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May 01, 2012 Issue 218TEE TIME FORWords | Suzy FontesWhat’s a golf club in a six-year-old boy/girl’s hand?A toy?A projectile?Well, if your answer was on the lines of the two posers above, don’tfret; you, perhaps, belong to the large non-golfing tribe that hasn’theard of junior golf. For, despite the changes that the golfing fraternityhas been closely observing over the years, more so after legendarygolfer Tiger Woods’ contribution to turn it into a ‘cool’ sport, it hasn’tcompletely broken free from the shackles of such misconceptions -more significantly, that it is an old man’s game for the uber rich!UBut things are set to change, at least in Muscat. With The Academy atAlmouj Golf taking on the onus of developing the sport and helping itspread across the country and the region, those misconceptions arefading fast, at least in this part of the country. The induction of juniorsinto the training programme has, especially, infused a fresh new feel tothe game. The rich green vistas have helped capture the imagination ofeven those who are otherwise impassive to scenic landscapes.The Almouj Golf course, designed by the legendary Greg Normanand inspired by Oman itself, overlooks the sea of Oman and Al HajarMountains; it is 7,342 yards in length.Things have changed a lot, says James Wood, Head Professional, AlmoujGolf. “Children are far more aware of the sport, as it is on televisionand even on their computer games. I think it is all about making itaccessible... and not just for children,” he notes.What has added to this accessibility and ease factors are the positivechanges incorporated into the training, thanks to Oman Golf Committee(OGC), which has, through its sponsors, subsidised the training16