By John Mahoney, writing for AMUST
The Lebanese Muslim Association is delighted to again be part of history with its inaugural “Australian Muslim Community Golf Tournament” scheduled for Saturday 14 December 2024.
Hosted by the LMA’s charity arm, Feed The World, this ground-breaking event will take place at the Brighton Lakes Golf Course (see main photo) at Moorebank in western Sydney from 12:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
This initiative marks Australia’s first-ever official Muslim golf tournament and is yet another significant achievement for the LMA, Australia’s oldest non-profit Islamic organisation.
The concept of a community golf day first emerged in the early months of 2024 when keen golfers Ali Bassal and Bill Chmeisse both expressed similar ideas to this writer about the LMA hosting such an event.
Muslim community member and avid golfer Ali Bassal (above) is one of the driving forces behind the upcoming Golf Tournament.
This was during my two year tenure as the LMA’s Communications Co-ordinator, and I passed the suggestion on to the organisation’s Religious Affairs and Events Co-ordinator Salim Allouche, who saw great merit in the concept.
The four of us joined forces with Ali Bassal’s good friend Nasser Nahlous and prominent community figure Dr Tarek Sari, another golf enthusiast, to form a Golf Committee that has been working hard behind the scenes for several months to bring the idea to fruition.
The historic 14 December event will feature a 4-Ball Ambrose format with a ‘shotgun start’ at 1:30 PM.
Dhuhur prayer will be held on-site just before the start, and the course will be closed to club members and the public for the afternoon.
Participants will pay $400 per team to enter, or $100 per player, which covers green fees and the use of a golf cart.
LMA Secretary and spokesman Gamel Kheir believes the golf tournament has unlimited potential.
The competition will offer substantial prizes: $500 per player for first place, $350 per player for second, and $250 per player for third. Additional prizes valued up to $250 will be awarded for longest drive, nearest pin, and hole-in-one (if any).
Muslim brothers aged 18 and over who are interested in playing are encouraged to form teams of four and register soon, as spaces are expected to fill rapidly in the field, which has been capped at 120 players.
Individual registrations will also be accepted, with event organisers placing those players into teams.
The golf tournament will be followed by a gala evening dinner, charity auction and awards ceremony starting at 6:30 PM at Brighton Lakes’ award-winning function centre, The Lakehouse.
The gala dinner, featuring delicious Middle Eastern halal cuisine, costs $100 per person and is open to all community members (men and women), not just the golfers.
All proceeds from both the golf tournament and the gala dinner will go to Feed The World.
LMA Secretary and spokesman Gamel Kheir is confident that the inaugural Feed The World Golf Day will be a huge success and an event the Association can build on in the years ahead.
He told AMUST, “The LMA board is thrilled that our charity arm Feed The World will host the first-ever official Muslim golf tournament in Australia….and we are very proud to again be a part of history.”
“Although golf is not typically associated with Muslims, I know for a fact that many in our community are enthusiastic players, who excel at the game.”
“As a sporting and leisure activity, golf provides an opportunity for personal reflection and growth.”
“It encourages patience, focus, and discipline – qualities that contribute positively to both personal development and spiritual well-being.”
Mr Kheir acknowledged the support from Brighton Lakes Golf Club, saying, “We are thankful to the Committee, the resident professional Kurt Stegbauer and the catering and events personnel for their considerate assistance in accommodating our requirements as Muslims for both the tournament and the gala dinner.”
He added, “And of course, we also wish to express our appreciation to our dedicated Golf Committee, who have been working diligently on this project for many months.”
Mr Kheir pointed out that whilst playing and sponsorship opportunities are still available, they are filling up quickly.
“We are really looking forward to a memorable and historic event, and one that we can hopefully build on in the years to come.”
