Asian Tour veteran Ross Bain, who cut his golfing teeth in Dubai and is a resident here, welcomed Ahmed Al Musharrekh’s decision to turn pro and offered to help him as he makes the difficult transition.
Bain, whose father was captain of the Emirates Golf Club, won almost every possible junior and amateur titles in the UAE before turning pro. He has been a regular on the Asian Tour since 1999.
The 36-year-old Scotsman has had eight top-10 finishes there. Bain is aware of all the pitfalls and hardship of professional golf and said: “It’s a big decision to make the step up from amateur to pro golf and I am sure Ahmed sat with his family and decided this is the right time.
“Obviously, as an older pro from the city, I will do everything I can do to advice as best as I can and help him make the transition from the amateur to professional game.
“The difference is that you grow up from being a big fish in a small pool into the big pool of professional golf. Everything is a bit more cut-throat here, which is obvious as everyone is playing for their living. I am sure he is going to notice that difference straightaway.
“It will be nice to see all the dedication and the other qualities that he has and proven himself as an amateur golfer holds firm. It’s a learning curve, it is a process…and it is very difficult to make the adjustment very quickly. He has to be very patient and learn how to play the professional game.”
When asked what are some of the things Ahmed should be mindful of early in his career, Bain added: “One of the hardest things I faced when I turned pro was to understand that when you wake up in the morning, you’ve got to have a schedule. You need to know when you have to practice, when you have to go to the gym and when to do other things.
“Obviously, travelling well is something that he has got to learn soon – the time differences, living in hotel rooms for weeks together… it’s not going to very easy.”
But having seen Ahmed grow as a golfer in front of him, Bain was in no doubt that the Emirati has the stuff in him to succeed.
“I have seen a lot of dedication in Ahmed and he is a good, smart kid. I hope he works hard and sticks to it. He has proven that he has got the talent, and it’s now all about taking it to the next level,” he added.
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