By Joel Beall
Dear New Golfer: Hello! We are delighted that you have picked up this beautiful sport. It is a game of endless joy and unceasing frustration. If that doesn’t sound like a paradox, you are in the right place.

And you are not alone. The National Golf Foundation reports that 6.2 million new players came to the sport in 2020. That figure is the most in history, and the largest single-season percentage increase in beginners and youth golfers since Tiger Woods’ historic victory at the 1997 Masters, according to the NGF. Better yet, in a game that has long struggled with including others, the participation surge represents a variety of social and economic backgrounds. The game is still not where it needs to be, but it’s getting better.

We at Golf Digest want to make sure your introduction to golf is as welcoming and hospitable as possible. With any new venture in life you might have questions, and, as you might have noticed, golf has a number of curiosities surrounding when and where to play, what to do and how to do it. The world of golf even has its own rules and language. It can be overwhelming, and that’s before trying to hit a tee shot in front of total strangers. So we called on your fellow golfing brothers and sisters, asking them what wisdom they have accrued that they wish they had known in the beginning. Their answers did not disappoint. Here are the lessons every new golfer needs to know.

Don’t be intimidated. Let us disabuse you of one of your biggest fears: No one cares what you shoot. Stop fretting about looking stupid or overmatched on the course. We all started somewhere, and even the pros hit poor shots.

Lower expectations. Golf is rewarding and fun, but it is not an easy sport to pick up quickly. Enjoy the challenge of getting better. It’s a journey. Like stopping to admire the scenery on a long road trip, allow yourself to fully appreciate the feeling of a well-struck shot.

You have one primary responsibility. Do not hold anyone up. Slow play is a constant source of misery. If we could, we would put the worst offenders in stocks by the clubhouse to be mocked and pelted with driving-range balls. To reiterate, it’s OK if you struggle. Just don’t be deliberate about it.

All right, one other responsibility. The course is our refuge from life, and getting paired with a jerk can wreck that sanctuary. Be the person you would want to meet. That means being kind, generous and funny.

You don’t need 14 clubs. You probably don’t need more than seven to start. A driver with at least 11 degrees of loft, a fairway wood, a 5-, 7- and 9-iron, a sand wedge and a putter are more than enough to get you going.

A tee time that involves others is sacred. Resolve to never break one that is less than a week out, except for a medical or family emergency.

Play your game. If a golfing partner hits the ball a lot farther than you, don’t try to match him or her. It will only get you in trouble. Play within yourself, and you will do a lot better.

Go for the hero shot. Hack it through the trees. Give yourself the green light on a drivable par 4 or try to reach a par 5 in two. Attempt a flop that would make Phil Mickelson proud. You will remember the one time it came off long after you have forgotten the 99 failures.

Have some gumption. Mentioned above, golf has a history of sexism, racism, exclusion, restriction and absurdly petty rules. Stand up to the pedants.

Never give swing advice. It does not matter how funky their movements look; you’re in no position to say a word. Conversely, if experienced golfers have a tip or two, take it in. We know newbies when we see them, and if we’re compelled to say something, it’s advice you should consider.

Learn to yell “Fore!” really loud. Your fellow golfers aren’t going to be mad if you have to wander onto their hole to find your wayward drive. But they will be mad if you almost took them out because you failed to warn them of the incoming missile.

It’s not Windex. That mysterious blue liquid, often found in unmarked bottles in and around country-club locker rooms, is an antifungal foot spray that makes toes sing. Apply it after you shower, and a few minutes later your tired dogs will be tingling with joy. You might even feel like playing another nine.

Get the basics down. Namely, do not walk ahead of golfers who haven’t hit, do not walk in the line of a player’s putt and do not talk while someone is hitting. Do those three things, and you’re in decent shape.

Also, chill with the phone. Go easy on the texts. Same goes with phone calls. And for goodness sake, don’t spend 10 minutes trying to capture the perfect Instagram photo.

Always bring a water bottle. With COVID protocols, a number of courses have shut off access to coolers or fountains, and the beverage cart is not always making the rounds. Two hours is a long time without hydration; we don’t need you passing out in a bunker.

Enjoy the grind. It’s easy to quit or feel defeated after a bad shot. Regardless of your skill level, always try to find a “game within the game”—like no triple bogeys on the scorecard— to help motivate you even when you don’t have your best stuff.

