Les Roches, one of the world’s top institutions for high-end hotel management education, has launched a new course with a specialisation in its Spanish campus – the Postgraduate Diploma in Golf Management.

Les Roches campus in Marbella, a city in southern Spain, hosts thousands of students from over 100 nationalities annually, seeking comprehensive education to develop skills needed to lead the hospitality industry.

The programme, starting in September, will enable students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the diverse golf industry in a key location. The study modules will focus on course management, design, and maintenance, and organising and marketing golf tournaments.

Students will have around 75 hours of practical classes and the opportunity to take a study field trip to Miami, another major hub for the sport that attracts more enthusiasts each year.

This will be an opportunity for aspirational UAE students who want to pursue a career in this relatively new, fast-growing, and well-paying job field, a statement said.

The golf industry is gaining strength within tourism in the UAE and globally. Research figures indicate that the growth trend in the middle East began before the onset of Covid-19 and continued during the pandemic – up by 34% from 29.6 million on-course golfers in 2016.

There are now 42,000 total of nine and 18-hole golfers, including 16,000 registered golfers. With 38% of nine- and 18-hole golfers registered, the Middle East leads the world on this metric.

“The golf industry is a significant driver for the province of Málaga, both for its appeal and its economic impact and job creation, said Carlos Díez de La Lastra, CEO of Les Roches.

“Last year, it hosted one of the world’s most important and prestigious tournaments, the Solheim Cup, bringing a return of 29.1 million euros to the city.

“This is just an example of what’s to come in this industry: the need for professionals to preserve and develop Marbella’s golf offerings. The direction and management of this sport involves analysing and studying everything surrounding it.” – TradeArabia News Service