Until this year she had never been at golf camps abroad. But once she set off, seventeen-year-old Nela found out that it was worth it. Together with the coach, mentor and the European Tour winner, David Carter and other young and hopeful golf enthusiasts, she attended a camp in the United Arab Emirates. We interviewed her on this unforgettable one-week experience.

Have you ever been to a similar camp?
Never. And I have never pursued golf abroad either. Once on holiday in Egypt we went to play with my dad, but now it was the first time I found myself in such a camp. Before I attended a few weekend camps in the Czech Republic but this was much better. More Intense. I was thrilled!

What did you like the most about the camp?
We were there for one reason – to play golf. We prepared our schedule, which we followed. We spent mornings and afternoons on the driving range and practised shots; sometimes we played a 9 or 18-hole round on the course too. We played a lot of golf, so no wonder I was a bit tired after two days. But it was great. It was wonderful to be on the course in winter, play and not feel cold. It was much better than playing somewhere in a sports hall.

How would you describe David Carter’s approach?
It was great that he was at hand all week and we were able to discuss everything with him. He was on the driving range with us and on the course as well, he helped us during the short game around the greens too. Working with David suits me; he can explain a lot of things very well. He doesn’t fix my swings, doesn’t tell what I’m doing wrong. He asks questions about how I perceive different strokes, which makes me think about the game more. I also liked the fact that he incorporated different games into the training to lighten the atmosphere and take the strain off the game. Thanks to this he managed to turn training into fun.

Did the camp meet your expectations?
Yes, it definitely did. We trained a lot, the camp was very intense. With a number of people who were there with me, we agreed that such a weeklong camp has given us more than years of golf trainings ever before. After all, we lived only a short distance from the course and we were able to spend on it all day. Moreover, a bunch of nice people was always around which was very motivating. I was never alone on the course or the driving range.
How do you rate the actual course in Al Hamra, its facilities and other aspects of the camp?

Complete satisfaction. There was only one course though, but excellently prepared with quality parameters. Moreover, it was also very long – as for par 4, we hit the green with the second shot at some 200 metres. The fairways were amazingly maintained, as for the rough – I can’t tell you more since I didn’t find myself in it. Also, people around were nice and friendly. I liked that everything was always ready on the driving range. Whenever we arrived the pyramids of balls were always set up on the range, so we came and went straight down to the game.

Eight golfers arrived at the camp, was it an ideal number?

I thought it was just right. David devoted the same portion of time to everyone so it was fair. He gave us a lot of attention, but yet we had plenty of time to practise everything we learned. He didn’t stand all the time behind our backs, but when we needed him he was there for us. It was really nice.

>> More information about the Al Hamra Camp in Ras al-Khaimah can be found here