A host of the European Tour’s top golfers are taking advantage of the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai as they prepare for the ‘Desert Swing’ starting with next week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
Tommy Fleetwood, Joost Luiten, James Morrison and Thorbjorn Olesen were all using the ETPI on Wednesday, while Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett, Shane Lowry, and Rafa Cabrera-Bello have also recently been using the facility.
Taking place January 21-24, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which will welcome world No 1 Jordan Spieth for the first time and world No 3 Rory McIlroy, represents the first of three European Tour events based in the Middle East. The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic follow the Abu Dhabi event, with the three tournaments making up the ‘Desert Swing’.
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With such an important stretch of tournaments, the ETPI becomes a useful base for players set to embark on the three events.
The ETPI at Jumeirah Golf Estates is one of only two such facilities in the world — the other being at Terre Blanche in France — and is equipped with everything a player needs to brush up their game and physical condition, from state-of-the-art swing and putting labs, gyms, treatment rooms, and extensive practice areas.
“The facilities at the ETPI are about as good as it gets,” Fleetwood said. “When it’s cold and damp in the winter at home, it’s incredible coming out here to practice.”
Four-time European Tour winner Luiten of the Netherlands said: “It’s always great coming to the ETPI. It probably has the best facilities in the world, nice weather and Dubai is always a fun place to be. It’s the ideal way for me to prepare for the new season with the Desert Swing coming up. In addition, practicing here allows me to drive to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, rather than fly.
“I love the short game area at the ETPI which allows you to play into different wind directions and situations. You can practice all different types of shots here because there are a lot of options, which makes this facility so much fun and beneficial.”
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