Dubai advice

[Green Bay Hacker]

Anyone been? Looking to go end of Feb, beginning of March 2018 as two couples, Girls just want beach and shopping while we just want golf.

Is it best to be close to the centre or further down by The Palms? There seem to be decent prices for both areas,

Should we book golf before we go or when we are there and which courses should we be looking at playing (at least 4)?

 

[Wabinez]

Went last year, going again in 10 days. The place is incredible. Personally, I would book the golf before going....it is expensive whilst there, so think you can get some better deals booking through YGT or GolfBreaks.

Hotel wise, it will depend on your budget....believe some hotels will have accesses to beaches, however, you can also pay to get on to them. Taxis are cheap enough. Palm will be expensive, so staying just off the palm may be a good shout....can’t offer much in the way of advice for the beaches etc, as never went.

Golf wise, however, plenty of options. I would definitely recommend night Golf at the Emirates GC on the Faldo course. It’s amazing. Look to tee off around 6pm if going around Feb/March. Also on the Emirates compound is the Majlis...this will have hosted the Dubai Desert Classic a couple of weeks beforehand.
Jumeirah Earth is very good (DP World Tour Championship course) and there is also the Fire course at Jumeirah...haven’t played this one though.
For a slightly cheaper golf course, Dubai Creek is a very good knock. It’s up towards the airport, and is one I am really looking forward to playing again. The 6th tee box is amazing, and the last two holes will certainly test your nerve if you have a good score going!

Shopping is incredible out there, just make sure you do research and can work out the exchange rate whilst looking at stuff, as some things can be a lot more expensive compared to the UK. On the flip side, other stuff can be a lot cheaper. Eating in restaurants is very similar to over here. Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates are the obvious places. We haven’t been, but Old Dubai is supposed to be worth a trip with the souks, and many fake goodsavailable if you so desire.

Getting around is easy. Taxis are cheap enough and plentiful. They have card machines, but don’t really want to use them, so take some cash! Recommend using these to get to golf courses to play. The metro system is very good too, and quite cheap. If heading out shopping, it may be easier to use these as they have stations at both malls....enjoy the walk from the Dubai Mall station into the mall itself...!

Another thing to definitely do is go to the top of the Burj Khalifa. If you do go up, pre book and get the tickets to go to the very at her than just L125. It’s VIP’d then, and you skip the queues....as well as going much higher. It’s a bit more expensive, but definitely worth it.

If you want more info, or have more questions...feel free to PM me

Hope that all helps and makes sense!

 

[elliottlale]

Best tip i can give, is buy a 'Dubai Entertainer' book for your group, 1 will do. you save the money buying it on one round alone. they are great value!!! half price tickets for pretty much all the golf resorts there, but not the malvinas course at the emirates. Faldo course, fire course, creek, els etc are all 2 for 1 green fees. plus ou get coffee shop, ice cream parlours, restaurants, skiing vouchers. think it cost about £50, really is great

 

[rudebhoy]

haven't played golf there, but went last year and can give a few general tips.

If you are planning on doing the Burj, Groupon does the VIP tickets for less than the normal standard entry price. There is always a massive queue for standard admission, but if you've got VIP, you go straight in. You also get a soft drink and a snack.

If you are going to the Mall, go at night so you can see the waterfall show outside. The shops are boring, but the show is great.

Buy a Big Red Bus pass, good way to get round, and you get a cruise of the harbour and creek thrown in.

We stayed at the Hilton Jumeriah Beach. It's small compared to most hotels, but it does have it's own private beach which most don't. It also has an Executive Lounge which is worth paying extra for, given the price of drink in Dubai.

 

[Matty]

The majority of the golf courses are closer the Jumirah than the old centre of Dubai.

Centrally you've got Dubai Creek, but down by the Jumirah Palm you've got Emirates Hills (1 & 2), Jumirah Golf Estates and Trump International a bit further inland.

The monorail is good to get about to the Malls - the 2 big main ones are Mall of the Emirates and the Dubai Mall. Former has the indoor ski slope (I'm not kidding), the latter has the Burj Khalifa, fountains and Aquarium.

As said above, vouchers are really the way forward as retail prices can be inflated and the discounts make things much more reasonable - we bough emergency ice creams when last there as the kids were melting - £20 for 4 ice creams!!

 

[stevek1969]

I haven't been but my mate is just back he goes every year, his nephew has a summer membership for the Earth & Fire courses even as a guest he'd have been £200 for the Earth course, he played Trump which is not that long open and said it was fantastic think he was about £100 for that

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Some great tips and info there guys, thanks.

Wabinez, can you just book the golf through YGT or GolfBreaks or does it have to be the whole package?

The night golf is definitely one we want to do, saw a Finch and Shiels video on YouTube of them playing there and it looks fantastic.

 

[Wabinez]

Some great tips and info there guys, thanks.

Wabinez, can you just book the golf through YGT or GolfBreaks or does it have to be the whole package?

The night golf is definitely one we want to do, saw a Finch and Shiels video on YouTube of them playing there and it looks fantastic.

Fairly certain you can just book golf through them. They can put together a price for hotel and golf, with hotel of your choosing as well

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Fairly certain you can just book golf through them. They can put together a price for hotel and golf, with hotel of your choosing as well

We've found a pretty good flight and hotel deal on Lastminute.com (not booked yet) so if we can just get the golf through YGT etc that would be ideal. Will also see what they can do in terms of matching what we have already seen.

