By Kent Gray
When the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11 last year, experts were swift with cataclysmic predictions for the global economy.  Governments were already scrambling, with varying degrees of success, to ensure their hospital systems were not completely over-run by this new invisible enemy and scientists sped to formulate vaccines.

Lockdowns, physical distancing, mandatory mask wearing, hand sanitising and Netflix binges became our norm. Employees were furloughed, already struggling businesses went to the wall and we all fretted for the future in this scary, uncertain time. Unless of course you worked in a non-essential service industry like golf where it seemed likely the inevitable global downturn would only serve to hasten the game’s already well-documented participation rate nose dive. With people dying at alarming rates around the world, golf seemed so insignificant. The outlook for the royal and ancient game was bleak.

Top Outcome
What few saw coming was the almost complete reverse of that doomsday forecast. With the beauty of hindsight, that golf has boomed as we slowly emerge from COVID-19 (or at least learn to live with the deadly virus) is not all that surprising. Even the most pessimistic of epidemiologists agree that a more socially distant and safe outdoor pastime you will struggle to find.

With that, the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) set about ensuring the game was the first in the UAE to open up post lockdown, initially in ‘bubbles’ complete with partially filled-in holes, flagsticks you dear not touch and rake-free bunkers. Clubs who had seen round numbers plummet from 54,000 in April 2019 to 12,000 the following April (the EGF officially recorded just 2964 rounds) at least had hope after months of empty tee sheets.

Fast-forward 12 months and the latest statistics are astonishing with  80,000 rounds recorded across the UAE’s 18 courses this past April. That “approximate” figure was released at the Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL)’s recent ‘Future of Golf’ forum which shone a light on the state of the UAE golf industry. 

So how did we get here and how does the industry ensure the unforeseen spike in participation is not wasted? The answer to the former, in the UAE anyway, is two-fold. It’s clear established golfers who suddenly found themselves out of the office took advantage by hitting the links and playing and playing and playing some more. Former players, with equal amounts of time to fill, dusted off their old sticks and it seems in many cases, rediscovered their love for the game. 

Perhaps the most significant development, which just happened to coincide with the height of the pandemic, was the opening on January 3 of Topgolf Dubai. Since then, the impressive entertainment facility on the old Faldo driving range at Emirates Golf Club has seen an average of 10,000 players a week whack microchipped balls into the floodlit night skies while supping on refreshments and grooving to beats.

It’s golf, just not as the UAE has known it before, according to Chris May, the CEO of Golf Dubai who critically own the Topgolf licence for the Middle East.

“Why did we decide to bring Topgolf to the UAE?” May said in response to a question from moderator Joy Chakravarty. “Two main reasons. Firstly, we felt the business model was a good model and it would work in Dubai. That’s proven to be true and correct. But secondly and probably more importantly was to grow the game of golf and that has been proven to be definitely correct.

We are putting golf clubs into the hands of people that have never had a golf club in their hands before and they are having fun. – Chris May

(L to R) Moderator Joy Chakravarty, Ismail Sharif, Chris May, Simon Corkill, Mark Chapleski, Nick Tarratt and Roger Duthie at the EAGL forum

“The one thing that we’ve seen that has been really pleasing has been that Topgolf in Dubai, 75 percent of the people that play are non-golfers. So we are putting golf clubs into the hands of people that have never had a golf club in their hands before and they are having fun.”

Drilling deeper into the makeup of the 75 percentile encourages May even more. “The diversity of nationalities, the diversity of age-groups, the number of UAE nationals and GCC nationals who are picking up a golf club for the first time and playing and having fun, it’s really something I don’t think we’ve seen in this region before.” 

May doffed his cap to the EGF for getting golf back on its feet before turning the heat up on the region’s clubs to keep the momentum going. All with an exciting, Topgolf carrot.

“I think golf has a great opportunity because of COVID. We’ve been very fortunate thanks to the hard work of the Emirates Golf Federation…[vice-chairman] Adel Zarouni in particular made us very fortunate to be the first sport that was open post the lockdown and I think that gave us a great advantage in seeing a huge uplift in the number of rounds played in the region.

