Golf Digest Middle East caught up with The R&A’s Phil Anderton and Neal Graham to discuss the vision of the game in the region

The R&A’s ambition is to inspire future generations to say: ‘I love golf’

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer

How has the role of The R&A changed and expanded in recent times?
The R&A governs the sport of golf worldwide alongside the USGA who have responsibility in the US and Mexico. We have responsibilities for governing the Rules of Golf, staging The Open and AIG Women’s Open as well as elite amateur championships and developing the sport.

The R&A has changed significantly over the last few years and we continue to evolve as an organisation. We have modernised The Rules of Golf and made them more inclusive through the introduction of Rule 25 which allows players with specific disabilities to play fairly with players who have no disabilities, the same disability or a different type of disability.

We introduced a unified global handicap system for the first time, we have enhance The Open and the AIG Women’s Open and crucially we implemented a modern and proactive business models which has given us financial stability meaning we can double our investment into the sport to £200 million over a 10-year period.

We are now three years into a new five-year strategy where we are focused on achieving our vision for the sport which is that golf is open to all people. We continue to be leaders for the sport encouraging it to modernise, change and adapt to a rapidly changing world. Golf has a golden opportunity post-pandemic where more than ever people want to enjoy healthy, social and fulfilling leisure pursuits. Now is our time to act to ensure more people are playing more golf well into the future.

Over the next five years we are placing particular emphasis on women and girls golf, sustainable golf practices, the promotion of golf and it’s health benefits as well as alternate formats of the game and modernised facilities. Our real ambition is to inspire current and future generations to say ‘I love playing golf’.

The R&A looks to encourage even more women to play golf and work in the industry

I have seen the number of golfers rise significantly, especially in recent years. How is The R&A helping grow the game?
Our recent participation figures show that golf continues to thrive post-pandemic. In 2022 there were an additional ten million golfers playing the sport worldwide, excluding the US and Mexico, since 2016, which is an increase of 34 per cent. There are now 39.6 million on-course adult golfers, across 9 and 18 holes, with the top-five golfing nations, outside of the US and Mexico, being Japan, Canada, Korea, England and Germany.

What is really exciting is that women now make up almost a quarter of adult registered golfers, demonstrating the positive impact of initiatives focused on promoting greater diversity and inclusivity in golf. I was delighted to note that recently the UAE became the first country in the world to have all its golf clubs sign The R&A Women in Golf Charter. I will be keen to see the impact this has on the growth of women’s golf in the country.

The participation growth has been aided by the important work of golf bodies like The R&A and Emirates Golf Federation do to drive participation initiatives and increase awareness of the benefits of the sport. There remains significant interest in golf and while we recognise that there are economic challenges due to cost of living pressures, it is important for everyone involved to do their best to keep existing golfers in the sport as well as continuing to drive new participants.

Golf it! is designed to be family friendly and encourage new golfers into the sport

As I have mentioned golf has a golden opportunity and it is important that we capitalise on that. Already we have launched initiatives that take The R&A down new avenues including the opening of Golf It! The R&A’s new community-based golf and entertainment facility in Scotland. It’s a new concept which is set to make golf more accessible and inclusive for golfers and non-golfers alike. It was launched in August and has already seen huge success with over two million balls hit on the range in the first three months of operation. We see Golf It! as a blueprint for how a modern golf facility should be and hope that  more Golf It! style facilities will be created further afield.

The R&A’s Golf is Good campaign features international football star Gareth Bale

Golf and health has also been a significant focus of The R&A through ‘Golf is Good’, a new global project that we piloted in Wales last summer in partnership with Wales Golf. Featuring R&A global ambassador Gareth Bale, it used recent scientific research to promote the health and well-being benefits of playing the sport through cutting-edge animation. It is now being rolled out globally through other national associations and golfing bodies. The campaign in Wales produced positive results with 65 per cent of current golfers who had seen golf and health advertising playing more golf than usual in 2022, compared to 48% of current golfers who had not seen the advertising. Furthermore, 73 per cent of current on-course golfers were likely to play more golf because of the campaign.

Global superstar Niall Horan, a new initiative by The R&A, and Modest Golf to boost participation

Another significant project that we launched this summer, with the support of R&A global ambassador and music star Niall Horan, was Golf.Golf which encourages people to learn to play golf at a diverse range of golf facilities across Scotland. The initiative has been developed using extensive research into how to attract new people to the sport and is targeted specifically at those who already had or have an active interest in sporting activity but not necessarily in golf. The Golf.Golf digital platform provides an easy-to-use searchable list of all participating venues. Prospective players – from beginners to those who want to pick up the sport again – can use the platform to find their local venue and book sessions directly.

