Best golf courses in Dubai

A course so aptly named after the mass of water it sits beside, Dubai Creek is blessed with fairways like carpets and bunkering positioning like nowhere else. A magical tee box that towers from stilts out in the creek for the par-4 6th will leave your heart in your mouth as you try and clear the water ahead. On and off the course the attention to detail is of sheer high class with a premium level of ambience that shines throughout.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 6967 - Front tees: 5325
• Par: 71
• Architect: Karl Litten
• Founded: 1993
• Course type: desert
• Location: Nearby attractions include Dubai Creek and Dubai Frame

The Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club features a stunning backdrop offering a memorable round. Behind the 8th green sits the unusual (but fascinating) Bedouin tent-styled Royal Pavilion, which makes this course one of a kind. Majlis was the first grass course in the Middle East to have 18 holes and is well and truly carved out of the landscape.

Desert dunes surround the perimeter with salt and freshwater water hazards affecting several holes. One of the true hallmarks of the course, however, lies on the greens with large, fast surfaces and difficult pin positions making a good score hard to come by.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7319 - Front tees: 5568
• Par: 72
• Architect: Karl Litten
• Founded: 1988
• Course type: Links
• Location: Nearby attractions include Dubai Marina and The Palm Jumeirah

The Dubai Sports City is quite the spectacle, with the Els Club golf course being only one element of what the complex can offer. Work on your swing at the range pre-round or even at the high-class performance institute on-site that offers physical screening and in-depth video analysis, perfect for shaking off that slice.

The desert links-style course was sculpted from sand with a manmade intervention giving the relatively flat topography definition. You should definitely get excited at the prospect of conquering Ernie’s masterpiece under the glorious blue skies of Dubai.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7538 - Front tees: 5343
• Par: 72
• Architect: Earnie Els
• Founded: 2007
• Course type: Desert
• Location: Nearby attractions include Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Autodrome

The Earth championship course at Jumeirah Golf Estates is a fantastic representation of what it feels like to walk the fairways like a pro.

As regular host to the DP World Tour, there have been plenty of the big names laying up and pitching in here including the likes of Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Jon Rahm. Take it from us, this is one of the best courses in Dubai.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7706 - Front tees: 5435
• Par: 72
• Architect: Greg Norman and Tad Burnett
• Founded: 2009
• Course type: Parkland
• Location: Nearby attractions include Dubai Sports City and Dubai Autodrome

The Montgomerie Golf Club is made up of 265 acres of terrain featuring man-made lakes, a vast area of landscaped gardens and 18-holes of unbelievable golf. The expansive course has been given the magical and somewhat obscure architectural touch by Desmond Muirhead. Look out for the 13th hole where the green is shaped like the UAE, quite the addition to the already imaginative layout. The clubhouse is also an added feature with over 20 guest rooms and a pool for those off-course luxuries.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7308 - Front tees: 5401
• Par: 72
• Architect: Colin Montgomerie and Desmond Muirhead
• Founded: 2002
• Course type: Links
• Location: Nearby attractions include Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Dubai Marina

Inspired by some of the best parkland courses around the globe, the Fire Course set in Jumeirah Golf Estates has a wonderful ability to effortlessly hug the curvature of the earth. It demands a tactical round in play, meaning your short game and lay up abilities need to be on fire, pardon the pun. With a challenging level of depth perception and club selection needed, the par-5’s are an absolute joy to play offering the chance to drive the ball over 300-yards.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7480 - Front tees: 5619
• Par: 72
• Architect: Greg Norman and Tag Burnett
• Founded: 2010
• Course type: Links
• Location: Nearby attractions include Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Autodrome

Offering some of the most iconic courses in the world, Trump Golf features a course in Dubai, UAE, at Trump International Golf Club. With one of the largest clubhouses in Dubai, the 30,000 square foot work of art can be seen protruding from the skyline in the heart of the Damac Hills. Designed by Gil Hanse, an Olympic golf architect, he has allowed the course to excel everyone’s prior expectations and has certainly not held back on imagination.

The man-made championship course does not at all look out of place in the desert wasteland, and as you approach the first tee you become confronted with a huge double fairway. Miss here and you may want to retire early.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7229 - Front tees: 5119
• Par: 71
• Architect: Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner
• Founded: 2017
• Course type: Links
• Location: Nearby attractions include Mall of the Emirates and IMG Worlds of Adventure

Arabian Ranches offers a true desert golf experience in Dubai. It is incredible to think that the area Arabian Ranches so gloriously occupies was once inhabited by grazing camels and wild gazelle. Designed by 1991 Open winner, Ian Baker-Finch, it’s safe to say he knows his way around a golf course and has encapsulated the links-style even in the Gulf’s sandy wasteland.

Shrubs and bushes scatter the areas surrounding the fairways so bring your best game with you or you could be struggling to make par. With 5 sets of tees to choose from, a flood-lit driving range for all times of the day and a par-3 course… the club certainly delivers.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7086 - Front tees: 5226
• Par: 72
• Architect: Nicklaus, Ian Baker-Finch, and Peter Harradine
• Founded: 2004
• Course type: Desert
• Location: Nearby attractions include Global Village and Al Qudra Lakes

Opened in 1996 to compete with the Majlis, the Faldo Course has done a fantastic job in doing so and the cleverly positioned lakes and theatrical bunkering make it a pleasure to play.

A true characteristic of a Faldo design is the course management needed to beat the course. Accuracy and shot placement are vital when out on the tee as even though the fairways are spacious and the greens are vast, scoring well is a challenge.

Course facts

• Length: - Back tees: 7328 - Front tees: 5407
• Par: 73
• Architect: Nick Faldo
• Founded: 1996
• Course type: Desert Links
• Location: Nearby attractions include Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence

Introducing the latest gem in the Dubai Hills Estate crown - the enchanting Dubai Hills Championship Golf Course. This immaculate par-72 course stands as a premier golfing haven within the UAE, boasting a rugged and picturesque desert-style landscape that presents a formidable challenge to golfers of all skill levels.

At the onset of each hole, golfers are greeted with a sense of wonder. From the pristine tee boxes, an awe-inspiring panorama unfolds, featuring breathtaking views of the iconic Burj Khalifa and the majestic Dubai skyline.

Dubai Hills proudly aligns itself with Troon, an organisation dedicated to curating unparalleled guest experiences through personalized service and unwavering attention to detail. With a commitment to exceeding the expectations of every visitor, Dubai Hills ensures that each golfing adventure is nothing short of extraordinary.

Course facts

• Length: -Back tees: 7283 -Front tees: 5130
• Par: 72
• Architect: European Golf Design and Troon Golf.
• Founded: 2018
• Course type: Desert
• Location: Nearby attractions include Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall