The exemption takes the leading three players in the MENA Golf Tour’s final 2025/26 Rankings, to a limit of 10th place and not otherwise eligible, straight into the Second Stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School, bypassing the First Stage entirely.

For the players involved, it is a tangible reward for a season’s work and a clear shortcut towards a card on one of the world’s leading tours. To take up a place, players must have applied to enter the First Stage by the designated entry deadline. Players already exempt by other means will not count towards the three places, with the exemption passing to the next eligible player in the final standings.

RELATED: MENA Golf Tour confirms exemption categories for 2026/27 season

The benefit could reach well beyond those three. With several members likely to hold other exemptions by the time the DP World Tour Qualifying School begins, a strong group of MENA Golf Tour players could find themselves competing at the Second Stage, a notable show of strength for a circuit that continues to push its members towards the highest level.

It marks another building block in a pathway the Tour has worked hard to construct, one that now offers its leading players a credible, structured route from the MENA Golf Tour to the DP World Tour. Entries for the DP World Tour Qualifying School will open in the coming weeks.

Keith Waters, Chairman and Commissioner of the MENA Golf Tour, said:

“This is a significant moment for the MENA Golf Tour and a real reward for the players who have performed week in, week out across our season. Earning a place at the Second Stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School puts our leading players one step closer to where they want to be. The Middle East is our home, and it always will be, but this Tour was built to give emerging players from anywhere a genuine pathway to the top of the game. This is another building block in that pathway, and a clear marker of our ambition.”

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In under a year, he went from a 24 handicap to scratch. He became the first Emirati to compete at the U.S. Junior Amateur. He earned medallist honours in the final qualifier for the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine. He practised on the range at Oakland Hills alongside Charlie and Tiger Woods. He won the Tommy Fleetwood AJGA event at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course. He claimed both the Men’s and Junior Order of Merit titles in the Emirates Golf Federation’s 2026 season. And now, at 19, he is heading to UC Irvine in California as the first UAE national to secure a full NCAA Division I golf scholarship.

He speaks about all of it with a quiet matter-of-factness that is either remarkable self-possession or the product of a very deliberate mental discipline. Probably both.

The Beginning: Covid, a Rangeside House, and an Obsession
Ahmed’s family played golf for fun. During Covid, when the afternoons on the course with his father became the main event of the day, something shifted. He had been a table tennis and badminton player at school. Golf was supposed to be a family leisure activity. Instead it became an obsession, and it moved quickly.

“I simply fell in love with the process of getting better. I became obsessed – practising for hours, watching golf, thinking about golf,” Rayan says.

His parents noticed. His mother and father moved the family home to a property right in front of the Montgomerie range in Dubai – a decision that removed every logistical barrier between Ahmed and the hours he needed to put in. It is the kind of parental commitment that does not show up in a results summary but tends to underpin most serious athletic careers.

Crucially, they did not attach conditions to it. No specific targets, no pressure around medals, no scorecards brought home for review. Sport was about building character. The golf was Ahmed’s obsession and he was left to grow into it at his own pace.

“The biggest thing they gave me was freedom. I genuinely wouldn’t be here without that,” he says.

The Influences: McIlroy on Loop, Tiger on the Wall
Rory McIlroy’s swing plays on a loop on the television at Ahmed’s home academy. He studied it obsessively when he started and has not stopped. Tiger Woods occupies a different kind of place in the household: a large oil-on-canvas painting of a young Woods fist-pumping greets visitors at the front door. Watching him win the 2019 Masters, Ahmed says, was “simply out of this world”.

The Woods connection acquired a different dimension in the summer of 2024 at Oakland Hills, when Ahmed — competing at the U.S. Junior Amateur as the first Emirati to do so — found himself on the practice range next to Charlie and Tiger. His father’s reaction to the story has become something of a running joke in the Ahmed household.

“My father couldn’t stop telling everyone that his son had beaten Tiger’s son,” he says.

The Breakthrough: EGF, World Amateurs, and a Summer that Changed Everything
Ahmed joined the UAE national team in 2023 after winning the Emirates Golf Federation’s Junior Order of Merit. The access that came with it was immediate and significant – international tournaments, world-class facilities, and a coaching team that includes Faycal Serghini and Matthew Brookes. Within months he was competing at the World Amateur Team Championships in Abu Dhabi against players including Gordon Sargent and Nick Dunlap, two of the most decorated amateur golfers of recent years.

