Golf pro Mehmet backs women’s growth of game
Sponsors DP World release video after Emirati sisters go through coaching clinic
Dubai: Ladies European Tour professional Inci Mehmet took time off from her practice schedule to give twin sisters Salama and Latifa Al Jassmi an exclusive coaching clinic, while discussing the growth of the game in Dubai among young Emirati girls.
Mehmet’s experience just before the start of the ongoing Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic this week, was captured as part of a short film, presented by DP World, highlighting the importance of championing female role models as a way of inspiring the next generation of young players in the region.
“I love doing clinics like this. It’s so rewarding to see girls being inspired,” Mehmet noted.
“Having a role model is super important and I really hope Salama and Latifa will be motivated to continue their training and carry on enjoying the game. Hopefully one day I’ll be seeing them on the Ladies European Tour,” she added.
“The Moonlight Classic is a great example of the tournaments we need to help promote women’s golf. Co-sanctioning events is a brilliant step forward because it’s something different and it gives us a slightly higher platform. Ultimately, we need to see more women’s events in the future,” Mehmet noted.
Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, General Secretary, Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), said: “I’ve seen first-hand how more and more girls are being introduced to the game of golf and are loving it. It’s important for them to have role models like Inci Mehmet who they can learn so much from, especially through fantastic coaching clinics like this.”
Both nine years old, Latifa and Salama joined the EGF talent development programme four years ago and have been training and playing in regional tournaments since then. They had an opportunity to discuss their experience of golf in Dubai with Mehmet.
Mehmet was complimentary of the player development initiatives that DP World invests in. “It’s so lovely to see grass roots programmes like this, especially out here in Dubai, but of course we always need more. There can never be enough,” she said.