In depth with Tom Rourke, General Manager of The Els Club Dubai

Gulf News

GULF NEWS caught up with Tom Rourke, the GM of The Els Club, Dubai to ask him about his career and how the club aligns itself with the Sports City Community. Read the full story here:   See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km

Transcript

00:00I'm Tom Rourke, the General Manager of the ALES Club Dubai in Dubai Sports City.

00:07The facility is managed by Troon Golf International.

00:11I've been at the ALES Club now for nearly two years, but I've been in the region for nearly 17 years.

00:20I've been very fortunate to be based in this part of the world since 2005

00:26and have thoroughly enjoyed being based in this incredible golfing hub of the Middle East.

00:34At the ALES Club, we're very fortunate that the club has been very carefully crafted and named after Ernie Ailes.

00:43Whether it be the Big Easy Steakhouse or whether that be 261 after his record-breaking round,

00:51this is a very special but also designed property around Ernie Ailes and his achievements and legacy.

01:03The ALES Club itself, it's an incredible facility and we're really based a lot around community engagement

01:09and the foundation of the golf club being its membership.

01:12We have a very strong membership which is pretty much full in nearly all categories

01:19and we encourage golfers from complete beginners taking up the game and living in the community

01:25to tourists visiting the region to established golfers and visiting professionals.

01:33From Steve Webster, Aaron Cockerill, Shiv Kapoor, Jeev Milkasinghe, it really is this incredible facility

01:41where I think a lot of the players choose the ALES Club with its foundation being a real members club.

01:47So the facility itself, the playing conditions, the improvements that we're making at the club,

01:52the country club we've recently opened which is a two-storey gym with a studio,

01:57incredible resort, swimming pool, swim-up bar, new F&B outlets, hotel rooms that are going in, paddle courts.

02:05It really is a destination for tourism, for the surrounding community, visiting professional

02:12and really its foundation which is the members of the ALES Club.

02:18The CH3 is very special and unique to this facility.

02:23We have from studios to deliver track man video lessons to a putting studio,

02:30consultation room and it even has its own gym at the facility.

02:34It's a full 360 approach from the short game area, you're using Pro V1 balls,

02:40working on your short game to long game.

02:43We've got some incredible professionals that are teaching some of the world's best

02:47and following them around the world, supporting them with their game.

02:51But you could also be just here on holiday or a member coming for a lesson

02:55and you're really going to receive instruction from some of the world's best instructors

03:00using the most modern technology but also the basics of teaching which they're incredibly good at

03:06which is then going to help take your game to the next level.

03:09Whether that be from a full screening and a long term plan to fixing your slice

03:14or that your kids would like to have golf lessons, we can really offer everything

03:19out of this incredible academy which is at the other end of the practice facility

03:24so you've got your own space, it feels very private but it's also incredibly welcoming

03:29and the team that we have here will really look after you and take your game to the next level.

03:34It's a very special facility, this all year round incredible playing surfaces

03:40which were renowned for some of the best greens in the region

03:43but the incredible undulations and design by Ernie Els and his team is just stunning.

03:49That really when you're playing a hole, you're not playing and seeing other people

03:53on other holes and adjacent to other holes, you really feel absorbed and immersed

03:57in that hole itself with its surroundings and incredible playing surfaces.

04:02We receive great feedback on a regular basis of the condition of the course

04:06and also the service that we offer.

04:09The associates that we've got so many here that have been here since pre-opening

04:14over 13 years and I think that really stands for itself that the environment

04:19that we offer for the associates but also the members themselves in how much

04:23they regard the associates at the club and enjoy being here on a regular basis.

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