The EGF framework, and the vision of its President, General Abdullah Al Hashmi, receive repeated, specific credit in how Ahmed talks about his development. The international travel schedule it opened up – the kind that builds resilience in ways that pure talent and practice cannot – is something he returns to when discussing why he feels ready for the United States.

The summer of 2024 consolidated it. U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills, then medallist honours in the final qualifier for the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine. Two of the most prestigious amateur events in world golf, within weeks of each other.

“It made me feel that I had arrived, that I belong, that I can compete at the highest level,” Rayan says.

The Mental Edge: A Kickboxer, Quiet Composure, and Taking Notes at Royal Liverpool
Ahmed describes his natural demeanour as quiet. People read it as mild-mannered. He is careful to make clear that is not quite right.

“Behind that quietness I am fighting extremely hard.”

The mental development has been structured. Alongside swing coach Liam James, Ahmed works with Sensei Majid- a kickboxer – whose contribution is specifically around comfort in difficult situations. The crossover is deliberate: learning to stay composed under pressure in a combat sport environment translates, Ahmed has found, to the golf course.

The test came at The Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool. His swing was out of sync. He made serious errors. The old version of himself, he says, would have compounded a bogey into a triple by dwelling on what went wrong. Instead, he took detailed notes and went back to work on the range. It is a small story but it is the kind of thing that separates golfers with talent from golfers with careers.

The Numbers: 116 mph, Three Strokes Lost Putting, and a Secret Weapon
A year before winning the Tommy Fleetwood AJGA event at Earth Course with a 14-under total, Ahmed was losing nearly three strokes a day through putting. It is a striking admission – and a striking turnaround. Putting, particularly pace control, is now what he calls his secret weapon.

The gym work has driven his club speed to 116 mph and it is still climbing. He is also, when the swing is functioning as it should, an accurate driver. These are not the numbers of a junior golfer making up the numbers at elite events. They are the profile of someone whose physical and technical development has been managed with a professional trajectory in mind.

What Comes Next: UC Irvine, Business & Economics, and the Long Game
In the fall of 2026, Ahmed heads to UC Irvine in California. He will study Business and Economics. He will play under Coach Paul Smolinski, whose programme he has researched and rates highly. He becomes, in doing so, the first UAE national to secure a full NCAA Division I golf scholarship – a historic first that sits alongside several others he has accumulated without, he insists, spending much time thinking about them during competition.

What he thinks about instead is the flag. The UAE flag, at the events where it flies because he is there to represent his country.

“When I walk into an event and see the UAE flag flying amongst all the others, knowing it is there because I am representing my country – that motivates me to give everything. Pressure honestly doesn’t feature at all,” Rayan says.

The Professional game is the long-term destination. Ahmed is clear about that, and equally clear about the difficulty of what getting there requires. The humility is genuine – he has been around good enough golf long enough to know how hard the gap between excellent amateur and touring professional actually is. But the ambition is absolute.

“I have the humility to understand just how difficult it is to reach the very top of this game. But that understanding is only matched by my desire to get there. I am aiming for the stars. Nothing less.”

RAYAN AHMED: KEY CAREER MOMENTS

2023: Wins EGF Junior Order of Merit; joins UAE national team
2024: First Emirati at U.S. Junior Amateur (Oakland Hills); medallist at U.S. Amateur qualifier (Hazeltine)
2025: Wins Tommy Fleetwood AJGA event at Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates, at 14-under par
2026: EGF Men’s and Junior Order of Merit titles; competes at The Amateur Championship, Royal Liverpool. Joins UC Irvine as first UAE national on a full NCAA Division I golf scholarship

AT A GLANCE
Age: 19
Nationality: Emirati
Status: Amateur
Handicap journey: 24 to scratch in under one year.
Destination: UC Irvine – first UAE national on a full NCAA Division I golf scholarship
2026 season: Men’s and Junior Order of Merit titles, Emirates Golf Federation
Club speed: 116 mph and growing

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We lead with Scottie Scheffler, and rightly so. The cover feature is one of the most thoughtful pieces of golf writing you will read this year – a genuine attempt to place Scheffler in his proper historical context, drawing on the voices of Lee Trevino, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo to ask whether we are watching the most complete player the game has ever seen. The answer, as Trevino himself puts it, is that Scheffler may have quietly retired everything he ever said on the subject. It is essential reading ahead of Birkdale.

