Dicksee has described the ‘staggering growth’ of the popularity of golf among the Muslim community in Iran, including boys and girls, men and women, after subsequent visits to continue the programme he had begun. After an initial visit each consultant submits a report to The R&A, copy to the PGAs of Europe, detailing the under-developed golfing situation as it exists in that country and suggesting a modus operandi for the future. Extracts from these reports give clues to the enormity of the task and, more importantly, to the high-level of progress to be achieved by the proper planning of a comprehensive education programme.

When Alan Walker, a former Captain of the PGA of GB&I, visited Botswana, he found the contradiction of a nation’s economy diamond-rich but some of the out-of-the-way ‘golf courses’ little more than stretches of sun-baked red dust in the desert. Local youngsters wanted to play but there was no set-up by which they could. On a more positive note, the potential for sponsorship was obvious, by means of the many major companies but, again, the know-how was missing.

Walker was confronted by three Botswanan ‘golf professionals’, who were possibly little more than caddies, with a thirst to start a PGA and from there to kick-start a golfing culture, but with little knowledge of how to go about it.

Being a man of action he said to the spokesman: “Right, you be the President”, and to the next one: “You can be Captain”, and to the third: “I know you can type, so you be the secretary.” Mighty oaks from little acorns grow…even in the desert. It is all rather reminiscent of the spread of football all those years ago… and part of The R&A funded process of teaching a troubled world to swing in perfect harmony… on golf courses, if not the political arena. Golf, like football, is a beautiful game.