Welcome Campbell to this GULF NEWS Q&A. When did you take up the game of golf?
My father was the good golfer in the family, so I initially learned from him. We lived abroad from when I was quite an early age, and first took up the game in what was then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. We later lived in Malaysia and I played a lot of golf at Royal Selangor Golf Club, and also played in Canada, Tanzania, the US and, of course, Scotland (where I was at school in Perth, a year above Colin Montgomerie!).
How long have you been a member at Emirates Golf Club?
I have been a member for 16 years, having joined immediately upon moving to Dubai. In my mind, the best club in the region, with a great membership and two tremendous 18-hole golf courses.
What is your handicap?
Currently, 9.5 - my lowest having been 7.
What are your hopes for your year of Captaincy?
I was asked to be Captain in April 2021, immediately after Covid, and was Vice-Captain to Abdulfattah Sharaf, before starting the Captaincy in September 2022. I am perhaps a bit too much of a traditionalist, but one of my aims is to encourage a culture of golf etiquette amongst the membership - raking bunkers, repairing pitch marks, fixing divots and pace of play! I must sound like a broken record at times, but I think it is important for the game.
I also want to encourage a wider club culture at Emirates Golf Club, where we engage with families and juniors, and encourage members to not just use it for playing golf, but to enjoy the wider facilities of the Club.
Your Captain’s Day is coming up this weekend on Saturday. A highlight of your year, what plans do you have for the day?
I made the request to host Captain’s Day on the Majlis Course the week after the Dubai Desert Classic, in a walking tournament with the golf course as its best – a request which was kindly supported by the club management.
Being a traditional Scot, we will be playing a foursomes format - not often played in Dubai. This is an alternate shot format, with only one ball played by the team of two players from the tee until holed. We have sixsomes in each group - three teams in each - to accommodate all the entries. We also have a few surprises which we will leave for the day to find out all about.
We have DP World, HSBC, Emirates, TechAccess and my own law firm, Squire Patton Boggs, as sponsors for the day, which I hope will be memorable, and very special, for all.
