Local and National Provision For Golf

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Local and National Provision For Golf

There is much potential for any junior who wishes to take up golf in

Dubai, as there are many championship golf courses such as The Dubai

Creek Golf and Yacht Club and Emirates Golf club, who highly encourage

the development of junior golfers, from beginners at grass root level

to amateur/professionals.

The development of junior golf is highly encouraged through the golf

clubs of Dubai themselves and through schemes such as "The Junior

Development Programme", JDP. Which is a division of the UGA or U.A.E

Golf Association. Through the JDP juniors receive lessons from top

golf professionals and automatic entrance to many organised

tournaments throughout the different challenging courses of Dubai, for

a small fee, although many tournaments have sponsors to help with the

financial side of the organisation of these tournaments.

From the junior golfers below 16 who participate in the JDP a team of

8 is selected to be in the UAE junior team, which tour other

countries. This inspires juniors to practice and get their handicaps

as low as possible in knowing that they could be selected for the UAE

junior team. However being in an Arab country the team must consist of

5 UAE nationals. Leaving only space for 3 expatriates.

However not only junior golf is an aim of development for the UGA. The

improvement of adults and beginners to some of the best amateurs in

the UAE is also a major focus.

In the UK there is a similar governing body to the UGA called the PGA

or Professional Golfers Association. The PGA is much bigger then the

UGA, and the American system is similar to the PGA and called the

USGA, and is pretty much on the same scale. The PGA also has a

separate division called the LPGA, Ladies Professional Golfers

Association. In Dubai there is no such NGB but ladies, juniors and men

are all tied into the UGA. If the demand for lady golfers grew to the

same scale as in England then there may be a separate governing body,

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