Keep a towel draped over your clubs. Clip-on towels are perfectly fine, but nothing says serious golfer like a towel draped over your sticks. Plus, the utility of it is amazing. Make sure to keep half the towel wet.

Swing like a kid. Child golfers usually prompt adult golfers to say things like, “What a great little swing!” It’s generally true that 8-year-olds possess tempo and fluidity that make older folks jealous. Why? It’s because kids don’t have enough strength in their hands and forearms to “muscle” shots. As a result, they tend to swing properly using the weight of the club to create acceleration. Think of this the next time you’re struggling.

If you use a cart, make sure the bag is strapped tight. Nothing says “newbie” more than the poor bastard whose bag falls off the back of his wheels.

You don’t need a new wardrobe. You definitely have something in your closet you can wear. Golf is becoming more relaxed in its dress code, so wear what makes you comfortable, and not what you think you should. However, if you’re traveling to a new course or country club, look up its dress-code policy online. A simple call ahead can relieve a lot of stress or potential awkwardness.

But one piece of fashion advice: Go easy with the white belt. Our beloved “Mr. Style” Marty Hackel has a Rule of 36: If your age or waistline exceeds that number, white belts are not a great look.

There is joy in playing with strangers. Maybe you wanted to go alone or needed some one-on-one time with a buddy. But if you get paired by a starter, be gracious and welcoming. Often some of our best experiences start as unexpected encounters on the first tee. Think of it as four hours to make a new friend. Plus, you clearly have something in common. That’s a start.

Take a lesson or two. The value of establishing fundamentals in your first few months—rather than spending years trying to figure it out on your own—cannot be overstated.

Make sure the bucket is beneath the range-ball dispenser before you put the token in. There is no greater shame than the eyes of an entire range as 50 beat-up balls hit and scatter across the pavement.

Look on the bright side. No matter how bad you’re playing, you can still look forward to a hot dog and cold drink at the turn.

Keep complaining to a minimum. It’s fine to sigh as your drive slices into the wilderness. The occasional swear word can be cathartic. But don’t sulk about a bad round. Don’t get angry at a bad round. Don’t do anything but laugh at a bad round because, again, we all stink. And never, ever complain about your opponent’s good shots.

Always play for a buck or two. Nothing will motivate you to get better more than losing some money. You can even play against yourself, setting a nine- or 18-hole score you want to beat. If you lose, put the cash in the clubhouse tip jar.

Treat the cart girl with respect. Don’t flirt with her. This is her workplace, and she has already been hit on a dozen times before she reached your group. Treat her like a human being.

Believe in yourself. Subbing out a new ball for a scuffed one on a hole with out-of-bounds or water is admitting defeat before a club is in your hands, to say nothing of putting some self-fulfilling prophecy in play. Yes, it stings to lose a new ball. But have courage that you’ll be able to keep it safe.

Get to know the practice green. Whether you are honing your putting, chipping, sand shots or short pitches, a well-rounded short game will make up for other deficiencies. Better yet, most short-game areas on public courses are free. It’s a great way to spend 20 minutes or two hours.

Never ask “Is this good?” If you’re in a match, assume you’ll have to putt everything out. Asking for a gimme places your opponent or friend in an uncomfortable spot. Nothing signals character more than taking responsibility for a testy three-footer.

It bears repeating: No one cares how good you are. There’s a reason we are playing here and not on tour. If we make good contact on one shot, we’re in paradise. Most of us don’t even need that. So when it comes to playing partners, we are looking for a fun hang—nothing more, nothing less.

The post Golf for Beginners: The 33 lessons every new golfer needs to know appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Ahmad Skaik, the first Emirati captain in the 22 year history of the Dubai Golf Trophy, shares the inside story of last month’s historic 18½-13½ victory over the UAE PGA Tour pros as the EGF amateurs made it six successive wins in the UAE’s answer to the Ryder Cup.

With Kent Gray

• • •
I’m very, very proud of my team for this achievement and I couldn’t have asked for a better team to be the captain of. I think this was the youngest team in the history of this trophy and we had seven new players so I am very proud of each and every one of them as they all contributed.

• • •
This event means so much to me. I love team events and it’s one of the rare tournaments where I have to think of the team, give my all to the team before thinking about myself. 

