Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship village comes to life

Fans flocking to the highly anticipated 2020 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA this week will be rewarded with world class golf on the course and new levels of family fun and wellness off it. As preparations for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship village reach the final stages, this year’s tournament promises unprecedented on-course excellence and excitement and a Village experience that is bigger and better than ever with a variety of entertainments on offer to provide thrills for visitors of all ages and interests.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Village will focus on wellbeing and family fun, reflecting HSBC’s global commitment to golf that encompasses all levels of the game, from grassroots to elite, and also the Abu Dhabi Sport Council’s drive to unite communities through sport. There will be a variety of golf activities available to unearth the next generation of Falcon Trophy winners, while adults will have ample opportunity to join in as well as to relax in the shade, enjoying the massages and manicures on offer.

Making its debut in the Village is the Abu Dhabi Sports Council Roadshow: a circuit area that promotes the various championships and leagues taking place in the country in the upcoming year. Fans will have the unique chance to connect with these events taking place in 2020, as well as demonstrate their athletic ability to friends and family.

Whether challenging your friends to show their sporting ability – both in virtual reality and real-life – or enjoying the live music and mouth-watering array of food and beverages on offer, fans visiting the Abu Dhabi Golf Club will be treated to an unforgettable experience.

With so many things to do, all visitors will be given a scorecard upon entrance to the HSBC Fan Village and are eligible to receive a gift from the print station once three or more activations have been completed. The activities available to visitors within the HSBC Fan village include:

Wellbeing Area – Reserved for HSBC customers only the wellbeing area offers the chance to take a break from the action and receive a complimentary massage or manicure from the nail bar.

1-Million Step Challenge – Promoting the health benefits of golf, visitors are set the challenge of walking 10,000 steps to contribute to the overall target of one million. The first 100 participants to accomplish this challenge each day can redeem and personalise a reusable water bottle.

#Mosaic – All visitors to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA are encouraged to take photos and post them using #BestOfTheBest, #ADGolfChamps and #AllEyesOn. These will then be used to form a giant mosaic that will develop over the five days and reveal the HSBC logo.

The Print Station – Visitors have the opportunity to create unique and personalised merchandise as souvenirs to take away with them.

Kids Zone – Youngsters have the chance to run around and explore the Village’s exciting adventure playground. From ball pits and climbing walls, VR golf and iPad games, to opportunities for arts and crafts, children can have fun and unleash their creativity.

Splash Pad – An area where youngsters can come along and make a splash, while also cooling off from the heat.

Chip the Emirates – Participants’ chipping skills are put to the test, with seven targets of all shapes and sizes put in front of challengers. It’s by no means an easy task, as each ball must stay on its Emirates-decorated target in order to count.

The Long Putt – Another difficult challenge for the Village’s golfers to take on. Participants are required to putt up a 50 ft slope, into three holes in the rear wall of different sizes, each worth different points totals. Hitting the hole that has its light on means double points.

HSBC Future Falcons – Future generations of golfing talent have the chance to show off their skills with a series of challenges. The HSBC Future Falcons programme aims to support youngsters between the ages of 8 to 16 and encourage them to take up the game. The HSBC Future Falcons tent inside the Championship Village provides three activations focusing on Swing, Chip and Putt:

Swing – Kids can work towards perfecting their swing, by teeing off with a tri-golf ball and knocking down as many targets as they can.
Chip – Young participants have a go at ‘Chip-Tac-Toe’ – the classic game, played in golf style. Challengers can play either 1v1 or 2v2, aiming to chip their colour ball into the square target three times in a row to score and win the game.
Putt – It’s a race against the clock for the Village’s young golfing talent, with one minute to complete putts from 2ft, 4ft, 6ft, 8ft and 10ft in succession on the practice green. Miss and it’s back to the start.

In Addition to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship village, spectators can enjoy the following in the Championship Village:

ITU Triathlon Challenge Zone – Fans are challenged to take on the swim pit, an interactive running game and the bike ‘n’ blend activation in a bid to prove they are ready for the 2020 ITU Triathlon.

Obstacle Course – Designed to challenge a range of attributes, the obstacle course is a test of power and speed, with activities including a balance beam, Spartan slide and Monkey bars among others.

The Foodsters – All visitors will be fully catered for by a fleet of food trucks, providing a social area for guests to enjoy “great food, great service, and great atmosphere”.

H.E. Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “The Championship Village plays a very important role in making sure all visitors enjoy their experience here in Abu Dhabi. It’s become a key part of the tradition at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA, ensuring there is absolutely something for everyone. With the world-class on-field action promising to be better than ever, we want all visitors to enjoy a memorable experience off the course too. I am particularly delighted a big focus of this year’s Village is on the experience of the HSBC Future Falcons, introducing them to the sport and encouraging them to lead a healthy and active life.”

Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO of HSBC UAE, said: “I’m hugely excited that the Championship Village will once again return and provide such an entertaining backdrop to one of the world’s premier golfing events. If they’re not out on the course enjoying the action, spectators of all ages will have plenty to do with such a fantastic variety of free activities and entertainment on offer for the whole family.”

First staged in 2006, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA is being hosted at the iconic Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the 15th consecutive year from January 16-19, 2020.