RIYADH, 19 November 2005 — The Dirab Golf & Recreation Center will soon open the first golf academy in the Kingdom to offer lessons to amateur golfers of all skill levels.
To start the ambitious project, DGRC has hired the services of a new PGA golf professional from Morocco.
A well-credentialed golfer, Kamal Gartite, 29, brings with him a wealth of experience to his new job. Prior to his appointment at Dirab, Gartite has been with the Sungolf Academy in Agadir, Morocco as a teaching professional for the last five years.
“Kamal is a most welcome addition to the Dirab golf family. I believe he is an asset and his experience will benefit everyone in the golfing community,” said Sheikh Khaled Abunayyan, owner of Dirab course and president of Saudi Golf Committee.
Among his other responsibilities, Gartite will be in charge of the golf academy when it opens for registration of first batch of students in February next year.
After arriving from Morocco after the Eid holidays, Gartite handled the training of the Saudi national team, who are now deep in preparation for the Pan Arab Golf Championship to be held late this month in Cairo, Egypt. Coming from a golfing family, Gartite was introduced to the game by his father, a greenskeeper at one of the oldest golf clubs in Morocco with 4,500 members. He started playing golf in his teens and in 1995 joined the Morocco national team which represented the country in an international tournament in the same year.
Gartite turned professional in 2000 but not after having won a number of tournaments as an amateur including the Trophy Des Region France in 1998 and the Moroccan Championship in 1999. He had trained in England under PGA golf professionals in Worthing Golf Club to prepare himself for the pro ranks where his successes include victory in Maroc Telecom Trophy, second place in Challenge Tour and fourth place in Renault Cup, all in 2003.
Meantime, DGRC Golf Division Manager Bouchaib El Jadiani announced the Investcorp monthly medal tournament will be held on Friday. Handsome prizes will be at stake. The shotgun-style tee-off will be at 7 a.m.
