Carmen Alonso, Barry Lane and Othman Almulla hosted a clinic for local school children at Ayla Golf Club on the eve of the Jordan Mixed Open after the club officially signed the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.

By Golf Digest Middle East
Ayla Golf Club has become the first venue in the Middle East to sign the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.

Unveiled by The R&A in May 2018, the Women in Golf Charter has been introduced to help foster a more inclusive culture within the game of golf and to ensure that women across the world are afforded equal opportunities to maximise their potential, both on the course and within the golf industry.

Spanish Ladies European Tour player Carmen Alonso, Saudi’s first professional golfer Othman Almulla and former Ryder Cup player Barry Lane were all on hand in Aqaba as Ayla’s Director of Operations, Chris White, confirmed the club’s support for the principles of the Charter.

It came on the eve of the inaugural Jordan Mixed Open Presented by Ayla which started Thursday. The event, the world’s first mixed open, a pioneering event that will see men and women go head-to-head over the same course, for a single prize purse and trophy, is a key part of the club’s gender equality drive.

You can watch the promo video here:

“As Jordan’s first championship course we believe that it is extremely important that we demonstrate that golf is a game that can be played by everyone, regardless of age or gender,” said White. 

“We intend for the Jordan Mixed Open to act as a catalyst to develop the sport locally and will build upon the success of the event, and the participation programmes already in place at the club, to continue to work towards growing the women’s game at the club and providing equal opportunities as an organisation.”

Ladies European Tour player Carmen Alonso, aspiring young Ayla Golf Club-member Pera Demirsoy and Chris White, the Director of Operations at Ayla Oasis, at Wednesday’s official announcement.

The ground-breaking Jordan Mixed Open will not only promote gender equality on a global stage but is also intended to empower local women and will encompass a series of talks from inspirational Jordanians who have overcome gender barriers to success in their respective fields.

Ayla’s Managing Director, Sahl Dudin, underscored that Ayla has a longstanding legacy of supporting sustainable development in Jordan, of which the promotion of gender equality is a key pillar.

“For Ayla, encouraging and supporting the participation of women in sports and other key areas of development is a crucial element in accelerating positive transformation on a grand scale, and Ayla will support all endeavours geared toward such objective,” he commented. 

R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers hailed Ayla’s efforts to grow female participation.

“It is important that we continue to highlight the progress being made to promote greater diversity, accessibility and inclusion within golf. Ayla Golf Club has demonstrated its commitment to supporting these aims by becoming the first venue in the Middle East region to sign up to the Women in Golf Charter as well as hosting the world’s first ever mixed professional event this week.

“Hopefully it will inspire other golf clubs to embrace the opportunities that encouraging more women and girls into the sport can bring.”