Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Abu Dhabi Golf Club has been described as ‘an oasis of tranquility carved out of the desert’. Even so, it is conveniently located just 15-minutes-drive from Abu Dhabi city center. Offering 27 holes of superb golf, the course was designed by Peter Harradine and opened its doors to the public in 1998.

Home to the annual Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championships, a European PGA Tour event, Abu Dhabi Golf Club is perhaps best known for its enormous, iconic clubhouse, built in the shape of a falcon perched on a golf ball.

Address Montgomerie

The Address Montgomerie Dubai has become an icon of golf in the Middle East, consistently ranked as one of the top courses in the region. The course was designed by Colin Montgomerie and is located in ‘The Address’, one of Dubai’s most prestigious residential complexes.

This 18-hole links-style course, offers outstanding golf, within a beautiful Arabian environment. The course is laid out over 265 acres of land and incorporates 81 bunkers, 93 acres of landscaped gardens, numerous lakes and 123 acres of turf. Greens are large and well-conditioned with plenty of contouring to challenge even the best putters. The signature hole is the par 3, 13th which boasts a 360-degree teeing area around an island fairway and green. The hole itself is designed in the shape of the UAE.

Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club

Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club originally opened in 2007 as a 9-hole grassed golf course. Since then, the course has expanded into an 18-hole championship golf course with another 9-hole, par 3 course alongside it.

Al Ain Golf Club is part of the Al Ain Equestrian, Golf and Shooting Club (AEGSC). There are plenty of water hazards dotted throughout this course. In fact, water comes into play on 12 out of 18 holes. Hole 10 is reported to be the longest Par 5 in the Arabian Gulf, measuring a staggering 678 yards in length. 

Al Hamra Golf Club

Located on the shores of the Arabian Gulf in Ras Khaimah, Alhamra Golf Club was UAE’s first 18-hole golf course when it opened in 2007.Designed by Peter Harradinem, this par-72, championship course weaves its way around four inter-connected lagoons. Reportedly, 5 million cubic meters of sand and soil were moved during construction of the course.

From the tips, the course measures 7,352 yards and offers golfers 5 different colored tees to play from. Water hazards come into play on a number of holes, most notably at the par-5, 18th, where water threatens from the tee to the green.

Al Zorah Golf Club

Al Zorah Golf Club is an 18-hole, par 72 course, located in Ajman, the smallest state of the UAE. Just 25-minute drive from Dubai International Airport and 20 minutes from Sharjah International Airport, it an interesting alternative for golfers visiting Dubai. O

pened in December 2015, this par-72 championship course was designed by Nicklaus Design and is now managed by Troon Golf. It is set in a natural environment, surrounded by mangroves, lagoons with an incredible array of native marine and plant life around it.

Players often spot flamingos among other native birds during a round. Featuring wide fairways and two large lakes, holes are laid out inside a natural mangrove landscape, with 1.5 kilometers of boardwalks built to cope with the rising and falling water levels at some of the tidal-affected fairways. An attraction of Al Zorah is the tidal lagoon, or “khor”, an inland creek that extends over 2 square kilometers of ecologically rich wetland.

Arabian Ranches Golf Club

Built in 2004, Arabian Ranches Golf Club is an Ian Baker-Finch, Nicklaus designed course, located within a large, residential community, just minutes from Dubai’s iconic attractions. The course is set out over 247-acres of land. Built as a true desert style course, only 120-acres of the course is irrigated. The rest remains in its natural desert-like state. Shots that stray off the fairways often wind up in the indigenous shrubs and bushes within the sandy wasteland.

Players comment that the course has a great, natural flow to it, weaving through sand dunes and desert landscape. With five sets of tees – Championship, Tournament, Medal, Society and Ladies/Juniors, Arabian Ranches is suitable for players of all abilities. At 7,658 yards in length, it is a true test of championship golf.

Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Established in 1993, Dubai Golf & Yacht Club offers an 18-hole championship golf course, as well as a 9-hole, par 3 course. Conveniently situated just a couple of minutes-drive from Dubai International Airport, the course is surprisingly tranquil, given its city center location.

Golf World Magazine has voted this course one of the world’s ‘Top Must-Play Golf Courses’. Measuring 6,937 yards from its tips, this superbly maintained course features fairways lined with date and palm trees, as well as numerous artificial lakes.

Stand out holes are the 17th and 18th, both of which have a creek running the entire length of the fairway. These holes will challenge even the most skilled golfers.

Dubai Hills Golf Club

Dubai Hills Golf Club opened its doors to the public at the end of 2018. It is the latest addition to Dubai’s now extensive world-class golf offering. Located just 15 minutes from Dubai city center, this 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course boasts an outstanding layout and dramatic views of the city skyline. Dubai Hills is a lush, tranquil golf course which was designed by European Golf Design. It is managed by Emaar Hospitality Group.

There are a number of holes on the course that could be considered to be signature holes including the 5th and 18th. Hole 5 has arguably the best view of any golf hole in Dubai with the backdrop of the Burj Khalifa, the worlds’ largest building. Hole 18 is flanked by water down the righthand side of the fairway and will swallow up any balls that happen to go astray.

The ELS Club

The 18-hole, par-72 Els Club was the first completed venue within the multi-billion-dollar Dubai Sports City venue. Now home to the world’s first purpose-built Manchester United Soccer School, the ICC’s own Global Cricket Academy and a David Lloyd Tennis Academy, Dubai Sports City is in a league of its own.

