54 “The local people are extremely nice, and the food is excellent. It’s a very family-orientated place – the Erbil community reminds me of Latin American countries where you find multiple generations living together or near each other. There is a lot of socialising together – I like that aspect of their culture a lot.” Erbil is the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, home to about 1.5 million people including an increasing number of expats from Western countries, particularly those that work in the oil industry. “Every nationality is represented in Erbil,” says Dye. “Nearby is the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr, a Catholic seminary, and all the religious and ethnic communities are represented in the city.” One aim of the project is to introduce locals to golf and provide them with a place to learn how to play. “We have planned a great practice facility, just like what we did in Baku,” says Dye. “It’s all about teaching locals to play golf, although we expect the low handicap players to use it too. They’re starving for this type of sports entertainment here. Between October and April, the weather is nice, and I believe the club will be very busy, therefore creating a lot of Iraqi golfers and helping the future of the sport in the country.” For a nation new to the sport, Dye’s design includes multiple tees, generous width and not much rough. “You can put the ball anywhere,” she says. “The fairways are wide, especially at the landing area, and the CYNTHIA DYE “ The Erbil community reminds me of Latin American countries where you find multiple generations living together or near each other” Photo: Erbil Hills Golf Club “It’s all about teaching locals to play golf,” says Dye (pictured with Erbil Hills general manager Campbell Elliot)
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