An official report has been released detailing all bird sightings since August 2020 during regular monthly visits to Abu Dhabi Golf Club and surrounding areas.

A total of 169 bird species have been recorded and recorded at the complex in this report covering the period August 2020 to June 2021. Six of the species spotted are of conservation concern.

Particular mention was made of the Socotra cormorant, classified as “vulnerable” and the Eurasian duck, the bar-tailed godwit, the black-tailed godwit, the curlew sandpiper and the Alexandrian parakeet, which appear on the “quasi” list. threatened ”.

Others of interest that have been spotted and that may be rare in the UAE, either seasonally or at any time of the year, include the flamingo, the little swift, the hen of water, black-necked grebe, Pacific golden plover, Eurasian curlew, pallas gull, whiskered tern, shikra, Indian roll, common kestrel, wheat bunting and pink starling.

Andrea Faldella, club operations manager at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, said: “We are very grateful to Oscar Campbell and Simon Lloyd for compiling these reports and coordinating and recording all of these bird species sightings. . It is a responsibility for all of us at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to enjoy nature in and around our golf course and to have a culture of working alongside nature. This is just one part of our Abu Dhabi Golf Club that we are working on as we strive for official certification, recognized and recognized by the golf and sports industry as well as all Abu Dhabi government authorities. We are delighted and proud to see that in the last year or so there has been an increase of seven new bird species on the list and we are informed by Oscar and Simon that this number is likely to increase with time, albeit at a slow pace.

All bird sightings are identified, counted and all records are submitted to the UAE Bird Database alongside other similar sighting reports which are all linked to the eBird Global Database.

Vice-Captain of General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (TYB) International Golf Resort and Country Club Abuja, Brigadier General Gakji Shipi (rtd) said the dream of the founding fathers was to make the club one of the best in the country. In this interview with Trust Sports, the management staff of Army War College Nigeria, a golf enthusiast spoke about his involvement in the sport, how the money was raised for the construction of the TYB Golf Club as well as that of the irresistible aura of the building.

Wbear did you start playing golf and what was your motivation?

Thank you very much for having me with you this afternoon. I was close to golf early on, but the young men of our time saw golf as a game for the elderly. So I started with basketball, squash and volleyball but later started playing golf due to some circumstances. I had medical problems, so I was prevented from participating in strenuous sports. And when I served in Jaji, I used to exercise by walking and there is no way to walk inside Jaji cantonment without going through the golf course. I realized that if golf involves walking and the exercise I do is walking then I should be playing golf. I started in 2011 and funny enough, I had already had golf kits. So I chose my kits, went to the club and hired a trainer. And I’m telling you, one of my regrets is that I didn’t start playing golf early enough. I blame the older generation for not doing enough to make us understand that golf is not for the elderly. Although I entered the game by accident, I really enjoy playing it. Every day I don’t play golf, it’s like my life isn’t complete.

Although you started late, what is your aspiration as a golfer?

For now, I play to improve my game on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a chance for me to become a professional golfer. All I’m focusing on now is getting people to start earlier so they don’t go through the same fate as me. So I do everything I can to encourage young people who are interested in the game to start early. One of the things that keeps people away from the game is the misconception that golf is for the rich.

What is your vision for TYB International Golf and Country Club?

In fact, I am the vice-captain. Our captain, a very kind man, hard worker and goalscorer, Major General IS Ali, was recently assigned to Jos. He is very busy with his current mission, which is why as Vice-Captain, I must step in and fill the void while waiting for his return. Our vision is to make the Tukur Yusufu Buratai (TYB) International Golf Resort and Country Club one of the best in Nigeria, without putting it beyond anyone’s reach. We have one of the most affordable entry fees in Nigeria and at the same time we offer fantastic facilities like fairway, greens etc.

How was the money collected for the project?

Let me say that the former army chief of staff, General Tukur Buratai (rtd) is a very visionary leader. Whenever he has a vision, he has a very powerful way to sell it to his subordinates. It was the same with this project. Before we knew what was going on, we were all ready to fly with the vision that brought this golf club to life. He first sold the vision to his officers and the reception was great. We have contributed money according to our ranks. We did not include the soldiers. Thus, from a minimum contribution of 40,000 naira upwards, we were able to raise around 128 million naira for the project. After our contribution, Lifetime Patron General Buratai continued to scale up and support the project according to some of the needs we had.

