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Move to attract ethnic minority golfers
Peter Dawson of St Andrews-based Royal and Ancient Golf Club has said that promoters should more to attract them.
Its good news for Asian golf enthusiasts.
Peter Dawson, chief executive of the world-famous St Andrews-based Royal and Ancient Golf Club, has said that promoters of Golf should attract more people from ethnic minorities.
He said this was one of the sport's greatest challenges. His comments were even aired in documentary on Five Live's Sport.
It questions whether golf is making the most of Tiger Woods, who has African, American and Asian origin. It also shows that while more ethnic minority players are taking up golf in right earners few are willing to join traditional clubs.
Chairman of the UK Asian Open Golf Society, Jaz Athwal said of many of Britain's private clubs were scared for reasons not known to him. "We pay full green fees and everything. I don't know if they think we're going to run off with the holes or there will be a corner shop on every tee," he said while talking to the Independent.
Athwal, who became the first Sikh golf club captain six years ago said he has had uncomfortable experience when he organised courses for his Asian golf society. "When we actually arrive you can see the pro or the secretary flicking through the book and thinking well nobody ordered a taxi and nobody ordered a takeaway so why have these guys turned up?"
But Dawson is convinced that golf is becoming more enlightened. Woods too was quoted saying that more needed to be done to ensure that when young ethnic minority players pick up a club thy want to stay in the game for life.