“Now it is all of our responsibility to take that [participation spike] to the next stage and make sure people are playing Topgolf and then converting to green grass golf.”

Topgolf Dubai

The exciting bit? That non-golfers outside Dubai won’t always have to travel to the emirate to discover the joys of the game.

There’s nothing concrete planned yet, May insisted, but “based on the success of Dubai you’ll see other Topgolfs. 

“The first one is likely to be in Abu Dhabi but I think you’ll see it around the GCC, other Topgolfs coming up. Perhaps not as big as the one in Dubai but smaller, making sure it is successful in that city, wherever it goes, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see four, five, six in the region within the next two, three years.”

Fresh Ideas
When Nick Tarratt arrived in Dubai 31 years ago with “short trousers and long hair” to serve as secretary and golf manager at Emirates Golf Club, the game in the emirate was a very exclusive affair.

“The only way you could play Emirates Golf Club was as a member, member’s guest, corporate golf day or an international guest through a hotel. There was no local pay and play so we’ve gone from there to here.”

There’s still a way to go to entice non-golfers to a sport that is still perceived to be stuffy and rule-ridden by uninitiated outsiders. Even Tarratt struggles letting go of tradition but knows the time has come.

“Let’s not forget I’m a jacket and tie, blazer man who likes the traditional 18 holes, the majors, the monthly medals, I still love that. But to encourage new golfers, the people Chris [May] at Topgolf and all of us here at the forum are trying to encourage, I think it will engage with the youth of today and not just old blazer and tie guys like me.”

The ‘it’ Tarratt was referring to is the Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL], amateur golf’s answer to IPL cricket complete with franchise-style teams and live broadcasts of 9-hole matches designed to give average Joes (and Janes) the chance to experience what touring pros encounter every week. The EAGL Mini-Series played before the forum, a dress rehearsal to an annual three-month league scheduled to start in November, was greeted with widespread approval.

 Tarratt, as tournament director, clearly has a vested interest but sees ventures like the EAGL as part of the ongoing solution to grow golf’s appeal.

“Is this the short-form of golf [going forward]? Golf has tried Sixes, it’s tried Shot Clock Masters, maybe it was invested in those rather than engaged,” said Tarratt, best remembered as the former chief of the European Tour’s Dubai office. 

“And Shiv [EAGL ambassador and four-time Asia Tour winner Shiv Kapur] told me, ‘I think 9 holes is the future of corporate golf’. It’s great for the clubs to work in at quieter times rather than a big shotgun at 12.30pm, peak time; it helps the sponsor, it’s a little cheaper, you’re playing with perhaps more different people. What was great today [the EAGL Mini-Series] was that it was a genuine networking opportunity. It wasn’t you playing with three mates and having fun and just winning the same glass trophy and the same buffets so I must applaud [EAGL founder and CEO] Sudesh [Aggrawal] and all the team. Going forward, I think short-form golf is the future, Topgolf is a great example. 

EAGL founder Sudesh Aggrawal

“I think engaging with the youth, short form, having more fun, music on the 1st tee, not on the golf cart…” 

Tarratt’s answer tailed off, perhaps because he realises the old blazer brigade are in a losing battle when it comes to what the next-gen needs to be attracted to golf and what they want to stay invested.

Facilities Rethink
Another veteran of the UAE game is Ismail Sharif, a seven-time national champion who currently serves as Managing Director of Dubai Golf-managed Jumeirah Golf Estates and is passionate about getting the nation’s youth off their screens and out onto the course. 

The problem he sees is facilities to meet the newbie end of the market.

 “We’ve done a great job so far but [the] only mistake that we’ve done, we’re always focusing on the five-star [experience],” said Sharif. 

“If we look at the hotel business, you will see the pyramid is five-star first, then two is four-star, and then come down. Golf needs to be the same if we want to grow the game. But our pyramid is upside down, we are all having five-star golf courses, we don’t have nothing at the bottom to support the [new people] who like to come and play golf. 

“Now, with the help of Topgolf and some programmes like here at JGE – we have started a programme called ‘Get into Golf’, it’s for one month, coaching in group lessons for 495 dirhams…normally you would [only] get one lesson for 495 dirhams. This is the things we need to do, work with all the golf courses if we want to bring this business to sustainable [levels] and have more golfers. We need to start somewhere.”

