The PGA TOUR has yet to schedule any official events in the United Arab Emirates, but given the phenomenal growth of golf in this wealthy region of the Middle East, it seems like it is only a question of time. After all, the European Tour already plays four events here, including one in Abu Dhabi, one in Qatar and two in Dubai, including the season-ending Dubai World Championship presented by DP World, which is played at the Jumeirah Golf Estates.
However, golfing in the United Arab Emirates is quickly gaining momentum—here are a few of the new golf courses in the United Arab Emirates that are attracting lovers of the game to this destination from all over the world.
Somewhat expectedly, until very recently, the best golf courses in the United Arab Emirates were located in Dubai. For many years, The Majlis Course at The Emirates Club (home to The Dubai Desert Classic), dominated in the Middle East.
However, two brand-new golf courses at Jumerirah Golf Estates, a luxury residential golf community in Dubai, have firmly taken that crown. The two courses—Fire and Earth—have made quite the impact on the golfing community, as they are designed by renowned golf legend Greg Norman.
As you would expect, most of the courses in this region are new, and one of the best is the Yas Links Abu Dhabi, a new Kyle Phillips design, which many critics are already calling the best course in the Middle East. The course is part of the large-scale development on Yas Island, the home to the Yas Marina Formula 1 Circuit, the site of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the home of Ferrari World, the world’s largest indoor theme park. In a unique twist, Phillips was able to design not only the golf course but also the coastline along which the course runs. That’s because the channel along the western edge of Yas Island had to be dredged to produce the millions of cubic yards of fill used to construct the strongly contoured course that winds through dunes and offers beautiful views of the Arabian Gulf on every hole. The Saadiyat Beach
The Saadiyat Beach Course, another newcomer on the golfing scene in the United Arab Emirates, was designed by sports icon Gary Legend and is considered the Arabian Gulf’s first beach-front course. Saadiyat opened in 2010 and has a 7,806-yard and 72-hole layout. This venue along with Yas Links Abu Dhabi have combined with the National Course to further elevate Abu Dhabi as a golf destination for golfers of all skill levels.
So there you have it: a quick look at some new golf courses in the United Arab Emirates and a great variety of places you can play the game in diverse parts of the world. Just as it used to be said that the sun never set on the British Empire, it can now be honestly noted that it never sets on the world of golf.
See also: Play Golf in Turkey