Teeing-up for the youth

THIS month sees the recommencement of a youth development project for the Bahrain National Golf Team, supported by the Royal Golf Club (RGC) and Bahrain Golf Association (BGA).

Over a period of six months the RGC’s Academy team will work closely with a group of elite players that have aspirations to represent their national team at home and abroad.

David Edwards, the academy’s director of instruction, said: “It is a privilege for our team of coaches to be given the opportunity to work closely with the talented and enthusiastic players from the Bahrain Youth Team.

“Following on from a productive first season in 2015, which saw a number of individual and team successes here in Bahrain and on the international stage, we firmly believe that we will see some excellent results from providing a complete holistic approach to both golf and personal development. Also, we are laying the groundwork for long term golf development within the country.

“My thanks to the Bahrain Golf Association for their support of this initiative and in particular, Daij Khalifa, who works tirelessly in organising the team, schedules and many events they play through the year.

“With regular interaction between coaches and players and ongoing monitoring of their progress, I am confident that Bahrain will continue to field one of the strongest national golf teams in the region.”

As part of the specialised training programme, all players will develop their whole golf game under the guidance of the club’s PGA professional staff.

Utilising the practice facilities and golf course, which is managed by Troon Golf, each player is screened in the modern teaching studios and individual golf and physical development schedules are made.

The players enjoy the full use of the club’s video and ball radar technology, latest teaching aides and full access to the golf practice facility, academy short game course and the challenging Colin Montgomerie-designed championship 18-hole course.

Stephen Havrilla, RGC’s general manager, added: “The Royal Golf Club team has always been supportive of developing the game of golf amongst Bahraini youngsters. This continuing collaboration with Bahrain Golf Association will go a long way to ensuring the rise of a new generation of great Bahraini golfers.”

The Bahrain Golf Association was established in 1995 and its goals are to organise and co-ordinate golfing activities and strive to raise its standards on the island, to represent the kingdom at regional, and international levels and to maintain and uphold the standards and rules of golf as approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

It is also a member of Bahrain Olympic Committee, the Golf Organising Committee of the GCC, Arab Golf Federation (AGF), Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) and the International Golf Federation (IGF). It is also affiliated to the Royal and Ancient.

The BGA’s Khalifa is confident the youngsters ‘will benefit’ from the state-of-the-art teaching equipment that the academy is equipped with, as well as the availability of qualified PGA teaching professionals.

Eid Adel Meftah, the 14-year old winner of the 2016 GCC Junior Championship, said: “My short game has improved a lot - especially my putting - after numerous lessons with David last year. I look forward to continuing to improve over the coming year.”

And, Sultan Abdulla Al Hakam from the Youth Development Programme, added that putting lessons he received from RGC short-game expert Juan Manuel Fuentes, helped him win the Oman Open last year.