There are indeed new courses in the wings – the new Tiger Woods layout in Dubai will be a top dirham experience but perhaps Yas Acres in Abu Dhabi and the 9-hole Peter Harradine design on ice at Al Barari in Dubai could serve as more affordable entry points to the game. Time will tell.

Global Profile
Afascinating aspect of the game’s overall health in the Middle East centres around the region’s high-profile European Tour and Ladies European Tour events. Two key players in that space are Simon Corkill and Roger Duthie and both shared interesting, even slightly contentious, thoughts at the forum.

Corkill, Executive Tournament Director for Falcon and Associates which run and promote the men’s OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic and LET’s OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic, said the region had made an “exceptional statement” by safely running pro events at the height of the pandemic.

OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic

“It [COVID-19] continues to cause us all challenges in everyday life but for example, when the Desert Classic was on, the [case] numbers were up to 5000 people a day and it was a really tense time but Dubai came through and demonstrated we could run safe events.

“This is not going away but I see the events at the end of the year, the DP World [Tour Championship] and the events for 2022, we will have events, the players will come, we can run hospitality safely and we can host spectators safely. Dubai and the UAE are right up there as world leaders.”

Corkill also wondered out loud if the tournaments he oversees at Emirates Golf Club might also become trailblazers in terms of media engagement.

“The other big change I’ve seen has been the whole clamber for content is becoming really, really strong and we need to adapt. As tournaments, we need to create content that is snackable, it’s engaging and we’re doing it.”

No one in golf does social media better than the European Tour and Corkill believes events need to adapt likewise. In the case of the OMEGA Classics, they might even go a step further.

“One thing that we’re looking at, and this has come around very recently, [is our] policy on press interviews having seen what has happened to Naomi Osaka in the tennis world. We’ve got to assess that situation. Is a press conference right if people don’t have direct consent? We’re looking at these things, we looking at, okay, if players don’t have direct consent on post round interviews, do we encourage all the players to speak on the social media channels pre, during and post the event? I think we might get a really good result out of it. We’re considering it for a trial at our ladies event in October. We’re not sure yet but it’s certainly something we have to look at. We have to work with the times. 

Naomi Osaka

“Dubai has traditionally done this, pushed the boundaries, adapted and that’s why we’ve got a really good place in global golf. The events here are going from strength to strength but we adapt quickly and we will continue to.”

Global golf and boundary-pushing. A timely segue to introduce Duthie to the conversation. The former Emirates Airlines sponsorship guru is now Chief Sponsorship Officer for golf marketing and consultancy agency Performance 54 which enjoys strong links to the global game’s most ambitious new market, Saudi Arabia. Duthie is also an Independent Sports Sponsorship Adviser and while he wasn’t asked to comment on the “exciting project” he’s currently engaged in, the room read it as a challenge to the game’s current status quo.

Time will tell if the mooted Super League (formerly the Premier Golf League) will make it from concept to big money reality, but Duthie is adamant the game needs to kick on now the “Tiger factor” is wearing off. 

“…over the last 10 years the average age of the TV viewing audience in America, say, is 63 years old. Golf is still getting older. We don’t have that Tiger factor anymore so how do you capture a young audience? Topgolf is one way, right, this forum, today’s tournament [the EAGL Mini-Series] is another way but we have to look at other ways at attracting that younger audience because, sadly, we’re all getting older, decision makers are getting older as well, so we need to look for creative, new ways to find and attract new audiences.

“On a similar vein, it’s interesting to note, from a sponsors point of view, you want the top players to play and I was involved in the European Tour, and I love that partnership, and the Asian Tour. But right now there is about 40 percent of the time when the world’s top 48 golfers play in an event, so you’re not guaranteed Tiger, Phil, Rory etc, etc. Those are the people the fans want to see and the sponsors want to see and the broadcasters and that’s what makes this wonderful ecosystem work.

“We’re not having that right now so wouldn’t it be wonderful from a fans point of view, from a sponsor’s point of view if you could guarantee once a month, maybe every five weeks, that you could guarantee the top 48 players in the world or so playing in a tournament? How good would that be for the world of golf? Then you could create narratives throughout the season, you could generate new fans, new interest, you could highlight different players if you did a different type of format, there are so many ways to grow the game now. We’re looking at it through my business right now and hopefully we’ll be successful.”

