Al Hamra Golf Club goes plastic free

Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah, the leading golf club in the Northern Emirates, has announced that it has become the first golf club in the entire Middle East region to go fully plastic-free.
The golf course development owned by Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah’s premier developer, and managed by
Troon International, has eliminated all single-use plastic items from its premises, underlining its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Joining the global movement to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics and conserve the environment, the Golf Club has partnered with the UAE-based ‘No More Bottles’ and eliminated all plastic bottles in addition to introducing high-quality water filtration solutions across the premises.
Mark Chapleski, President of Troon International said: “As plastic waste and pollution increases, we
should all be making a conscious effort to do our part. Al Hamra has started a new sustainable
initiative by being the first golf club to go plastic-free in the Middle East region. Many Troon facilities
throughout the world have begun to reduce plastic waste, however the commitment by Al Hamra Golf Club
is the most extensive in the International portfolio to date. We commend the leadership for
supporting this environmentally positive initiative.”
Featuring a par-72, 18-hole championship golf course, the Golf Club has replaced all plastic water
bottles with branded glass alternatives for members and guests to use. These glass bottles will be cleaned,
sterilised and refilled with the help of advanced environmentally friendly filtration units. As part of greener
and more sustainable introductions, the golf club has also eliminated the use of plastic across its operations
including single-use plastic straws, stirrers and take away containers.
This follows the recent lead by the R&A who removed single-use plastic bottles at the 2019 Open
Championship.
Christopher Hewett, Vice President-Hospitality and Leisure, Al Hamra Group, said: “We are committed to preserving the environment and promoting environmental best practices. The decision
by the Club to eliminate single-use plastic, thereby becoming the first golf club in the region to
do so, serves as a role model on how positive sustainability initiatives can be integrated. The move is even
more laudable as it underlines the commitment of the club to conserve its ecosystem, given its location by
the Arabian Gulf and the Al Hamra Lagoon. The decision makes the Golf Club a true pioneer in
championing environmental sustainability.”
Benoy Kurien, Group Chief Executive Officer of Al Hamra Group, added “This new sustainable
initiative is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qassimi, Ruler of Ras Al
Khaimah, who has urged to protect the natural beauty and environment of the Emirate. This is the first
phase of our plastic-free initiative which will soon extend to our hotels, food and beverage outlets and
marina.”
Carol Fraser, Managing Director of No More Bottles said: “No More Bottles are delighted to
announce our partnership with the Golf Club as they work to achieve their sustainability goals. It is
always great to see another organisation supporting a cause so close to our own. We are working towards
reducing plastic bottles by distributing high-quality filtration systems across the UAE and we are proud that
they have joined us in our efforts.”

The implementation of the new initiative extends throughout the golf club’s food and beverage outlets and
guests of the club will be provided with the option of unlimited filtered water in glass bottles at a nominal
cost.