• • •
To be the first Emirati captain is a very big achievement for me and I gave it my all and tried to make everyone confident and comfortable. Basically, I tried to be the best captain I can possibly be and the win is a big bonus for sure. It was a tough and stressful season as I wanted everything to be perfect so we could win. I think that just shows how much it means to me.

• • •
I felt a lot of pressure going into it because you obviously don’t want to be a losing captain in general let alone being the first captain to lose in the last six years.

• • •
I got a lot of positive feedback from the Emirati golf community and a lot of them told me that they want to follow in my footsteps. This drives me and motivates me to work harder and harder. The best was from my team telling me that I was a very good captain.

• • •
They are a group of young players so they were already pumped going into it but I reminded the new players of how good they are and that no one deserves to be in the team more than them. All that was left was to go out and show everyone what you’re made of. After a great result on day one [the EGF lead 11-5 after the foursomes and fourballs], I had to remind the players that it still was far from over and that showed on day two as it was much closer [the EGF edged the singles 8½ -7½] than I would have liked but it makes the win feel much better.

• • •
I was worried for sure [after the opening foursomes were shared 4-4] but I was also confident that we had a strong team and I thought I did the round two fourballs pairings very well and we saw that with the score of 7-1. I made sure to match the players well together and change a few pairings from the morning match and I was very happy that it worked out the way it did.

• • •
To be honest, when I checked the leaderboard in the [afternoon] fourballs matches, it was still very close and myself and Khalid [Yousuf] had a tough match against Ryan Smith and Malcolm Young so me and Khalid decided not to look at it and just focus on winning our point for the team. 

• • •
Josh Hill [EGF No.1] has shown that he is levels ahead of the rest this season and that is a good thing for us to push ourselves to get to that level. I was very confident that he would get all three points and he gave me a hard time telling me he can’t play then yes, then no, then yes. He ended up changing his math test and flight dates [to the UK] to play which I really appreciate.

• • •
The guy that impressed me the most was Niklas Korjonen because it was his first time playing this event and he went 3-0. That doesn’t usually happen. Usually, the ones that play for the first time barely contribute.

• • •
Me and Steve Kelbrick have a very special bond together and I look up to him a lot as he inspires me. He chose me to be his vice-captain so we worked a lot together in the last two years and we did our practice rounds together leading up to this one. After I won my singles and saw how close it was, I went to support the players and I saw that Steve was 4 down at one point and got it to 1 up and I watched his last 3 holes and when he won on 17 to put our team in a very good position, we had a very special moment together. I think we hugged for like one minute. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.

• • •
It was very exciting to see the ladies play an exhibition match for the first time. I mean they weren’t fully part of it this time as their points didn’t count but I hope that they enjoyed it and I’m sure that next season will be very special for them as they will actually be part of the teams. I hope the ladies in the UAE national team set that as a goal for them in the future.

• • •
Khalid [Yousuf] was my vice-captain and also my partner. It was special for us to be together in the UAE team for all these years and then become the captain and vice-captain in the same year. I am sure that he will be a great captain because he is the captain of the UAE national team so he has experience with that. I think he will bring his experience into play as he played many of these and I will be there to help him with anything that he wants.

• • •
We have a lot of players in the EGF amateur team that want to make it on tour and we have a lot of almost full-time golfers in the team which will always be a factor and the difference when the pressure is on, even though the pros always give us a big fight.

• • •
Yes, I think that we can make it seven in a row for sure. If everything goes well and we get the right players in the team, then I don’t see why not.

RELATED:
Skaik leads EGF to sixth successive Dubai Golf Trophy
Bolt, Skaik name teams as EGF amateurs chase Dubai Golf Trophy six-peat

The post Sweet 6: Ahmad Skaik on leading the Emirates Golf Federation appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The left-hander with pro game goals has doubled-down on the honour of being the first home-grown player to captain the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) team in the Dubai Golf Trophy by leading the amateurs to a sixth successive victory in the Ryder Cup-style matches.

Mike Bolt’s UAE PGA pros, staring down the barrel of an embarrassing defeat after entering the final day 11-5 adrift, rallied on Sunday at Earth, winning the singles 8½ -7½. But in the end, it was a mountain too high as Skaik’s amateurs won 18½-13½.

