Everyone can help in generation game

There have been numerous recent articles on the subject of junior golf, highlighting issues, opportunities and plans for developing the young golfing generation.

GolfEx (an international golf exhibition hosted annually in Dubai last month) based the majority of the exhibition on junior golf development and it certainly brought the focus home and attracted a number of international junior golf pioneers such as Duncan Weir, the Director of Development for the R&A.

Although the future of the UAE golf industry looks bright, the short-term development opportunities are limited due to the effects of demand outstripping supply, and juniors are unfortunately suffering the most.

What can we do as parents and golfers to help the national body, the UAE Golf Association, in their efforts to provide opportunities to juniors?

Support

I look back to when I first started to play. I joined my local club back in the mid ’80s when the UK golf industry was enjoying a significant boom. Clubs had large waiting lists, weekend tee times were limited and it wasn’t easy for juniors. Sounds familiar?

We were seen as the poor relation and had to step off the tee to make way for adult members during busy periods.

The difference was, and this is something that doesn’t exist here in the UAE, that there was a culture in many golf clubs of members and parents getting involved and taking pride in the development of their younger members.

It wasn’t left to the club, it was the parents (generally members) who ran the junior tournaments. They monitored the junior handicaps; they helped generate corporate support; they shuttled all the juniors to away tournaments; they organised coaching sessions and inter-club matches.

Effort

I still feel exceptionally privileged and grateful for that support. However it saddens me to see such little effort being made by club members to encourage the development of their junior members. In many cases they are their own children.

From discussions with key industry figureheads, it is clear that they would welcome the support, but it just isn’t forthcoming. In Dubai it seems it’s easy to complain about the situation rather than stand up and get involved.

If your club isn’t willing to accept your assistance I would be extremely surprised. However I know for a fact that the UAE Golf Association would welcome your support with open arms – no matter what your level of assistance may be.

I encourage all golfers to do your bit to encourage juniors, to assist them when you can, but more so, be tolerant.

Wouldn’t you like to see the next Tiger Woods emerge out of the UAE?