And the key objectives to help sustain and expand this growth through The R&A?
Our number one objective over the next five years is to increase the number of people playing all formats of the golf and get them playing more often. It is this objective which has driven projects like ‘Golf is Good’, Golf.Golf and Golf It!

These projects are all driven by extensive market research. We then take this research and create programmes which have been piloted in particular markets. We can then review and modify where necessary but more importantly we can take those programmes and work with other national golf associations to launch them in other countries. I think this is the real value The R&A can bring to golf internationally. We have the resources to undertake the research, to make sure programmes are evidence-based and then help golf associations with the local knowledge to deliver these programmes in their own countries.

And specifically in the Middle East region — how are you reaching more budding golfers?
The Middle East has become synonymous with elite level professional golf and even amateur golf with the recent staging of the World Amateur Team Championships. It is also a favourite golf holiday destination for many people. However, compared to many regions around the world, golf in the Middle East is still in the early stages of its participation development. But this also presents one of the greatest opportunities for growth worldwide and we are starting to see some very positive participation trends. Our recent global participation report shows that 9 & 18 hole golfer numbers in 2022 have risen by 62 per cent compared to 2020, by 100 per cent compared to 2016 and by 223 per cent compared to 2012. So I think we should acknowledge the successful efforts of the national golf associations in the Middle East to grow participation.

To help golf in the Middle East to continue to grow and to assist the national golf associations to take advantage of the current opportunity, The R&A has appointed Neal Graham as Regional Development Manager. He supports The R&A’s development strategy to engage and lead more effectively by working with national golf associations and other key stakeholders to drive the development of the sport within the Middle East. He provides organisations with support and advice in relation to grassroots initiatives, coaching, on and off-course facilities, pathways and high performance development, and staging professional and amateur championships.

Now almost a year into having a dedicated staff member in the Middle East, The R&A has seen the UAE become the first country to have all golf clubs sign the Women in Golf Charter, the introduction of a pilot of The R&A’s Unleash Your Drive in Schools programme and shortly we are about to host The R&A Middle East Golf Leadership Forum during the DP World Tour Championship.

Neal Graham. Ahmed Abdelwahab / Motivate Media Group

Neal Graham, Middle East and India Regional Development Manager

What is the active role The R&A takes to provide assistance in the region?
As Phil mentioned, The R&A works closely with the national golf associations and key stakeholders to support their development plans.  Since I commenced this role, my focus has been on engaging with the national golf associations in the Middle East,  listening and understanding the golfing landscape in their regions. Working together we have then identified key areas The R&A can support to develop programmes that make golf more appealing, accessible and inclusive.

In the UAE, working alongside the Emirates Golf Federation we identified the opportunity to create a pathway to introduce more children to golf. So, we are particularly excited to launch The R&A Unleash Your Drive in Schools programme in collaboration with the Golf Foundation, which is a six week beginner golf programme for students that can be delivered by teachers thanks to training from PGA professionals, easy to use resources and equipment which includes plastic golf clubs and soft foam golf balls. At the end of the six week programme students will have learnt the basics of golf as well as nine mental toughness skills which are integrated into the programme to positively impact their wellbeing. Those who wish to develop their golf skills further can join the Emirates Golf Federation junior programmes or those at local golf clubs.

Recently, we conducted workshops at Yas Links Abu Dhabi and the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai. We had attendees from the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and Lebanon, so we will start to see The R&A’s Unleash Your Drive in Schools Programme rolled out in the coming months.

Following on from the success of the schools programme, we are also aiming to launch the Golf Sixes League in Abu Dhabi to provide children with another opportunity in their golfing journey. Golf Sixes League is a proven junior golf concept which The R&A collaborates on across the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa.

Tell us more about the upcoming R&A Middle East Golf Leadership Forum
The R&A Middle East Golf Leadership Forum will take place during the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai on Thursday November 16.

The purpose of the forum is to gather both industry and non-industry stakeholders from the Middle East region to network and collaborate on three key topics; golf and health, sustainability in golf and inclusion in golf.

Each session to being moderated by a leading figure and will feature panellists who can share with the audience their personal insights and experiences. We are delighted to be joined by Dr Andrew Murray, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of the European Tour Group, Chris Gray, Head of Sustainable Agronomy – Asia-Pacific for The R&A and Tony Bennet, Head of Disability and Inclusion – IGF, President of EDGA and PGA Master Professional.

We hope to motivate and inspire the golf industry, to share best practices amongst colleagues but also to look at how golf can learn from other successful sports.

