Heat is on as Sam lands dream role
Perth golfer Sam McLaren has bagged a dream job in the United Arab Emirates.
The Blairgowrie PGA professional jets out to Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club on September 12 to begin a new and exciting chapter.
Former Scottish youth international McLaren, who attended Perth Academy, will take on the role of events manager and teaching professional.
While the 28-year-old is relishing the opportunity, there comes a hint of sadness at leaving behind the local golfing scene.
“I will miss a lot of it, both at King James VI and at Blairgowrie, where I’ve been for over five years now,” McLaren said.
“The members have been great with me and Charles Dernie, my boss, and fellow pro Neil Cameron have been brilliant.
“It’ll be sad to go but it’s time for a move. The time came and the job came up. I thought if I didn’t do it now, I probably never will.
“I went for the interview down in Leicester and then a couple of days later got offered the job.
“It’s a golf managing events job in Sharjah, just outside of
Sam McLaren is excited about his new golfing chapter Dubai. But I will be staying in Dubai.
“It involves being a teaching professional and running corporate days. It’s a little different and I won’t be working in an actual shop.
“It’s a two-year contract and I’m open-minded how long I will stay. It might be two, four or eight years. I’m just going to play it by ear.
“I went on holiday to Dubai last year and had the thought process of finding out if it was somewhere I could see myself living.
“I played with one of the pros who was previously at Gleneagles, in Abu Dhabi, and he loves it and has no plans to come back any time soon.”
McLaren, who represented Scotland both on home soil and on the continent as a youngster, is hoping the move can also help him recapture on-course form.
“I’m hoping to play more over there,” he said. “My new boss is very keen for me to be playing as much as I can.
“There’s a similar tour to what we have in the Tartan Tour, so I’ll be playing as many events as I can with that.
“I’ve not played as much this year, especially recently, but that has just been because I’ve been trying to get everything sorted.
“I’m keen to get back at it. I probably peaked in my younger days but if I pull the finger out I could probably get back to that level.
“There are times I’m playing and I’m hitting shots better than I ever have. But it’s about keeping the bad ones off the card.
“I played for Scotland boys’ team from 14 upwards and then won the Scottish Boys’ under-16 event.
“I represented Scotland at the European boys and, looking back, all of my time with that was great.
“I was fortunate that a lot of those trips away were with Barrie Douglas and he was a great help to me.
“From travelling about so much with the boys’ squad, I think that put in my head that it was something I could do.”
McLaren’s final day at Blairgowrie is on September 9 before starting his new job on September 14.