Tuesday 17 January 2017 10:53, UK
While Britain shivers in winter weather, Sky Sports Golf are ready to warm you up with several big-name tournaments on both the European and PGA Tours. Ewen Murray is looking forward to the action ...
When we reach the middle of January, I always feel the worst of the winter is behind us, the snowdrops are in bloom and we can all start to look forward to our golfing season. With the weather currently, that theory seems more than a little foolish, but Sky Sports Golf is about to follow the sun as we bring to your TV screens the best the game has to offer from around the globe.
The South African Open at the majestic Glendower course had its best field in years and it was a fine way to begin the calendar year. It's followed by the Desert Swing which already has golf fans looking forward to the long season ahead.
Abu Dhabi is first up and the national course designed by Peter Harradine has matured beautifully over its first 10 years and the HSBC, as always, will have a galaxy of stars to get "The Swing" underway.
Rickie Fowler defends and he will not be alone in representing the United States of America in the capital of The Emirates this week.
Rory McIlroy and several other top European players, along with Asia's best, will compete in what has become one of the world's top tournaments. It's fitting that competitors of this quality join together and battle it out where east meets west.
The following week, the golfers take the short hop to Qatar, a country that has embraced sport vigorously during the past decade. The Doha golf course has the same designer as Abu Dhabi and already another golf course is currently under construction as golf continues to blossom in one of the world's fastest-growing cities.
Dubai makes up the desert swing trilogy and Tiger Woods, hopefully now free from the frustrating injuries he has endured during the last few years, has confirmed his entry at the Emirates course. He is no stranger to the City of Gold and his participation adds much to a week that is arguably the most popular among the players.
The rise and popularity of golf in the Gulf has been quite extraordinary since the discovery of underground wells and the installation of desalination plants. I remember playing some pro-ams and exhibition matches in the region back in the 80s.
Golf then was played on sand courses with the aid of a piece of AstroTurf, and the greens were "Browns", a mixture of sand and oil. Along with Brian Barnes, Tommy Horton, Malcolm Gregson and other European stalwarts of yesteryear, we played at Das Island, a mile squared piece of land in the middle of the Arabian Gulf.
Set a hundred miles or so off the Abu Dhabi coastline, they had a nine hole course that ran alongside the airstrip runway and gas tanks and a closing par three that would grace any golf course, anywhere. Abu Dhabi had its sand course and expatriates were happy to have these facilities so they could continue to enjoy their chosen hobby.
The Emirates course was the pied piper of grass courses in Dubai having opened in 1988. It has become one of the most recognised venues in the game with its Bedouin Tents designed clubhouse which is very much part of Arabic culture as well as the modern skyline.
The changes to that skyline, during what has been less than 30 years, is quite astonishing and golf has become a major tourist attraction with courses designed by Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie and Greg Norman.
Renowned top coaches, Peter Cowan and Butch Harmon, took their academies there recognising the desire for northern Europeans to keep their game in shape during the barren months of winter. Only seven hours from London, you can see the attraction at this time of year.
Meanwhile, the PGA Tour embarks on the West Coast Swing and that side of the United States has four tournaments. Three are in California and the hottest player in the game right now, Hideki Matsuyama, will try to win in Phoenix for the second year running.
Bubba Watson defends at famed Riviera in the newly-named Genesis event and all being well in Tiger's world, the 14-time major champion will compete at the venue where he first arrived on the PGA Tour scene as a 16 year-old lad.
The "Florida Swing" follows and that takes us to the end of February and into March. All of these events enjoy extensive live coverage across our Sky Sports channels.
The professional game has never been in better shape. Last year we talked about the big three, Jordan, Rory and Jason and these three gave us a good run throughout the season. Add Matsuyama, with four wins and two runner-up places in his last six events. Add Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson, now major winners.
Two outstanding players at the Ryder Cup, Patrick Reed and Thomas Pieters, will surely continue to improve and impress and Alex Noren will be keen to add to the four wins he celebrated in just 11 tournaments from last summer.
And then there is the hugely-anticipated return of Tiger. Should he stay fit and healthy, second in his world never cut the mustard, so as always, wins will be top of his agenda.
There are others on the fringes of breaking into the world's top 10 which whets the appetite and hints that 2017 could be a year to savour. I look forward to your company in Abu Dhabi where I will be alongside "The American", 2002 PGA champion Rich Beem, who earlier this month gave us five to watch on the PGA Tour.
Remember, last year, Rich picked out Justin Thomas as one to watch and his two big wins in Hawaii will fuel his confidence.
One of my other Sky Sports colleagues, Nick Dougherty, selected five at home to make an impression this year and, having perused their selections, we will enjoy charting their progress.
However, they have much work to do. There has never been so much talent and class at the head of the sport. Good news for everyone who enjoys playing and watching golf.