Gary Player clinic in Abu Dhabi

Gary Player's clinic for Abu Dhabi kids

  Gary Player, the golfer who invented the phrase 'the harder I practice, the luckier I get!' was keen to teach youngsters many more lessons when he re-visited Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Beach Golf Club this week – the Arabian Gulf’s first ocean front course which his design company created.

That's my girl!

He emphasised how important it is to keep fit and keep practising to develop their talents and make the very best of the superb facilities at their disposal.

The session was arranged by Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s master developer, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), as part of the Abu Dhabi government’s long-term commitment to developing the UAU's aspiring sport enthusiasts at the grass-roots level.

Player with a young student

The course will also boast two freshwater and one saltwater lake with landscaping utilising native grasses and desert palms and officially opens in February 2010.

When he unveiled his design, Player said: "While there is considerable focus on the Championship tees, there are several sets of tees on each hole to accommodate all levels of golfers, a philosophy that is very important to me and my design company. This course truly brings golf to nature.

"The design has concentrated on strategic values that will stand the test of time and I strongly believe it will prove to be one of the most dramatic and challenging golf courses in the Middle East, if not the world."