1. Food Trucks
Truckers UAE events are a massive draw in the UAE. The great news for golf loving foodies is that they are rolling into Emirates G.C. with a tasty range of home-grown concepts, food trucks and kiosks during their first event of 2021. From dim sum and maki rolls to burgers, pizza and desserts, foodies are in for a treat.

 2. Golf Taster
The LET’s best golfers will make it look pretty easy and for anyone who catches the bug, the team from the Peter Cowen Academy will be on hand to offer free golf taster sessions. Put your swing and putting stroke to the test!

MORE: Get your official Dubai Moonlight Classic ‘Daily News’ FREE here

3. Feel the Beat
The Dubai Moonlight Classic is not just about golf. Chill out to some fab tunes from talented local singer-songwriters Jamie Wrecs and Martyn Crocker and saxophonist Masha Kutskova. Remember your dancing shoes!

4. Family fun
Bring the whole family to the golf! A bouncy castle and plenty of space to run about will keep the kids amused while the grown-ups concentrate on the top-quality golf, entertainment and socialising. 

5. It’s Free!
Entry is free for fans on October 28 and 29 from 4-10pm. Don’t miss out on one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the Dubai social calendar. No registration required.

dubaimoonlightclassic.com

The post Thinking of attending the Dubai Moonlight Classic? Here’s 5 excellent reasons why you must appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 23-year-old Englishwoman slipped into Dubai earlier this year with quite the pedigree after accepting a teaching internship at Emirates Golf Club.

COVID-19s problematic spread meant there was a slight delay between her January 3 start and last month’s date with destiny on the Faldo when Jackson’s talent became evident to a wider Middle East audience. Shooting a 67 on The Faldo to become the first woman to win on the UAE PGA Tour, by three strokes no less, certainly is a fun way announce your arrival.

“I had no clue how significant my win was until after I’d finished playing,” said Jackson whose role at Emirates G.C. was teed up by Nick Huby, her coach at the Peter Cowen Academy in Rotherham, with a handy assist by Cowen himself who now has academies across the Dubai Golf network.

“I had a few lessons [to deliver] after the tournament and after the third lesson in the afternoon, I went to check my phone and had over 85 notifications. I was shocked to see how many people had reached out and congratulated me. It was pretty surreal.”

It turns out we shouldn’t be surprised at all by the historic win last month. Jackson’s talent has already taken her all the way to the U.S. to play division 1 golf for the University of Tulsa Oklahoma, to a Faldo junior series title before that and more recently to the 2018 Yorkshire County Championship. Few can lay claim to a course record at the Home of Golf but Jackson has that on her CV too, a giddy waltz around the New Course in 67 strokes, eight-under.

What didn’t surprise Jackson was her ability to compete with the male members of the UAE PGA.

“I don’t think gender matters. I had been prepping for it as I would usually do for a tournament and in the end it’s you against the course. It’s great to see that I can put myself up against the guys.”

Jackson intends playing all the 2020-21 UAE PGA Tour events her work commitments will allow and, all going well, breaking another barrier by making the Pro team for next year’s Dubai Trophy. The pros could do with the help after losing the last five editions of the Ryder Cup-style matches to the EGF’s leading amateurs.

Next up though is a return to the Faldo for the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic. Jackson is “super excited” to take up an invite to represent Motivate Media Group, publishers of Golf Digest Middle East, in the Nov. 4-6 day-night Pro-Am.

“It will be a great week,” said the LPGA Tour teaching apprentice. “I hope to learn from some of the best in the game and connect with some great people. It will be interesting to see how I perform against the tour players and where I can improve as a player.”

You could even call the inside the ropes opportunity at the Ladies European Tour event a dress rehearsal for the real thing.

“I still have aspirations of playing professionally but I get a huge amount of enjoyment growing the game and seeing people fall in love with it like I did,” said Jackson who was introduced to the game by her father at age 11.

“I would love to make my position here more permanent. Dubai is awesome and I can see myself coaching and playing here for a very long time. I could never imagine throwing my coaching shoes in.”

