The National Junior Development Program Holds Winter Camp in Dubai & Abu Dhabi

(Abu Dhabi, UAE)– The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) National Junior Development Program (NJDP) has been in full swing over the winter break. From December 20th – 31st, 2015 the players from NJDP have been involved in daily training sessions in order to maintain a competitive edge on the golf course. The winter camp was held at the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) at Jumeirah Golf Estates as well Yas Links Golf Club in Abu Dhabi.

NJDP Coach David Condon & Mohammed S. AbdullaNational Team Performance Coach David Condon & Mohammed Abdulla Saeed discussing the slopes of a green

With national golfers residing in the entire United Arab Emirates (UAE) and actively participating in the National Junior Development Program, it is important for the EGF to provide training session in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

National Team Coach, Greg Holmes and National Team Performance Coach David Condon in additional to the ETPI Coaches Mark Gregson-Walters, Tim Backhouse, and Mathew Parker have made sure each player was training at a high level. The Juniors were exposed to all areas of player development which includes swing technique, all areas of short game, pre shot routines, course management, and practicing in measured conditions.

To find out more information on the National Junior Development Program please revert to the EGF website at www.egfgolf.com.

11-Year-Old Obaid Al Heloo Prevails In The Last National Monthly Medal of 2015

(Dubai, UAE) – As 2015 is coming to an end the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) hosted the last National Monthly Medal of the year at The Els Club on December 19, 2015. With the temperatures in the mid 20’s (Celsius) and clear blue skies the players could not ask for better conditions to end the year.

Winners of the December 2015 National Monthly Medal at The Els Club

Winners of the December 2015 National Monthly Medal at The Els Club

After winning the 2015 Maintenance Team Award at the MEGAs (Middle East Golf Awards) two days before, the course at The Els Club continued to amaze players. “It’s always great to play here at The Els Club. Every time we play on this course the greens and fairways are continuously in the best conditions’’, said Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the EGF.

With the top prizes sponsored by Prosports International the players had more of an incentive to play hard this month. The overall winner of the December 2015 National Monthly Medal was National Team Junior Obaid Al Heloo. At 11 years old Obaid shot a career best 88 gross score. Obaid won the event and the Junior Division with 43 Stableford Points.

The Runner-Up and winning after a count back, with 34 Stableford points was Khalid Yousef. Rounding out the top three, in Third Place was Bader Abdulnoor Ahli with 34 points.

The Best Gross Award also went to Khalid Yousef. Khalid shot a 3-over-par, 75, with a front nine 38 and a back nine 37.

Awards were also given based on handicap with an A-Division (0-14 handicap) and B-Division (14-24 handicap) winners. Winning the A-Division Prize was Sultan Al Ali with 28 Stableford Points. Hamda Al Suwaidi won the Division-B prize with 29 Stableford Points.

In the Junior Division, Obaid Al Heloo was the clear winner by 10 points, with his 43 points. The Runner-Up was Reema Al Heloo with 33 points and the Third Place prize went to Mohammed Al Hajeri with 32 points.

The event had On Course Challenges for both the Adults and Juniors that added competition to the day. Winning the Adult Longest Drive Award on Hole 9 was Sohail Al Marzouqi. Winning the Adult Nearest to the Pin Award on Hole 11 was Hamda Al Suwaidi. The winner of the Junior Longest Drive Award on Hole 18 was Remma Al Heloo. Wrapping up the On Course Challenges, Alia Al Emadi won the Junior Nearest to the Pin Award on Hole 4.

The EGF would like to wish all of its Members and the UAE Golf Clubs a Happy Holidays. If you are an EGF Member remember to renew your EGF Membership before January 31, 2016. To renew or sign up revert to the EGF Website at www.egfgolf.com

Keep in touch with the EGF and the UAE National Golf Teams by following the Emirates Golf Federation on social media and at the website.

Morocco Triumphs at the 2015 Junior & Ladies Arab Golf Championship; A. Skaik Turns Heads for UAE

Arab Golf Championship logo(Al Ain, UAE) – On December 10th – 12th, 2015 the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) hosted the 2015 Junior & Ladies Arab Golf Championship at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club (AESGC). Morocco took two First Place finishes in the Team category as United Arab Emirates standout, Ahmed Skaik, competes with the best players at the Championship.

