Golf Highlighted as an Engagement Sport for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail

Golf will be one of the engagement sports featured during the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, giving visitors and young participants the opportunity to experience one of the world’s most widely played individual sports.

Although golf is sometimes viewed through stereotypes, the sport continues to attract millions of players worldwide thanks to its focus on skill, patience, strategy and personal development.

Ahead of the event, Senegalese golfers Oumy Dieye and Samba Niang shared how they discovered the sport and why they believe it has a lasting impact on those who play it.

A Lifelong Passion for Golf

Oumy Dieye, who plays at the Saly Golf Club, said she first discovered golf during a family holiday in Saly in 1996. Since then, the sport has become an important part of her life and career.

Samba Niang explained that golf has always been part of his family. Inspired by his father, he began playing at a very young age and has now spent more than three decades in the sport.

How Golf Is Played

According to Niang, golf is a game in which players use clubs to strike a ball toward a series of holes on a course. Every hole presents different challenges, requiring accuracy, strategy and consistency.

The objective is simple: complete the course using the fewest number of strokes. In competitive golf, the player with the lowest total score is declared the winner.

More Than Just a Sport

Both athletes believe golf offers benefits beyond competition. They say the game encourages discipline, patience, concentration and respect, while helping players develop confidence and strong decision-making skills.

With golf included in the engagement sports programme at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, organizers hope more young people will discover the sport and experience the values it promotes both on and off the course.