Jackson is working towards an LPGA-sanctioned coaching qualification. When she’s not logged into the online lessons being delivered from LPGA headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida, or delivering lessons at Emirates G.C., you’ll find Jackson hard at work on her own game. Even between lessons you’ll likely find her on the range or in the gym.

“I try to practice as much as I can. It’s about finding the time even when you don’t necessarily want to or don’t feel like doing it. I definitely feel like university prepared me for this, in being good with my time and trying to prioritise the right things.”

That discipline paid dividends in the UAE PGA event with Jackson able to claw her way back two over through four holes.

“The best part of my game is probably my driving, I rarely miss a fairway. But I would say I’m very good at grinding through a game. I know even when I’m not hitting it great I can still get it round and score.

“The worst part of my game is probably staying in the moment. Sometimes I tend to get ahead of myself instead of focusing on what I need to do. It’s something I’m constantly working on.”

The post History Lesson: Olivia Jackson hasn’t taken long to make her mark on the UAE golf scene appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
The Omega Dubai Desert Classic mightn’t have gone exactly to plan for Rayhan Thomas but that he got to peg it up in the European Tour event at all has a lot to do with the Al Naboodah Trophy.

The UAE PGA par-3 junior series has been revived after a seven-year hiatus courtesy of a collective of five clubs and Thomas, as the two-time defending champion from the last edition in 2011, was on hand at Arabian Ranches for the re-launch.

“When I was growing up the Al Naboodah was the biggest thing going around for us juniors,” said the 18-year-old teen who missed the Desert Classic cut at Emirates G.C. but savoured the consolation prize of a practice round with eventual runner-up Rory McIlroy.

“I remember we’d all carpool and get to Al Ain and to Ras Al Khaimah and try to play all these par 3 events. It’ll start with one hour practice sessions before the round and was just very intense, a great atmosphere to be around playing competitive golf. I think competition is just the biggest thing you can do for experience. To put yourself in pressure situations even at that young age, we took it very seriously but it was also a great amount of fun, and I think it was a huge pillar in my game right now to have that type of competition at an early age.”

Malcolm Young (Arabian Ranches), Luke Plump (UAE PGA), Sven Nielsen (Trump Dubai), Jack Woods (Dubai Creek), Jonathan Craddock (Emirates G.C.) and Fraser McGlashan (Al Ain) have taken it upon themselves, with the backing of their respective clubs, to develop the next generation.

Five events on the region’s perfectly suited par 3 courses will make up the series, opening at Trump on Feb. 24. Thereafter Al Ain (March 16 or 17, TBC), Arabian Ranches (April 7) and Dubai Creek (April 28) will host the tournaments before the grand final at Emirates G.C. on May 12.

The strokeplay events are open to “par 3 ready” juniors up to the age of 16 (there will be two divisions) and the Al Naboodah Trophy has been dusted off for the timely resurgence of the series. More than 115 players registered for the last series in 2011 and Young is hopeful the now clearer stepping stone between the junior development programmes at individual clubs to EGF Order of Merit events and beyond will entice even greater support.

“The ultimate goal would be to produce more golfers of the calibre of Rayhan Thomas,” said Young.

“The first series has produced a lot of juniors that are now in the higher levels of junior golf in the country and we’ve got two kids that are going to college in the U.S. already, as well as Rayhan of course. These were the first events they played in terms of proper competition at that development phase which is very important.”

Plumb also hopes to see the series grow.

“The reason we’re all here in the region is to grow the game and to grow golf,” said the Trump Dubai-based UAE PGA CEO. “The EGF obviously have a junior OOM on 18 hole courses but there’s nothing like this in the region that allows young aspiring players with no handicaps that are in the development programs to actually play competitive golf on par 3 courses. I think its a great platform for them to go onto junior order of merit, then on to order of merit and then to Dubai trophy and onwards.”

The post Junior redevelopment appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The MENA Tour champion fired a fine 68 in his opening round but given Thursday’s red-hot scoring, he figured four under was the least he had do to have a crack at the halfway cut and with it keep alive the long shot of a return to the European Tour full-time.