The 16th edition of Junior Arab Golf Championship and the 7th edition for Ladies Arab Golf Championship, under the Arab Golf Federation, had 10 countries with 73 players. The Championship hosted Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Morocco’s Gold Winning Teams (Left) 18 & Under and (Right) Ladies

Morocco’s 18 & Under Team

Adel Zarouni Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation had this to say after the Championship,  “The Emirates Golf Federation is proud to host Arab Youth, Junior, and Ladies Championship in Al Ain. This event shows the direction and strategy of the Federation in developing golf across all sectors. This tournament discovered a few unpolished jewels whom we will be developing for future champions”.

Morocco was the top winner as both, the 18 & Under and Ladies Team Categories were won by their teams. In the 18 & Under Division, Morocco was the clear winner with a team score of 435, winning by 10 shots. Tunisia took the Silver with a score of 445 and Egypt won the Bronze with a score of 452.

Saudi Arabia’s Saud Al-Sharf won the Individual category with rounds of 70-72-68 for an event total of 210, 2-under.

Ahmed Skaik

Ahmed Skaik

The UAE 18 & Under Team was made up of Ahmed Skaik, Mahmood Skaik , and Saeed Al Balooshi placed fifth in the Team category with a score of 472. Ahmad Skaik led the way with rounds of 80-71-72 for a total of 223. Ahmed placed sixth in the Individual category out of 25 players.

In the 15 & Under Division, Tunisia came out on top with a Team Score of 437. Just 4 shots back, Egypt won the Silver with a team score of 441. Coming in third place and winning the Bronze was Morocco with a score of 459.

Mehdi Ben Halima from Tunisia was the Individual winner in the 15 & Under Division after shooting rounds of 72-68-74 for a total of 214, 1-over.

The UAE 15 & Under Team was made up of Mohammed Al Hajeri, Obaid Al Heloo, and Khalil Kashwani. The team placed seventh with a score of 514. Top player and coming in ninth in the Individual category was Mohamed Al Hajeri, with rounds of 81-77-77 for a total of 237.

Morocco’s Gold Winning Ladies Team

Morocco’s Gold Winning Ladies Team

Showing their strength, Morocco won the Gold in the Ladies Team Division by one point, with a score of 459. With a score of 460, Tunisia won the Silver. Rounding out the Top Three with a score of 496 was Egypt.

Winning the Individual category in the Ladies Division was Kanzah Al Athari from Tunisia. Al Athari shot three rounds of 74 for an event total 222.

The UAE Ladies Team was made up of Dr. Rabab Al Haj, Tara Al Marzooqi, and Reema Al Heloo. Leading the way in the Individual category was Tara Al Marzooqi with rounds of 97-86-86 for an event total of 269.

Greg Holmes, UAE National Team Head Coach said, “It was great to see that the UAE Teams are performing better as there were noticeable improvements on the back of the National Junior Development Program which is now in place. We saw some great individual performances from Ahmed Skaik, Mohammed Al Hajeri, and Tara Al Marzooqi. I know that these performances will inspire the entire program to work harder moving forward. The EGF is extremely proud of all the team and the hard work put into this event”.

EGF To Host Junior and Ladies Arab Golf Championship in Al Ain

(Al Ain, Arab Golf Championship logoUAE) – The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) will be hosting the Junior and Ladies Arab Golf Championship at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club (AESGC) on December 10th – 12th, 2015. This three day event will have three different representing divisions – 18 & Under, 15 & Under, and Ladies – from 10 different Arab Countries.

The 16th edition of Junior Arab Golf Championship and the 7th edition for Ladies Arab Golf Championship falls under the Arab Golf Federation. The following countries – Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi, Tunisia, and host country United Arab Emirates (UAE) will all be in competition. With 10 countries and 3 divisions the championship will have a total of 70 players.

2014 UAE Arab Golf Championship Team

2014 UAE Arab Golf Championship Team

The host club, Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club is located in Oasis City, Al Ain. AESGC is an 18-hole Championship Course that offers a scenic and perplexing experience for all golfers. With yardages tipping out at 6,839 yards this challenging course is the perfect venue for these skilled young amateur golfers.