Speaking of which, our Where to Play section offers a hole-by-hole guide to Royal Birkdale itself – a course that’s rightly described as the most even-handed test in the Open rota, and one that will reward straight driving and total command this July. If you are making the trip, read it before you pack your waterproofs.

We also mark a remarkable centennial with an account of Bobby Jones and the immortal shot at Royal Lytham & St Annes that not only won the 1926 Open, but arguably made the Grand Slam of 1930 possible. I will admit this was my personal highlight of the issue – a reminder that golf’s greatest moments are often separated from failure by the thinnest of margins. One hundred years on, the story loses none of its drama, and I suspect the golf buffs among you will enjoy the history lesson as much as I did.

Elsewhere, there’s a fascinating examination of how much real estate value is locked inside golf’s greatest courses – a thought-provoking read that reframes what these places actually mean beyond the ropes. There’s also an analysis of the swing adjustments helping Jeeno Thitikul chase LPGA history, and our Fringe feature catches up with Train frontman Pat Monahan on the unlikely parallels between life on tour and life on the road.

Finally, we spotlight one of the most exciting young golfers this region has produced – Emirati amateur Rayan Ahmed, whose journey from a Covid lockdown obsession to NCAA Division I scholarship is exactly the kind of story that reminds you why this game gets under your skin and never quite lets go.

All this and plenty more in the July/August 2026 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download it to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your local golf club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

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The leading 40 players from the final 2026 MENA Golf Tour Rankings will be exempt for every tournament next season.

For everyone else, the route is just as clear. Any player wishing to guarantee a place in all of next season’s events should enter one of the Tour’s Qualifying Schools. The inaugural US Qualifying School at the Slammer & Squire course at World Golf Village in Florida has already been announced, with a European Qualifying School to be staged in October.

The leading 10 players at each Qualifying School will earn a category guaranteeing entry into every 2026/27 tournament, with those finishing 11th to 20th, and ties for 20th, securing further playing rights across the season.

The Tour proved its worth to players at various stages of their careers last season. The UAE’s Ahmad Skaik took his first steps in the professional game on the MENA Golf Tour, turning professional for the season opener in Portugal in November, while Chris Wood gained the vital competitive golf he needed on his route back towards the top of the game, going on to win the season-long Rankings to earn immediate promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour.

Ahmad Skaik at PGA Aroeira in his first pro event on the MENA Golf Tour. Octavio Passos

Keith Waters, Chairman and Commissioner of the MENA Golf Tour, said:

“We have already had a strong response from players and managers following the launch of our US Qualifying School, and confirming the full exemption categories now gives everyone the clarity they need to plan their season. The picture is simple. The leading 40 players from this season are exempt, and anyone else who wants to lock in their place across all of next season’s events should enter one of our Qualifying Schools. With a school already confirmed in the United States and another in Europe in October, players have clear opportunities to earn their card, and we would encourage everyone weighing up their status to take one of them.”

The full list of exemption categories for the 2026/27 season is set out below.

MENA Golf Tour categories for the 2026/27 season

Category 1: All winners of MENA Golf Tour tournaments in 2025 and 2026.

Category 2: The leading 40 Members on the Final 2026 MENA Golf Tour Rankings.

Category 3: The leading 10 players at both the 2026 MENA Golf Tour US and European Qualifying Schools. There will be a play-off to determine the leading 10 players if there is a tie for 10th place.

Category 4: MENA Golf Tour tournament invitations (maximum of 15 players per tournament). If an invited player wins a MENA Golf Tour tournament, they are eligible to join the MENA Golf Tour after their victory and will be moved into Category 1, and their victory will count towards the 2026/2027 MENA Golf Tour Rankings.

Category 5: Host Venue Country invitations for leading Amateurs. A maximum of 8 of the leading amateurs from a Host Venue Country as determined by the National Federation of the Host Venue Country in consultation with the MENA Golf Tour. If an invited player wins a MENA Golf Tour tournament, they are eligible to join the MENA Golf Tour after their victory and will be moved into Category 1, and their victory will count towards the 2026/2027 MENA Golf Tour Rankings.

Category 6: Host Venue Country invitations for professionals. A maximum of 5 professionals from a Host Venue Country as determined by the National Federation or PGA of the Host Venue Country in consultation with the MENA Golf Tour. If an invited player wins a MENA Golf Tour tournament, they are eligible to join the MENA Golf Tour after their victory and will be moved into Category 1, and their victory will count towards the 2026/2027 MENA Golf Tour Rankings.