Watch this space. And welcome all those newbies emerging from Topgolf bays to green grass tees with open arms. The game, in this strange period of history, will endure and prosper if we become more inclusive, less exclusive. Maybe even turn up the stereo.

[divider] [/divider]

Tourism Rebound

Mark Chapleski was asked for his thoughts on sustainability, golf latest’s “buzz word” as he put it, at the EAGL’s Future of Golf Forum. He reported that the region was “ahead of the curve” globally after making “great strides” over the past 30 years with agronomy practices and more recently with the phasing out of single use plastics.

But first, the Dubai-based, Troon International President waxed lyrical on the region’s participation numbers announced by moderator Joy Chakravarty.

“You talked about 80,000 rounds in April and that is an incredible number. I don’t think any of us sitting here would have ever had of thought it was possible with the local market to do those kind of numbers, so it’s phenomenal, it’s been incredible what golf has gone through.

“But what’s even more incredible is that [number] was with less than one percent of tourists which we would…typically in the peak season we would get at least 10 percent and that’s something we are working towards getting more of those.”

Troon’s Abu Dhabi cluster of clubs – Yas Links, Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Beach – are indeed working towards opening up the emirate to Green List countries including the U.S., Germany, Italy and Spain.

With more than 93% of those eligible now reportedly vaccinated in Abu Dhabi, Troon Abu Dhabi now has the ability to function as a tour operator, creating a “one-stop hub” for all international golf tour operators to package all required services including additional services such as hotel rooms and restaurant bookings with preferred rates.

A sharp increase in demand for autumn and winter golf breaks is expected as a result.

Said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi): “Golf is an important part of the sporting ecosystem in Abu Dhabi. The three championship golf courses managed by Troon complement Abu Dhabi’s golf offering and attracts professional and amateur players from all over the world. It is exciting to welcome back international golfers to challenge themselves on these beautiful courses in a safe and worry-free environment. The stringent safety measures Abu Dhabi has put in place to protect residents and non-residents alike will reassure our future golfing visitors.”

The post State of the Nation: What now for UAE golf? appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Indian businessman Sudesh Aggarwal dreamed the Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL) into reality with the goal of spicing up the stock standard corporate day. On the evidence of Sunday’s ‘Mini-Series’ dress rehearsal at Jumeirah Golf Estates – and social media since – the EAGL looks a winner for the region’s amateurs and as a business concept.

As with any new undertaking, there are wrinkles to iron out before the league proper launches in November but for a high-powered endorsement, look no further than Robert ‘Bobby’ Fiala’s Facebook page.

The Emirates Golf Federation Operations and Marketing Manager has a vested interest with the EGF officially endorsing the IPL-cricket style franchise league. But the comments from the playing captain for Team Emirati Players highlighted a key reason why Aggarwal’s gamble is set to fly – the live stream footage  from Fire has already begun circulating around the globe.

“…Pretty cool that my dad got to watch in [the] States on Father’s Day,” Fiala wrote of his father Tom.

“Team Emirati Players finished 2nd overall and probably my best nine holes of the year (+1). Looking forward to seeing how this type of format will continue to push the development of golf in the region and worldwide. Well done to all involved.”

Check out Fiala’s post here:

That’s a decent commendation and a far from shabby pitch into the Fire’s 18th green. Nice shot Robert!

As EAGL ambassador, Shiv Kapur was on hand to hit the ceremonial first tee shot. The Asian Tour winner and European Tour player reckons the day gave the players a genuine taste of tour life just as Aggarwal envisaged.

“I think it’s fantastic to be able to replicate what a proper tournament feels like,” said Kapur. “I was feeling some butterflies on the first tee, so I can imagine what the amateurs were going through; to be live on TV and the nerves that they feel, it’s very different from Pro-Am. The whole idea of EAGL was to give them the experience of pro tournaments for team competitions so it’s kind of like the Ryder Cup and a Tour event all in one.

