Schuman and Fouries sand tastic at Al Ghazal Daman Investments International Pairs UAE qualifier
Ron Schuman and Maddie Fourie are confident of transferring their impressive form from the sands of Al Ghazal in Abu Dhabi to the plush green fairways of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club after winning the latest Daman Investments International Pairs qualifier.
Schuman and Fourie kept their ball in play on Al Ghazal’s tight, stake-defined fairways and putted beautifully on the sand course’s smooth “browns” to become the fourth duo to qualify for next May’s Daman Investments International Pairs UAE Final at the Creek.
A score of 41 stableford points saw them pip Phil Wilkes and Bernie Blanchard by a stroke in the betterball pairs format at one of world golf’s most unique venues. Jaco and Liz Breytenbach also finished on 40 points and placed third after a countback.
Sand course golf comes with distinctive challenges that require players to hit drives from elevated tee boxes, approaches off small circular patches of synthetic turf before negotiating greens that are called browns and swept smooth by Al Ghazal’s new crew of brown sweepers who dress in white boiler suits like Augusta National caddies.
Before moving to the UAE where he works as a structural engineer for Walker Parking, Schuman spent close to 10 years pursuing his golfing passion on the pristine fairways of Florida. The American says the challenge of sand course golf can be a real advantage on traditional grass courses and will certainly hope so come the UAE final on May 29 next year where the winners earn an all-expenses paid trip to the 2015 International Pairs World final, slated for Scotland.
“I think sand courses cost you two or three strokes every round,” Schuman said.
“It definitely requires you to strike down on the ball, you have to choke up a little because of the mat, you have to wiggle into the sand to keep your footing. There’s quite a few differences. I don’t know if it makes you a better golfer but it does make you think all the time and in that sense it probably helps your game.
“I’ve not played the Creek before but definitely will prior to the final. I suppose the next question is ‘am I ready to go to Scotland?’ I hope that is the case but we know there will be some good golfer’s there [at the UAE Final].”
Schuman and Fourie have joined Ian Haywood & Elizabeth Campbell (Yas Links), Gaurav Verma & Surjit Namli (EGF qualifier at Jebel Ali) and Achal Ghai & Gurinder Jit Singh (Emirates Golf Club) in progressing to the Daman Investments UAE Final.
The Daman Investments International Pairs series gathers momentum with five qualifying tournaments scheduled throughout November with Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Abu Dhabi City Golf Club next up on November 14 and 15 respectively before a combined Ras Al Khaimah tournament where winning pairs from Al Hamra GC and Tower Links GC will be found at an 18-hole qualifier scheduled for Al Hamra on November 29.
Members interested in playing should contact their club directly for entry details.
