THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT FOR UAE GOLF AFTER EMIRATES GOLF FEDERATION'S ARABIC SCHOOLS INITIATIVE SUPPORTED BY DP WORLD
Dubai, UAE: The prospect of seeing a home-grown player from the United Arab Emirates making it on the world golfing stage is edging ever closer thanks to the ongoing success of a DP World funded Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Arabic Schools Initiative.
The innovative programme, which is also supported by the European Tour, launched last year with the first phase seeing the Emirates Golf Federation with the assistance of Golf DXB, visiting six UAE schools to give ‘Golf Taster’ sessions to over 3,000 students. Fifty children were also treated to a visit to the European Tour’s season-ending tournament, the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, where they had a ‘behind the scenes’ tour to get a taste of what is involved in running a world-class golf tournament.
During the introductory phase, 100 children became hooked enough on the sport to take up memberships at golf clubs across the region. The astounding influx of new young golfers prompted the EGF to create four Foundation Squads at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Emirates Golf Club, The Track Meydan, Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club and Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.
In addition to their ongoing development at their respective clubs, the Foundation Squads, made up of 40 children, along with the UAE National Squad, are to have access once a month to one of the very best training facilities in the world with DP World funded coaching sessions at the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The ETPI at the famous Dubai venue is one of only two such facilities in the world and home to some of the most cutting-edge equipment available as well as a team of world-class coaches who will help the EGF achieve the goal of bringing the children in the Foundation Squads onto the UAE National Squad within 12 to 18 months.