Alone it’s great, in a team even better

There are two types of sportsmen and women – those that thrive individually and those that thrive as part of a team.

You are generally either one or the other and many great minds of the game have stated that it is a prerequisite to greatness to be overly consumed within one's own self. However accurate you think that statement is, I truly believe that for even the most hardened self-focused athlete, the buzz of a great team event can ignite a different kind of spark from within.

There are many differing opinions on the make-up of our sport, and with running the risk of contradicting myself, I do firmly believe that golf is first and foremost a game of individuals. We are all ultimately responsible for making our own decisions whether that be club choice, shot type or more strategic in terms of the equipment we wish to use, practice routines or even the instructor we choose.

Great team events

Many golfers will say that “fortunately our destinies are not reliant on team mates performing well'', however team events per se are also varied and bountiful within golf.

There are many tremendous team events such as The Ryder Cup, The Presidents' Cup, The Solheim Cup and The Walker Cup to name just a few.

However, we ultimately perform as individuals and rely on our own personal talents and actions to forge success within such formats of competition.

The only exceptions to this rule are through greensomes and even more so foursomes, which are considered to be by far the most challenging forms of game play within golf. Over the years I have played countless foursomes and greensomes matches and they truly are the purest form of team play. We all know how pressure can strike at the most inopportune times in this wonderful game (funnily enough for most of us it's likely to involve large expanses of water, little white stakes and groups of trees) but knowing that the outcome of your shot could greatly affect the situation left facing your playing partner and ultimately sway the outcome of your match, is truly daunting and adds a new dimension to golf.

Battle royal

As we approach the end of the golfing season and as summer golf becomes a very realistic and daunting prospect, both the professional and amateur scene prepares for one of the most important competitions on the calendar – The Dubai Golf Trophy. It is the ultimate battle between the leading UAE amateurs and the leading UAE professionals and one that you would think would be rather one-sided.

Although the overall score-line in terms of series wins tilts very much to the professional team, the last three matches have been exceptionally close with the amateurs coming out on top handsomely in one of them.

The closeness of the matches not only pays tribute to the dedication and commitment of the leading UAE amateurs but also to their unquestionable team spirit.

There is no question that camaraderie and team spirit have a dramatic effect on performance – it boosts confidence and team morale and we've seen in past years that it can really drive momentum. These types of events are great for the game and I for one am hoping that they will always play a part in the future of our sport.