Golf standard on the rise in region

The standard of golf is fast improving across the Middle East, according to Duncan Weir, director of golf development at the sport's governing body, the R&A.

Speaking after attending the Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship (ADJGC), presented by The Daily Telegraph, which saw some of the world's best young golfers battle it out in the UAE capital, Weir praised the progress that the region is making.

"Golf has moved forward dramatically in the Middle East in recent years," he said. "We have seen the creation of an increasing number of grass courses, such as the soon-to-be-launched venues on Saadiyat and Yas islands in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, a number of professional golf championships have also gained a firm foothold in the region in the form of the Gulf Swing," he said.

"In the past, the golfing season was generally considered to start with the US Masters. Nowadays you could say the Middle East championships have taken this role. The region is a great place to play golf, with a superb climate and courses of the highest calibre, encapsulated by the beautifully presented National Course at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, which is a perfect venue for the European tour and the ADJGC."

The R & A is committed to developing the sport on a global basis.

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