“I have never seen an amateur golf [event] like this, not even professional golf across the world. The idea is that team golf is always more exciting than individual formats; the colourfulness, the uniforms, you are playing for a team, it’s a nine-hole shootout…It’s very exciting and I think it’s here to stay.”

Founder and CEO Aggarwal was relieved and happy to have pulled off such an ambitious project.

“It has been quite a challenging thing to do, with the course setup and managing everything, particularly being the first of its kind in the world in the amateur golf,” said Aggarwal. “But it has also been very satisfying and interesting. Everybody’s so happy, including the course management, they have never seen anything like it.”

For the record, MENA Golfers won the Mini-Series title by collecting 10 of a possible 12 points in the 9-hole dress rehearsal. Check out the highlights from Fire here:

If you’ve got some serious time to kill – or had a mate playing – here’s a full replay of the day, all 4hrs and 01min of it. Enjoy:

If you are interested in playing the EAGL from November, register at www.eagl.ae.

The post EAGL dress rehearsal leaves ‘everybody so happy’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Dubai Golf CEO Chris May has heaped praise on the Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL) for bringing some of the leading decision-makers in the industry together at the Middle East Golf Forum, which is set to take place at the EAGL Mini-Series on June 20 at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

May will join Mark Chapleski, President of TROON International; Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director, OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic; Ismail Sharif, Managing Director of Jumeirah Golf Estates; Roger Duthie, Sponsorship Officer, Performance 54 and Nick Tarratt, Tournament Director for the EAGL Mini-Series and a 31-year veteran of the industry, to debate ‘The Health of the Game of Golf in the UAE and the Middle East in 2021’ at the showcase event for the main EAGL series scheduled later this year. The forum will be moderated by Dubai Eye’s Robbie Greenfield and well-known golf journalist Joy Chakravarty.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to bring everyone together as it doesn’t happen enough so something like this has given an opportunity for everyone to get together and discuss some of the issues that we all face,” said May, who oversees Dubai Golf’s three properties – Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Creek & Yacht Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The current state of the game in the Middle East will be addressed along with ideas on how to keep growing the game in the future. Despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, clubs in the region have been thriving and May hopes to capitalise on the increased interest game since the lockdown ended in the country last year.

“Although there were challenges last year, I think that golf in the region is in a very positive place, we have seen a number of golf rounds increase by 20% since the COVID-19 lockdown of 35 days between March and April,” said May.

“That’s a real positive because we have seen an increase in the number of memberships, rounds by members and non-members and number of lessons being taken. So, there is definitely an increase in the interest in golf in the region and we have great opportunities to capitalise on that going forward and really grow the game.”

Before lending his voice to the Forum, May will be looking to get his hands on the inaugural Mini-Series trophy as he leads out the Dubai Tigers in their match against the English Roses over the Fire course.

“The EAGL is quite unique in the amateur game, you have seen something similar in other sports with the team formats but in the amateur game, there are a couple of elements that are really key,” he said.

“The team element is really important. In professional golf, you see how important events like the Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup are and how much interest those events garner, so I think that having something like this for amateur golfers, where they really play in a team format is important and something that will be really interesting.

“It’s a brand-new initiative and I think that having those elements of changing things up a little but in golf is probably a good thing as well, it’s something that is quite exciting to be involved with. It’s going to be an interesting day and I think the event has a very good chance of being very successful going forward.”

The EAGL Mini-Series one-day summer event is a taster for the EAGL Series proper, the world’s first franchise-based tournament for amateurs. It is scheduled to take place throughout the UAE late this year. The 9-hole tournament, held on the Fire course, will provide a taster of what is to come with eight four-man teams going head-to-head followed by the Golf Forum, Gala Dinner and prize presentation against the backdrop of the final round of the US Open.

To register your interest in the EAGL Series proper as a player, sponsor or team owner then visit eagl.ae

The post Dubai Golf CEO lauds EAGL for bringing industry together appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The ambitious Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL) has secured a live telecast of its June 20 EAGL Mini-Series event, a precursor to the world-first franchise-based league slated for a November start.

Dubai Sports Channel will do the honours covering the 9-hole dress rehearsal with experienced TV and radio broadcaster, Graham Clews, fronting the commentary from the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. International audiences will also have the opportunity to watch the telecast live through EAGL social media channels including YouTube and Facebook.

