Amy Condon is the only female PGA Professional in Abu Dhabi. Having based herself at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club Academy, the Ireland native is making it her goal to grow the female game in the emirate in what she says, is a male-dominated industry.

Having come from a sporting family in Dublin, Ireland, Amy was influenced by her father to play every sport under the sun growing up. Her father was quite traditional in that sense. A successful career in primary school with Camogie, a national sport in Ireland, took Amy to represent her school St Pius at Croke Park, an 82,000 seater stadium. That was her biggest achievement as a youngster and has fueled her onto where she  is today.

Soon after she moved into secondary school at “Our Lady’s”, a well know Hockey school. Amy was a hockey player more than anything which was where she figured out that she had the hand-eye coordination from a fairly young age, just lacked the patience part.

On an off chance, her then principal at the time Grainne Friel, who was a member of South County Golf Club, organised the class to go up to the golf course after school for coaching with Ramie Burns and Cormac Hennessy every Friday evening.

It was then she become hooked. Transitioning from hitting tennis balls on the hockey pitch one Friday afternoon, Amy then became a member of South County Golf Club, and eventually Junior Girls Captain at the age of 14. 

Amy didn’t know then, that would be the start of her career in golf.

“In secondary school, when I was 15, we were told to go and do some work experience. It was then I decided to try and get a spot in Newlands Golf Club in the Professional Shop working under Head Professional Karl O’Donnell. I was also in the Darren Clarke School doing a ‘Transition Year’ (TY) golf program so it coincided with that.

“Karl ended up keeping me on and I did weekend work or ‘the grave yard’ shifts that no pros want to do!

“So back to when I was 18 doing my degree, as I initially wanted to be a Biology or PE Teacher, I was still working in Newlands from the age of 15. Karl then asked me how I was getting on in college and I was open and honest with him. I was unhappy and he said well why don’t we work together on your golf and get your handicap down.

“I was off 12 at the time and he said I can start the PGA and train under him.

“That’s when I decided to drop out of college, be the first at the golf course and then last to leave. My girl friends back home strongly disliked the fact I put my social life on hold because I didn’t go out and socialise much, I didn’t go travelling with them because I wanted to prove to myself and everyone that I wanted and could go down the PGA route.”

The hard work paid off for Amy, she was awarded golfer of the year at Newlands, and she won the Ladies Leinster Alliance while also shooting the ladies course record in Newlands back-to-back, so the results started to show.

Amy then decided to turn professional and moved over to Elm Park to work under Peter Morgan for three years which is where her passion for ladies and junior development really came to light. 

“When I was younger and playing golf in Newlands there was only three girls out of 30 boys who played regular. So when I was in Elm Park, one of my goals was to increase the girls junior section, so I increased girls group coaching and from that Elm Park had more girls apply for membership and take up the game.”

After making the jump over to the UAE, it was Kieran Pratt, the then Director of Golf, who persuaded Amy to move from Dubai after a year down to Abu Dhabi. A familiar face in Thomas Gracey from back home in Ireland was already at Abu Dhabi Golf Club (ADGC) so it made sense.

“Taking the job here at ADGC is possibly the best decision I’ve ever made. Abu Dhabi in general is beautiful. The golf club itself is just out of this world. We have our club house in the shape of a falcon! Where else in the world would you find that?”

“I just feel Abu Dhabi itself is more breathable. The pace of life is way more relaxed. You have time to breathe here and we’re like one big disfuntual family here at The Falcon Performance Institute!”

Being the only female PGA Professional in Abu Dhabi, Amy is able to take what she learnt back in Ireland and treat it is a type of ‘challenge’ to get more females involved in the game.

“It’s a great challenge, but it’s also something that I’ve always wanted to try and do. Being a female professional in such a male dominated industry is like, why not take on that challenge and try change it?

“There’s nothing stopping women taking up this sport. There’s nothing to say women can’t enojoy golf like men do. If anything, I want to showcase the game of golf and show that its fun and enjoyable and that’s why I joined the R&A’s Women In Golf Charter.

