SGU Elite Squad to spend month

training at Dubai, then Abu Dhabi

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Ten members of the Scotland Men’s Elite Squad are heading to the United Arab Emirates this week (17 November) for a four-week block of warm-weather training as part of a new performance approach by the Scottish Golf Union.
Supported by Aberdeen Asset Management, WSM Sponsorship and InterContinental Hotels Group, the programme in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is a change in direction from previous winter camps in countries such as Australia, Spain and Portugal as the national performance team looks to improve players’ preparation for the year ahead.
The squad will travel to the Al Badia Golf Club, Dubai on Wednesday and will spend the first two weeks of the camp working on short game, fitness and golf psychology with national coach Ian Rae as well as members of the Scottish Institute of Sport support team. Al Badia, part of the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, will be the Official Host Venue of the training camp.
The players will then move to Yas Links in Abu Dhabi on 2 December for the second two weeks of the programme, which will take in a test match with the Emirates Golf Federation elite squad.
Steve Paulding, Scottish Golf Performance Manager, looked forward to seeing the results of the new approach with September’s Walker Cup in Royal Aberdeen one of the key targets target for the players:
“While our previous warm weather training camps and winter competitions have been successful we have decided to switch the emphasis away from playing and more towards practice, preparation and development. The need to move our training base was enhanced by the poor weather in Spain and Portugal over the past two winters, whereas good weather is almost guaranteed in the United Arab Emirates.”
“We have worked hard to create the correct approach to our off-season programme and believe the players will benefit from not travelling as much from country to country or playing in events at this time of year. We have access to some of the finest facilities in the world with everything we need to work with the players on short game, fitness and a variety of other aspects.”
“The SGU is grateful to Aberdeen Asset Management for their fantastic support of our travel logistics and WSM Sponsorship, our strategic partners in this new venture, who have mirrored their commitment to the development of golf in Scotland with the work undertaken by their new international office in enabling our alliance with the Emirates Golf Federation and other new partners.” he added.
Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management said:
“As a company proud of our Scottish heritage, we are delighted to be lending our support to the Scottish Golf Union. We hope that our investment in the team’s warm-weather training will help continue to grow the success of Scottish amateur golf.”
“With the emergence of new training techniques and performance tactics, we at Aberdeen Asset Management are pleased to be involved with assisting the development of the players.”
The players will return home on 12 December before the squad embarks of the second stage of their winter programme which will take place in South Africa for the second consecutive year, with the team departing in the third week of January.
The squad travelling to the UAE is:
Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh)
Scott Gibson (Southerness)
Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
David Law (Hazlehead)
Philip McLean (Peterhead)
Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh)
Greg Paterson (New Club, St Andrews)
Paul Shields (Kirkhill)
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)
James White (Lundin).