Dubai Expo 2020 golf balls

I don't collect golf balls, and I have no intention of starting a collection.  It just so happens that I acquired the above golf balls in Dubai before the city won its bid to host Expo 2020.  If I remember correctly, the balls were being given out at the Emirates Golf Club during old editions of both the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters and the Dubai Desert Classic.

Al Ain Golf Club golf ball

Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club (formerly Palm Sports Resort) has a new logo, but it's still not selling any merchandise with the new logo.  The staff told me they were still trying to sell off items with the old logo.  On the other hand, the golf course at the Hilton Hotel is not selling any item with the hotel's or the golf course's logo.  Meanwhile, Al Ain Golf Club, which has a sand course, does not sell any tee or ball marker, but I was able to purchase for Dh30 (@US$8) three golf balls with the club's logo:

Yas Links (Abu Dhabi) ball markers

After Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, my next stop was Yas Links.  There were no new ball marker designs for 2013, but I saw two ball markers in the display that are not in my collection, so I took pictures from my iPhone.  I asked if I could buy the one below (which had run out of stock before I was able to purchase one in the past), but I was told it's not for sale:

Meanwhile, this marker appears to be part of a package given to members of the golf club.  Unfortunately, I don't know any member from whom I could try offering to purchase a marker, and I have no intention of spending thousands of dirhams for club membership just to acquire the marker.

Lastly, before I went home, I dropped by the 9-hole Abu Dhabi City Golf Club on 19th Street, but it wasn't selling any new ball markers with the club's logo.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (Abu Dhabi; 2013) ball markers

After Abu Dhabi Golf Club, my next stop was the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, where I spent Dh360 (@US$98) on 12 ball markers and 4 divot repair tools.  These were the markers (dark blue, dark green, black, and yellow) that came with the divot repair tools:

These are dome markers (dark blue, black, pink, white, and yellow):

And these are the jewel-themed markers:

Abu Dhabi Golf Club (2013) ball markers

Over the weekend, I went to Abu Dhabi to update my ball marker collection.  My first stop was the Al Ghazal Golf Club, a sand course located beside the airport.  There were no new ball marker designs, but one of the clerks told me they should have new stuff that will be available by next month.  Also, their plan to build a new golf shop was apparently canceled.

My next stop was the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, where I spent Dh315 (@US$86) on 15 ball markers.  One of the staff told me that they have new stock available but that they haven't taken them out of the stock room, so I'm hoping the items would be available next month during the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. 

The yellow and black markers below are old colors released in the past (unlike the dark blue, dark green and violet ones which are new colors), but they were minted this year.

 

The dome markers last year only had a red logo in the middle of the marker, but the dome markers this year (sky blue, gray, pink, yellow, red, and white) have a silver logo and the name of the golf club:

The last four are jewel markers (black, red, pink and red):

Dubai Creek (2013) ball markers

After visiting The Track, Meydan Golf...I stopped by the Wafi Mall to check out the Tee & Putt indoor minigolf course.  It does not sell ball markers, but it does have pencils with the establishment's name--so, if you're collecting pencils from golf courses, do drop by there sometime.  Afterwards, I crossed the floating bridge to reach Dubai Creek.  I learned from one of the golf shop assistants there that the golf shop in Emirates Golf Club is a sister company--so it's no surprise then that the newest ball markers from both golf clubs have the same basic shapes/designs.  BTW, the crest-shaped ball marker has gray lettering while the dome ball marker is black with a silver rim.

The Track, Meydan Golf (Dubai; 2013) ball marker

I did recently purchase ball markers from The Track but I had failed to check if the white ball marker was a new design.  Two days ago, I went to Dubai to do some last-minute shopping for Christmas gifts and I first dropped by the golf club.  It turns out that the white ball marker available in the store has a dirtier shade and a plain reverse.

Emirates Golf Club (Dubai; 2013) ball markers

Last weekend, my wife and I spent two nights in Amwaj Rotana in Dubai for some rest and relaxation.  On our way home to Al Ain, we dropped by the nearby Emirates Golf Club, and I was able to purchase two new ball markers:  a special-shaped marker (gold lettering) and a dome ball marker (white with gold rim).

The Track, Meydan Golf (Dubai; 2013) ball markers

Over the weekend, I went to Emirates Golf Club to check out the 2013 Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, but I didn't see any new ball marker design.  On the way home, I took the route passing by The Track (Meydan Golf), and I was able to purchase two new markers: a pink "bling" marker; and a green "dome" (convex-surfaced) marker.

Butch Harmon School of Golf (Dubai) ball markers

After visiting Jumeirah Golf Estates, I went to the nearby The Els Club and I was able to purchase two ball markers from the Butch Harmon School of Golf--I already have a copy of the black one, and I was glad to finally get a copy of the white one.  I later drove over to the likewise nearby Arabian Ranches, but I didn't see any new ball marker design there

Jumeirah Golf Estates (Dubai; 2013) ball markers

I didn't have clubhouse access when the Dubai World Championship was held last month so I visited Jumeirah Golf Estates this weekend to see if they have new ball marker designs.  The one on the left has a convex surface.