Elson has three confirmed starts – he’s playing Malaysia next week and Morocco in April courtesy of topping the developmental tour’s order of merit – and will need to excel in all three to have even a remote sniff at a 2018 card (save for qualifying via Q-School at the end of the season).

As the first round scorning showed, that’s no cinch. And for that, Elson reckons Tiger has a lot to answer for, in a very positive way.

“Obviously everyone that’s playing here wants to do it on a regular basis, not just two or three times a year. But it’s hard going, I mean the standard in the last five or six years has just gone through the roof,” said Elson.

“I think it’s the Tiger Woods effect really. I think the kids that he inspired to start the game are now 25 years of age and they’re pros, and they’re, you know, flying it 300 yards through the air. I mean you look at the scores, never used to shoot scores like that around this sort of golf course, but you know that’s the standard these days and that’s what you have to do.

“You see Rory just flicks it round, seven under like he’s in his sleep, seemingly. I know he puts a lot of hard work in to it but he’s that good. He drives it that well, he’ll probably shoot that score every day if the weather stays the same.”

Elson was pretty chuffed with his own driving Thursday in a bogey-free loop of the Majlis that left him in a share of 26th place overnight. Still, he knows he has work to do to make his second Desert Classic weekend; he finished T-63 in his maiden pro event here in 2003 but missed the cut a year later when Tiger contended.

“Yeah, no complaints with that. I’ve not had a card in my hand since King Hamad Trophy in November so no matter how much you practise, you don’t really feel that prepared unless you’ve played a couple of tournaments leading up to it. Sort of thrown in at the deep end to a certain extent.

“I just drove it quite nicely which I think that’s the most important club in the bag really, its very much a long game course. If you’re knocking it in the fairways you’ve not got a huge amount left to do.”

Elson was the best of the four MENA Tour players Thursday though amateur Todd Clements followed closely with a 69. Yas Links attached Englishman Luke Joy also dipped into the red with a 71 while Indian 18-year-old Rayhan Thomas has the most work to do to make the weekend after a 73.

“It’s obviously a great incentive when you’re playing on the MENA Tour to be able to peg it up in these sort of events and test yourself against the best.”

So far, so good, Tiger effect and all.

The post Elson thrives despite Desert Classic’s “Tiger effect”  appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Fancy the best seat in the house to watch the stellar field assembled for the 12th edition of the rebranded Omega Dubai Ladies Classic? Here’s your chance.

Tournament organisers Golf in Dubai are calling for volunteers to ensure the smooth running of the $500,000 Ladies European Tour season-ender from Dec. 6-9. Around 150 golf followers will be required to act as marshals, scorers, TV production assistants, scoreboard carriers and carry out other behind-the-scenes duties.

Related: Women’s British Open winner I.K. Kim and long drive champion Troy Mullins headline Omega Dubai Ladies Classic field

“We spend a great deal of time and energy in making sure we have the best players available for the event. The role of the volunteers is crucial in continuing to showcase Dubai as the ‘city of golf’, as we strive to make it the most successful tournament on the Ladies European Tour,” said Tournament Director David Spencer.

“None of this would be possible without the assistance of the volunteers, and we are calling on the UAE golfing community as well as international supporters as a whole to play their part in ensuring we put our best foot forward as a country.”

Knowledge of golf and its etiquette is essential for volunteers who will be deployed in a variety of key positions under the expert guidance of a highly experienced marshal management team.

“We will be delighted to welcome back experienced marshals and volunteers, but encourage newcomers to participate as well,” said Spencer.

If you wish to volunteer, visit www.dubailadiesclassic.com for online registration. Preference will be given to those volunteers who can commit to two or more days.

The post Volunteers required for Omega Dubai Ladies Classic appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

With a swing speed three miles faster than the average PGA Tour player (116mph compared to 113mph) and an eye-popping competition best hit of 402 yards, long drive champion Troy Mullins is sure to be a huge drawcard in more ways than one at the Ladies European Tour’s (LET) $500,000 season-ender from Dec. 6-9.

At least that’s what Tournament Director David Spencer is banking on after granting the Californian her 72-hole pro event debut at Emirates Golf Club.

