Muscat – With an aim to raise money for a playground for the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability, teenage golfer Ayman al Busaidi will challenge himself to play 54 holes on three different golf courses on Thursday.

It will take around 12 hours to complete three courses in Ghala, Al Mouj and Ras Al Hamra golf clubs of 18 holes each.

The 16 year old has been a member of the Oman National Golf Team for seven years. Speaking to Muscat Daily, Busaidi said, “Playing golf is something that I enjoy, and it has given me many opportunities.”

Elaborating on his target for the noble cause, he said, “The playground will be an important asset for the children to boost their physical and mental growth through walking and running, and other activities that can help them increase their attention span and self confidence.”

The idea for this initiative came when Busaidi was an International Baccalaureate (IB) student. During a volunteering stint, he developed an emotional connection with a young boy with autism.

“I started looking forward to attending those sessions and I saw the happiness in his eyes when I helped him climb a frame, a target which we had been trying to achieve for months. I then realised how important it is to integrate these kids into community life and what role we can play in their rehabilitation.

“That was my moment of inspiration and I wanted to make a tangible impact. Therefore, I decided to combine my passion for golf and the need for raising funds for a playground for those children. I embarked on this idea to play 54 holes in one day,” he said.

Busaidi thanked Omantel, ABQ and Kempinski for being the sponsors of the event.
“I would also like to thank Al Mouj, Ghala Golf Club, Ras al Hamra, the Oman Golf Association for their support.”

Talking of the future plans, he said that he would like to continue with his studies preferably from a top tier university in the US or the UK. “No matter what I decide to do in the future, I will always attempt to grow the game of golf in Oman.”

Busaidi currently gives free coaching to young Omanis at Al Mouj and Ghala Golf Club to make the game popular in Oman.

While there are company sponsors for the event, an individual can also contribute to the cause through the official website: https://donate.om/DonationsPortal/Home/CharitySelection.aspx?d=6&csrt=14291705567097338935 or through Bank Muscat account No 0423010744980021 and charity boxes placed at the golf clubs.