The Els Club (Dubai; 2013) ball markers

After seeing the Dubai World Championship, my wife and I went to the nearby Els Club.  I was able to purchase the convex-surfaced ball markers above (sky blue, red, navy blue, olive green, pink, orange).  There were also these two flat-surface markers (take note that the logo has a white background):

Lastly, I was able to purchase three different medallions.  The pink and red ones below contain convex-surfaced ball markers of the corresponding color; the one above contains a flat-surfaced ball marker (take note that the logo in this case has a black background).

Dubai World Championship (2013) ball marker

Last week (Saturday, 16 November), my wife and I went to Jumeirah Golf Estates to see the Dubai World Championship.  There were many old ball marker designs being sold, and I was only able to see one new design.  We didn't have clubhouse access, so I wasn't sure if there were others being sold inside.

Al Badia Golf Club (Dubai; 2013) ball markers

Two weeks ago, my wife and I went to Dubai Festival City to do some shopping at Ikea. Afterwards, we visited the nearby Al Badia Golf Club, and I was able to purchase four new ball markers.  The one on the bottom right has a convex surface, and it came with a divot repair tool.

Dubai Creek (2013) ball marker

Last weekend, my wife and I dropped by Dubai Creek.  There was just one new ball marker design, which happened to come with a cleaning brush.

 

Talker Cup (Dubai; 2011) ball marker

At the same SL Trading booth at the Dubai Desert Classic, I was able to purchase the ball marker above.  I believe the Talker Cup is an amateur golf tournament also held at the Emirates Golf Club.

Omega Dubai Ladies Masters (2012) ball marker

At the village shops in the Dubai Desert Classic, I went to the one run by SL Trading.  I believe the above marker was a leftover from the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters held two months ago at the Emirates Golf Club.

Dubai Desert Classic (2013) ball marker

Before meeting friends for lunch at the Media Rotana Hotel, my wife and I first went to the nearby Emirates Golf Club to see the Dubai Desert Classic.  The official merchandise shop run by Emirates Golf Club was selling the above irregularly-shaped ball marker.  The Golf House was also running a shop (so they renewed their contract in Dubai but not for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship), but this year it did not sell any ball markers connected with the Dubai Desert Classic.

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club ball markers

After going to the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, my wife and I also dropped by the 9-hole golf course in 19th street--the Abu Dhabi City Golf Club.  Its shop, which is currently being renovated, had run out of ball markers.  I had purchased the two ball markers above years ago. 

BTW, I'm looking forward to the completion of the Saadiyat Reserve Golf Club, which should be located S-SE of the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.

Abu Dhabi Golf Championship (2013) ball marker

I also bought a magnetic Abu Dhabi Golf Championship marker from the Abu Dhabi Golf Club shop.  Golf House did indeed not have a booth (as I had written in an old post days ago), so let's see if Emirates Golf Club and SL Trading will be selling new ball marker designs for the 2013 Dubai Desert Classic to be held in 2 weeks.

Abu Dhabi Golf Club (2012) ball markers

Of course, my first stop at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship was the golf shop run by the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.  I believe the three markers I purchased above were designs released late last year.

Al Ghazal Golf Club (Abu Dhabi) ball marker

En route to Round 2 of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, my wife and I first dropped by the Al Ghazal Golf Club, which is located near the Abu Dhabi airport and which boasts of a 9-hole sand course.  The golf shop is being moved to a new location, so the current store is just trying to sell off old stock. The ball markers have run out, and hopefully there will be a new design this year.  The one pictured below is a marker I had purchased years ago:

Arabian Ranches Golf Club (Dubai; 2012) ball marker

After The Els Club, our next stop was the nearby Arabian Ranches, where I was able to purchase on sale for Dh3 (US$0.82) my cheapest UAE ball marker--I usually get them for Dh15-25 (US$4.09-6.81) per piece.

Next, we went to the Montgomerie, and I purchased extra copies of ball markers already in my collection. Then we went to the Emirates Golf Club where we got a ticket for the upcoming Dubai Desert Classic. (We didn't drop by the clubhouse to purchase markers, though.)

Afterwards, we drove to the Strip Mall in Jumeirah to visit Lovin My Bags as my wife wants to have her old Fendi and Gucci handbags repaired.  Then we made Dubai Mall our last stop.  I dropped by the Golf House outlet and saw that they haven't had a new ball marker design in years.  I was also talking to one of the sales clerk, and he said that they didn't renew their contract for both the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and Dubai Desert Classic tournaments.  In other words, I won't be seeing their booth in the next few weeks, just as they didn't participate in the last Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

The Els Club (Dubai; 2012) ball markers

After visiting Jumeirah Golf Estates, our next stop was the nearby The Els Club:

• The one in the bottom left is stemmed.
• The one in the bottom middle is an old design, but it looks like it's from a different production run as the rim is thinner this time.
• The one in the bottom right reads Dubai Sports City, where The Els Club is located.

Jumeirah Golf Estates (Dubai; 2012) ball markers

My wife and I hasn't visited Dubai for several weeks now, so we went golf club-hopping yesterday.  Our first stop was Jumeirah Golf Estates, where I was able to purchase 2 new ball marker designs: the rectangular one came with a retractable divot repair tool while the circular one is stemmed.