All 22 golf clubs in the United Arab Emirates have signed The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter. It becomes the first nation to achieve the feat

The R&A has a strong focus on women and girls golf, how are you bringing that to the Middle East?
The R&A is committed to increasing the number of women and girls both playing golf and working in the industry. In 2018 The R&A Women in Golf Charter was launched to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf. Since then over 1,300 organisations in 75 countries have signed the Charter. Something that all golfers within the UAE should be very proud of, is that earlier this year the UAE became the first country to have all golf clubs sign the Charter. Each club has set out its commitment to developing women’s golf at their facility and long term I believe we will start to see the number of women golfers in the UAE increase because of this initiative.

The UAE also now has five women from the industry participating in The R&A Women in Golf Leadership Programme which is aimed at supporting the development and progression of women who have the potential to become future leaders.

Nada Mir of Qatar (L) and Vanessa Richani of Lebanon (Ri) became the first players from their countries to compete in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship

At an elite amateur level, we have also seen golfers from the Middle East start to emerge. This year The R&A staged the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Singapore with 85 players from 22 countries in the field. For the first time this year there was a competitor from Lebanon and Qatar in the Championship which has helped to inspire more women and girls in those countries to take up the sport. 

And Greenkeeping training is also in the pipeline?
The R&A has partnered with the Asian Golf Industry Federation and the New Zealand Sports Turf Institute to provide a Certificate in Greenkeeping programme available to greenkeepers across the UAE.  This programme is crafted for golf course staff who may not have formal education related to the knowledge and skills required to operate safely and efficiently as a greenkeeper on a golf course. The blended workplace learning will allow the students to apply the technical skills and processes learned to a variety of turf situations under the supervision of a qualified workplace supervisor throughout the one year duration of the course. The introductory course will kick start the programme at the The Montgomerie Golf Club from Monday 27th November to Friday 1st December.

Off course facilities are inspiring more people onto the golf course

There are many off-course facilities too, popping up. How does this help beginners get into the game?
The R&A’s research has shown across the globe that over a third of on course golfers were inspired to play on course golf by playing alternative formats of the sport.

The rise in popularity of off course facilities such as indoor simulator golf, adventure golf, mini golf, and driving range golf with tracker technology has a number of benefits to aid beginners getting into the sport.  Firstly, they attract a much larger non-golf audience who traditionally would have not engaged in golf.  The variety of the facilities and experiences on offer can assist in engagement being maintained.  The facilities are friendly focused and are able to attract all demographics.  We are fortunate that many of the off course facilities in the UAE offer professional instruction on site to assist golfers develop their game further and make the transition to the course should they wish to.

Off-course and on-course facilities working together on initiatives when able will help improve engagement for golfers and as a result increase the awareness of the sport and breakdown traditional perceptions.

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As reported by several media outlets on Saturday and confirmed by Golf Digest, the PGA Tour says tour members will be allowed to compete in the qualifying event, to be held December 8-10 in the UAE.

“Based on the information publicly available regarding the LIV Golf Promotion event, it is determined to be a qualifying event only and not a part of an unauthorised series. Therefore, the LIV Golf Promotion event is not categorised as an ‘Unauthorized Tournament’,” a tour spokesman said in a statement. “This classification is subject to change should the details of the event change.”

The top three finishers in the 72-hole qualifier will be promoted to LIV Golf for 2024. What happens if a PGA Tour player is one of those qualifiers has not yet been determined, since tour players have either been suspended our resigned their tour membership to play for LIV.

The PGA Tour decision comes as the organisation continues to negotiate a potential investment deal with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund that has supplied nearly all of the money for the LIV Golf. The entities announced in June that they established a December 31 deadline to come to an agreement.

Main image: Icon Sportswire

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Organised by Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Department of Culture and Tourism, the men’s Eisenhower Trophy is scheduled for October 18-21 while the women’s Espirito Santo Trophy takes place the following week from October 25-28.

The UAE men’s team will be captained by star player Ahmad Skaik and he will be joined by current UAE Junior Order of Merit winner Rayan Ahmed as well as 2023 Robert Rock Abu Dhabi Championship winner Thomas Nesbitt.

“It is an honour to represent the country in any event, and to do it in the biggest amateur team event, especially on home soil, makes it even more special,” Skaik said.

“I am excited about this opportunity and proud to serve as the captain. I couldn’t compete much last year due to my injury, so I am eagerly anticipating the challenge.”

Ahmed, who also achieved a top 10 finish at the 2023 European Golf Championships, added: “It’s truly a dream come true to participate in a tournament where golf legends like Tiger (Woods), Rory (McIlroy), and (Jon) Rahm have played. I’ll have the opportunity to test my skills against the very best in the world.”

