If you were to cut Philip Henderson in half – like a stick of Blackpool rock – the word ‘Troon’ would run through his entire core. Having been associated with the management company most of his career, Henderson, has been the man tasked with shaping the future development of Al Zorah Golf Club in the UAE – soon to be re-branded Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club.

Located 45 minutes north of Dubai in the Emirati of Ajman, Al Zorah is a unique property, in a unique location. Unlike many courses in the UAE, Al Zorah is close to the beach and a marina – hence the re-brand – and a 1.3 million sq m Mangrove Forest which acts as a backdrop to the course.

And come the end of the year, a brand-new clubhouse will open, all of which has been designed and constructed under the watchful eye of the 43-year-old, Scot.

Henderson’s journey in golf began at the age of ten when his father introduced him to the sport. He quickly developed a passion for the game, spending countless hours on the course and competing in amateur tournaments.

However, as he grew, Henderson realised that he didn’t love the game enough to want to pursue a professional career saying: “I didn’t want to stand on a driving range and hit golf balls all day for a living. That was something which wasn’t on my radar. I enjoyed competing at an amateur level.”

Henderson’s first break in golf management came when a friend mentioned an opportunity south of the border in England.

“When I was 19 or 20, a friend of mine who was in the PGA mentioned that there was an opportunity down in England, which kind of got me thinking about what I wanted to do for a career,” he explained. “So, I kind of stumbled into it.”

That role was at Farnham Park, an 18-hole municipal course, which was the precursor to much bigger and better things, thanks in part to Henderson’s girlfriend at the time.

“She worked for a hotel company that was the parent company of The Grove, and saw a job come up on her job board which she told me about. So, when I went to The Grove I didn’t necessarily know where this path would lead.

“But when I started to see aspirational leaders like Blyth Reid and Spencer Schaub – who were director of golf and head professional at the time – I said to myself ‘these guys have travelled the world and have lots of stories to tell.’

“That’s where I wanted to go, as my personality lends itself to people.”

Managed by Troon, Henderson spent two-and-a-half years at The Grove – during which time they hosted the World Golf Championship in 2006 – before hinting that to progress his career, he wanted to move overseas.

“I remember this still to the day,” recalls Henderson. “I was having my appraisal at The Grove with Spencer, and I said that my time’s probably coming to an end as I’d really like to go international as that’s something which I’m attracted to.

“And sure enough, after about two weeks Spencer came and got me saying that they’d got be an opportunity in Portugal and did I want to go?

“About two weeks later I had an interview [in Portugal] with the GM, and we went out for dinner with some of the Troon guys, and 24 hours later I flew back to the UK and resigned from The Grove.”

However, Henderson’s move to Vilamoura in Portugal lasted only six months, before moving to the glitz and glamour of Dubai.

“When you work with Troon, opportunities present themselves,” he explained. “I remember having breakfast with Bruce Glasco and he told me about an opportunity in Dubai at a high-profile opening, and they wanted me because of my growth experience.

“It was for a premium luxury brand and at the time I was very adventurous, so I said yes to every opportunity. It was all about gaining experience – that was really my goal.”

Aged 26, Henderson moved to The Els Club in Dubai, recalling: “The Els Club was a fantastic brand, with great standards. We had a visionary leader in Thomas Rubi who was GM at the time.”

As per The Grove, Henderson spent two-and-a-half years at The Els Club, leaving in the summer of 2010 to work for Troon at numerous venues across the EMEA region including Egypt, Morocco, and Azerbaijan.

“We had just opened up The Els Club and it was the heart of summer,” he recalls. “Troon were opening up this property in Egypt, so I was seconded, and I was happy to go.”

Henderson also spent time in Baku, Azerbaijan – again for a two-and-a-half year period – at the Troon-managed National Azerbaijan Golf Club describing the experience as “a real honour because how many people can say that they opened up the first golf course in a country?”

It was at this juncture, that Henderson was looking for his first long-term role, explaining: “Openings are great to do, and it’s great to bounce around and get that experience in the early days. “But when you start to get a wife and children, that’s when you need stability. You’re looking for a role that’s going to give you a decade, not six months here, three months there.”

And so, in September 2015, Henderson returned to the UAE just a few months prior to the opening of Al Zorah Golf Club.

Al Zorah began its journey nine years ago, with a vision to create a world-class golfing destination. Back then, the club consisted solely of the golf course, with no surrounding properties. The focus was on attracting golfers from Dubai, as the local expat community was still in its nascent stage.

Over the years, Al Zorah has witnessed significant growth and development. The addition of surrounding properties and the construction of soon to be completed clubhouse have transformed the club into a vibrant community hub.

The club’s strategic location, coupled with the commitment of its owners to invest in the product, has attracted a diverse range of golfers and residents. As GM, Henderson is tasked with the continued development of the project and appears to thrive with the day-to-day challenges faced in doing so.

Approaching nine years in the role, he has been passionate about nurturing local talent and providing opportunities for growth and believes that having local figures as leaders in the golf industry is essential for creating a sense of belonging and pride within the community.

“We’re good at promoting from within,” he stresses. “We’ve got Stephen [Payne] who is our operations manager who, if he does well this year, will be promoted to head of golf and leisure.

“So, he’ll be a natural replacement for me when I choose to leave here. We’re a big believer in succession planning.”

One however, doesn’t quite get the feeling that Henderson is quite ready to move on yet although having more responsibility within the project – perhaps in the hotel or real estate elements of Al Zorah – would add to his personal growth.

He comes across as settled and content in both his professional and personal life, and away from golf, has embraced CrossFit, a high-intensity fitness program, which allows him to switch off from work and focus on his physical well-being.

“I do CrossFit five times a week, am an avid reader and I’m also learning to play the piano,” he says. “Those are the things which I’m doing now away from golf, and also trying to be an involved father as well, and that’s important to me.”