What is the composition of the club? Is it open to everyone?

Our membership is open to everyone. We have members covering all services like the Navy and the Air Force. Last month, Federal Road Safety came to buy a hole dedicated to them. In addition, they asked for the corporate membership that we gave them. They therefore have a corporate membership for 25 FRSC agents. The club is open to everyone. It may interest you to know that even the NNPC has approached us for a corporate membership for their staff. Already, we have over 20-30 NNPC staff from the NNPC. Another branch of government where we have a high membership is the judiciary. It is open but we still jealously guide the membership of Nigerian military personnel. We also have a huge female membership in our club. We have a ladies section under a lady captain. It’s a dynamic section. In fact, they are planning to have Ladies Open. Recently there was one in Lafia. So our ladies are also planning something similar.

To what extent has the TYB Golf and Country Club attracted military personnel to the sport?

Really the response from the staff is really a lot. Golf is nothing new to our officers. Almost all military barracks in Nigeria have golf courses. These are the soldiers that we are trying to bring into the game. But the proximity of the TY Buratai golf course to the barracks has attracted a lot of them. They also pay dues according to their rank, but they are treated equally.

What plans do you have for the maintenance of this building?

This is a very relevant question. Due to the nature of the game, it is difficult to find people with the technical knowledge to maintain such a facility. We therefore made sure that all administrative staff at the golf club were golfers. We have golfers from all over the military and we posted them here. They know what the game is about. Anyone else we bring in is going to learn from them. This is how we maintain the golf course and other facilities.

To what extent has the Nigerian military contributed to the development of golf in the country?

If there is one organization in Nigeria that has done so much to improve golf in the country, it is the Nigerian military. The Nigerian military has done so well for golf. As I said above, there is hardly any military barracks without a golf course open to all. The Nigerian military has played a leading role in providing golf courses.

How cordial is the relationship between TY Buratai Golf Club and IBB Golf and Country Club?

When we got started on this project, we realized that we didn’t need any rivalry. If we believe in the same thing, there shouldn’t be any rivalry. We should all help each other. IBB Golf Club is in a class of its own. Despite this, we have a very good working relationship with them. And their members see us as a compliment to their efforts. They do not see us as rivals in any way. When we have serious technical problems, we go there and they release their staff to us. Whenever their course gets flooded during the rainy season, you see their members come to our club and our doors are always open to them. And the gentlemen that they are, they don’t try to take unfair advantage of us. So we have a very cordial relationship.

Despite a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dayton Valley Golf Club will continue a record-breaking streak of 26 consecutive years of hosting the PGA Tour Q-school, the longest streak for all. country course.
The Arnold Palmer-designed course first hosted a PGA Tour Qualifier in 1995. In 2013, the Web.com Tour became the path to PGA membership and mid-season in 2019, the Tour a changed title sponsor to become the Korn Ferry Tour.
The Korn Ferry Tour is now the path to PGA Tour membership. Twenty-five new members of the PGA Tour 2021-22 have been selected from the top 25 winners of the Korn Ferry Tour 2020-21. Another 25 new PGA Tour maps were determined for the 2021-22 season during the Korn Ferry Tour Championship which was played September 2–2. 5. It was the last of three Korn Ferry Tour Finals Series tournaments.
Joshua Creel of Cheyenne, Wyo., Who qualified for the 2018 Dayton Q-school Korn Ferry Tour, finished in 13^e up to the 2020-21 Tour Championship to claim one of the 25 PGA Tour cards. Creel is 37^e player for playing in a Q school in Dayton to win a PGA Tour card.
The Korn Ferry Tour qualification process includes five 54-hole pre-qualifying tournaments and three 72-hole tournament qualifying stages to determine the final number of new members on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour.
The Q 2022 school started with pre-qualifying tournaments at seven sites in August and September. A total of 234 players qualified for the first leg out of a total pre-qualifying field of 486.
Dayton Valley is one of 12 locations across the country that host first leg qualifiers in September. Qualifying for the second stage will be played at five venues in October.
The Finals will take place November 4-7 at the Landings Club in Savannah, Georgia.