The women’s representatives include 2023 Faldo Series Middle East Championship winner Jamie Camero, 2022 All African Challenge Trophy champion Intissar Rich and Lara El Chaib, who won two events in England last year.

“The WATC will bring together the best of the best amateurs from all over the world and I’m so honoured to be a part of it, especially in front of our home crowd,” said Camero. “I’m guaranteed to learn a lot from the week.”

Rich, who has previously played in Ladies European Tour events, added: “I’m very excited to be part of the UAE Ladies Team and to play golf at Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the Espirito Santo Trophy.

“This course is known for being tough and used to host the HSBC Championship. Representing the UAE is a big honour, and I can’t wait to play golf with my teammates.”

Both tournaments are set to feature 36 countries with each nation having two or three playing representatives with some of the best amateur players in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, including current World No. 1 Christo Lamprecht.

The 22-year-old South African grabbed the spotlight earlier this year when he posted a 66 to hold the first-round lead at the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

“It’s always a great privilege to represent your country,” said Lamprecht. “I’m a very proud South African, I’m looking forward to it and playing alongside my fellow South Africans. It’s time we do really good in the event as historically we haven’t done too well. I think it could be a really special one for us.”

The best two scores from each day’s play go toward the team’s score for each round with the 72-hole total combining to give each nation’s score for the full championship.

Both tournaments were last held in 2022 in France where Italy emerged victorious at the Eisenhower Trophy on 31-under par, while Sweden claimed the Espirito Santo Trophy on 13-under.

Main image: Ahmad Skaik. EGF

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Given his fair complexion, Sepp Straka would never pass a Hollywood audition for the part of “tall dark stranger”. But there is no doubt the 30-year-old Austrian is, at least within the team room, the least known member of the European Ryder Cup side that will attempt to wrest the trophy from American hands later this month.

While much has been made of other Ryder Cup rookies such as Ludvig Aberg and Nicolai Hojgaard since captain Luke Donald added Straka and five others to the six automatic qualifiers, the University of Georgia graduate — hence the southern twang — has gone pretty much under the radar. But, as he was at pains to confirm after completing an opening two-under 70 at Wentworth in the BMW PGA Championship, he definitely does not feel in any way neglected.

And there is certainly nothing approaching resentment from his teammates with regard to where Straka played most of his golf. This week marks just the 20th DP World Tour start in his professional career.

“I do spend the majority of my time on the PGA Tour,” Straka acknowledged. “But if the team wanted to have the best players, I am one of those. So there has never really been any issues. To make the team, you just have to make sure you’re one of the 12 best players. And I felt like I did that.”

Apart from anything else, Straka made his desire to be part of the biennial match known early in the qualifying process. In January, he made the epic trip from Hawaii to Abu Dhabi to be part of the Continental Europe team that would defeat their Great Britain & Ireland counterparts in the Hero Cup. Straka emerged from that victory with a 2-2-0 record that included a final day 5&4 victory in singles.

The following two weeks at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic were less successful — Straka missed the cut in both. But he had made his intentions clear with regard to the Ryder Cup: he wanted in. Eventually anyway. Sitting in the plane halfway between departure and arrival in the UAE, a little doubt did creep in.

“Two days into the trip, I was thinking, why am I doing this?” he says. “But then when I got there it was a lot of fun. It was great. We don’t get to play that type of golf very much. Not in a team environment, playing foursomes and four-balls. Plus, I thought it was invaluable for me to get some people to know me. At that point I was I was kind of on the outskirts of the radar. But it was so early. Really, I was just trying to get to know some guys.”

If they didn’t know him then, they surely do now. And ever since Donald made his picks, no one’s come close to questioning the two-time PGA Tour winner’s claims for inclusion. Not with a victory at the John Deere Classic, a runner-up spot in the Open Championship and a T-7 finish at the PGA Championship on his recent résumé.

“Sepp gets along great with everyone,” says European assistant captain Nicolas Colsaerts. “He gels into the group really easily. And he’s a ball-striking machine. Who wouldn’t want to play with Sepp Straka? I know there will be a lot of guys putting their hands up to be paired with him.”

In that regard, it would seem logical and likely, as Colsearts hinted, that Straka will feature in both foursomes sessions, the “alternate shot” format a good fit with his consistency tee-to-green. Plus, back in his amateur days he represented his country in European Team Championships, both events featuring foursomes play.

“My game does seem to fit in foursomes,” Straka said. “I’ve always felt pretty comfortable in that format. We do like a little Ryder Cup style match in Birmingham with all the pros. And I’ve always felt at ease in foursomes there. It’s just a very comfortable environment for me.”