“I want to try and break those barriers and show that golf is fun, that women can play and that there’s no stigma attached to playing on the golf course.

“I recently created an event where I transformed our nine hole garden course into a par three and all the ladies went and played. It was in line with Pink October, so everyone dressed in pink, it wasn’t competitive and there was on the spot prizes for the best dressed, the most decorative golf ball etc. We called it the ‘The Ladies Fun Golf Event’. I organised a special rate, they all got golf carts, there was no course rules, super relaxed and fun.

“One of the ladies messaged me after and said ‘It was the best event! I felt more comfortable than expected and had a blast playing on the course for the first time. Looking forward to the next event on course’. It couldn’t of gone any better!”

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As touched upon, the help Amy has received by taking up The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter Programme has been the support system she has needed to grow the game within the region. 

“There’s definitely more to offer now which is great and golf clubs are more aware and are willing to support female participation and involvement. Golf Ireland are doing their upmost back at home with training panels and supporting all golf clubs along with girls events and then The R&A here in the Middle East are massively supporting female and all professionals like me to try and spread the love and involvement of the game amongst women.

“I’ve always said I wanted to promote golf and involve more women so the programme couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.

“It also comes down to my own experiences taking up golf and there being very few girls, so it’s always been something I’ve wanted to try and encourage amongst women and I feel with being in the position that I’m in and being the only female professional in the whole of Abu Dhabi, why not use that to my advantage and try and grow the game?”

A familiar female golf programme already picking up steam in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is ‘Chicks With Sticks’ (CWS). This is something Amy has also managed to take control of alongside the Ladies Development Programme at the club. In what is more ammunition into her growing plethora of Ladies golfing activities.

“I was given ‘Chick With Sticks’ to look after when I first arrived at ADGC. I work extremely close with Jen Hennessy who I got to know from back home in Ireland to try and involve more women my age but also all ages into the game.

“We currently have a great group of girls in CWS mainly from the beautiful Emerald Isle but also from the UK.

“For me personally it’s been so much fun getting to know the girls and I’ve made some really good friends through teaching the program. CWS is brilliant for the girls who have just moved out here as it helps everyone get to know one another while sharing, enjoying and learning a new skill over a five week period.

“I also was given the Ladies Development Program. The women are the absolute best and they’re brilliant craic to teach. It’s eight weeks long and it includes on course lessons also so again it ties in perfectly with the Women In Golf Charter as the ladies are acquainted with the golf course from lesson one.

“We currently have 30 plus ladies in the program. I had to start it from scratch this year, so to have 30 ladies who have an interest in golf and are itching for term two it’s so encouraging to see.

“They’re even talking about buying their own golf clubs and playing other courses in Abu Dhabi. Once the ladies enjoy and learn about golf that’s all I want. Seeing them finish their sessions and the smiles as they say thanks and go on about their evening its incredibly refreshing.

It’s non-stop for Amy, she still has goals and ambitions for developing golf participation in Abu Dhabi, and show ladies in the emirate that golf is accessible and it’s not what it used to be like decades ago.

“My main goals for developing golf and participation in Abu Dhabi is to showcase the game of golf and demonstrate that this game is not what it was 30 years ago. It’s nowhere near as strict as it was. It’s become more colloquial and with the environment here at ADGC its calm, its relaxed, it’s fun.

“Times are changing, and more women are realising that you can take this sport up as a social activity or you have the choice to go down the more serious route and here, we can accommodate for both. We cater for absolutely everyone. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, who you are, you’re accepted here and always will be and you will learn a new skill in a fun, comfortable and exciting environment. Why wouldn’t you want to take it up?!

“In line with the Women In Golf Charter we have also created an all girls golf session to have that option. I created this last year in our Junior Falcon Program and the girls loved it. The friendships that were created around learning and improving their game was just unfathomable. So, for this season we will continue with that. 

“I also want to do a monthly lady’s fun golf day. This was a massive success and the women thoroughly enjoyed it. Again, it will be fun, enjoyable and it will help break those barriers and stigmas on course. Whether you want to play it socially or competitively, we have the option have for both.”

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