Her son Peter said: “Kath joined Skipton Golf Club around 1970/71. She had always liked to participate and watch sports. She had previously played hockey for the Skipton ladies and competitive badminton for Belle Vue in the West Craven league. Like many golfers, her handicap dropped during the first few years of competitive golf and she began playing regularly for the Women’s “B” team. During this time, the club was going through a period of increasing popularity and there was a very active and flourishing women’s section. She encouraged family members to learn to play and my brother David joined her shortly after my mom and I followed later around 1975. In fact all of my friends had parents who loved and played golf. .

“I remember back then it was largely obvious that in order to continue to grow, the course had to extend to 18 holes. Plans had been put in place in the 1930s, but the war thwarted those ambitions. It expanded to 12 holes in 1964, but during the latter part of the 1970s the club launched major fundraising events to generate income in order to achieve this ambition. I remember the Women’s Section members being actively involved in fundraising events / initiatives and Kath was fully involved in helping and supporting these efforts at that time.

“Three significant events that remain in my memory, and that of my friends at the time, were two Guinness World Records by then professional Graham Webster and a pro-celebrity tournament which saw many local golf celebrities compete against each other on the 12 hole course set up. Some of the celebrities I remember from that day included Billy Bremner, Charlie Williams, Richard Whiteley and Tim Ewart. Some of the older members may remember one or two more, but it was an exciting event to watch. Radio 1 Disc Jockey David (Diddy) Hamilton provided the musical entertainment that evening in a marquee erected at the back of the 18th green and adjacent to the old practice green It was really exciting times!

“Many other fundraising activities and social events were organized by the Women’s Section and Kath was part of this active group of members who have made such a significant contribution to much needed fundraising. I remember that an extension was made to the front of the prefabricated pavilion to allow the women members to relax away from the men after a round of golf. It was nicknamed the “Hen Hut” and I think many women were sad to see it disappear when the new clubhouse was built in 1992. I think my mother had fond memories of the gossip and the discussions that were made. exchanged away from the gentlemen. . I think they enjoyed their privacy!

“In 1980 she was voted Lady Captain and on a beautiful sunny day, Lady Captain’s Day, in August of the same year, she arrived on the course in a vintage Rolls Royce for the ladies’ first achievement on the new 18-hole course. The competition that day was won by Rowena Crabtree, with Sylvia Coates placing second. An unexpected event happened after supper, as reported by the Craven Herald, when a hot air balloon landed on the 16th fairway. Kath was quick to deny arranging this, but provided the ladies with an entertaining archival film of her trips to the United States in the 1950s.

“In 1985, she was elected president and continued to support fundraising efforts, this time to replace the pre-fab clubhouse that originally came from Ripon camp after the previous pre-fab caught fire in 1924. Kath was president of the social committee for many years and organized scavenger hunts, club quizzes and other social events that encouraged both financial growth and interest in the club. There was definitely a lot of activity going on and as a family we were always amazed at how she was able to juggle her golf commitments with her surgery job and maintain a happy family life.

“Over the years, Kath has competed in hundreds of competitions and has played regularly for the Women’s B team and occasionally for the A team as needed. In 1982 she won the Laffoley Cup and a few years later the Harold Ideson Trophy with her partner Ralf Carr. She also reached the third round of the Jonnie Walker Mixed Quartets with her then playing partner Phil Murgatroyd and went on to win the qualifying round for the “Turnberry” Cup with her playing partner Chris Baker. In 1986, playing with Rowena Crabtree, she scored one in the 15th par 3 (now 16th) and received the Jonnie Walker International Hole-In-One Award. In 1987, she won the Victory Cup and continued to play regularly in the 1990s. Although these golfing achievements were quite modest, she loved the game, the competition but above all the social activity and the friendships that were formed there. . In 2000 she started suffering from dementia and in 2003, in a last ditch effort to fight the disease, my father organized her to play a game with Sadie Hayo, a friend and neighbor. At the end of the tour, Sadie confided in my dad that Kath didn’t know where the holes were – unfortunately it was her last turn. She is survived by three sons, a daughter, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild. She will be dearly missed, but her zest for life and happy smile will always continue to inspire us all greatly.

“A small private cremation will take place on Thursday, September 30 at 3 pm. Please contact me at [email protected] if you would like to participate or donate to the Alzheimer Society.