Straka’s ball-striking prowess makes him well-suited to compete in foursomes later this month at the Ryder Cup. Richard Heathcote

Helping Straka in that department is caddie Duane Bock, who switched from his long-time employer, Kevin Kisner, to join the Vienna native back in July. In preparation for the matches, the American-born Bock has already dispensed with the patriotic red-white-and-blue cover on his yardage book.

“It was a great move for me,” Straka said. “First it was just supposed to be temporary. But we quickly realized we had something going. He’s one of the best caddies out there and he’s really helped my game a lot.”

That trend will likely have to continue this week the DP World Tour’s flagship event. By mid-afternoon on a day made for golf, Straka’s 70 was six shots off the pace set by Denmark’s Marcus Helligkilde.

“I’m very happy with the way I hit the ball,” was Straka’s initial verdict. “And very happy with the way I played overall. But my chipping was terrible today. I don’t know that I got a single ball up and down. So I left a lot out there.”

Still, no matter. Whatever happens, this week and next and especially the week after that, Straka is clearly going to have bigger things on his mind.

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It may only be September, but we have already seen the global golfing landscape change so much in 2023 that it is almost unrecognisable to the traditionalists. 

LIV Golf is forging ahead with its plans for next season in the midst of a potential partnership deal with the PGA Tour. The Asian Tour continues to climb to new heights with more and more big names playing on its elevated International Series events. The Ladies European Tour and LPGA have been showing the boys how things can be done amicably as players from both sides of the pond are free to compete on multiple tours and series at the same time — including the Aramco Team Series and competitions such as the innovative co-sanctioned ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland. 

Of course, the PGA Tour has been evolving on almost a weekly basis as it adapts to keep up with the changing landscape that the emergence of LIV Golf has created in the men’s game. 

However, one of the most significant changes of note in recent times — especially for people in this part of the world — has come on the DP World Tour, which recently announced its new-look schedule for 2023-24.

Front and centre of the major shake-ups is the UAE — now considered by many as the tour’s ‘home’ — with at least five events scheduled for the upcoming season (there are three TBA slots on the calendar as of now). 

Following the traditional early-campaign events in Australia, South Africa and Mauritius before the Christmas break, the Tour rolls into the UAE in January for a revamped triple-header — but notably, no Abu Dhabi Championship (don’t worry, fans, more on that later).

The biggest change at the start of the year is a new arrival in the form of the Dubai Invitational which will be hosted at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club Resort from January 11-14, with prize money of $2.5 million. 

It is great to see Dubai Creek back on the circuit after a prolonged absence — the club hosted the Dubai Desert Classic in 1999 and 2000 on the old European Tour, and the iconic course with its stunning clubhouse will be a welcome addition to the programme. 

Speaking of the Classic, the 35th iteration of the Rolex Series event will occupy its traditional spot (January 18-21), with $9 million up for grabs and a host of stars hunting the crown Rory McIlroy won in dramatic fashion and horrendous weather earlier this year. The Ras Al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra Golf Club rounds out the triple-header at the end of January.

In another welcome revamp to the calendar, expanding the DP World Tour across the Middle East, Bahrain will be joining the fold from February 1-4, as the Royal Golf Club will welcome some of the world’s top players to the resort, south of Manama, with a purse of $2.5 million.

Fast-forward to the end of the year and we have the one of the most significant changes to golf in the UAE in recent times as the Abu Dhabi Championship has been moved from its traditional January spot to form a season finale play-off along with the DP World Tour Championship.

Running in November, these two final Rolex Series events of the season will have a whopping pool of $19 million in prize money in a remodelled season conclusion. The AD Champ will welcome the leading 70 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings to Yas Links, before a trimmed-down top 50 head back to Dubai for the showdown at Jumeirah Golf Estates, where the DP World Tour’s No. 1 will be crowned.

Before all that, though, we are in ‘Team’ mode for September as the Walker Cup takes place at St Andrews before the Solheim Cup heads to Finca Cortesin in Spain (September 22-September 24), and the men get their turn in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome.

The 20 amateurs are set for the amateur appetiser in Scotland where Great Britain & Ireland host the recently dominant Americans. Suzann Pettersen’s European ladies are looking strong for their defence of the Solheim on home soil, with the likes of in-form Celine Boutier and Maja Stark joining old heads such as Georgia Hall and Anna Nordqvist in a balanced-looking side.

