Emirati students tee-off at Standard Chartered Young UAE Leaders Golf Programme

The Bank's unique golf programme aims to expose, foster and sustain a long-term presence of the sport in Abu Dhabi by targeting the UAE youth.

"We want to encourage the youth in Abu Dhabi to take up golf by giving them the opportunity to learn and appreciate the sport, and develop excellence in it. By the end of this year, the Standard Chartered Young UAE Leaders Golf Programme will have introduced the physical and mental aspects of the game to the students. As well as being good exercise, golf encourages other skills such as decision making and self confidence, which we believe will help the students to shine,"

said Jeremy Parrish, CEO Standard Chartered, Abu Dhabi & Al Ain.

The specially-designed golf programme seeks to institute comprehensive golf training for UAE students and to enable them to develop an appreciation and competence for golf. The bi-weekly training sessions include golf etiquette, rules and playing skills such as pitching, chipping, and putting, and are coached by two golf professionals from the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, home to the Championship.

"I have always wanted to play golf and didn't get the chance to until Standard Chartered introduced the Young UAE Leaders Golf Programme to us at school. The golf programme is conveniently structured and easy to take part in," said Abdullateef Al Marzouqi. "The sessions give me a good feel for the sport and have definitely inspired me to keep it up."

"I'm very pleased that women have been given the chance to try out golf. I enjoyed the game so much I have booked private lessons along with two of my classmates. It would be great to open a golf course dedicated to women in Abu Dhabi" said Amila Al Shaybani, one of the participating students from the Abu Dhabi Women's College.
"On the golf course, students are learning that they have to plan their shots, their strategy, just like in business and in life," added Parrish. "Whether or not they are successful is based on their desire for excellence and hard work."

Standard Chartered Bank has been the pioneer in promoting the game of golf in the capital as part of their community programme. Since 2006, the Bank's Golf Programme has offered students the opportunity to be trained in the sport. Primary schools in Abu Dhabi were the first to benefit from the programme. This year, the Abu Dhabi Men's College and the Abu Dhabi Women's College were inducted into the scheme following the partnership the Bank has entered in with the Higher College of Technology.

The Standard Chartered Young UAE Leaders Golf Programme will end with an exclusive one-hour golf clinic with a visiting international golf pro, to which five most promising students from each college will be invited to attend during the 2009 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.