Designed by the great Ernie Els, the course is 7,538 yards from the tips. Laid out in two returning loops of 9 holes, this championship course offers a choice of four tees, making it accessible to players of all abilities. In designing the course, Els has taken inspiration from his favorite golf courses around the world.

Emirates Golf Club (Night Golf)

If you are looking for a round of night golf, then ‘The Faldo’ at Emirates Golf Club is the place to do it. In fact, it is currently the only course in the region where you can play 18-holes of floodlit golf. The scale and size of the impressive Dubai skyline makes it an appealing location to play night golf, not to mention the fact that the evenings tend to be bring slightly cooler and less humid than the day.

The Faldo course was redesigned by the great Nick Faldo in 2005 and is now an impressive, challenging championship course that is playable for golfers of all levels.

There is a natural wadi running through the entire course, resulting in every hole, there than the par-3, 8th, involving water. 

Emirates Golf Club, Faldo Course

In 1996, the Faldo Course was the second 18-hole, championship golf course to be opened at the Emirates Golf Club. The course was originally named ‘The Wadi’, the Arabic word for ‘valley’. However, in 2005, golfing great, Nick Faldo redesigned the course and it was reopened under the new name, ‘The Faldo’.

In true Faldo style, the new course layout incorporates his trademark tees and bunkers. Fourteen well-placed lakes protect the spacious fairways and greens. The heavily contoured greens are kept in excellent condition and generally run fast. The par-73 course measures 7,348 yards from the black tees.

Emirates Golf Club, Majlis Course

When it was opened in 1988, The Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club was the first 18-hole grass course in the Middle East. The Club was the inspiration of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rasheed Al Maktoum and the Bedouin tent styled clubhouse nestled behind the 8th green, is named after him.

At the time of construction, the Majlis was surrounded by desert. Today, the sprawling city has grown to encircle the course, making for a spectacular city backdrop on many holes, particularly the iconic tee shot on the 8th. However, tall desert dunes still frame the perimeter of the course with both fresh and saltwater lakes coming into play on several holes.

Jumeirah Golf Estate, Earth Course

Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course is home to the DP World Tour Championship, the culmination of The Race to Dubai and European Tour Season. Designed by Greg Norman, this 18-hole, par 72 golf course was voted the 82nd best course in the world in Golf Digest’s ‘World’s Top 100 Golf Courses’. It was also voted sixth place on Golf Digest Middle East’s ‘Top 10 Courses: 2018 Readers’ Choice’.

Earth is a very long course – from the Championship tees, it is 7,675 yards – and while it is fun to go back and look at the shots the pros have to make, it’s best to choose a different colour to play from, unless you have unlimited golf balls and patience.

Jumeirah Golf Estate, Fire Course

The ‘Fire’ golf course at Jumeirah Golf Estate, is one of two 18-hole, par-72, Greg Norman designed championship courses. It’s sister course, Earth, is a challenging course with a handicap rating of 140.

The Fire course, on the other hand has a handicap rating of 110 and is a more classical and perhaps ‘fairer’ course to play. Fire and Earth courses were both inspired by the great parkland courses of north America and Europe.

The Fire course, which opened to the public in 2009, is visually stunning with great undulation and elevation, as well as slower greens than the Earth course, making putting more manageable. Risk and rewards shots abound on the Fire course. Stick to the fairways off the tees and you will be rewarded with a high scoring round. Stray from the fairways and your score card will look much less impressive.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club

Designed by Gary Player, Saadiyat Beach Club is an 18-hole, par-72 golf course which opened for play in March 2010. At the time, it was billed as the Persian Gulf’s first ocean course, with six holes featuring panoramic Gulf views.

Located on Sandiyat Island, 10 kilometers to the north east of Abu Dhabi city center, the course is one of the most environmentally friendly in the region due to the strict environmental guidelines it has been built to. It is set out across a site of over 300 acres and weaves in and out of numerous five-star hotels that line the beach.

Trump International Golf Club

Designed by world-renowned golf architect, Gil Hanse and opened in the year 2000, Trump International Golf Club is a par 71, 18-hole golf course, situated in the heart of the vast Damac Hills residential development.

At 7,205 yards in length, the course weaves through 500 acres of previously flat, desert land, whilst utilizing a cavernous gorge as the backbone of the routing. The course offers interesting elevation changes, great views and many exciting shots.

​Yas Links

Established in 2001, Yas Links Abu Dhabi is an 18-hole links course, designed by Kyle Phillip and set among attractive, rolling hills and mangrove plantations.

It’s considered to be one of the most natural courses in the region and holds the mantle of being the only true links style course in the Middle East. Located on the shores of Yas Island, all 18 holes offer ocean views, whilst 8 have been built right up to the shoreline. Golf Magazine USA voted Yas Links among the ‘Top 10 New International Golf Courses’ and Golf Digest USA named it one of the ‘world’s top 25 courses’.

At 7,450 yards in length, it is certainly a challenging course, however the fairways run fast and the greens are hard, but true. The club offers a 9-hole, par 3 course and a practice facility. Following a round, the clubhouse is the perfect place for a meal or a cold drink. Set alongside the water’s edge, it offers impressive views of the Arabian Gulf.