Category 7: Any member of the Hotel Planner Tour in the 2025 Categories 1 to 15.

Category 8: Any member of the Asian Tour in the 2025 Categories 1 to 10.

Category 9: The leading 30 players from EACH of the following Official World Golf Ranking (‘OWGR’) tours:

• CLUTCH Pro Tour (Tier 1)
• ALPS Tour Golf
• NORDIC Golf League
• PROGOLF Tour
• TARTAN Tour
• ASIAN Development Tour
• ALL THAILAND Golf Tour
• Gira de Golf Profesional Mexicana Tour
• GProTour

The leading 30 players from EACH of these tours are determined by their respective tour’s order of merit.

Category 10: Players finishing in 41st to 70th place in the Final 2025/2026 MENA Golf Tour Rankings.

Category 11: Players who played in the 2026 MENA Golf Tour US and French Qualifying School finishing in 11th to 20th and those tied for 20th place.

Category 12: Players finishing in 71st place and below in the Final 2025/2026 MENA Golf Tour Rankings.

Category 13: Players who competed in one of the MENA Golf Tour Q Schools in 2026 and 2025.

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Main Image: Chris Wood in action at the 2025 MENA Golf Tour Qualifying School in Portugal, which he won wire-to-wire. Octavio Passos

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The winners were the team of Zak Taher, Bradley Valentine, Oliver Wood and Richard Bernans, who posted 19 under par (net 53) and sealed the deal in the most dramatic way possible – a net eagle on 17 followed by a gross eagle on 18. When golf decides to cooperate in those final moments, it tends to stay in the memory.

Cameron McWhinnie, Golf Services Manager at Jumeirah Golf Estates, said at the prize presentation: “It is amazing to have had a full field today, despite the summer heat providing us with some challenging playing conditions. The support of the Membership here at Jumeirah Golf Estates is unwavering and makes hosting events a pleasure.” For a summer event in Dubai to draw 112 golfers is no small thing, and the club’s membership turns out regardless.

Full Results: 2026 Summer Scramble at Jumeirah Golf Estates
Format: Fourball Texas Scramble • Course: Fire • Date: 20 June 2026 • Field: 112 golfers

Net Competition
Position: Team • Score
Winners: Zak Taher, Bradley Valentine, Oliver Wood, Richard Bernans • -19 (net 53) — won on back nine countback
Runner-Up: Martin Stewart, Callum Smithson, Alfie Waters, Gurpreet Shatra • -19 (net 53) — countback
Third Place: Dhruvin Patel, Shiv Taank, Manuel Baierlacher, Monika Baierlacher • -18 (net 54)

Gross Competition
Position: Team • Score
Gross Winners: Tom Neale, JJ O’Toole, Simon Bird, Louis Thorne • -17 (gross 55)

Special Events
Competition: Hole • Winner
Nearest the Pin: Hole 8 • David Bainbridge
Beat the Pro vs Lea Pouillard: Hole 14 • Tom Neale

The Winning Round
The Taher-Valentine-Wood-Bernans side did what good scramble teams do – stayed in it long enough for the course to offer an opportunity, then took it. Nineteen under around the Fire course in June, with the heat and the firmness of the summer turf, is a score that earns respect. The back nine countback over Stewart’s team, who matched them shot-for-shot at 19 under, tells you how competitive this field was throughout.
Third place went to the fourball of Dhruvin Patel, Shiv Taank, Manuel Baierlacher and Monika Baierlacher with 18 under par – a performance that would have won plenty of member events, but here it was only enough for the final podium spot.

The Gross Story
Separating the gross from the net winner is often where these events get interesting. Tom Neale, JJ O’Toole, Simon Bird and Louis Thorne returned 17 under par on the card – a gross 55 – and they didn’t get there quietly. Eagles on the 12th, 13th and 18th holes tell you this side was making the most of their length and sharpness on a day when conditions demanded it.
Neale, for his part, had an excellent afternoon beyond the team result. He won the Beat the Pro challenge on the 14th hole against Lea Pouillard – the Tommy Fleetwood Teaching Professional attached to Jumeirah Golf Estates – which is never a straightforward thing to add to a scramble scorecard. David Bainbridge claimed Nearest the Pin honours on the 8th, the kind of precise moment that sticks in the mind long after the round.

