Emirates Golf Club club manager Barney Coleman is off to new pastures as he is returning to the UK to become the GM at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in Somerset.

Golfbusinessnews.com announced the news on Friday, bringing Coleman’s six-year stint as EGC manager in the UAE to an end.

During his time in Dubai, Birmingham native Coleman has overseen operations at the home of the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic and began his career there in 2006.

He had previously been working at PGA’s National Headquarters at The Belfry.

Photo by Burnham & Berrow GC

Photo by Burnham & Berrow GC

“I am honoured and humbled to be offered the position as General Manager of such prestigious club as Burnham & Berrow Golf Club,” Coleman told Golfbusinessnews.com. “I am excited about the opportunity ahead and am looking forward to working closely with the fabulous team and proud membership of one of the UK’s premier golf clubs. The club has recently engaged with the membership to discuss future strategies and projects and I look forward to bringing them into fruition on behalf of our passionate members.”

Photo by Burnham & Berrow GC

Jeremy Hodge, chairman of Burnham & Berrow Golf Club, added: “We are thrilled to welcome a general manager of Barney’s calibre to the club and we look forward to harnessing his skills and undoubted experience to build on the great work that has been achieved in recent years. He joins us at a key time and I’m positive he will play an integral role in the continued success of the club and further enhance all areas of the Burnham & Berrow experience.”

The post Emirates Golf Club’s Barney Coleman heads to new role in UK appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Matt Smith
Dubai’s Emirates Golf Club got the new season up and running with its first Ladies Stableford competition.

With 27 ladies competing, it was Deirdre Kemp who came out on top on the Faldo Course, with 39 points on her return to Emirates Golf Club.

Winner in the Silver Division (17 handicap and below) was Monica Palao with 36 points.

The Bronze Division (18 handicap and above) was won by Martha Wong with 37 points.

You may also like:
Golf Digest Middle East presents Oktoberfest 2022
LIV Golf standings ahead of Chicago event
Each player’s pay out from the BMW PGA Championship
McIlroy edged out by Lowry at BMW PGA
Patrick Reed makes case for his defence
Sergio WDs from BMW PGA, spotted later in Texas
Rory and LIV players in contention at Wentworth
Play resumes at BMW PGA Championship
Poulter plays down Horschel rift
Play suspended at BMW PGA
Rory admits rift with old pals
Horschel: Why are you here?
The quiet before the storm on DP World Tour
Just how much did each player earn in Boston?
Get your FREE September edition of Golf Digest Middle East here

The post Emirates Golf Club hosts first Ladies Stableford of new season appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Emirates Golf Club witnessed one of the closest, most dramatic days in UAE golf history on Monday as the ‘Pros’ defeated the ‘Ams’ to reclaim the Dubai Golf Trophy.

The competition is one of the biggest events on the UAE golf calendar and this year it lived up to its reputation as history was made left, right and centre.

Now in its 23^rd year, the Dubai Golf Trophy pits the UAE’s top 16 professional players against the top 16 amateurs in the region. Each team consists of 12 automatic qualifiers from the season-long UAE PGA tournaments and qualifying Emirates Golf Federation events across the UAE. Both team captains then took their additional four ‘wildcard’ picks.

The event, which closely follows the Ryder Cup format, saw two teams of 16 battle it out in the team matches at Dubai Creek on Sunday and then 16 matchplay singles on the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club on Monday.

And it was an epic.

MORE
Relive all the live action here

While the pros held the advantage after Day 1, with the most slender of leads at 8.5-7.5, they held their nerve when it looked like they might throw it all away and give the Ams the bragging rights and the Trophy.

Khalid Yousuf’s amateur team were so quick out of the blocks on Monday and had their noses in front when Yash Majmudar and Hugo Garcia thumped Michael Bolt and Steven Munro 6&4 and 4&3 respectively.

The other two early matches between Sujjan Singh and Max Burrow, and Jackson Bell and Craig Vance were halved, and the amateurs were scenting another victory.

But then came the blue wave of pro scores as Graham Forbes thrashed Jay Mullane 4&2, Tom Buchanan denied Yousuf 2&1 and Thomas Ogilvie chalked up a 3&1 win over Ali Parlane.

History-making Olivia Jackson showed her steel as the first ever female to play in the event as she saw out a see-saw battle against Sam Mullane to snatch a vital half-point.