On the visitors’ roster, Stacy Lewis certainly has the stardust with in-bloom youngster Rose Zhang joining AIG Women’s Open champ and world No. 1 Lilia Vu, world No. 2 Nelly Korda and US Open winner Allisen Corpuz. Megan Khang could prove to be their trump card as Miss Consistent — a T-9 at the Chevron Championship and Amundi Evian Championship, alongside a T-3 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

This one is gonna be close.

While the Ryder Cup teams go through their final touches, it could prove to be a slugfest between the big guns, with Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and BMW Championship winner Viktor Hovland in the blue corner against Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffle, Patrick Cantlay and (possibly as it stands) Brooks Koepka in the red corner. 

Perhaps the biggest worry for Team USA and Zach Johnson is Justin Thomas, who has had a torrid year but is one of the best match-play players in the world. 

For Team Europe, their weak point could be the final four, where things look a little shaky, with question marks over the form of the likes of Sepp Straka, Victor Perez and Adrian Meronk.

I’ll wait to see how this one pans out as it could go either way, and that home crowd in Italy could well be the 13th man Team Europe needs.

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The UAE has, for decades now, been the driving force behind the growth of golf in the region, but with elevated International Series events arriving on the Asian Tour in places such as Oman and Qatar, Bahrain joining the DP World Tour schedule, the Ladies European Tour and Golf Saudi innovating the game on the Aramco Team Series, and the explosion in popularity of the sport in Saudi Arabia, it is safe to say golf has never been more popular in the Middle East.

Even with all the ‘growing the game’ in the region, the numbers involved may be surprising.

Source: R&A. Includes par-3 courses

The R&A recently released the latest figures for global golf participation, with the key stat that 10 million more adult golfers are playing the sport worldwide since 2016.

According to new research undertaken by the governing body, there are now 39.6 million on-course golfers (nine and 18 hole) in R&A affiliated markets.

The research figures indicate that the growth trend began before the onset of Covid-19 and continued during the pandemic — up 34 per cent from 29.6 million on-course golfers in 2016. The sport has since continued to increase in popularity post-pandemic, up 15 per cent from 34.5 million on-course players in 2020.

Closer to home, the growth in the Middle East has been exponential, growing from 13,000 golfers in 2012 to 42,000 in 2022.

Source: R&A

Since 2012, nine and 18-hole golf participation numbers have risen by 62 per cent compared to 2020, including 16,000 registered — the Middle East leads the world on this metric.

Overall, golf in the region is still in the early stages of golf participation development, especially in the massive market of Saudi Arabia, where Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation are making massive inroads into inspiring golfers of all ages and levels through its Mass Participation Mission, introducing, educating and entertaining both the young and old through an array of programmes.

The Middle East — and UAE in particular — continues to host multiple elite events and is growing in popularity as a golf tourism destination.

Source: R&A

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “Golf’s popularity has surged in recent years, which is reflected in a notable increase in the number of people playing the sport in both traditional on-course and alternative formats.

“It is significant that 10 million more golfers are playing on the course since 2016, but it is also important that millions of others are engaged in golf through many other alternative formats, such as driving ranges, which are so vital to the growth of the sport.

“It also underlines why effective and impactful participation programmes are important for encouraging more people into the sport and retaining them in greater numbers. We are working closely with our affiliated national federations and stakeholders within golf to sustain this momentum. We thank them for their efforts as we aim to ensure that golf is thriving for years to come.”

The R&A is continuing its commitment to invest £200 million over ten years in developing golf, including sustained work to encourage participation by promoting the health benefits of the sport through a global campaign.

Definitions
1. REGISTERED GOLFERS: These are the number of golfers who are affiliated to a federation (they may be members of golf clubs or affiliated to the federation in another way: eg, through a direct subscription).
2. UNREGISTERED 9 AND 18 HOLE GOLFERS: Golfers who have played on a full length nine or 18 hole golf course at least once in the last year, but are not registered with their national association.

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The Arab Golf Federation is hosting the 42nd Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championship in Casablanca, Morocco, starting today.

Representing the UAE are Khalid Yousuf, Ahmad Skaik, Rashed Al Emadi, and Mohammed Skaik.

Organised by the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation, the event will be held at Casa Green Golf Club in Casablanca and will see 13 nations  — represented by teams of four players — compete in both team and individual competitions.

The Championship is run over three rounds with the three lowest scores counting towards the team score.

Traveling with Team UAE are Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman Abdulla Alhashmi, General Secretary Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, and General Director Akram Skaik. Captain Yousuf and UAE’s No. 1 amateur Ahmad Skaik will team up with two young talents in Al Emadi and Mohammed Skaik.

“My team and I are looking forward to this event,” said Yousuf. “It’s a great event and we look at it as one of the signature events in the calendar because we are all very proud to represent the UAE. I am very confident that our team will be finishing on the podium as Ahmad and Rashid are in good shape with their game coming off having the experience playing some Challenge Tour events.”