About the Event
The Summer Scramble is one of the regular competitive touchstones on the Jumeirah Golf Estates members’ calendar. The Texas Scramble format – every player tees off, the best ball is selected and played from that spot, with each team member required to have at least three tee shots chosen across the round – gives golfers of varying handicaps a genuine stake in the outcome.

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Main Image: Left to right: Zak Taher, Richard Bernans, Michelle Walsh-Hall (2026 Lady Captain), Bradley Valentine, Oliver Wood,Carl Downham (2026 Men’s Captain)

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Royal Liverpool Golf Club – David Cannon / Getty Images

The championship will be held from 15–20 June at Royal Liverpool Golf Club and West Lancashire Golf Club in England, with a world-class field of 288 players from 41 countries competing for one of amateur golf’s most coveted titles.

Founded in 1885, The Amateur Championship has served as a launching pad for some of golf’s most celebrated names, including Bobby Jones, José María Olazábal, Sergio Garcia and Matteo Manassero. This year marks the 19th time Royal Liverpool has hosted the championship, more than any other venue in its history.

Rayan Ahmed – Ras Al Khaimah Amateur Open – Tommy Dickson

Ahmed’s inclusion marks a significant milestone for UAE golf, with the country’s top-ranked male amateur becoming the first Emirati to earn a place in the championship’s 141-year history. This year’s field will also feature Hungary’s first representative, highlighting the growing international reach of the event.

Ahmed will test himself against some of the world’s leading amateur golfers, including England’s Luke Poulter, ranked ninth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), alongside fellow Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup players Stuart Grehan of Ireland, Scotland’s Connor Graham and Niall Shiels Donegan.

Rayan Ahmed – Emirates Golf Federation

The historic appearance comes just weeks after Ahmed achieved another landmark milestone, becoming the first UAE National to secure a full NCAA Division I golf scholarship. He will join the University of California, Irvine in the Fall of 2026, continuing his development within one of the United States’ leading collegiate golf programs.

Rayan Ahmed – Emirates Golf Federation Order of Merit 2025/2026 season winner with Emirates Golf Federation Director General Akram Skaik

Ahmed arrives in England in outstanding form. Earlier this year, he claimed a dominant nine-shot victory in the Men’s Division of the Ras Al Khaimah Mixed Open, finishing at eight-under-par 208 and recording a personal-best round of 64. He was also medalist at the GJG UAE U23 Championship, runner-up at the Montgomerie Men’s Open, and recently topped the Emirates Golf Federation’s 2025/26 Order of Merit standings.

Widely regarded as one of the UAE’s brightest golfing prospects, Ahmed has steadily built an impressive amateur résumé. In 2024, he captured both the U18 GCC Golf Championship and GCC Youth Olympics titles, earned medalist honours at U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying, and went on to compete in both the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur Championships. He has also represented the UAE at the World Amateur Team Championship, recorded a sixth-place finish at the Pan Arab Men’s Championship, and made the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in consecutive years.

The champion of The Amateur Championship will earn exemptions into The Open, the U.S. Open and a DP World Tour event, while also traditionally receiving an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, provided amateur status is retained.

Ahmed’s participation reflects the continued growth of golf in the UAE and the success of the player development pathways established to help Emirati golfers compete on the global stage.

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This problem from a reader named William fell squarely under the “oddly specific” category. At first, I was stumped, but I started to realise where he was going with it as I read on …

Hey Chris-

Where do you stand on someone sitting in the golf cart during a round? Is it okay to sit in the cart:

While waiting for others to tee off before your turn? (Pretty obvious, not okay.)

After you have teed off while you wait for others in your foursome to tee off? (Another obvious no.)

On the course while your cart buddy is hitting an approach shot? (My weird take, probably okay to stay in the cart if you are driving, get out and watch if you are the rider.)

On the course while players riding in the other cart are hitting their approach shots? (I would say situational depending on how close your previous or next shot comes from and if they need help “spotting” their ball if there is a blind spot.)

Is there a special exemption for dropping off the person riding in your cart and driving over to your ball to play “ready golf”? (Again situational, example, the other person taking a wedge and putter and walking to meet you by the green.)

You get the idea, when is it okay to stay seated in the golf cart and when is that considered inappropriate?

By the way, I think we can all agree that staying in the cart while everyone else looks for a lost ball is an unforgivable sin and will, at some point, be punished by the golf gods!

Thanks!