The EGF men got off to a predictable flier with Josh Hill seven under the card through 12 holes before matching threes on 13 saw Malcolm Young shake hands and scratch his head as a 6&5 victim of the best golf game in the UAE.

The second match out was a much tighter affair with a par on the 18th earning Indian amateur Arjun Gupta a half with Sujjan Singh. Bolt was one of the five UAE PGA players to win the next five matches out for the pros, leaving it up to the EGF lower order to get the job done. In the end, the amateur’s almost utter scoreboard domination in Saturday afternoon’s fourballs, which they won 7-1, proved the difference, much as Hideki Matsuyama’s back nine after Saturday’s weather delay at Augusta National propelled him to a historic green jacket for Japan at The Masters overnight.

In the two-person women’s exhibition match, the EGF amateurs made it a double celebration with a 3-1 victory, the UAE pro’s sole point coming in the singles via Anneke Strobach’s 3&2 victory over Hyeonji Kang.

Skaik’s deputy Khalid Yousuf will now likely step up to the captain’s role for 2022. Who will take the challenge on for the UAE PGA Tour remains to be seen. One thing is certain – the women will be involved in the matches proper from next year.

RELATED:
Bolt, Skaik name teams as EGF amateurs chase Dubai Golf Trophy six-peat

The post Skaik leads EGF to sixth successive Dubai Golf Trophy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The swing evolves from the initial move away from the ball. Let Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club professional Euan Bowden get your takeaway right from the get go.

By Euan Bowden
The takeaway is crucial as the rest of the swing evolves from here. It gives you a chance to set width in the swing and trigger the correct body movement from the outset.

To initiate the takeaway, feel as though you are applying pressure in the club down and away from the ball. This will encourage you to keep the club-wide and the arms connected to your body. It is important to ensure your body stays centred as you do this.

A mental image to help you achieve this feeling is to picture yourself holding a beach ball underwater, moving it away from your body. In other words, you are trying to drag your club through the water as it goes away from the golf ball. The feeling will create a resistance that slows the club down, helping to produce a slow and controlled takeaway.

A driving range drill to help with this is to place an alignment stick parallel to your target, half way between your feet and the ball. A good takeaway will see your hands staying on the inside of the stick as the club head stays on the outside just as the club reaches a position parallel to the ground. A lot of amateurs snatch the club away from the ball, whipping the club head inside their hands and around their body, often separating the elbows as a result. Others pick the club up from behind the ball, getting it working too far from the body. Both of these will make it hard to initiate the correct body movement.

Essentially, you should look to move the ‘V’ shape created between our arms at address straight back away from the ball, keeping the hands and club head low and wide. Work on this feeling and you’ll be on the path to sweet strikes in no time.

Euan Bowden is PGA teaching professional at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club’s Peter Cowen Academy Dubai.

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The post WATCH: Every good golf swing starts here 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.

For the fifth straight year the EGF Ams have captured the Dubai Trophy, this time rallying from a two-point deficit heading into Sunday’s singles at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club to retain the trophy 17-15.

EGF captain Steven Kelbrick stacked his line-up hoping to put early scoreboard pressure on Luke Plumb’s pros and it had the desired effect as they won Sunday 10-6. England schoolboys’ international Josh Hill (Trump Dubai) sparked the comeback, a comprehensive 3&2 victory in the first match out over UAE PGA Matchplay champion Michael Major (Dubai Creek) sealing an unbeaten record for the teen and sending a message of hope through the amateur ranks.

 

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A few swings from today’s #dubaigolftrophy Josh again managed to finish his singles with a win of 3&2. With 3 good shots again and 3 good putts!??? Finished weekend with 3 out of 3 points and a winning team! @robwattsperformance

A post shared by Russell Hill (@golf_osteo_path_dxb) on Oct 4, 2020 at 5:59am PDT

Making the most of home course knowledge, Creek Ams Bayhaan Lakdawala and Max Burrow duly made it a perfect top order start with 2&1 triumphs over Tom Buchanan (Al Ain) and Jackson Bell (JGE) respectively. Louis Gaughan (Pro Sports) battled for a noteworthy half with Welsh schoolboys’ international Toby Bishop (Trump Dubai) but Arjun Gupta made it 4.5 out of a possible five points with victory over Steven Munro, strangely recorded as 3up through 15 but comprehensive nonetheless.

