Abu Dhabi spreads its influence.. again

As the sound of cork on willow can be heard across the desert and big bucks are earned at the HSBC Golf Championship this week, Abu Dhabi is the place to be, and indeed the place to compete. It's now well known to most sports fans that the Gulf has grown into a major hub of events; an annual visit to Dubai or Abu Dhabi for a professional sportsman is now routine.

Abu Dhabi has undoubtedly grown under the radar. Dubai was once the capital of business in this region but since the influx of sports events and incredible infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, Dubai has lost lost in lustre (in relative terms).

It's no mean feat to bag the rights to 3 European Tour events in a year, especially if it's mainly tourists that play the championship courses. You only have to look at the the kind of golfers attracted to this tournament to see the weight it has on tour. Even Tiger Woods is playing this year. It's an exciting place, there's no question, but is it not a little unfair that the UAE hosts 3 tournaments and England only hosts 1? I think that's a debate for another time.

Cricket has now become a major feature in Abu Dhabi. International and domestic teams flock there to play one-off matches, host pre-season tours, or in Pakistan's case use it as a home ground. The main catalyst of this presence is of course the heavy infrastructure and investment. And this investment can be exemplified by the building of the Ya Marina Circuit, the annual host of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

It is also no surprise that Manchester City football club have a lucrative partnership with Abu Dhabi, a partnership that extends its influence all over the world.

Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general, whether you like it or not, is the hub of the sporting world and is at the forefront of infrastructure and technological advances. It may go against sporting traditionalism but there is no doubt this hidden area of the world will influence global sport for a long time to come.

A high price to pay

The question of price in golf is a common one. In the past it was a game of those only that had the spare cash in their pockets, now its a much more accessible game and infinitely better for it. But for me the cost of a annual membership at a golf club, especially in these scarce times, is untenable. Yes, people still play golf in a recession but it is much more difficult and if clubs don't adjust to accommodate the average golfer then they're stuck in the past. People are going to the driving range rather than fork out for a round of golf.

As a student I try embarrassingly hard to get value for my money and although I would love to be a playing member at my local club I just can't afford it. I know for a fact this particular club doesn't have many junior or under-25 members and it is detrimental to the young people that enjoy their golf and desperately want to improve but can't afford the steep prices. A gap in the golf market is clearly there but it seems no one wants to fill it!