-William from Piqua, Ohio

All of these questions, of course, hinge on you riding in a cart. So, to the woke walkers who, much like marathon runners, have to remind you every 0.2 seconds that they walk and carry their own bag when they play golf, please, please save it. Please do not come at me with “just walk and all these problems are solved.” I am begging you to shut up. In this scenario, everyone’s riding, a very common thing for weekend hackers.

Let’s address Will’s final point now – if you sit in the cart while three other people look for a lost ball, you should be buried under the jail. There is no situation where that is acceptable, unless you have received a call about a family emergency. Other than that, get your ass out of the cart and help. You can even fake it. We all have a buddy who can’t accept that his ball is long gone. But you can still fake it for three-to-four minutes, maybe find a ProV1 for yourself, or for your buddy to ease the pain of his lost Vice. As long as you make it look like you sort of tried, you’ve done your duty.

Now, for Will’s numerous other scenarios … I’ll be honest, I can’t say I’d even given any of them a second thought. But now that I have, I’ll do my best to answer.

Is it okay to sit in the cart: While waiting for others to tee off before your turn? (Pretty obvious, not okay.)

This one is very dependent on just how close the tee box is to the carts. If it’s a par 3 and the carts are a few feet from the box, I have no issue with this. You want to get a little sit in, maybe sip on your beer in the shade, check the status of the match, etc. No big deal. As long as you pop right out and hit in a reasonable amount of time when it’s your turn, this isn’t that egregious. However, if it’s an elevated tee box, maybe with some stairs, and it’s a semi-long walk to the markers, if you’re sitting in the cart while everyone’s up there until it’s your turn, yes, you should probably be hung in the town square.

Is it okay to sit in the cart: After you have teed off while you wait for others in your foursome to tee off? (Another obvious no.)

Basically the same answer as the one above. Par 3, close proximity, no problem. Far away from everyone and you’re just hitting and walking over to the cart to be alone, yeah, that’s a little weird. Sounds like Will is playing with guys that simply don’t want to be around each other or don’t like seeing everybody rip driver and say “ohhhh he tagged that” together. Sad bunch.

Is it okay to sit in the cart: On the course while your cart buddy is hitting an approach shot? (My weird take, probably okay to stay in the cart if you are driving, get out and watch if you are the rider.)

Yeah this is perfectly normal. I might get out to shoot a yardage for a buddy, especially if we’re on the same squad in a match. Maybe talk strategy. But I’ll probably end up back in the cart before he strikes it. Completely fine.

Is it okay to sit in the cart: On the course while players riding in the other cart are hitting their approach shots? (I would say situational depending on how close your previous or next shot comes from and if they need help “spotting” their ball if there is a blind spot.)

One thing that often does upset me about riding is it often seems like, while you’re playing together as a foursome, the other two guys are off doing their own thing and you’re doing the same. You still get the tee box camraderie on each hole, but then everyone’s off on their own little journey. Then again, this can be the case for walkers, too, especially if somebody in the group hits a big hook and the other guys hit banana fades. In the interest of pace of play, everybody should be getting to their balls/next shot as soon as possible, whether walking or riding. There will be plenty of time together on the tee boxes, on the greens and sometimes in the fairways provided everyone’s hitting it straight on the same hole. For the holes where the group is playing Army golf, you’re all on your own. In which case, yes it’s fine to sit in the cart at your ball while the cart behind you is on the other side of the fairway playing their shots.

Is there a special exemption for dropping off the person riding in your cart and driving over to your ball to play “ready golf”? (Again situational, example, the other person taking a wedge and putter and walking to meet you by the green.)

Yes, 100 percent. In fact, I actually prefer to reverse it. I like leaving the cart with my cart-mate by their ball and then walking over to my ball, sometimes with the club I know I’m going to hit, but sometimes without, as I know they’ll be driving over to me right after. But at least I’m there thinking about what I’m going to potentially hit, I’ve paced off the yardage, and I’m mostly ready when they get to me. As for wedge and putter situation, yes, you should always split up in those situations, whether it’s dropping a guy off or leaving them with the cart and walking up yourself.

I think the main crux of all these questions is – are you being disrespectful by not standing at attention and watching every single shot from everyone in the group? And the answer to that is no, you’re not. I think if it’s late in a money match, you of course want everyone to be engaged, but there are still going to be plenty of situations where you hit and your opponent isn’t sitting front row for it. Ultimately, everyone’s No. 1 focus is their own game, their own ball, their own next shot. As long as you’re not being a mood-killing miserab, there are plenty of situations where it’s OK to sit in the cart when other people are hitting. Or OK to go to your ball and be ready to play.