“The strong [EGF] top 5 did a number on us really then we couldn’t quite get the job done through the rest of the field,” said Plumb. “The top 5 gave them loads of confidence.”

Indeed, the UAE Pros had to wait for Dong Lee, at No.6, for their first full singles point after a 2 up victory over Hugo Garcia, a member at Emirates G.C. where Lee works.

There was a block of blue denoting Pro wins lower down the order with Puma Sharma (Pro Sports), David Laing (The Monty) and Malcolm Young securing victories but halves for Williams Xu (Sharjah) and Gordon Munro (Dubai Hills) and a 2&1 win for Barry Pavic (Dubai Hills) at No.16 over UAE vice-captain Michael Bolt (Claude Harmon III) ended any chance for the Pros.

“They seemed to hole more putts and the important putts as well,” Plumb continued. “Yeah, it’s very disappointing but still had a great week. It was a great comeback two years in a row from them but we are getting closer. I can’t fault the guys…everyone gave it their all.”

 

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17-15 victory for the amateurs. That’s 5 in a row for the amateurs

A post shared by DGT (@dubai_golf_trophy) on Oct 4, 2020 at 5:50am PDT

 

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5 in a row.

A post shared by DGT (@dubai_golf_trophy) on Oct 4, 2020 at 6:06am PDT

Kelbrick singled out Hill, Bishop and Pavic, the latter for his performance in the anchor singles match, for special praise.

“Sunday was ‘load the front’, it wasn’t rocket science,” said Kelbrick. “We had faith in the depth of the team.

“It was obvious that they would lead with Mike Major so we put trust in Josh [Hill]. Once that result was in and the Creek boys got going the momentum was set.”

Kelbrick then summed up the weekend for everyone involved.

“We’re very happy with the result and just so happy that Dubai Golf [who manage Dubai Creek and Jumeirah Golf Estates where the matches were held] and Pro Sports honoured their commitment in a dismal year.”

The post UAE PGA captain Luke Plumb on fifth straight Dubai Trophy loss: ‘The EGF top 5 did a number on us’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ian Brennan
Don’t let the relaxed atmosphere, floodlit ambience and unparalleled views of the Burj Khalifa fool you. The Track, Meydan Golf is no walk in the park, a layout that promises a stern test of your game. With eight out of our nine holes protected by water, it’s common for players to find themselves in some unusual positions. Playing lessons are incredibly popular at The Track and I love the discussions they generate with beginner and veteran player alike. A common question I receive during our time on the course is: How do I play some of these awkward lies? Here at the iconic 4th Hole I’ve pulled my tee shot and found myself in one such position, a little too close to the water’s edge for comfort. Due to the bank of the lake that my ball now lies on, you’ll notice the ball is above my feet as I take my stance. The ball above the feet lie can cause a lot of problems for amateur golfers but if you remember these tips, you’ll pass this tricky lie test every time.

ALIGNMENT
First things first, we need to understand the role alignment plays in performing this shot. The more above my feet the ball is, the more left the clubface will point. Note that the higher the loft of the club in hand, the more exaggerated this will be. With that in mind, we now need to ensure to aim far enough to the right of our target to allow for the correct start line and pronounced right to left curvature this shot will produce. As you can see, my body alignment is towards the right edge of the green. You’ll also notice my swing appears to be flatter. Again, due to the angle of the slope my swing will naturally need to flatten to match with the slope. Think of a baseball swing for the perfect pre-shot feeling.

CHOKE DOWN
We’ve spoken about alignment and the effect the slope has on the golf swing itself but in order to ensure consistent contact, we also need to adjust our grip placement slightly. Remember not only is the ball above our feet, it’s also now brought closer to our body. As noted, the swing will become flatter due to the angle of the slope. This, matched with choking down slightly on the grip, will give you the best chance of catching the ball clean and watching it curve back to target, navigating another tricky Track lie like a Tour Pro.

[divider] [/divider]

To book a lesson with PGA Golf Professional Ian Brennan at the Meydan Academy By Troon, call 04 381 3733 or email ian.brennan@meydangolf.com

The post GAME IMPROVER: How to flush it from tricky lies appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Anxious to avoid a fifth straight defeat in the annual Ryder Cup-style matches, the pros will take a two-point, 9-7 advantage into the 16 singles matches at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club after a particularly satisfying afternoon of work on Earth yesterday.