Ahmad Skaik. EGF

After playing five European Challenge Tour events in the past three months, Ahmad Skaik will be looking forward to teeing it up against his fellow amateur golfers.

“it feels very good to be back playing in the Men’s Arab Championship after three months of Challenge Tour events,” he said. “I learnt a lot from my travels and especially from playing on European courses. The experience much tighter course should give me a lot of confidence for this week in Casablanca. I’m starting to feel that my game is on the right track, and it is a matter of time before everything is clicking. It’s always a privilege to compete for the UAE National Team and I think that we have the right squad this week to do well.”

Both Al Emdia and Mohammad Skaik are representing the UAE in back-to-back Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championships.

“I hope that the experience I gained this year by training more and playing in the Abu Dhabi Challenge Tour will help me score well for the team and return home with a medal,” Al Emadi said.

Casa Green Golf Club is a 7,100-yard championship course, designed by architect Jeremy Pern.

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It was announced on Tuesday that the Hero Dubai Desert Classic — the flagship event in the Middle East for the DP World Tour — has become the first golf event in the region and the DPWT Rolex Series to achieve GEO Certified Tournament status.

The announcement demonstrates the event’s leadership among sustainable golf events. The distinction is awarded by the international non-profit GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf and is based on the strength of commitment, breadth and depth of action, and range of tangible measured impacts across a broad sustainability agenda.

Obtaining GEO Certified status has become a notable achievement showcased by many of the world’s most renowned golf venues and events.

Motivate Media Group is patron of the event and its Golf Digest Middle East team, which manages the onsite annual Desert Classic Daily News publications, have been and continue to be printed on sustainably sourced paper, to aid the environmental push.

Commenting on the award, Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic said: “We are delighted that the Dubai Desert Classic is the first golf event in the Middle East to achieve this important distinction and milestone. It speaks to our strong dedication to tackling priority environmental and social issues, as we strive to deliver meaningful net positive impacts through the event. With the wide reach that the tournament has, we hope this achievement will help to raise awareness and inspire other events, businesses, and individuals across the region and beyond.”

A number of initiatives at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic have helped it reach the new status. DP World Tour

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment at Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, added: “With 2023 being the Year of Sustainability in the UAE, and as the country prepares to host COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the Dubai Desert Classic’s certification is a laudable achievement and a meaningful step towards achieving the wider, national net-zero objectives. We congratulate them on their inspiring commitment to resource efficiency and climate action. This accomplishment sets an exceptional example of sustainable best practice within such high-profile global mass events, further reinforcing the city’s position as an international events hub in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033 launched by our visionary leadership to further consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the top three global cities.”

The criteria for the certification of tournaments spans a range of priority sustainability themes and action areas; supported by detailed best practices; which are in turn weighted and scored. A minimum number of points are required to achieve certification. These are verified by an accredited, third party and expert verifier, who visits during event week to observe practices, projects, and other activations on site. A verifier report is then submitted to the GEO Certification team. If the criteria are met, certification is then awarded accompanied by key Continual Improvement Points.

Andrew Lynch, Head of Sustainability for the European Tour group said: “It is wonderful to see events across the DP World Tour schedule leaning into sustainability in this way. Making it integral to the way they are planned, staged, and promoted. It aligns fully with our own Green Drive strategy and leadership actions we are taking across our own operations and our owned and staged events. We encourage all of our valued tournament promoters to join the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in making their tournaments a true showcase for sustainability.”

The Desert Classic has been a staple of golf in the Middle East for nearly a quarter-century. Supplied

Highlights from the Hero Dubai Desert Classic included:

• Wide use of solar power with the Media Centre and 80 per cent of the fan area between 11th and 15th holes powered by solar
• Free water refill points have helped divert 80,000 single-use plastic bottles from Landfill since 2022
• 100 per cent biofuel used in temporary generators throughout the event helping accelerate towards Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050, with up to 92 per cent less carbon emissions compared to traditional diesel generators
• Spectators actively encouraged through campaigns and discount codes to use public transport or car share as more sustainable transport options
• Park and Plant — for those who did travel by car, there was a charge of AED 50 for parking on site and the event planted three trees for each car
• Digital ticketing and programme reduced paper waste
• Extensive recycling and composting initiatives to reduce waste to landfill
• Along with actions to reduce carbon emissions, credibly offsetting unavoidable emissions via the Rolex Series portfolio with the Gold Standard, supporting the Central Mozambique safe water programme, alongside local Mangrove ecosystem restoration project
• PVC and vinyl from event infrastructure re-used or turned into laptop bags and other products
• 2,000 native Ghaf tree seeds planted across Emirates Golf Club
• Support for Heroes of Hope, introducing people of determination to golf via organised clinics with the Academy at Emirates Golf Club.
• Renewable energy event partner Aggreko won ‘best sustainability initiative’ award for its involvement in Dubai Desert Classic 2022 and 2023 at Middle East Event Awards June 2023.

