In conjunction with the becoming a signatory of the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter the Oman Golf Association launched the GOladies programme in the late 2018. Modelled on the hugely successful GOjuniors series, the complimentary programme set out to introduce the game to complete beginners as well as provide guidance and increased social competition for the more experienced players. The sessions were delivered by qualified PGA Professionals and all necessary equipment was provided.
The long-term goal of the programme is to develop ladies golf in Oman and specifically to encourage Omani women and girls to participate. Golf has been identified as a key component in the development of tourism in Oman and it stands to become an important industry for economic growth, this will provide many opportunities for employment and career development.
Each 8-week programme focuses on Omani ladies and girls with weekly 1 hour sessions. In order to promote sustained involvement once the participants have grasped the basics of golf they ‘graduate’ to a more experienced group, they are in turn replaced by new beginners. Since its inception in 2018 the GOladies programme has introduced golf to over 100 Omani women and girls.
In addition to the 8-week GOladies sessions the programme will expand to include a series of one-off introductory sessions scheduled throughout the year. These sessions will be delivered at each of the golf courses to allow women from different parts of Muscat to participate, there will also be specific sessions arranged for groups such as the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth, schools and universities and any corporate entity that wishes to offer the opportunity to their staff, in particular those companies who support the programme through sponsorship.
Women in Golf Charter
In May 2018 the global governing body for golf, The R&A, launched the Women in Golf Charter, with the aim to increase women and girls’ participation and membership in golf, encourage more families to enjoy golf as a leisure activity and encourage more opportunities for women to work in the golf industry.
The Oman Golf Association became a signatory of the Charter in 2018 and and in doing so have committed to build on, and develop, initiatives which will focus on encouraging more women and girls to play golf and stay within the sport as members of clubs, while also empowering women to enjoy successful careers working within the golf and hospitality industry.
The Women in Golf Charter specifically aims to:
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Strengthen the focus on gender balance and provide a united position for the golf industry.
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Commit national federations and organisations to support measures targeted at increasing participation of women, girls and families in golf.
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Call upon signatories to take positive action to support the recruitment, retention and progression of women working at all levels of the sport.
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Set individual targets for national associations for participation and membership and reporting progress annually.
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Develop an inclusive environment for women and girls within golf.
Inclusivity in Golf
Golf can be played throughout your life, it can be played by girls and boys, parents and grandparents and is one of the most inclusive sports that there is. The Oman Golf Association believe that experiencing this diversity is invaluable in not only developing into a good sports person, but a good human being.
The Women in Golf Charter seeks to inspire a commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf, the R&A have taken this a step further with #FOREeveryone which represents a creative approach to unite the industry into becoming more inclusive. The Oman Golf Association has made its commitment through becoming a signatory of the Women in Golf Charter and will continue to make every effort to be more inclusive of gender, nationality, and physical ability.