But it is never OK to sit in the cart while everyone’s looking for a ball. On that, we agree, William.

Do you have a “stupid” golf problem? A question you’re too ashamed to ask your close friends? A conundrum that needs to be talked out in a public forum? We’re here to help. If you have etiquette-related inquiries or just want to know how to handle some of the unique on- or off-course situations we all find ourselves in, please let us know. You can email me (chris.powers@wbd.com) or send me a DM on Twitter/X (@Cpowers14) or on Instagram (@cpthreeve).

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Jamie Camero – Trump Dubai Summer Open 2026

Leading the way were this year’s Gross Division champions, with Jamie Camero claiming the Ladies Championship title after an impressive round of 75, while Jack White secured the Men’s Championship crown with a superb 73.

White’s winning score topped a highly competitive men’s field, edging out David Bryden on countback after both players finished on 73, while Oscar Nami completed the podium with a score of 74.

In the ladies’ division, Camero’s consistent performance saw her finish comfortably ahead of Hannah Alan, who placed second with a score of 78.

Tournament organisers praised the quality of play throughout the event and thanked participants for competing in challenging summer conditions.

Trump Dubai Summer Open 2026

Tournament Results

Men’s Gross Division

1st: Jack White – Gross 73

2nd: David Bryden – Gross 73

3rd: Oscar Nami – Gross 74

Ladies Gross Division

1st: Jamie Camero – Gross 75

2nd: Hannah Alan – Gross 78

Ladies Net Division

1st: Lisa Brocklebank – Net 70 (-1)

2nd: Zoriana Buniak – Net 74

Men’s Net Division

1st: Luke Kellock – Net 70 (-1) BB9

2nd: Shahmir Gill – Net 70 (-1)

3rd: Rajesh Gaur – Net 71 (E)

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Played in a fantastic atmosphere, members enjoyed not only the battle for the main honours but also a variety of entertaining on-course competitions and challenges that added to the occasion. Combining friendly rivalry with plenty of camaraderie, the day truly reflected the spirit of the club.

Leading the way was Henry Ungerer, who produced a superb performance to claim the Captain’s Day title with an impressive 38 Stableford points, edging a highly competitive field to secure one of the season’s most prestigious honours.

Making the result even more special was Henry’s son, Dehan Ungerer, who also posted 38 Stableford points but narrowly missed out on the title after countback, securing a memorable family one-two finish. Yu Wei Dong claimed third place with a solid and well-played round of 36 points.

In the Gross Division, low handicapper George Liu demonstrated his class by overcoming the summer conditions to record an excellent 34 Gross Stableford points and take home the Best Gross trophy. Aarnav Nath matched the 34-point total but was edged into the runner-up position on countback after another impressive display.

The celebrations concluded with heartfelt thanks to Captain Hanief Sallie for his dedication, generosity and leadership throughout the season. His continued commitment to the club and its members helped create another outstanding Captain’s Day, bringing the 2025/26 season to a fitting and memorable close at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club.

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In Division A, May champion Stuart Murray continued his strong form, securing victory via a three-way countback with a three-under-par net 69. Liam Smith finished second on countback, while Nick Kingston completed the podium places in third. Division B also produced a closely contested battle. Conrad Lee emerged victorious after posting a net 71, finishing one stroke ahead of Taha Khan, who took second place on net 72. Innes Harding rounded out the top three with a net 74.

The Gross Division saw the standout score of the day from Marc McStay, with an excellent gross 68 earning him top honours. Tom Neale finished as runner-up after carding a gross 70.

In the Ladies Division, Sheila McIlroy delivered a strong performance to take first place with a two-over-par net 74. Steve Cashmore captured the Seniors Division title after an impressive two-under-par effort, while Daniel Chaney led the Junior Division with a solid net 74.

The Stableford Division provided Members with an additional opportunity to compete, and Rylan Lee capitalised on the Fire course, claiming victory with 39 Stableford points. A back-nine countback was needed to determine second place, with Mohit Singh edging into the runner-up position on 38 points.

Reflecting on another successful event, Cameron McWhinnie, Golf Services Manager at Jumeirah Golf Estates, commented: “The Monthly Medalford in Association with Integrator Media continues to be one of our most popular and competitive Member competitions. It’s fantastic to see another full field taking to the course as we head into the warmer months across the UAE.”.

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