I am now back home in Rotherham following two big weeks on the DP World Tour with the Rolex Series events at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic.
The year and season have got off to an impressive start for the DP World Tour. There was a real buzz around both events with tremendous fields and exceptional crowds, especially at the Emirates Golf Club. Congratulations to the Tour, the respective promoters and all involved for making it happen.
I did not attend the two following events in Ras Al Khaimah, but they provided playing opportunities for so many DP World Tour players, which is very much the overall mantra of the Tour. I watched it all on TV at home in Rotherham.
Both events in RAK showed us all what small margins there are in this game of golf. Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard followed up his win in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship with a missed cut in the Ras Al Khaimah Classic. New Zealand’s Ryan Fox managed the exact opposite. Such is the unique nature of the game of golf and why we all love it.
I am off to Florida at the end of this week for three big events on the PGA Tour: the Honda Classic, Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. The TPC will have a purse of $20 million and the API $12 million. I will next be with the DP World Tour players in early May at the British Masters at The Belfry.
It was good to spend some time around the UAE players under the auspices of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) — UAE amateur No. 1 Ahmad Skaik, UAE pro Ahmed Al Musharrekh, and UAE Special Olympics star Ali bin Sumadiaa — as well as to look at the progress of some of the young expats born and brought up in the UAE.
Over the past few weeks, I am seeing some genuine progress and some real potential in the UAE ranks, especially when a UAE-wide certificated structure for juniors is established and accepted by all the golf clubs. Then comparisons of levels of play at all clubs in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah can easily be made.
It is obvious that some have potential with raw talent and it is important that this is properly channelled to the golf course and they do not get bored just hitting balls on the range or vice versa.
Access to the golf course and golf facilities has always been a challenge in the UAE. In the UK in the peak summer golfing season, there is often daylight until at least 9pm and the golf courses are very accessible and affordable, either as a member or a day visitor and you might even get one of the club pros to play a few holes with you after the shop is locked up.
Compare that to the UAE, in peak winter season it is dark at 5.30pm with the golf courses all packed.
Par 3 courses and driving ranges with the likes of Toptracer technology can hold the interest of these youngsters. Hard work, a properly structured holistic programme with appropriate playing opportunities at the right level is the way forward for our UAE nationals.
I understand that this week is the President’s Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club followed by the GCC Golf Championship in a couple of weeks. So good luck to all.
Back to Rotherham, the weather is still cold and wet, I am again walking the range picking up plugged Callaway balls and washing them all. It seems a long time since I was in sunny UAE, I am missing it already.
Peter Cowen is arguably the world’s No. 1 coach with golf academies at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates as well as Rotherham, England. His current stable of players includes Brooks Koepka, Gary Woodland, 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC champion Thomas Pieters, Ian Poulter, Matt Fitzpatrick (with Mike Walker), Padraig Harrington, Danny Willett, Jazz Janewattananond, Henrik Stenson, Victor Perez, Graeme McDowell, Sean Crocker as well as keeping a watchful eye over Rory McIlroy.
