Twenty-two years after launching, the Peter Cowen Academy at Emirates Golf Club is finally set to get its own dedicated facility.
The Master PGA Professional’s name has been synonymous with Dubai since opening his first international location of his Academy at the prestigious club back in 2002.
Fellow Dubai Golf venues, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates, followed suit in recent years, although the latter was later replaced with the Tommy Fleetwood Academy in 2022.
Despite his long-term association with the club, the Emirates Golf Club location never had its own dedicated facility…until now.
“We’re finally building an academy building at Emirates Golf Club, which will be open in August,” said Chris May, Dubai Golf CEO, in a wide-ranging interview with Gulf News to celebrate his 25 years at Dubai Golf.
“We're going to be bringing Pete over to open that in probably late September, early October.
“It’s probably 35 years too late, but better late than never!”
Cowen is one of the most sought-after coaches in the game and has shared his words of wisdom with many of the game’s greatest players.
To date, he has achieved over 200 DP World Tour and PGA Tour victories and numerous Major Championships as a coach for the likes of Brooks Koepka, Henrik Stenson, Louis Oosthuizen and Graeme McDowell.
The Academy’s professionals in Dubai also benefit from his coaching methods, with the legendary coach regularly making trips over to the Emirate to guide the pros through his latest teaching techniques.
“He is regarded as without doubt one of the best coaches in the world, who has coached many of the best players and still coaches many of the best players,” added May.
“For our team to have exposure to Pete, and be connected with him, at any time, is great.
“He will be messaging them daily with videos of what he's working on with some of the best players of the world. They can then pass that on to their students here.
“Our relationship with Pete and his influence on our coaches and our team is really significant.
“I think it’s really important to ensure that our coaches are able to deliver lessons that are relevant to anyone at any level to encourage them to play more golf.
“Although Pete coaches the very best, he actually makes his approach quite simple, which Is really important.
“We're very fortunate to have Pete involved with us and and we look forward to finally having an academy building to operate out of at Emirates Golf Club. It’s going to be great.”
The launch of the new facility will also see the return of one of the UAE’s most recognisable and reputable teaching professionals – Stephen Deane.
Deane, Head International Development Coach at Dubai Golf, spent 12 years at Emirates Golf Club before moving to Jumeirah Golf Estates to help lead the way when they opened their own Peter Cowen Academy.
But now, the Northern Irishman, who has developed a close relationship with Cowen over the years, is set to return to Emirates Golf Club when the new building opens later this year.
“Stephen Deane, one of our most senior professionals, is going to come back and be based at Emirates Golf Club,” said May.
“He will be assisting Pete to educate all our pros across Abu Dhabi and Dubai in Pete's methods, whatever Pete's working on.
“Pete obviously travels a lot so can’t be in Dubai all the time, so Stephen and Alistair Brown will have a key role in delivering Pete’s message a little bit more frequently than perhaps we've been doing in the past.
“They will ensure that everyone at all of our clubs is a little bit more up to speed of what's new, what's happening and different methods to try and achieve improving someone's game.”
