Amir Malik founded the UK-based Muslim Golf Association in 2019 to create a space for people of his faith to play the game.
The inaugural MGA event was held at The Grove, near London, in August 2020.
Open to players of all faiths, MGA events are alcohol-free and offer dedicated worship spaces. Daily Muslim prayers — Salat — are performed five times a day.
Food served at events is halal, an Arabic word meaning permissible according to Islamic law. Halal products are typically pork free, alcohol free, and use a specific method of animal slaughter.
The curtain-raiser at The Grove raised £18,000 for charity and strengthened Malik’s belief that there was a real passion for golf among Muslim communities.
Partnering with the Marriott hotel chain, the MGA organized a tri-series tournament in 2021 — The Race to Arden — kicking off at Worsley Park near Manchester.
The second leg of the tournament landed at The Shire London, home to the only golf course in the UK designed by legendary Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros.
Inspired by the uptake among Muslim men, Malik launched the MGA’s women’s program. With no dress code at its events, Muslim women were free to try out the sport wearing niqabs (face veil) and abayas (long robes) at a range of taster sessions held across the country.
More than 1,000 participants have already played at the MGA women’s taster sessions, and both London events slated for October are already sold out.
