Set beneath the 200-metre-high Tuwaiq cliffs in Qiddiya City, roughly 45 km from Riyadh, The National Golf Club officially opened on 30th October to widespread acclaim, as recently reported in GBN..
As part of the construction phase of the project, the developers of the championship course at Qiddiya City, partnered with Durabunker Ltd to ensure the bunkering was built to withstand the severe environmental and structural challenges posed by building a world-class course in a harsh desert climate
Rhydian Lewis, owner at Durabunker Ltd explained “The use of 100% recycled synthetic materials to build bunker walls that do not require water, that maintain structural integrity and prevent wind erosion or sand contamination without drying out was key to the achieving successful outcomes. These features along with minimising maintenance, certainly contributed to the course achieving its GEO Certified Development status
“Because the synthetic bunker edges require zero irrigation, they drastically reduce the layout’s total water footprint, which is obviously vital in a desert environment. As water becomes an increasingly valuable resource, our core product is perfectly positioned to enhance any golf course’s drive to minimise water consumption.”
Lewis, along with Durabunker’s Construction Manager, Nathan Jones, travelled to the project at the very outset, to meet the golf course construction team and train principle contractors Saudi Salco in the installation of their patented bunker edging solution.
“It was, and remains, the most remarkable project we have been involved with over the companies 12 year history,” stated Lewis.
“When we first visited, we honestly thought our sat nav had suffered some sort of heat induced malfunction, as we drove for approximately 20 minutes through what can only be described as complete and utter barren desert. There was not a blade of grass, or for that matter, anything else, in sight, until we saw a dust cloud in the distance. It was 48 degrees, completely devoid of life, and very difficult to even imagine a golf course, let alone build one!!”
But out of the desert sands, an oasis of staggering proportion and beauty has appeared. A second golf course, a Nicklaus Signature Design is also being built, with Durabunker also being utilised on this project.
Lewis continued “We were told by Faldo Design’s architectural team, that the design intent behind the stacked bunker walls was in part to directly mirror the geology of the site”
The ancient limestone escarpments of the Tuwaiq Cliffs are defined by distinct, horizontal sedimentary layers, shelf formations, and rugged fractures.
“We trained the construction teams to explicitly layer and stack the synthetic sod layers to replicate these horizontal, multi-tiered stone strata. It was incredible attention to detail from the Faldo team and design genius!!”
“Instead of smooth, sweeping bunker edges typical of tropical or parkland courses, they utilised our product to create sharp, steep-sided, and deeply layered bunker faces. When looking across the fairways, the layered bunker walls mimic the weathered, shelf-like rock faces of the surrounding wadis, making the hazards look like natural mini-canyons carved out by desert winds. It really is a staggering site to behold, and yet again demonstrates the versatility of the product. The fact that we can offer a solution that is guaranteed to withstand this desert environment for decades to come, is a game changer for venues looking to adopt a stacked sod look, for either fixed, shallow bunker edges, or indeed to deeper walls as is the case at The National Club.”
With the course now open, golfers will not only be able to enjoy the staggering beauty of the location, but also some sensational bunker complexes that sit into the landscape,