Claude Harmon III to oversee development of Butch Harmon School of Golf

Son of legendary golf coach Butch Harmon, Claude Harmon III - who coached the 2008 US Masters Champion, Trevor Immelman, among other tour pros including Darren Clarke and Adam Scott, - is now permanently based in Dubai Sports City to oversee the new Butch Harmon School of Golf.

The Butch Harmon School of Golf, which is the first such facility outside the US, is set for completion by the end of 2008 and will offer a bespoke coaching structure for both professionals and amateurs who are looking to improve their games.

"Claude Harmon's presence at The Butch Harmon School of Golf virtually ensures Dubai Sports City's place as the UAE's golf tuition centre of excellence. Few other Dubai clubs can boast facilities and instructors capable of instructing professional-level, PGA Tour players,"

said Khalid Zarooni, President, Dubai Sports City.

"Claude Harmon III comes from a family of immense golfing talent, and it is a great honor that he will live and work at Dubai Sports City, building on his family's tradition of developing some of the best golfers on tour," added Zarooni.

Claude Harmon III was most recently based out of the Trump National Golf Course in the Los Angeles, US. In moving to Dubai, Claude Harmon III shares the same vision as his father: that there is enough natural talent within the UAE to find the next big star on the Professional Tour.

The Butch Harmon School of Golf, based at The Els Club in Dubai Sports City, will house a state-of-the-art performance institute, which include physical screening, three dimensional, and two-dimensional video analysis for the students.

To complement the technology, Claude Harmon III brings a unique teaching philosophy that began with his grandfather, the 1948 US Masters Champion. It is a philosophy based on helping each person understand his own unique game.

"The Butch Harmon School of Golf - under the direction of Claude Harmon - will complement the world-class facilities of The Els Club, and our members and day-guests are eager to see the school up and running later this year," said Thomas Rubi, General Manager, The Els Club.

The school is one of seven different academies located at Dubai Sports City, with football, rugby, hockey, swimming, tennis and cricket academies all being housed within the complex. All of the academies will offer the opportunity for local sports people to train and compete in some of the best facilities in the world.

Figures from the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing show that the number of courses in Dubai is due to triple over the next ten years, and the number of golfers traveling to Dubai continues to rise dramatically.