Golf club to host ‘Muslim golf day’
A golf club in Manchester is to host a Muslim golf day, in which only halal food will be served, no alcohol or gambling will be involved and prayer arrangements will be made for golfers.
The sold out event, organised by the Muslim Golf Association (MGA), will be at Worsley Park Golf Club later this month and will see Muslim golfers from Manchester, Scotland and London take part.
The day will be open to non-Muslims as well – although it will be run on Islamic values.
Amir Malik, 37, from Luton is the founder of MGA.
“I’ve been fortunate to go to a lot of golf clubs and I noticed that as a brown face, you weren’t always welcome,” he said.
“I couldn’t get involved in the social scene in terms of sitting and drinking alcohol at a bar and when it came to praying, you almost had to go hide and pray.
“I was so intrigued to see how many more Muslims were in golf, and that was my inspiration to set up the MGA and we now have over 300 people in our database and play at a very good level.”
At the events, only halal food is served, there is no alcohol or gambling and prayer arrangements are made for players.
The Muslim golf day will also serve as a tournament for the MGA’s Race to Arden sponsored by READ Foundation competition.
Race to Arden sponsored by READ Foundation is a tri-series tournament taking place in three iconic golf courses starting at Worsley Park Marriott Hotel and Park, the Shire in London and finally the Arden, Marriott Hotel and Country Club in Birmingham.
The MGA will also be launching a Muslim women’s golfing association where dedicated coaching sessions will be held for women who wear hijabs and niqabs.
“Its going to be a phenomenal day, it’s a Muslim event because its underpinned by our values, but it’s open to anybody and everybody.” Amir said.
“I had a cousin who could have gone pro when he was 16-years-old but didn’t have the financial backing or support.
“That has always stayed with me, so another agenda for the association is to create a platform to support anybody who has the talent.
“We want people to come out and break the stereotype that golf is only played by white middle class men.”