Big Boys Come Together

Come March 23, the captains of corporate Oman will come together at a high-powered networking event - OER CEO Golf 2006. While keen golfers will play the 9 hole Stableford, non-golfers will get a chance to be initiated into the sport by a professionally-conducted Golf Clinic.

And there’s more: the Champion will walk away with a Rolex watch, courtesy Khimji’s Watches. That’s for the serious players. Again, this should not dishearten the “neophytes”. They can also win mouth-watering prizes such as Sony Bravia LCD Television, Holiday packages and other exciting bonanzas from Muscat Electronics, Sun City, Qatar Airways Holidays, Samsonite Black Label, Ray Ban, Radio Shack, Chedi Muscat, the Hyatt …

The crowning glory of this event will be Glow Golf or Golf by Candlelight. Imagine playing golf under the canopy of dark blue skies of Oman in the month of March! If one has not experienced it, now is the chance, courtesy the Oman Economic Review’s prestigious OER CEO Golf 2006, slated on 23 March 2006.

Reflecting its reliance on nothing but excellence, OER has associated with Tiger Sports Marketing, the prestigious marketing arm of the Indian PGA, to conduct the most prestigious corporate event in the Sultanate of Oman.

OER’s endeavor is powered by the presenting sponsors, Oman Mobile, the Sultanate’s leading mobile service providers, in association with Zubair Automotive and Muscat Golf & Country Club. What has brought the big guns from the business world of Oman to join hands is a question best answered by the industry captains. Hearken to them, uninterrupted:

“I see a bright future for golf in the Sultanate of Oman. On the one hand, it has proved to be popular among Corporate Chiefs and on the other; you have professionals who are showing a keen interest in the game across the Gulf region. Once Oman begins to sport green courses, the floodgates will be thrown open and there will be no turning back. The entire Gulf region is quickly emerging as a 'must do' destination for golf professionals and amateurs,” says Dr. Amer Awadh Al Rawas, MD of Oman Mobile.

According to him, it is a proud moment for Oman Mobile, as he adds, “Oman Mobile, as the leading mobile service provider in the Sultanate of Oman, is proud to be involved with events of this magnitude as a presenting sponsor. We are delighted to be associated with Oman Economic Review, organizers of CEO Golf.” Oman Mobile was associated with OER CEO Golf last year also.

Zubair Automotive, the associate sponsors for this event, is a name that is immediately recognised as a by-word in automotive quality and reliability. They are the authorised distributors for Dodge vehicles in the Sultanate. Says Justin Barnett, General Manager: “Golf has not really taken off in Oman, but with the advent of tournaments like this and the future of grass courses, it surely will. In fact, I am surprised by the fact that such a large number of people are attending the event. Some of them are not golfers but want to become. It shows the event is genuinely generating interest in the game. Historically, there has been an association between golf and business. While I don’t profess to be a golfer, I look forward to being involved in the event, which is a friendly tournament, with all major industry captains participating in it. This provides a good opportunity for business interaction as well.”

Adds Bob Seshadri, Group Marketing Manager: “This event is a platform to promote Dodge. It is a brand that signifies strength, freedom and independence, something that all golfers associate with. Both the Dodge Charger and Durango have been well received in the market for their dependability, durability and innovation”.

Muscat Country & Golf Club, another prestigious associate sponsor of the OER CEO Corporate Golf 2006, is equally rejoicing in hosting the event. “Other than the obvious interest and excitement as developers of what will be the first jebel and wadi grass golf course in the Sultanate, we are extremely keen in the development of other grass golf courses in the Muscat region,” explains Michael Hywel-Davies, secretary of the Club. He does not see other courses as competition but rather as essential partners in the drive to bring “golf tourism” to the Sultanate.

Davies brims with confidence over the future of Oman as a golf destination for all and sundry. “Given the steady rise in the numbers of golfers worldwide, the increasing ease of intercontinental travel and the drive to promote the Sultanate as a destination of choice for the discerning tourist, the future looks very bright indeed,” he says, and adds, “The future for Muscat Golf & Country Club and also other groups, who are developing golf courses, looks great. It augurs well for the youth of Oman who will benefit by learning the game and from the tourist influx that will undoubtedly provide employment opportunities.”

Times of Oman and Al Shabiba have also chipped in as the media partners for the OER CEO Golf 2006. Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Times of Oman said: “Golf is finally coming of age in Oman with a number of world-class golf courses on the anvil in the Sultanate. OER CEO Golf 2006 is an ideal platform to promote the game of golf in Oman. As the leading media group in Oman, we are proud to partner this endeavour to prop up golf among the corporate leaders in the Sultanate.”

All said and done, the big event is just round the corner. Get ready to tee off!