Photos: Meet Dyen, Dubai's next big thing? How the mother of two has taken up golf to defy stereotypes

Late starter: The 35-year-old from the Philippines has got into golf in a big way

Last updated:
Matthew Smith (Sport Editor) and Virendra Saklani (Chief Visual Journalist)
2 MIN READ
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Meet Dyenzen Davidson, the Filipina UAE resident who has taken up golf at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai in a big way.
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Dyen, as she is known, is not exactly your stereotypical golfer. The 35-year-old mother of two only recently picked up a club for the first time, and she has jumped in with both feet.
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In a traditional golfing world where rich businessmen are what you may think you normally meet on the course, Dyen is singlehandedly changing attitudes and minds.
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Under the guidance of Emirates Golf Club academy coaches such as Muhammad Ray Casondra, Dyen is in the perfect hands to get her game up to speed as she learns the ropes having come to the sport late..
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Dyen explained to Gulf News how she got into golf after she started working at Topgolf at EGC in January. With access to the range at Topgolf and EGC, everything she needed was right on her doorstep.
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She quickly fell in love with the sport and was determined to improve her game. Cue many hours and frustrations every golfer will be familiar with in the early days.
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Long sessions on the driving range began to pay off as Dyen began to see results. The wayward and fluffed shots began to get eradicated.
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Six months down the line and Dyen has progressed to the nine-hole course, Faldo Course and even the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club, discovering all the different aspects of the game you cannot learn on the range. She has learnt how to visualise each shot, as well as working on her short game, recovery and bunker shots, and putting.
Virendra Saklani/Gulf News
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Thanks to the assistance of her colleagues at Topgolf and just over the road at EGC and the Peter Cowen Academy, Dyen has grabbed her opportunity with both hands as she is given time to practise whenever she can, so she can focus on improving further.
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It is still early days on Dyen's journey, but her dedication, getting out on the range or course even in the baking heat of the Dubai summer. With cooler months ahead, the only way is up.
Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

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