Dubai: General Abdullah Alhashmi appointed as new Vice-Chairman, with Rashid Alabbar, Mustafa Alhashemi, Akram Skaik, Saif Sultan Alaryani joining the Board as well as Shamah Saeed Alfalasi as the first female Board Member
The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) in conjunction with the new electoral cycle, has announced the formation of a new Board of Directors. Chaired by Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi the new Board has received government approvals from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Sports Authority and Sports Councils.
“It is an exciting time for us at the EGF. With the number of participants and the number of events increasing in the sport at all levels and for both men and women, the new delegates are eager to get to work. The EGF has a duty to discover new talents, especially among the youth, in order to continue to achieve UAE golf’s goals. We must thank the previous Board for all their hard work and commitment,” said Sheikh Fahim, President of EGF.
Sheikh Fahim’s first major addition to the Federation was appointing General Abdullah Alhashmi as the Vice-Chairman.
“The developments made in the sport of golf within the region over the past few years is motivation for our new Board of Directors. We have a strong team of leaders with an abundant amount of experience and accomplishments that will bring the EGF into the future. The EGF is looking forward to working with all governing bodies, tours and enterprises in order to reach our goals,” said General Alhashmi.
The EGF has also appointed its first female Board Member. Shamah Saeed Alfalasi will be taking the lead of the Women in Golf initiatives for the UAE. Over the past two years, the EGF’s National Ladies Programme has attracted over 100 female players, particularly young women, from different emirates, as part of the game’s ‘Women in Golf’ efforts spearheaded by the R&A.
Hit the ground running
In addition to a new vice-chairman and the first female board member, the EGF has selected Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi to remain as the Secretary General, Mustafa Al-Sayed Muhammad Alhashemi as the new Financial Director, Akram Skaik as the General Director, and Saif Sultan Alaryani, Khalfan Al Kabbi, Rashid Mohammed Alabbar, and Abdul Raouf bin Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Mubarak as Board Members.
The EGF was formed in 1995 and is the Governing Body of Golf in the UAE. The EGF is overseen by a Board of Directors under the General Sports Authority while being affiliated to the R&A, International Golf Federation (IGF), United States Golf Association (USGA), Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), GCC Golf Committee (GCC) and the Arab Golf Federation (AGF).
The EGF administers and provides official handicaps to all EGF members under the adapted World Handicap System introduced in 2020. The EGF sanctions all professional and amateur golf events in the UAE.
Currently, the EGF represents over 6,500 members both directly through the EGF and also throughout the 21 golf clubs across the UAE. The EGF is a non-profit organisation with the goals and responsibility of increasing awareness and participation in golf. The EGF actively conducts an Order of Merit Season, Junior Development Programmes, and Junior, Ladies, and Senior National Team Programmes. The EGF and UAE golf clubs work closely together to help shape the future of golf in the UAE.
General Alhashmi concluded: “The new EGF Board is determined to hit the ground running. Our short-term priorities are to encourage the structural growth of the game of golf in the UAE, for both UAE Nationals and expats, as well expand our EGF membership by aligning and introducing existing golfers and new golfers to the EGF Handicap System, which, moving forward, will anchor the principles of the EGF, along with offering new and relevant enhanced EGF membership privileges.
“We are excited to be arranging meetings with those invested in the UAE golf industry: golf club operators, owners, supporters and those directly and indirectly involved, to listen to their challenges and where the parties can help each other in mutually beneficial partnerships. It is a hugely busy period for golf in the UAE at present, which is positive news for all. We look forward to making some significant announcements shortly, mindful of the three DP World Tour events in this country in the next few weeks; the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic and the Ras Al Khaimah Open presented by Phoenix Capital, all locally sanctioned by the EGF.
“We will share shortly our long-term vision with the EGF Board and following approvals will publish it to the UAE golf industry and wider afield. We thank all in anticipation of their support to give the status the governing body of golf in the UAE, the EGF, its rightful positioning in both the community as well as the golf industry in both the UAE and wider afield.”