While it looked all rosy on the blue side for the pros, the red army charged back as amateurs Toby Bishop (3&2) and David Guinee (2up) saw off Nathan Kernaghan and Jack Woods respectively.

Loius Gaughan (4&2 v Raghav Gulati) got the pros back on course, but wins for Tom Nesbitt (4&2 v Sam McLaren), and Jonathan Selvaraj (4&3 v Luke Plumb) meant that the two-day epic came down to the last game and the last green.

Barry Pavic held a one-hole advantage with three to play, which would have meant a 16-16 tie and the amateurs retaining the trophy as defending champions. But up stepped Purna Sharma for the professionals, winning on 17 before halving the last.

That triggered a wave of celebrations from the Pros, and the Ams graciously accepted defeat 16.5-15.5 in one of the closest ever Dubai Golf Trophy clashes. Amid a sea of buggies, Sharma was embraced by his teammates before going on to lift the trophy.

“That was the hardest two-putt in my life,” Sharma told Golf Digest Middle East just after coming off the final green. “I can’t believe I held my nerve there.”

Chris May, CEO of organisers Dubai Golf, was on hand to watch the spectacle unfold. “It is such a privilege to host this great event that is steeped in UAE golf history. It raises the game and the standards of golf for the UAE, not just for the professional arena but across the globe for every aspiring golfer. We are delighted to be involved in such an occasion.”

It was quite the celebration to end a dramatic day. Mike Major, the non-playing pro captain reflected on a tumultuous weekend, having been on the receiving end for the past six years as a player.

“I guess we can take a hint. I don’t play and we finally win,” he joked, an ACL operation taking him out of this year’s playing capabilities. “But every player was tremendous today and every single one of them contributed points over the two days. For it to be so close shows you the quality on both sides of the ‘divide’. The Ams were brilliant but we managed to find that little bit more when needed … at long last. I must thank Dubai Golf for putting on such a great event, with both the Creek and the Majlis in impeccable conditions. It has been a long, long journey to get here this weekend and we are so glad to win.”

History-making Jackson added: “It is an honour to become the first female to play in this event as it gives us the recognition we deserve. But I really do not see the gender difference as these guys are all my colleagues and friends. I play with them every week and this just reflects how we should have more mixed events and prove we are all equals.”

Losing captain Yousuf was magnanimous, even if it was with a wry smile. “They were tremendous,” he said. “We thought we had a chance there at the end but they held on. It was a great two days but sadly we have to give up the trophy after six great years. We will regroup. There is a whole new batch of youngsters coming through and we will see who will make the grade. We are losing a few guys like Josh Hill, Toby Bishop, Yash and (non-playing UAE No.1 amateur) Ahmad Skaik. But as we have proved time and again, there are always more and more players coming through and, each year, the quality gets better and better. Congrats to the pros, it has been a long time for them.”

So now, the rebuilding begins once again before the 2023 showdown. Will the Pros or the Ams prevail? The Pros’ self-nominated spokesman Buchanan puts it best: “Who knows but this is the best weekend in UAE golf, bar none.”

More
Game on for Dubai Golf Trophy
Sergio Garcia ‘can’t wait to quit PGA Tour’
LIV Golf: Bland’s British Masters title defence takes a twist
Dubai Golf Trophy is back!
Westwood and ‘many more’ request release to play LIV Golf Invitational Series
Look: Phil Mickelson spotted on golf course
Tiger Woods plays Southern Hills ahead of PGA Championship
LIV Golf Invitational Series continues to take shape
Trump to host LIV finale
Greg Norman rejected by R&A for Open Championship
Report: First PGA Tour player request to play LIV Golf events

The post ‘The best weekend in UAE golf’: Reflections on the Dubai Golf Trophy drama at Emirates Golf Club appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Entry is simple. Just fill in your details and answer the question below. We’ll draw the winner at random on December 24, 2016.

The winners will receive:

• 1 month Leisure Membership at Emirates Golf Club starting January 1, 2017
• A round of golf on the Majlis with world No.10 Holly Clyburn and two friends on Wednesday, January 4

Good luck!

[gravityform id=”21″ title=”false” description=”false”]

The post WIN a round with women’s world No.10 Holly Clyburn appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.