Golf Saudi agreement to ‘create pathways for disabled players’

JEDDAH: Golf Saudi has reached an agreement with the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) to provide opportunities for disabled Saudi golfers, it announced on Wednesday.

A press conference was held at the Royal Greens Golf and Country club in the presence of Golf Saudi CEO and Saudi Golf Federation Deputy Chairman Majed Al-Sorour; Ed Edwards, Golf Saudi COO; Mark Taylor, head of development at the EDGA; Othman Almula, Saudi Arabia’s first professional golfer; and Amer Al-Rumaih, Golf Saudi ambassador.

Al-Sorour said that the aim of the agreement was to embrace inclusivity in golf across the Kingdom.

“As we have given the opportunity for women to enter the sport of golf, it is incredibly important that golf is available to everyone, whether they are disabled or not,” he said. “At Golf Saudi, we are working hard to help encourage as many disabled people as possible to play golf though a number of initiatives with our partners at EDGA.”

Al-Sorour added that Golf Saudi has encouraged disabled people to be more active in the sport through recent programs, and that it is working with local clubs across the country to encourage more people with disabilities to take up the sport.

“It is our goal to make the sport of golf more inclusive for everyone,” he said. “With this new program, we hope that Golf Saudi is making golf accessible to everyone no matter their age, gender or ability.”

EDGA development head Taylor told Arab News that the Kingdom has sports clubs across the country that cater to disabled people, and that there is now a potential for each one to be connected to a golf hub, linked in turn to regional golf clubs to create pathways for disabled golfers.

EDGA is a multinational body that encourages people