Golfers demand change of strategy

Dubai: Golfers in the UAE are hoping authorities will re-think the strategy the sport needs to take if it is to flourish at the grass-roots level.

"There is an urgent need for the authorities here to go back and re-think and re-visit old times so as to see what direction the sport needs to head in," Khalid Al Halyan told Gulf News. "There is no doubt it is far too expensive for golfers who have made the UAE their home."

An 18-hole round of golf at any of the major clubs in the country can cost anywhere between Dh500 to Dh1,000.

"If we need to encourage talent to come into the sport, be it local or UAE residents, we need to ensure that the pricing is acceptable in the first place," Al Halyan said.

"Even international visitors find playing here too expensive," quipped the Dubai Civil Aviation official.

The exit of a popular venue like Nad Al Sheba has left a huge gap for resident golfers. "I wonder what has happened to the 1,200 floating golfers from Nad Al Sheba," said Rajeev Lal.

Alternate arrangements

The high cost has made golfers look out for alternate arrangements. While some have looked at playing abroad, others have opted to visit courses in Ras Al Khaimah that tend to be more competitively priced.

"I go to a place like Thailand or Malaysia and get so many facilities for as cheap as £50 (Dh375). And this includes a three-star hotel stay, transfers, green fees and transport," Lal stated.

Jimmy Camero, who plays off a 12 handicap, travels every week to Ras Al Khaimah. "We pool in some money to cover the green fees and whatever is left, we sometimes give away to charity," Camero stated.

Al Halyan, who plays off eight, was a member of the UAE national squad. He tries to play at least once week at the Al Badia course.

The UAE national suggests separate courses should cater to varying clientele. "We can have municipal level courses for players who can walk in, pay and play. Then we can have a second-level catering to the mid-market while also maintaining some sort of exclusivity," Al Halyan said.

"The third level can be the prime courses with for elite players. The main thing is that we need to recognise that something has to be done to rectify the situation here. Or else we will kill the game at a local level."