven artificial salt-water and one sweet - water lake ensures that the 50 hectares of manicured fairways and superb greens are maintained to a standard that has won unanimous praise from both PGA European and Asian Tour players and officials.

“UniCredit” ELPGA German Open (24 - 27 May 2012)

Golf Park Gut Häusern, Germany

A fully new dimension of golf close to Munich!

The special combination of the three elements: water, sand and woods give the 18 holes championship course a very particular charisma.

The Par 74/72 course with a length of 6705 meters and six tee positions is a challenge for both sportive golfers and experienced beginners.

Peter Harradine: “With the Golfpark Gut Häusern I was finally allowed to design a golf course, with enough room!”.

Ein Stück Schottland mitten in Bayern

Ausgewählt wurde der Golfpark Gut Häusern von den Verantwortlichen des Deutschen Golf Verbandes (DGV), dem Titelsponsor HypoVereinsbank und der Ladies European Tour (LET) aufgrund seines besonders anspruchsvollen Platzdesigns. Mit sechs Abschlagpositionen je Spielbahn und einer Gesamtlänge von 6760 Metern von den hinteren Tees ist der im Münchner Nordwesten gelegene Championshipcourse auch für Professionals eine besondere Herausforderung. Im Jahr 2003 eröffnet, begeistert der von Peter Harradine nach schottischem Vorbild gestaltete Meisterschaftsplatz Spieler aus aller Welt durch abwechslungsreiche, spektakuläre Spielbahnen und die raffinierte, harmonische Komposition von Wald, Sand und Wasser. Über 100 Hektar hinweg erstreckt sich das weitläufige Areal und zählt damit zu den großzügigsten Golfanlagen Deutschlands. Da ein Großteil des sanftwelligen Geländes als Stadioncourse angelegt ist, haben die Zuschauer von den Hügeln aus optimalen Ausblick auf die gesamte Szenerie.

“Credit Suisse” PGA Seniors Open (01 - 03 July 2011)

Golf Club Bad Ragaz, Switzerland

* “Swiss Golf Resort of the Year 2009” and “Swiss Golf Course of the Year 2009” (Swiss Golf)

The 18-hole Championship Course home to the “Gentlemen’s Tour”, as the PGA Seniors Tour is affectionately known, offers everything that golf enthusiasts could possibly desire. Beginners and professionals alike find here, a very special challenge.

Credit Suisse has been the sponsor of this prestigious event ever since the tournament was first held in 1997, and yearly attracts world-class golfers and crowds of visitors to the foothills of the Alps.

The 5700 m long symbiosis of golf and the natural world – slope 125, course rating 70.1 – was laid out by Don Harradine in 1957 as a flat golf course which combines the beauties of nature for all types of play. Many a golfing ace succumbs to the special charm of this course, with its exceptional standard of care, the unspoiled park setting with firs, birches and pines, the natural water hazards and the impressive mountain backdrop.

The Harradine family has been involved in the design, construction and renovation of three different courses in Bad Ragaz over 3 generations and over a period of 83 years.

Albert Hockey, the step-father of Donald Harradine left London with his brood in 1925 and arrived in Bad Ragaz to up-grade the old 9 hole course whilst he pursued his other duties as Club Manager and Golf professional.

Donald Harradine re-modeled the same layout in 1929 and built the existing 18 hole course in 1956 which he co-designed with Fred Hawtree.

Peter Harradine recently designed and supervised the construction of the “Heidiland” course which is a 9 hole “Resort” layout adjacent to the existing 18 hole course built by his father.

“Deutsche Bank” ELPGA’ Swiss Open (11 - 17 June 2012)

Golf Gerre Losone, Switzerland

* Voted by the players as their Favorite Course on LPGA European Tour (Survey by Golf365, 2009)

Losone is the youngest of the three “Ticinesi” courses and was designed for the “Patriziato” of Losone. Construction started in 1999 and the 18 holes were opened on the 8th of September 2001.

The course is artificially and gently ondulated and is crossed by an artificial stream which feeds three artificial lakes. The large rocks and stones lining the stream and lakes are typical to that particular part of the world and give the course a unique, impressive and original touch. All the rocks and stones were extracted from the sub-soil during construction.

Losone is a “Technical” course with fast greens and a good finishing hole for the spectators as it ends right in front of the club house terrace.

Losone is often described as one of the most beautiful courses in Switzerland.

Il più giovane dei campi da golf ticinesi è stato voluto dal Patriziato di Losone e disegnato dall’architetto Peter Harradine. La costruzione è iniziata nel 1999 e le 18 buche sono state inaugurate l’8 settembre 2001.