“Live broadcast is a very special part of our EAGL project, a unique selling proposition for us because no other amateur event like this has ever been broadcast,” said Sudesh Aggarwal, EAGL Founder.

“Given the wide expanse of the playing field, capturing live golf is a challenge. It’s a massive job to cover the golf course and then turn it around into a live feed. However, I am convinced that it will differentiate us from other amateur events and it will provide the professional-like atmosphere that we want all our players to experience.”

The team behind the EAGL including founder Sudesh Aggarwal (third from left).

The 9-hole Mini-Series tournament, which will be played as a par-36 over 3,397 yards on the Greg Norman-designed golf course, will provide a taster of what is to come later this year in the main EAGL event. On Sunday, eight four-man teams will be going head-to-head followed by a Golf Forum, Gala Dinner and prize presentation against the backdrop of the final round of the US Open from Torrey Pines.

To register your interest in the EAGL Series proper as a player, sponsor or team owner, please visit eagl.ae.

The post Dubai Sports Channel set to beam EAGL mini-series to ‘millions of fans’ in the UAE and beyond appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Welsh Six Nations legend Mike Phillips has been named as one of the playing captains for this month’s Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL) Mini-Series on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Phillips will lead the ‘European Seves’ in the June 20 event which is designed to showcase the ambitious new franchise-based amateur league slated for a November launch.

The one-day event will give the eight four-man teams a taste of the ‘tour pro experience’ the EAGL is promising later in the year. The event will be capped with a gala dinner and prize presentation, as well as a special UAE Golf Industry forum. This against the backdrop of the final round of the U.S. Open although the participants may be more interested in a reply of the two-hour live broadcast of the Mini-Series being promised for social media channels.

The brainchild of Dubai-based businessman Sudesh Aggarwal, the EAGL will offer businesses and individuals the opportunity to own a team franchise in a business model similar to that of the IPL.

“Our vision is to give a new dimension to amateur golf in the UAE and create a tour that is at a different level to those in other countries,” said Aggarwal. 

“The franchise model has not been seen before in golf and we are excited to be able to showcase this new approach. The series will create a business proposition that benefits corporates, investors and team owners in enhancing their marketing efforts through multiple event channels and on and off-course branding opportunities as well as providing a platform for a truly world-class networking experience.”

The series proper, which is officially sanctioned by the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and backed by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) and the Dubai Sports Council, boasts European Tour pro Shiv Kapur as its ambassador.

“The EAGL will raise the bar and set distinctive high standards for amateur golf in a pro-style setting where the competitors will be treated like Tour professionals for the day with bespoke team shirts, names on lockers, branded golf carts, valet parking, media coverage, on-course branding and more,” said EAGL League Administrator Priyaa Kumria.

“The league has been envisioned to take corporate golf to a new level and give those who take part a sense of what it feels like to play in a professional team event. This Mini-Series event will showcase many of the unique highlights the full series will feature later in the year.” 

Uniquely qualified 

By luring three-time Asian Tour winner Shiv Kapur as an ambassador, the EAGL has already signalled the seriousness of the region’s ambitious new franchise-based amateur golf league. Nick Tarratt’s appointment as Tournament Director ahead of this month’s EAGL Mini-Series ups the ante further.

The former Director of the European Tour’s Middle East division, Tarratt’s involvement in golf administration dates back to the early 1980s when he started his career at The Belfry for the PGA. He was a key member of the 1985 Ryder Cup organising committee at the fabled Warwickshire resort and worked as an Official Referee during Europe’s historic 16½ – 11½ victory.

“We are delighted that Nick can join us with immediate effect for this exciting golf project,” said EAGL founder and CEO Sudesh Aggarwal. “Nick has huge and perhaps unique experience of organising golf events around the world, especially in Dubai…we are all excited by the commitment, passion and experience he will bring to our group.”

Tarratt will assist in all areas of planning as well as acting as the Rules Official and Senior Auditor of Handicaps for the tournament.“It’s great to be able to join the EAGL team and get back into mainstream golf,” said Tarratt. 

