Ladies FIRST

Trailblazing individual and teams championships are just the start of the game-changing women’s golf strategy being orchestrated by Golf Saudi.

- KENT GRAY

With a $1 million purse luring a stellar cast to the Kingdom’s first-ever professional women’s golf event, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International couldn’t help but create global headlines. And then Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation doubled down on their commitment to the Ladies European Tour. And tripled-down on their pledge that golf will become a game-changer for women across Saudi Arabia. The result is an innovative $500,000 Saudi Teams International (Nov.17-19), complete with a unique NFL-style draft system, bolted onto the already pioneering 72-hole event scheduled for Nov. 12-15. But the legacy of this month’s Saudi Women’s Golf Week will extend far beyond the fairways and final leaderboards at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.

Golf has been chosen as a vehicle to help Saudi Arabia achieve its “Vision 2030” socio-economic goals so the real winners shape as a nation of women overcoming traditional gender barriers.

Golf Saudi has unveiled a ‘Ladies First Club’, an initiative that will offer complimentary membership - inclusive of golf lessons, driving range access, and full 18-hole rounds – to local women. The initial membership intake will be capped at 1,000 registrants.