I have just learned – at the University of Georgia’s Turfgrass management certificate program – the 7 turfgrass species that are good salt-tolerant: bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, tall fescue, creeping bentgrass, alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans), and seashore paspalum. One of the benefits of Seashore Paspalum is that it can be irrigated with ocean water too.
So I was particularly curious about the agreement between Golf Saudi and Atlas Turf. Golf Saudi and Atlas Turf International agreed in 2019 to develop the region’s first internationally licensed golf and sports turf farm in Saudi Arabia.
The turf farm has received its foreign investment license from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Investment (MISA) and commercial registration from the Ministry of Commerce and will operate in Saudi Arabia as a limited liability joint venture company – Atlas Turf Arabian Agricultural Company.
Atlas Turf Arabia will develop and distribute some of the world’s most climatically adapted turf species throughout Saudi Arabia, starting with Platinum TE™ Paspalum in the first instance, with both Bermudagrass and Zoysia to follow in due course.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar chose Platinum TE™ Paspalum as the exclusive turfgrass for all stadiums and training sites.
Majed Al Sorour, CEO of Golf Saudi said
“Atlas Turf Arabia will serve as a vital link in the supply chain framework in Saudi Arabia, fulfilling the objectives of Vision 2030, by providing access to turfgrass solutions for Saudi-based organizations who require it.”
The turf farm will harvest the first order of turf in Q4 2021
Golf Saudi looks to create additional educational and employment opportunities within the Kingdom.
By also offering sustainable turf solutions to projects outside of golf, including other sports federations and organizations, as well as infrastructure and landscaping projects, Atlas Turf Arabia will continue to add further employees to its overall headcount in the months and years ahead.
Several of the leading golf and landscaping projects in Saudi Arabia have secured their grass supply from Atlas Turf Arabia and the turf farm will harvest the first order of turf in Q4 2021.
Sustainability – Atlas Turf & GEO Foundation
Atlas Turf Arabia will also work closely with GEO Foundation, the international non-profit that for the last 15 years has been entirely dedicated to accelerating sustainability and climate action across golf.
In partnership with GEO, Golf Saudi has developed national and regional strategies to maximize environmental sustainability from initial land evaluation through to construction methodology and the Turf Farm will follow a similar sustainable pathway to certification to ensure an environmentally sustainable legacy.