“I have taken a sabbatical over the last two years for personal reasons and am returning fully energised, batteries recharged and excited to hit the ground running for this summer project. Sudesh and the EAGL team have ambitious plans to raise the bar for corporate golf in Dubai and the UAE which should be applauded.

“There is huge potential for the EAGL vision longer term and I’m sure it will be well received by players, sponsors and the golf industry in this pilot project.”

The post Former Six Nations star among big names rolled out for EAGL’s summer dress-rehearsal appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

With Kent Gray
Past experience tells Shiv Kapur that the ambitious new franchise-based Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL) is a viable concept. So much so, he’s put his name behind it. The three-time Asian Tour winner talks about his ambassadorial role for golf’s answer to IPL cricket and has some advice for EGF amateurs keen to put their game under the glare of the television cameras when the Ryder Cup-style league launches in November.

Going back to 2013 when I did my own version of a golf league for professionals in India, it created a lot of buzz and excitement. It’s very exciting to play in and as spectators, it gives you something new and edgy to watch.

I think golf in general needs a bit of a shake-up. If you look at the success of the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and team events, they really bring in a larger audience. It also attracts a newer audience into the game. People support teams better than they support individuals.

When I sat with [EAGL founder] Mr. Sudesh Aggarwal and his team, I thought it’d be really cool if we had something like this for professionals, but the fact that it is being done for amateurs, I feel like this is the future of golf… the first of many leagues around the world. Now that Dubai is home for me, I thought it is a perfect platform for me to associate with because this is where the real growth of the game will come from.

Being a brand ambassador is an all-encompassing role in a way. It’s about advising them from my experience in the golfing world having been a professional for 16 years now. Also, having done a golf league myself, my learnings to help them not make the mistakes I made.

Why did my league not see a second season? A couple of reasons, I think. I didn’t realise how much hard work it takes. I remember the week before the league, I was playing a Challenge Tour event in Ahmedabad and it ended that I won that week. I literally finished the prize distribution and I was on the phone for three hours after that, trying to set everything up for the next week. I was up every night and talking to my guys, firefighting, dealing with team owners, sponsors, players.

It also kind of coincided with a bit of a financial crisis in India as well. Most of my team owners at the time were in the real estate business which was booming. And when year two came around, I was happy to hand the reins over to somebody else to do it but a lot of the team owners didn’t have the kind of funds that they had the year before. So it kind of died a natural death.

Why will the EAGL be different? I think the number one thing, and Mr. Aggarwal sees eye to eye with me on this, is that the team owners must see value for the sustainability and the long-term success of the league. Your team owners need to go away happy. If a team owners stick with you for a long period of time, everything else falls into place. The most important stakeholder are your team owners.

The second most important stakeholder is the title sponsor. The big value add that you’re giving them, compared to other amateur tournaments, is live television. That broadcast, which has never been done in the amateur game at the club level, I think brings a lot of value.

Photo by Joy Chakravarty

From a team franchise point of view, there’s a value associated from the media side, from the sponsorship side, from the central pool, from the possible merchandise sales. There’s a whole plethora of opportunities and you can actually make it a very viable business venture, let alone the fact that there is so much pride associated with owning a franchise.

If a luxury car company is sponsoring a professional golf tournament, they’re hoping to get the TV coverage and the eyeballs of the fans watching these events. The professional golfer is not necessarily their consumer. Those viewers, those fans are actually inside the ropes in the EAGL. So, you have a direct link to your clients.

This is going to be very exciting for the amateurs. Firstly, you get to experience what professional golfers experience on a day-to-day basis. It’s a feel of a professional tournament, and a feel of a Ryder Cup where you’re playing not just for yourself, but you’re playing for a team or a squad. It’s live on television, so there’s nerves and butterflies.

In a format like this you’re looking for somebody who has a good short game, good course management skills and somebody who’s willing to fight till the end and never gives up. You see a lot of people out there with a lot of ability but they have a meltdown at the first sign of adversity. Mental toughness is something that I would be looking for if I was building [one of the 24-player] squads.

You do need a balanced squad, so you would have a couple of players that can hit it a long way. But overall, if I’m picking purely on one factor, it’s mental toughness… heart and guts. That will see you through any match.

