Rising stars to benefit from Dubai golfing showcase
Dubai (United Arab Emirates): The UAE’s budding junior golfers are set to receive a major financial boost courtesy of GolfEx Dubai, the global golf summit and exhibition aimed at unifying the golfing world.
With just three months to go until the event opens its doors at the Jumeirah Conference Centre on January 29-30, 2006, organisers Driving Force have announced that ten per cent of profits generated by the event will be donated to the Junior Development Programme (JDP), established and managed by the UAE Golf Association (UGA).
It’s a move that has been warmly welcomed by the UGA, a body that receives most of its finances for junior golf from sponsors and golf-related corporations as opposed to government assistance.
"This is a wonderful gesture and one that will go a long way to helping support the objectives of the Junior Development Programme," said JDP Chairman Mohamed Buamim who also holds the roles of vice chairman of the Dubai Desert Classic and golf in DUBAI (GiD), two organisations giving the two-day golf summit their full support.
"Junior golf is growing greatly in this part of the world yet funding is often a major issue. By donating a percentage of their profits, the organisers of GolfEx Dubai have shown how committed they are to the development of golf as well as the progress of our up-and-coming youngsters.
In September 1998, the extensive Junior Development Programme was established for children aged 7-15, both UAE Nationals and expatriates, and involved over 130 children throughout the U.A.E. Today, the programme embraces more than 400 participating children.
Over the past seven years, it has helped assist the progress of a number of junior players including UAE national team players Rashid Alabbar, Khalid Yousuf and Abdulla Al Mosharrekh. Its aims are to unify all Junior Programmes within the UAE; offer more flexibility, opportunities and incentives to its members, strengthen the profile of junior golf and its structure, and ultimately Increase the number of juniors taking part in the programme.
Primarily a conference, GolfEx Dubai will also host a trade exhibition and gala dinner and Neil Hamp-Adams, Managing Director of Driving Force, said the decision to put something back into local golf was an easy one.
"GolfEx Dubai is the first convention of its kind aimed at uniting the sport and naturally we are delighted to be hosting it in Dubai, a venue recently described as the most exciting golf destination in the world," he said.
"Dubai is providing the golf industry with a perfect platform to network, share knowledge and broker deals. It seems perfectly natural that this unique gathering of golf industry professionals should also be used to benefit the local community and we see the JDP as being the ideal beneficiary."
Hamp-Adams confirmed that the ten per cent donated to the JDP would come from the profits derived from delegate fees and exhibition bookings, although it is too early to say exactly how much will be donated to the UGA.
Among the key VIP speakers set for the GolfEx Dubai conference is Johan Immelman, Commissioner of the South African PGA Tour and father of leading pro Trevor Immelman.
GolfEx Dubai has the full backing of the European Tour, the Asian Tour, and the South African Sunshine Tour and Immelman is a firm supporter of an event aimed at opinion formers and decision-makers instrumental in developing and growing the sport around the world.
"It is our hope that in getting like-minded people from various golfing regions together at the inaugural Golf GolfEx Dubai it will facilitate further growth and development of this wonderful game of golf in our respective regions – in our case throughout Africa and in particular the Sunshine Tour," he said.
Further information on GolfEx Dubai can be found at www.golf-ex.com
Contact:
Alan Ewens, Media Manager
Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai.
Tel: (+97150) 4514188
alan2804@emirates.net.ae
