Growing The Game
Golf is one of the most inclusive sports that there is and offers those who play a healthy and wholesome activity which can be enjoyed, socially or competitively, in the stunning scenery of the Sultanate.
The Oman Golf Association is committed to offering the opportunity to experience golf to as many people as possible and further to this to support those who show interest and ability in order to allow them to realise their potential.
Through a series of initiatives the game of golf is offered to a wide range of citizens and residents of Oman.
Using 'Short Golf' equipment the OGA have been able to visit several schools in the Sultanate, the long term aim is to introduce golf into the physical education curriculum and to support this by training level 1 coaches who are able to assist and eventually take over from the PGA Qualified Instructors.
With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth the OGA have offered indoor Summer Schools allowing golf to continue through the hot summer months.
Each of the golf courses have their own junior programmes but despite a high number of children taking lessons there was little growth in the number of junior golfers who were actually playing. To address this the OGA came up with GOjuniors which offers youngsters the opportunity to play and develop their skills, as well as friendships, in a safe environment. For those juniors who are a little more experienced the GOjuniors Tour offers a more competitive series of events.
Having started in 2018 the GOladies programme offers Omani women the opportunity to experience golf over a 4-week course of lessons free of charge. As well as being able to try something new GOladies offered those involved the chance to meet new people during the lessons and develop friendships that have now continued onto the golf course.
Working with the golf courses forward tees have been implemented, these have been rated allowing golfers to now select the tee that is most appropriate for their ability regardless of gender or age. Any scores recorded from these tees are eligible for handicap purposes.
Having adopted the World Handicap System in 2020 the initial requirement for an official Oman Golf Association WHS handicap is now 54 holes of golf, with a maximum handicap index of 54.0. This encourages those players who are new to the game to achieve a handicap far quicker than the old USGA system and allows them to measure their improvement and progress as they continue to develop.
Growing the game of golf is a key objective of the Oman Golf Association. An increased number of domestic golfers will allow the industry as a whole to become more sustainable as well as providing a larger pool of players from which to select the National Teams. As the industry matures it also makes Oman a more attractive destination for golf tourism which supports Oman's drive for diversification and provides additional employment opportunities.
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