The UAE will have three different division represented with an extra player in the Individual Ladies category. Playing on the 18 & Under team will be Ahmed Skaik, Obaid Al Heloo, and Saeed Al Balooshi. The 15 & Under Team will be composed of Mohamed Al Hajiri, Mahmood Skaik, and Khalil Kashwani.

Last years Runner Up Winners, the Ladies Team will have Dr. Rabab Al Haj, Tara Al Marzooqi, and Reema Al Heloo. Hamda Al Suwaidi will be playing for the UAE in the Individual Ladies category.

The three-day event will have Gold and Silver Winners for the Team and Individual Categories in all three divisions. For the Team Category, the final score will consist of the top two gross scores, out of three players each round, totaled after three rounds. The Individual Category will be scored as the best individual gross score from each division.

The Championship will kick off Wednesday night, December 9th, with an Opening Ceremony that will be graced by the Arab Golf Federation and Emirates Golf Federation Chairman H.E. Sheik Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi.

Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the Emirates Golf Federation had this to say about the event. “This tournament builds bridges of understanding and brotherhood to all representing countries of the Arab golf world. We are delighted to host the Junior and Ladies Arab Championship in the UAE and feel that Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club is a great facility for the Championship. We are very happy to see such a large large number of male and female players who represent the future of Arab golf”.

 

RAS AL KHAIMAH TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BRINGS EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR TO THE UAE IN 2016

  • Ras Al Khaimah chosen by the European Challenge Tour as the destination to host prestigious tournament next year
  • The Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge to be hosted at Al Hamra Golf Club from 26 – 29 October 2016

Ras Al Khaimah – UAE – 30 November 2015: The inaugural Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge will see the European Challenge Tour, sponsored by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, return to the United Arab Emirates in 2016. The event will be hosted at Al Hamra Golf Club from Wednesday 26 to Saturday 29 October. This is the first time the European Challenge Tour has visited Ras Al Khaimah and will be one of the emirate’s top sporting events in 2016.

European Challenge Tour Logo

The tournament, with a prize fund of $350,000 up for grabs, will be sanctioned locally by the Emirates Golf Federation. It will take up a key position in the 2016 schedule as the Challenge Tour’s penultimate event, the week before the season-ending climax, the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.

30112015163919Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said, “Hosting the European Challenge Tour is part of our commitment to golf tourism in the emirate and highlights the importance we are placing on the sport in 2016 and beyond. The world-class golf course at Al Hamra Golf Club is the ideal location for such a prestigious event, and we look forward to welcoming golf enthusiasts from around the world to the tournament.”

A field of a minimum of 85 Challenge Tour players plus a further 20 sponsors’ invitations of professionals and amateurs via the participating Federations can include Arab Nationals and expatriates with an appropriate handicap.

The event will be the Challenge Tour players’ final opportunity to secure a place in the season-ending Grand Final at Almouj Golf, The Wave in Muscat, Oman, open only to the top 45 Challenge Tour players on the Road to Oman Rankings.

Nick Tarratt, Director, European Tour International, Dubai, commented: “The launch of a Challenge Tour event in Ras Al Khaimah will provide Al Hamra golf course with the opportunity to showcase the club, resort and emirate through our ‘play where the pros play’ mantra to a worldwide audience via our television and global media platforms.”

The Challenge Tour is ‘Where Heroes Are Made’ – the European Tour’s development tour and where the likes of Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Jamie Donaldson, Stephen Gallacher, Ian Poulter, Thomas Bjørn, Bernd Wiesberger and Branden Grace have all graduated from and become stars on the big stage.

The par 72 Championship eighteen-hole golf course, designed by Peter Harradine and measuring 7,325 yards, meanders around four inter-connected open water lagoons merging seamless with the water of the Arabian Gulf.

The announcement signals a welcome return to the UAE for the Challenge Tour following in the footsteps of the Challenge Tour Grand Final which was held in Dubai in 2013 and 2014.

The addition of the Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge to the Challenge Tour schedule means that there will now be seven significant European Tour golf initiatives on the Middle East golf calendar, along with: the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship; the Commercialbank Qatar Masters; the Omega Dubai Desert Classic; the DP World Tour Championship, the Abu Dhabi Invitational and the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.