Ian Poulter is a classic example of somebody I’m talking about. He’s got heart. With all due respect to him, you wouldn’t pick him purely on his driving ability or his iron play. He’s a great putter, and he is mentally one of the toughest guys out there. If you could have 24 Ian Poulters in your squad, you will never, ever lose.

How should amateurs prepare for the EAGL? You can sometimes over-prepare I think, hype yourself for an occasion. It’s like back in school, when you have an exam, last-minute cramming isn’t going to help you. I’d say don’t even touch your clubs the day before the tournament. You see this even with rookies on professional tours. They’re out there banging balls the whole of Wednesday and come Thursday morning, they are physically tired.

I’d also say you need to know the courses that you’re playing. You’re not playing your opponent, you’re playing against the course. Work out a good game plan and stick to it. If you’ve decided you’re going to hit 3-wood off the tee, don’t suddenly take out the driver just because you’ve made a bogey on the previous hole and you are mad.

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By Kent Gray
A world-first league promising amateur golfers weekly Ryder Cup-style matches with all the trimmings of a professional tour – including live broadcasts – has been launched in Dubai.

The Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL), golf’s answer to IPL cricket with an intriguing reality TV twist, is the brainchild of Sudesh Aggarwal who revealed the concept at an unveiling party at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on Wednesday evening.

The well-known Indian businessman has the official backing of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) for the eight-team league earmarked to begin at Dubai Creek in November, presumably poviding Aggarwal business model sells.

Aggarwal hopes to find nine-team owners willing to pay six-figure sums for the franchises (the first eight sold will contest the inaugural season) which will comprise 24-player squads managed by two non-playing coaches, likely to be contracted UAE PGA members. Any amateur – male or female – with an official handicap of 14 or better can register to be part of a franchise, each of which will compete in a round-robin – with 12 players selected for each match – before semifinals and a grandfinal.

The season, scheduled to run over two months from late November to early January, will include a total of 312 matches with three to four courses in addition to Dubai Creek set to host matches if Aggarwal’s plans come to fruition. The matches will be contested in various matchplay formats in handicap bands –  0-4, 5-8, 9-11 and 12-14 – off the stick.

Aggarwal is even promising 40 hours of live online coverage in the first season via the EAGL’s social networks. Plans to broadcast the action on a mainstream TV network are on-going – Dubai TV filmed the unveiling party. At the very least, the APGC has reportedly agreed to promote the league across its network of 42 member nations, a vast audience for franchisees who are also being promised “extensive opportunities for branding, hospitality, networking, entertaining clients and PR.”

“The Emirates Amateur Golf League is the most exciting thing to happen to amateur golf, which is the largest segment of the sport,” Aggarwal said.

“We all know the excitement generated by team golf competitions like the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup, and the drama that a sporting league like the English Premier League in football or the Indian Premier League in cricket can create. The EAGL combines the best of all these mega sporting events. We aim to provide an unforgettable experience for the players and sponsors through professional organisation and creating value propositions which will make this a win-win situation for all our stakeholders.”

Aggarwal unveiled the names of the for-sale franchises on Wednesday: Abu Dhabi Roars, Asian Jumbos, Dubai Tigers, Emirates Players, English Nicks, European Seves, Indian Singhs, Korean Chois and Pakistani Taimur.  Franchises will be able to sell naming rights to sponsors to help offset costs.

Notably launched on the eve of the new European Tour season opening at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, EGF chairman Shaikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi hailed Aggarwal’s ambition.

“We have so many amazing tournaments for the professionals in the UAE but we rarely get something which gets the amateur players excited,” Shaikh Fahim said. “The EAGL can become a tournament our amateurs will aspire to become a part of, and hence work harder to get better.”

One of the franchises has been named after APGC chairman Taimur Hassan, Pakistan’s best known professional.

“It’s really heart-warming to see tournaments like the Emirates Amateur Golf League being conceptualised,” said Hassan. “At the APGC, increasing the popularity of golf and improving the quality of amateur golf is at the heart of everything we do. We are delighted to support the EAGL.”

For more on the EAGL, be sure pick up (or download) a copy of the February 2021 edition of Golf Digest Middle East, out soon.

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