Following my column last week, I was pleasantly surprised with the number of enquiries I received from parents and budding young golfers asking what is involved in becoming a PGA Professional.

First, they were surprised that they would have to leave the UAE to do it. Some thought it was a matter of signing up to a university and one even thought it could be done within a week – little did that person know!

Being a golfer and a UAE resident you should feel extremely enthused as you witness first hand, the miracle growth of the leisure industry and in particular the golf facilities that are on many individual emirate’s master plans.

It is no secret that the UAE desperately needs more golfing facilities for residents and tourists; however my key concern is who is going to run them. Where is the expertise going to come from?

By this I don’t mean who is going to manage them, we all are aware of the presence of the golf management powerhouses such as IMG, Troon and of course IGLS. What I mean is, where is the expertise going to come from?

As an Englishman and having played most of my competitive golf as an amateur in my homeland, I am reasonably well attuned to the intricacies of the CONGU (Council of National Golf Unions) Unified Handicap System.

The UAE operates the CONGU system, and from my time at Nad Al Sheba Golf Club, I dealt with handicap issues on a day-to-day basis.

The handicap system forms the very basis of the game, its popularity and its prosperity, and without such a formal system the game would no doubt have been kicked into touch some time ago.