There are few more enduring images of modern golf than Tiger Woods striding across the rough at the Old Course in St Andrews. The American sports star has won 14 Majors during a glittering career but his two Open victories at the iconic Scottish links stand out as something special.
"To win here is certainly one of the bigger highlights of my career because it is the home of golf," said Woods when at the course in July. In Scotland, the game's ancestral home, the sport is at its best in August, drawing large numbers of foreign visitors from all over the world, including the Gulf. But while courses such as St Andrews, Carnoustie and Prestwick trip off the tongue for most golf tourists, Scotland boasts many more secluded links that offer some of the most challenging rounds in the world.
Travellers used to the baking Arabian heat are undeterred by Scotland's notoriously bracing climate, says the golfing tour operator Kaleem Akbar, who works for Evolution Golf Scotland in Dubai. "They [Emiratis] really, really enjoy the weather," he insists. "The fact that it doesn't get dark until after 10 o'clock during the summer is a big plus." The long daylight hours allow for extended games into the evening or even a second round. Some courses offer "twilight teeing fees" after 3pm, which allow players to finish as the sun sets over the fairways.
Although London is still the biggest draw for Emiratis, Scotland saw 27,000 visitors from the UAE last year, according to the tourist board's VisitScotland. Mr Akbar says Middle Eastern tourism figures are increasing in Scotland, with visitors from Kuwait, Lebanon and the UAE leading the way, drawn by the country's famous links courses. This, he says, illustrates a shift in tastes by Emirati visitors, who are finding new holiday locations every year. "For a long time it was only London but I do think Scotland is rising as a tourist destination."
Many visit solely for the pleasure of teeing off from one of Scotland's picturesque courses. The historic heartlands of St Andrews and Perthshire on the east coast, where the sport initially took off, typically account for the largest number of golf trips. But although the east coast is the most common stomping ground for Scotland's golfers, there are other breathtaking courses tucked away around the country.
Askernish, on the isle of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, is one such diamond in the rough. Far from the immaculately groomed lawns of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, visitors to this rugged island will be met by magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean. After a six-hour drive and ferry trip from Glasgow, they will also play the most invigorating and challenging rounds of golf on what has been hailed as "the most natural links course in the world".
Tom Morris, the man known as the father of the professional game, founded the course in 1891 but it fell out of fashion on the golfing circuits over the years until it was rediscovered in 2002. After the course was reopened, the former Scotland international footballer Kenny Dalglish was asked to be the new president and he described the links as one of the most "spectacular settings in the world and a phenomenal golfing challenge".
"I will do everything I can to help promote this wonderful course," he added. "And I know that when someone comes here to play Askernish, that they'll be hooked for life." Scarista Links on the Isle of Harris is another hidden gem. Its topography formed over centuries by the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, the course is one of the most remote in Scotland and can be reached only after a four-hour drive and ferry trip from Glasgow or by seaplane.
Some of Scotland's golf courses have had mixed fortunes over the years. Turnberry, which was bought by the Dubai World offshoot Leisurecorp in 2008 for £55 million (Dh321.4m), is one such example. The course and hotel were flattened and paved over to be used as an airfield by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. But since 1945, it has become one of the most prestigious courses on the professional circuit, hosting The Open on a number of occasions.
Naturally, these fairways have become major tourist attractions. Mr Akbar, for example, runs customised tours for Middle Eastern visitors wishing to see these spectacular courses for themselves. He says another advantage is the proximity of areas of outstanding natural beauty to the shopping centres and restaurants of Scotland's urban centres. "You could be sitting in a cabin on Loch Lomond and in Glasgow city centre within 30 minutes," he says.
Mr Akbar's tours also include visits to local mosques and trips to Scottish restaurants where you can dine on the traditional supper of haggis, neeps and tatties … all halal, of course, and just the nourishment you need after a hard day on the links. business@thenational.ae
St Andrews Established in 1552, the Old Course at St Andrews, near Dundee in the east of Scotland, is the game's spiritual heartland and draws visitors from all over the world Carnoustie Also near Dundee, Carnoustie has reportedly been used for golf since the early 16th century. The course is challenging, even for the best professional golfers Turnberry Opened in 1906 in Ayrshire, near Glasgow, this course hosted an epic duel between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson during The Open in 1977 Prestwick Home of the first Open in 1860, the course hosted 24 championships until the crowds became too numerous and larger venues were sought Askernish Founded in 1891, the course on the isle of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides off the north-western coast of Scotland was rediscovered and restored by a retired policeman and golfing fan in recent years, reopening in 2008 Scarista A windswept course on the Isle of Harris in the Hebrides. With breathtaking views, the island is also popular among surfers who can withstand the chilly North Atlantic waves *Compiled by Gregor Hunter * Agence France-Presse
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
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Roll of honour
Who has won what so far in the West Asia Premiership season?
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Cup - Winners: Bahrain; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy - Winners: Dubai Hurricanes; Runners up: DSC Eagles
Final West Asia Premiership standings - 1. Jebel Ali Dragons; 2. Abu Dhabi Harlequins; 3. Bahrain; 4. Dubai Exiles; 5. Dubai Hurricanes; 6. DSC Eagles; 7. Abu Dhabi Saracens
Fixture (UAE Premiership final) - Friday, April 13, Al Ain – Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
Results
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m
Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.
Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