Spencer took plenty of heat for handing Paige Spiranac her pro debut at the then Dubai Ladies Masters in 2015 and repeating the sponsors’ invite visit last season. He unashamedly admits the social media audience that accompanies Spiranac everywhere was a key driver behind the decision, to the point where the American is returning to the emirate as official starter for the men at January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Related: On the tee…Paige Spiranac

The key driver behind Mullins’ invite is the one the 5ft 8in American wields, and rather impressively so as this tweet highlights:

She did it!

Troy Mullins is the #MileHighShowdown Women’s Champion! #WorldLongDrive pic.twitter.com/TfM5OpFt7Y

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 26, 2017

Nicknamed the Trojan Goddess, Mullins only took up the game after attending Ivy League Cornell University when a hamstring injury curtailed her promising heptathlon career. Now she has genuine LPGA Tour ambitions.

Mullins won the 2017 Mile High Showdown, a World Long Drive event, in July with a 374 yard drive in the final and has a swing so sweet it has some of the game’s most critical analysts swooning, including Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee.

Spencer is excited about what Mullins, who speaks four languages including Chinese, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL), brings to the tournament. She will hold a clinic for spectators after play in the second round on Friday, Dec. 7.

“Troy caught our eye…we’ll we only started following long drive golf because she was on the Golf Channel and was being touted as having a perfect swing,” said Spencer.

“She’ll certainly be the longest player in the field but she’s also an accomplished golfer. We’ll she just how accomplished she is when she comes up against a professional field.”

Key Omega Dubai Ladies Classic signings (from top left clockwise): I.K. Kim, Susana Benavides, Klara Spilkova and Troy Mullins.

As well as unveiling Kim and Mullins, a new name to bring the LET event “into the ‘classic’ family”, and a “sister” trophy to match the Dallah (Arabic coffee pot) handed to Desert Classic men’s champion, Spencer also revealed 16 other name players.

They include Kim’s fellow LPGA players Suzanne Pettersen, Brittany Lincicome, Olafia Kristinsdottir, Mel Reid and reigning Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open champion Beth Allen.

Aditi Ashok, who sealed LET Rookie-of-the-Year honours with a share of third place at Emirates G.C. last December, also returns along with Rafa Cabrera Bello’s sister Emma, Dame Laura Davies, Amy Boulden, Carly Booth, Felicity Johnson, Olivia Cowan and Moroccan trailblazer Maha Haddioui.

New names include Kristinsdottir and Susana Benavides while Czech Olympian Klára Spilková returns.

Benavides is the only Bolivian-born golfer to ever play in an LPGA event and like Spiranac, will bring a strong social media audience with her to Dubai.

Being away from social media made me wanna come back ??er… #poorgreens #highheels #shooting #lpgadresscode #not

A post shared by Susana Benavides (@mumita_b) on Aug 29, 2017 at 6:41pm PDT

Spilková became the first Czech player to win a Ladies European Tour event with a one stroke victory over Pettersen at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco in April.

Photo courtesy LET
Klara Spilkova

Kristinsdottir brought forward double jaw surgery, a procedure that reportedly involved the addition of titanium plates to her nose and screws to her jaw, to correct an underbite just before becoming the first Icelander to play on the LPGA Tour. She is currently 82nd in the CME Rankings with one top-10 in her rookie year, a fourth placing at the Indy Women in Tech Championship Presented by Guggenheim.

Photo courtesy LPGA Tour Olafia Kristinsdottir

I.K. Kim, the highest ranked player in the field at No.8 in the latest Rolex Ranking, banished the haunting memory of missing a 14-inch putt to win the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship when he won the Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns

Related: In-Kyung Kim gets her major redemption with two-shot Women’s British Open victory

Englishwoman Sophie Lamb, who closed with a 69 at Kingsbarns to win low amateur honours, will is also a confirmed Majlis starter along with the 29-year-old South Korean.

The post Troy Mullins set to rip it past major champion I.K. Kim and co. in rebranded Omega Dubai Ladies “Classic” appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.