The post Hero Dubai Desert Classic gains GEO Certified status — first in Middle East and on Rolex Series to achieve landmark appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Al Andalus take debut win at JGE Community Cup
The Jumeirah Golf Estates Community Cup also took place, with 96 competitors in the pairs better-ball shotgun event. Al Andalus scored 183 Stableford points to take the crown ahead of Whispering Pines and Lime Tree Valley who took third. In the pairs better-ball category, Al Andalus couple – Jane and Gerhard Vorster — were the winners.

The EGF Order of Merit winners

EGF Order of Merit Championship winners decided
The Emirates Golf Federation held the Order of Merit Championship at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club over the weekend, with Rami Samawi and Intissar Rich winning the Men’s and Ladies’ Divisions respectively. Aayan Dadabhoy claimed the Junior Division. The EGF Order of Merit Championship was a three-day event for the men and ladies, which awarded World Amateur Golf Ranking points, while the juniors competed over two days.

Ladies take the bragging rights at EGC Captains Matchplay Challenge
Some 36 pairings took part in the Emirates Golf Club annual Captains Matchplay Challenge, with Marivi Arias Lady Captains Team overcoming Campbell Steedman’s Captains Team by four points

Freeman dominates at SGSC
Sharjah also held its season-ending Dimos Monthly Stableford on Sunday. Connor Freeman stole the show with 49 points, including five net birdies and a staggering six net eagles. Winner of Division A was Ramli Sulaiman, while Division B was won by Shoab Khan

Luthra is the Gents champ
EGC’s Gents Tournament of Champions took place with 18 golfers competing on the Majlis in a strokeplay event. The winner was Kabir Luthra with a net 67, ahead of Sekhar Reddy (71).

The post The Gulf Club: All the latest golf news around the UAE appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Trump triumph over JGE
Trump International prevailed over Jumeirah Golf Estates 5.5-2.5 to advance to the final of the Emirates Golf Federation scratch league.
Dom Morton and Tom Hoban were the stars as they secured the victory.

Ahmed Al Marar. DDF

Ahmed Al Marar claims Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup
More than 40 Emiratis teed it up for the 28th Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup at Montgomerie Golf Club on Saturday, with Ahmed Al Marar winning with a stableford score of 34 points, ahead of Amir Al Barki and Rashed Al Jassmy. In the Ladies’ Division, Alia Al Emadi claimed victory with 33 points.

Sami Butt. SGSC

Sami Butt prevails in Sharjah
The final Monthly Medal of the season took place on Saturday at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club with Sami Butt winning with a level-par 72 which proved to be enough to win not only on the day but also both the net and gross season-long Order of Merit titles.

Tariq Al Suwaidi with Shiba Wahid (Lady Captain) and Gene Cha (Men’s Captain). Dubai Creek

Tariq top of the Creek
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club’s latest Monthly Medal was claimed by Tariq Al Suwaidi, with a two-under 69, as best gross was claimed by Obediah Ayton with and even-par 71.
In the Men’s Division A, Michael Mcginley took top spot and Saqib Mahmood won Division B. The Ladies Division was won by Roma Khanna.

The winners! Arabian Ranches

McGettigan is the star at Ranches
Barry McGettigan won the Arabian Ranches medal with a 75 gross, narrowly beating out Raymond Logan  and Steven Bennett by a stroke.
In the Net A Division for handicaps 0-12, Markus Hacker won on a countback on 68, followed by Craig Gibson.

Marc Begg and Abhishek Rana. JGE

Begg and Rana the Texas toast at JGE
Marc Begg and Abhishek Rana defended their title at the Jumeriah Golf Estates Members and Colleagues tournament. Prevailing over 46 teams, the pair claimed the Texas Scramble event with a, 11-under net 61, just ahead of Kieran Casey and Bhupendra Thapa.

Ravi Khanna. JGE

Ravi revels on Fire Course
It was a busy time as the season nears its end at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and the OMA Emirates Medalford on the Fire course was won by Ravi Khanna with a net 66. The winner of the Gents Division A was Ben Wise. The Gents Division B crown went to Manu Chauhan as Mitsuko Emmerson claimed the Ladies Division.

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