 

[mashleyR7]

You can book golf only through the big two but I found that by booking on the clubs own website was the same price when I went in 2015 and 16.

Dubai Creek, while an older course than the rest is a good track and shouldn't be discounted for being a little out of the way (back towards the airport)
The 6th tee box isn't quite 'amazing' but is a novelty teeing off from a raised island in the creek back on land. I agree that the last two holes will certainly test your nerve if you have a good score going! and luckily I managed a birdie par finish to end up on 39 points

Most of what has been posted above is cracking advice so I can't add much to that really.

When I went in June at the taxi driver said I was mad for playing golf in 45 degree heat!! In May we played a two ball at first light, first out, in a buggy, with a pack of beers and was round in just under 3 hours. Awesome.

Next time I go, The Earth, Trump and Monty courses will be played

 

[Dogma]

Big fan of Dubai but I've never played golf out there as I'm normally with just my wife and she'd murder me if I left her alone to play golf!

We're out there in January with my parents and my Father and I will be going to the Dubai Desert Classic.

Does anyone have any tips for attending it? Think we'll be there on the Friday!

 

[mashleyR7]

"Big fan of Dubai but I've never played golf out there as I'm normally with just my wife and she'd murder me if I left her alone to play golf!"

You must be a nicer bloke to spend time with than me as my wife encourages me to go and play, while she sun bathes. Even on our honeymoon ha ha.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

"Big fan of Dubai but I've never played golf out there as I'm normally with just my wife and she'd murder me if I left her alone to play golf!"

You must be a nicer bloke to spend time with than me as my wife encourages me to go and play, while she sun bathes. Even on our honeymoon ha ha.

That's why we go away as two couples - the girls are happy together shopping/beaches while we go golfing. A trip round a market for them usually lasts longer than a game of golf anyway.

 

[mashleyR7]

"That's why we go away as two couples"

It's why I married my wife ha ha

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Best tip i can give, is buy a 'Dubai Entertainer' book for your group, 1 will do. you save the money buying it on one round alone. they are great value!!! half price tickets for pretty much all the golf resorts there, but not the malvinas course at the emirates. Faldo course, fire course, creek, els etc are all 2 for 1 green fees. plus ou get coffee shop, ice cream parlours, restaurants, skiing vouchers. think it cost about £50, really is great

I second on The Entertainer. We had 10 days back in mid-late May this year - staying with my cousin on The Walk - Jumeira Beach. Don't go June, July, August - way way too hot to do anything very much and the beach is out of the question.

I didn't fancy The Palm at all - a nightmare to get on and off quite a lot of the time as access is only via the 'trunk' of the palm.

We did loads of great stuff - and had a great time. The Entertainer made it just about affordable. But putting aside what you can do, Dubai itself as a place very Marmite. Would I go back? Yes - but probably only because I get my accommodation free - and on The Walk you can't get a better location.

 

[Yant]

Been to Dubai dozens of times. My brother lived there for 15 years.

Some pointers, golf course-wise -

The Creek is the only golf course in the old town area. Everything else is located in the newer part of the city. But the creek is a great course.
The Montgomerie is a good track and one not usually played by visitors, but it's well worth a visit. Massive slopes on the greens!
Emirates Golf Club is excellent, haven't played the Faldo course (Which is also a night golf course) but i have played the Majilis one a few times. It's good but expensive.
The Jumeirah Golf Estates is nowhere near Jumeirah itself and it's nothing to do with the Jumeirah hotel that's next to the Burj. The Jumeirah Estates is a drive outside of the main city, but well worth the trip as the Earth and Fire courses are ace.
The one that no one seems to bother with is the 1 hour (or so) drive to is Yas Links in Abu Dhabi. It's the best one around and that most definitely IS worth the trip.

Hope this helps.

 

[Wabinez]

Been to Dubai dozens of times. My brother lived there for 15 years.

Some pointers, golf course-wise -

The Creek is the only golf course in the old town area. Everything else is located in the newer part of the city. But the creek is a great course.
The Montgomerie is a good track and one not usually played by visitors, but it's well worth a visit. Massive slopes on the greens!
Emirates Golf Club is excellent, haven't played the Faldo course (Which is also a night golf course) but i have played the Majilis one a few times. It's good but expensive.
The Jumeirah Golf Estates is nowhere near Jumeirah itself and it's nothing to do with the Jumeirah hotel that's next to the Burj. The Jumeirah Estates is a drive outside of the main city, but well worth the trip as the Earth and Fire courses are ace.
The one that no one seems to bother with is the 1 hour (or so) drive to is Yas Links in Abu Dhabi. It's the best one around and that most definitely IS worth the trip.

Hope this helps.

We tossed a coin about Abu Dhabi and chose Abu Dhabi Golf Club instead. I think the Eagle clubhouse tipped the balance!!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I wasn't going to play golf - but through my cuz I borrowed a set and played The Faldo at The Emirates and Jebel Ali (twice). JA is only 9 holes but there are three sets of tees setting quite different yardages and challenges - and it's quite a bit cheaper than The Emirates.

But as it wasn't a golf holiday my cousin organised loads of other stuff for us to do. We particularly enjoyed Brunch at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel - quite an experience.

 

[Yant]

Yep I’ve played Jebel Ali too. Greens are rock solid.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yep I’ve played Jebel Ali too. Greens are rock solid.

Indeed - I twigged that as I lobbed a ball into one of the greens to see it bounce way up in the air and into the lake close behind the green. But I liked it - and it's nice the local deer wandering about and other wildlife.