Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Arab and Emirates Golf Federations, has revealed the crucial role and the future of the EGF in the UAE golfing community.
“We have an active EGF membership of just over 6,000 members, both members of golf clubs and our EGF direct membership,” Sheikh Fahim said in an exclusive chat with Gulf News. “We know there are a lot more active golfers in the UAE and we are striving to grow our EGF membership for both equality and inclusiveness. We are determined to work closer with all the golf clubs for our mutual benefit to provide ‘best Green Fee rates’ for all our EGF members as well as enhance the existing membership privileges of both Third Party Insurance and Handicap Management according to the recently introduced World Handicap System.
“Our UAE National Golf Programme is going along nicely with increased participation and some outstanding performances at all levels including senior, age-group, men’s, ladies, boys and girls categories.
“However, with the COVID-19 challenges all around the world over the last 15 months it has been a difficult time for all our UAE national teams with all the regional and international events having to be postponed or cancelled. This has ensured that our domestic calendar in the UAE is even more important than ever.”
The UAE’s efforts in tackling the coronavirus and its successful methods of communicating with the community has won praise from Sheikh Fahim.
“We must congratulate the leadership of the UAE for managing the COVID-19 pandemic so well and being one of the leading countries for the COVID-19 vaccine programme,” Sheikh Fahim said. “Golf has been the leading sport for participation in the UAE, with the EGF and all the golf clubs collaborating to ensure all COVID-19 protocols are followed both on and off the golf course and around the clubhouses from arrival to leaving the property.”
Sheikh Fahim also expressed hopes that the pandemic will eventually end and the everyday will take the world closer to a new life.
“We are all praying for global golf tournaments to open properly for all activities with spectators and hospitality patrons in attendance as soon as is practical and safe,” he said. “Looking forward to the future of the EGF just on the horizon in 2023 is the World Amateur Team Championships to be hosted in the UAE by the EGF, both the Eisenhower Trophy for the world’s best amateur men and the Espirito Santo Trophy for the world’s best lady amateur golfers.
“This will be a landmark occasion for golf in the UAE and this Middle East region, with the UAE having previously hosted the Nomura Cup (Asia Pacific Golf Championship) in 2015 at Yas Links, Abu Dhabi."