 

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DGT2020

A post shared by DGT (@dubai_golf_trophy) on Oct 3, 2020 at 12:16am PDT

The amateurs established a 5-3 lead after the opening foursomes at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Saturday, highlighted by 2&1 wins for Josh Hill and Toby Bishop and Emirati duo Ahmad Skaik and Khalid Yousuf over Michael Major and Tom Buchanan and Ryan Smith and David Laing respectively.

Hill and Bishop were impressively six-under in seeing off Major and Buchanan.

 

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A few from today’s #dubaigolftrophy @j.hill_golf and @welsh_golfer shot six under to win their foursomes 2&1! It was a great match, well done lads! @robwattsperformance

A post shared by Russell Hill (@golf_osteo_path_dxb) on Oct 3, 2020 at 12:05am PDT

But the pros mounted an impressive comeback in the afternoon fourballs, winning six of the eight matches. Hill and Bishop kept their unbeaten record intact for the amateurs with a 2&1 win over Buchanan and Samuel McLaren while Arjun Gupta and Dave Guinee kept the amateurs in the contest with an important 3&2 win over Steven Munro and Malcolm Young.

Check out the putt Hill drained to seal a second win with Bishop.

 

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Good day at the office, the 4 ball second match today was a grid but Josh carried a boogie free day on till the end! Most important lesson was proving that golf still can be won with only three GOOD shots and 65 average shots in a round! @jmgolfcoach thanks had to borrow that! #dubaigolftrophy

A post shared by Russell Hill (@golf_osteo_path_dxb) on Oct 3, 2020 at 8:34am PDT

Boom.

There were big 5&4 wins for the Michaels, Major and Bolt, over Max Barrow and Bayhaan Lakdawala, and for Jackson Bell and captain Luke Plumb over Barry Pavic and Gordon Munro. Louis Gaughan and Jordan Gallagher were also impressive 4&3 winners over Skaik and Yousuf.

And so onto Sunday’s singles where there are some intriguing matchups with Hill pitted against newly minted UAE PGA Matchplay champion Major in the first match out at 11.30am. EGF captain Steven Kelbrick, who will face Gallagher, has stacked his order hoping for a fast start to ratchet up the pressure on the Plumb’s pros.

A fascinating Sunday awaits at The Creek.

 

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All to play for tomorrow with the UAE PGA Professionals leading the way 9-7 from the EGF amateurs. Morning foursomes 3-5 afternoon fourballs 6-2 so a come back from the pros. #dubaicreek #jumeirahgolfestates #dubaigolftrophy #dubaigolf #uaepga #egf

A post shared by UAE PGA (@uaepga) on Oct 3, 2020 at 8:03am PDT

The post UAE PGA pros fightback for 9-7 lead heading into Sunday’s Dubai Trophy singles appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

After being on European duty last summer, COVID-confined Josh Hill, Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta are back to bolster Steven Kelbrick’s EGF line-up who are seeking a fifth straight win in the 54-hole event set for Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on Oct. 3-4.

Hill, fresh from a run to the round of 16 at The 125th Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale, and Gupta are two of Kelbrick’s four picks, joining Sharjah’s William Xu and Emirati international Khalid Yousuf. Bishop qualified through the truncated EGF Order of Merit season which was won by Dan Byrne. The Els Club Dubai youngster adds yet more firepower to the amateur side which was revealed on Thursday to Golf Digest Middle East, along with Plumb’s 16-strong team.

RELATED: Amhad Skaik set for Dubai Trophy history

Plumb has handed captain’s picks to Al Ain’s Tom Buchanan and unattached former Arabian Ranches head pro Malcolm Young, another experienced Dubai Trophy campaigner who forced his way in with a top-five finish at last week’s UAE PGA Championship.

JA The Resort-attached Plumb is confident he has the team to halt a run of four straight losses but also concedes Kelbrick’s team deserve to go in favourites.

“The Amateurs have a really strong side. Golf in the region has some fantastic talent,” Plumb said. “The big three are all playing, Josh, Toby and Arjun, and they are mixed in with lots of experience so they are formidable opposition. I think we are underdogs but certainly have a great chance and there is no pressure on us.”

