Queen of Golf

"As her 40th approaches ,the Oryx is greatly missed.Her character,vitality and warmth remain with us through her memories,character and eccentricities."


Anonymous



My aunt, the late Maha Salim Salaam, otherwise known with reverence as Oryx, because it is a direct translation of her name, was eulogized in the sports section of Aliwaa newspaper (in Arabic). This comes as no surprise, despite the fact that she was a mother and the wife of the Chairman of Middle East Airlines first and an amateur golf player second.



Indeed, each member of her community remembered her for the various interesting aspects of her life, be they social, corporate or sportive. In this special case, she was remembered to her dedication to the Golf Club of Beirut, which her late husband conceived. Together, they were the life and spirit of the "lung of Beirut", the rare patch of green and venue for sport in the city.



They shared the love for golf and endorsed the sport on a national and regional level. Golf was their family lifestyle, as it has naturally became my own nuclear family lifestyle as well, in emulation of her. The passion for golf is a family tradition!



We play at the Dubai Creek Club. My children have held clubs at the age of 4, played the par 3 at the age of 5 and the eldest went on to the large courses all over Dubai since he was 9. Our golf lessons are regular, our practice times frequent, our time spent at the club large. We swim there but also study there, between games and classes. In fact it isn't unusual for my eldest to practice on the range before school, relayed by me, in a morning lesson and the day ends with my daughter's evening class! My kids shower then and wear their pyjamas!



When we play, we always remember our aunt, as my son is extremely proud to have played with Oryx, en tete a tete!