Il campo, piacevolmente ondulato, è attraversato in tutta la sua lunghezza da un torrente che, formando tre laghetti, rende il gioco intrigante e appaga l’occhio di chi, oltre al golf, vuole anche passare ore piacevoli nella natura. I sassi, caratteristica peculiare della zona, sono tutti stati estratti durante la costruzione del campo dando al percorso del Golf Gerre Losone un tocco unico, originale e impressionante.

Losone ha dei green velocissimi e con difficili pendenze e sono considerati tra i migliori della Svizzera Le prime 4 buche sono corte ma delicate, l’importante è non rischiare troppo. Poi il campo si fa man mano più difficile e tecnico. Il giocatore deve riuscire a mantenere la concentrazione anche nelle buche corte, proprio per non “sprecare” colpi.

La 18 è una buca che resta impressa nella memoria di tutti i giocatori; un par 4 lungo che finisce proprio davanti alla terrazza della Club-House.

Il Golf Gerre Losone, nonostante la “tenera età”, è stato teatro di numerosi campionati nazionali ed è la sede del Ladies’ Swiss Open, sponsorizzato da Deutsche Bank.

Im Einklang mit der Natur

Par 72, 5656 Meter lang, mitten in einer wunderschönen Landschaft mit Bergsicht: Der Golf Gerre Losone gehört zu den schönsten Golf-Plätzen der Schweiz.

Fragt man die Tour-Spielerinnen, die jeweils das Deutsche Bank Ladies’ Swiss Open bestreiten, über den Golf Gerre Losone, geraten sie ins Schwärmen: Der Platz sei wunderschön, das Ambiente auf der ganzen Anlage toll, der Platz in einem hervorragenden Zustand. Solche Komplimente seien natürlich schön, sagt Clubdirektor Davide M. Lantos, «sie stacheln uns aber auch an, in unseren Bemühungen nicht nachzulassen.»

Der Golfplatz wurde von der Bürgergemeinde Losone gegründet und vom Tessiner Architekten Peter Harradine entworfen. Im September 2001 konnte der Spielbetrieb aufgenommen werden. Dass man bereits 2006 die Ladies European Tour erstmals in Losone begrüssen durfte, «ist ein Privileg», so Lantos. Und er weiss: «Die Spielerinnen haben es hier nicht einfach, ein gutes Score zu erreichen.»

Losone hat schnelle Greens mit schwierigen Neigungen. «Wer die Greens nicht gut lesen kann, hat es schwer», so Lantos. Die ersten vier Löcher seien zwar kurz, dafür heikel. «Man darf nicht zu viel riskieren.» In der Folge wird der Platz immer schwieriger und anspruchsvoller. «Man muss unbedingt versuchen, seine Konzentration zu halten, besonders bei den kurzen Löchern.»

Die 18. Spielbahn werde allen in Erinnerung bleiben, sagt Lantos. Ein langes Par 4, das direkt hinter einem See und vor der Terrasse des Clubhauses endet. Während des Deutsche Bank Ladies’ Swiss Open allerdings wird die Spielbahn verlängert und damit zu einem Par 5. «Die Proetten müssen immer zwischen Angriff oder taktischem Spiel entscheiden. Das ist nicht immer leicht.»

Der Fluss, der durch den ganzen Golfplatz fliesst, ist übrigens künstlich angelegt. Das Wasser wird aus dem Fluss und dem Lago Maggiore gepumpt und auch zur Bewässerung des Platzes genutzt. Die Steine wurden alle während den Bauarbeiten gefunden und direkt in das Gelände integriert – in einmaliger Formation, originell und eindrucksvoll.

European Challenge Tour Egyptian Open (19 - 23 October 2010)

Mirage City Golf Club, Egypt

* MENA Platinum Award for the Best Golf Club in the Middle East and Africa and rated the number one Golf Course in Egypt.

A unique course carved from the desert landscape.

Golfers playing Mirage City will find themselves navigating a series of ponds, lakes and streams that offer constant choice and challenge. With careful placement of tee boxes, the course suits both the beginner and the touring professional.

Signature holes at Mirage City Golf Club include:

* Hole 8 at 578 yards and a par 5 requires you to contend with a large fairway bunker on the left side as well as water the entire stretch of the right, and then the final approach shot needs to navigate a large lake. Eagles and birdies are common, and intelligence and strategy are key to playing this hole.

* Hole 12 measures a little more than 150 yards downhill and over water. A large rock wall surrounds the back of the hole and its blooming color is a sight of sheer beauty.

* Hole 18 measures 416 yards, with a tough second shot uphill to an elevated green guarded by the winding creek.

New to Mirage City Golf Club is the 9 hole, par 32 course, first of its kind in Egypt and offering a dramatic challenge to anyone willing to test their skills.