It’s not that the Pros are lacking talent or form. Plumb just wrapped up the UAE PGA Order of Merit title, Michael Major (Dubai Creek) edged Dong Lee (Emirates G.C.) 3&2 to capture the Henrik Stenson Eyewear UAE PGA Matchplay Championship while UAE national Ahmed Al Musharrekh (EGF) carded rounds of 75-69 at The Creek for a +1 aggregate to become the first Emirati to capture the UAE PGA Championship earlier this week.

 

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Congratulations to @major_michael for winning the 2020 @henrikstensoneyewear UAE PGA Matchplay Championship ???? Mike fired some timely back nine birdies to edge out runner up @dongkyonlee by 3&2. @gaughanlouis pipped @davidlaingpga to finish in overall 3rd Place. A big thank you to our sponsor Henrik Stenson Eyewear & @trumpgolfdubai for the hospitality today. #uaepga #henrikstensoneyewear #matchplay

A post shared by UAE PGA (@uaepga) on Sep 15, 2020 at 5:30am PDT

 

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Congratulations to Ahmed Al Musharrekh on winning the UAE PGA Championship. Ahmed fired a -2, 69 round a testing Dubai Creek for a total of 75/69 +1. This is the largest golf competition for a UAE National to ever win and a fantastic achievement for Ahmed ??? Runner up by only a single shot was @jacksonbell01 JGE with 68/77 +2 and in solo third @graydavid_1 with 72/74 +3. X3 tied 4th on +4 @malc_younggolf @phil_waine @urs_perfectman. A fantastic 2 days @jumeirah.golf @dubaicreekgolf and thanks to all their teams for the hospitality. #dubaigolf #dubaicreek #jumeirahgolfestates #uaepga #uae #winner #champion

A post shared by UAE PGA (@uaepga) on Sep 22, 2020 at 4:24am PDT

“I think the team is extremely strong this year, maybe one of the best I’ve played in with no weak links and lots of people playing well so we go in with a good chance,” Plumb said. “We will be creative with the pairings to try and give us the best chance. I think it’ll just come down to who plays well on the two days. If we play to the level we can, then we have a great chance this year.”

Kelbrick is equally confident, insisting he hadn’t looked at the UAE PGA team.

“We can only control ourselves,” the Trump Dubai member said before recalling his dream performance at the 2019 Senior Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.

“It’s the same as Senior Open. We are here now, let’s embrace it and believe that we can win. Five in a row is possible but the key is attitude. We’ve got to enjoy the experience and allow it to lift our performance. That’s the goal.”

The post Big names return as EGF Amateurs chase Dubai Trophy five-peat appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Mike Kinloch
A few minutes watching PGA or European Tour coverage is all the evidence you need; there is not one single method that guarantees consistent putting success. A multitude of different grips, holds and putting styles are employed by the world’s best. That said, there are some principles that are common to good putters. One of these is club face stability.

A good way to maintain this stability is with good connection between body and arms. Many problems arise with face and distance control when the arms separate from the body and independently move the putter. The photographs above illustrate this separation. Typically the elbows are pointing out and often the wrist angles change during the stroke.

For those players who use a conventional stance and a traditional length of putter, there are some drills that can encourage a solid connection to improve face stability and distance control.

A good feel is to have the elbows of both arms gently flexed and orientated towards the hips. This will set the shoulders and arms in a stable position. To foster a good connection with the body, grab the material of your shirt high on the lead side of your body and tuck it in to the armpit, gently hold it there with the top of the arm and shoulder. As you make your practice stroke, hold the material in place for the duration of the putt. This will keep the lead side of your body solid through the stroke. Start with short putts and as you get more comfortable with the feeling, extend the length of the stroke. As you are practising, maintain good balance and remain as steady as possible with the lower body.

Towel Tuck
As an alternative to tucking your shirt, you can position a towel under the armpits as I’m illustrating here. As well as improving body and arm connection, these drills can help stabilise the path and arc of the stroke. The towel will provide great feedback. Remember to maintain a gentle pressure throughout the stroke; any slip of the towel is a sure sign there is separation in your stroke.

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Michael Kinloch is Head Professional at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club’s Peter Cowen Academy Dubai. For more information, visit dubaigolf.com

The post Chronic 3-putter? This drill is for you appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.