As the Blog title suggests, this particular output is in respect of my now annual trip to Dubai to work as a volunteer on the DP World Tour Championship. For the uninitiated amongst you, this event is the final one on the European PGA calendar and sees the top 60 golfers on this tour come together in the Middle East to compete in and hopefully win, the "Race to Dubai". There is a huge amount of money and more importantly, prestige at stake and of course, the opportunity to see 60 of the world's top golfers close up and personal is very hard to resist. Most of this year's Ryder Cup team are competing and golfing fans will instantly recognise names like Stenson, McIlroy and Westwood, never mind Kaymer, Sullivan and Willett. It's an incredible field.
I have written about my adventures and experiences in previous years, mainly for my own consumption but after last year and the interest shown by Skipton Golf Club members, I have decided to write about what happens this year.
I think my enthusiasm for and enjoyment of the event has been contagious because this year I am not on my own! No, I am being joined by four other Skipton members, notably Paul and Amanda Kilner, Steve Willock and current Lady Captain, Sophie Eddison! Does Chief Marshal, Jenni Hoskins, know what she has let herself in for??
I can't imagine that any other golf club outside of the United Arab Emirates will be as well represented but I will find out once there and report back. Bear in mind that this is an unpaid role and that we all pay our own way but the fact that people do it more than once speaks volumes for the experience.
Paul and Amanda can almost be referred to as veterans, having volunteered at the event previously although it has been a tad disconcerting to work with Amanda on course and see her lusting after the better looking proponents of the game! In fact, Amanda is the only Marshal I have ever come across who actually needs marshalling herself!! For Steve and Sophie, it's going to be a new but I am certain, enjoyable experience.
I actually came out to the very first DPWTC in 2009 when Lee Westwood returned home with a tidy sum of £1.6 million in his pocket. I came home with Billy Foster, Lee's caddy and rolled out of Manchester airport with him where my daughter Sarah, was waiting to pick me up and got the surprise of her life when I asked if she could give Billy a lift back to our village as well! She still has the dozen Pro V1 golf balls belonging to Lee that Billy thanked her with!
I have made some great friends at the event not least of whom is a certain Linda M (name withheld), the terror of the first tee and I am so disappointed that she will be missing this year. Having moved from Dubai to Bulgaria since last year, she has been afflicted with a frozen shoulder! I put it down to the cooler climate but as someone who has not played golf this year due to his own shoulder problems I have a massive empathy with her. She will be there in spirit although I'm not sure there will be as many laughs.
Of course there is Chief Marshal, Jenni Hoskins and her team who do brilliant work throughout the tournament despite having to organise hundreds of volunteers on a daily basis. I don't envy her this task but year in year out, the DPWTC is a superbly marshalled event and I have no doubt that 2016 will follow the same pattern as previous years.
I will be writing daily posts from Dubai and including lots of photos and if you enjoy my musings or want to make a comment on anything I have written, then please click on the link below and I will try and respond.
The Blog can be found at www.alindubai.blogspot.com
Happy reading.
As a postscript to this first post, I did at the very last minute attend the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, Minnesota - never again - and if you want to read about my experience there, have a look at www.alattherydercup.blogspot.com
I have written about my adventures and experiences in previous years, mainly for my own consumption but after last year and the interest shown by Skipton Golf Club members, I have decided to write about what happens this year.
I think my enthusiasm for and enjoyment of the event has been contagious because this year I am not on my own! No, I am being joined by four other Skipton members, notably Paul and Amanda Kilner, Steve Willock and current Lady Captain, Sophie Eddison! Does Chief Marshal, Jenni Hoskins, know what she has let herself in for??
I can't imagine that any other golf club outside of the United Arab Emirates will be as well represented but I will find out once there and report back. Bear in mind that this is an unpaid role and that we all pay our own way but the fact that people do it more than once speaks volumes for the experience.
Paul and Amanda can almost be referred to as veterans, having volunteered at the event previously although it has been a tad disconcerting to work with Amanda on course and see her lusting after the better looking proponents of the game! In fact, Amanda is the only Marshal I have ever come across who actually needs marshalling herself!! For Steve and Sophie, it's going to be a new but I am certain, enjoyable experience.
I actually came out to the very first DPWTC in 2009 when Lee Westwood returned home with a tidy sum of £1.6 million in his pocket. I came home with Billy Foster, Lee's caddy and rolled out of Manchester airport with him where my daughter Sarah, was waiting to pick me up and got the surprise of her life when I asked if she could give Billy a lift back to our village as well! She still has the dozen Pro V1 golf balls belonging to Lee that Billy thanked her with!
I have made some great friends at the event not least of whom is a certain Linda M (name withheld), the terror of the first tee and I am so disappointed that she will be missing this year. Having moved from Dubai to Bulgaria since last year, she has been afflicted with a frozen shoulder! I put it down to the cooler climate but as someone who has not played golf this year due to his own shoulder problems I have a massive empathy with her. She will be there in spirit although I'm not sure there will be as many laughs.
Of course there is Chief Marshal, Jenni Hoskins and her team who do brilliant work throughout the tournament despite having to organise hundreds of volunteers on a daily basis. I don't envy her this task but year in year out, the DPWTC is a superbly marshalled event and I have no doubt that 2016 will follow the same pattern as previous years.
I will be writing daily posts from Dubai and including lots of photos and if you enjoy my musings or want to make a comment on anything I have written, then please click on the link below and I will try and respond.
The Blog can be found at www.alindubai.blogspot.com
Happy reading.
As a postscript to this first post, I did at the very last minute attend the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, Minnesota - never again - and if you want to read about my experience there, have a look at www.alattherydercup.blogspot.com
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