Exciting times ahead as women tee off for international debut

Dubai: Dubai-based ladies PGA golfer and partner in Women's Golf Middle East (WGME) Sandy Meyer has said recent developments in local women's golf have been fantastic but more needs to be done.

Meyer was speaking exclusively to Gulf News ahead of Eida Al Muhairbi and Rabab Al Haj's historic and much-anticipated entry to ladies international golf this week.

It's an exciting time for women's golf because for the first time the UAE will be sending a national ladies team to the Arab Championships from October 8 to 10 at Tunisia's par-72 6,215-metre olive course at the Citrus Golf Club in Hammamet.

The move was initiated by the Arab Championship organisers, who for the first time in their 30-year history have opened their doors to women's teams.

Meyer said, "This is fantastic and will be a huge boost for local Emirati ladies but really a lot more needs to be done. We need new development schemes and specialised programmes and raised awareness in girls' schools to continue to progress the sport among women locally."

Speaking on behalf of WGME, which runs UAE national training clinics in private non-intimidating surroundings like Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Meyer said she hoped to work alongside Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) to help further spur the sport among local ladies. "We've had a lot of ladies start but very few carry on. They should not be scared to take the next step and get out on the course. This is a matter that needs to be pushed in the UAE if we are to further progress."

Role model

UAE head coach Chris Vallendar suggested change was on its way off the back of Eida and Rabab's participation in Tunisia. "Now ladies and younger women will see there is a goal to strive toward — a target of getting into the national team to compete for your country."

Eida and Rabab who play off 19 and 26 handicaps respectively agreed with Meyer. "More can be done on our part and on the team's to entice more ladies into golf — we are proud to pioneer this sport," said Rabab, who is teaching her three children the game, before becoming a role model to the wider region.

While Eida, who has grand plans of coaching women's golf, added, "It's an excellent movement for ladies golf. The game is becoming approachable and hopefully interests will grow."

Although all ladies teams from the region will be new to the tournament — with silverware being theoretically anyone's to claim, pressure is firmly off Eida and Rabab in Tunisia with coach Vallender setting the ladies a target of playing to their handicap.

"That in itself is a triumph," said Vallendar, as he suggested the greater achievement was the UAE's debut participation.