Dubai golf

[Harley-D]

Watching this lovely tournament and the constant references to this “beautiful part of the world” I am struck by the Manhattan like skyline as a backdrop. Is it just me but what is going on in those buildings? Are they even occupied? Love to know

 

[HomerJSimpson]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1486036210472660993

Its changed a bit

 

[Boomy]

I’d say they’ll be offices and apartments ? Been there, but never really paid much attention to what they were used for - I was too busy sweatin me bollards off ??

 

[Wabinez]

the Dubai skyline you see from the golf course is mainly Dubai marina. There are hotels, apartment blocks and some
offices.

actual downtown Dubai is a couple of miles up the road from there

 

[4LEX]

The third tallest building in the picture does a great bottomless brunch

 

[Dando]

The third tallest building in the picture does a great bottomless brunch

You don’t wear pants or trousers? Surely you’d get arrested

 

[4LEX]

You don’t wear pants or trousers? Surely you’d get arrested

If you saw the girls at these brunches I don't think your trousers would stay on for too long

Although you definitely don't want to be arrested in Dubai.

 

[HeftyHacker]

If you saw the girls at these brunches I don't think your trousers would stay on for too long

Although you definitely don't want to be arrested in Dubai.

No you do not. Pal of mine did exactly that and spent 6 months in a Dubai clink for falling asleep in a club and not reacting too well to the bouncer waking him up (nothing too bad, just a shove from the surprise). He got led out by the bouncers and the police were outside the club and arrested him for being drunk.

The bouncer in question actually made regular visits to him in jail to make sure he was being treated well!

Edit: but the brunches are incredible for many many reasons.

 

[Harley-D]

So that confirms it. Nobody knows. My guess is that the office towers are mostly empty

 

[Deleted member 23270]

So that confirms it. Nobody knows. My guess is that the office towers are mostly empty

So this thread isn't about Dubai golf, it's about Dubai real estate?

 

[HeftyHacker]

So that confirms it. Nobody knows. My guess is that the office towers are mostly empty

Yup thats the only possible conclusion to draw from the fact nobody on a largely UK based golf forum knows.

 

[Mike79]

I lived in Dubai for 3 or so years (2007-2010) or so and much of what you see in the recent photo above was built then - there is a mix of hotels, offices and residential in the photos you see. The yellow-ish buildings in the background/furthest left of the photo are Jumeirah Beach Residences and mostly residential. When I was there, the apartment buildings weren't anywhere near full, particularly after the financial crash in 2008. Office blocks were reasonably busy though throughout. Lots of on paper investments in Dubai - buy property, hold it, sell when the market rises and people never lived in them / rented them (in the 3 years we lived on The Palm, the apartment next door sold twice but nobody was ever in it). A significant amount of cash purchases too - when we bought our place and were in the sales office doing the paperwork, there was a guy at the next table with 2 big guys standing behind him, continually loading more bundles of notes out of briefcases into one of those note counting machines...

And seeing as this is a golf forum... I didn't play much on the Emirates Majilis course when there, mostly on the Emirates Wadi ("Faldo") course which had a summer membership offer (much like in UK when it is too cold and people don't play as much and fees are lower, in the Dubai summer people don't play because of the heat... except tight people like me who jumped at the summer membership offer and got in a regular 6-7 rounds a week!). Played Abu Dhabi National a few times through work events which was great, Dubai Creek once but didn't enjoy it for some reason. Jebel Ali was a nice trek which I believe has changed quite a bit since I was there as the hotel / area grew. The Montgomerie is nice, and the little floodlit par 3 course was good for an evenings fun. Arabian Ranches was popular with the ex pats who lived there (handy for international schools etc) and was more realistically priced compared to other courses. Heading North up to Al Hamra was a great course in the middle of nowhere, but watching Golfmates on Youtube shows me it too has become far more developed (...plus the booze warehouse nearby made it a worthwhile day trip)

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The third tallest building in the picture does a great bottomless brunch

Cost you over £100 a head though (5 yrs ago), more if you add alcohol (unlimited). We we bottomless brunch in the Jumeirah Beach hotel...spectacular in every way.

Played Emirates Montgomery and Jebel Ali. Latter was fun though only 9 holer when I played it Former as a great course to play in immaculate condition but just too built up around it for my liking.

Btw...Dubai ...interesting but I'd not pay to go back...just too gross for me. Though it was nice staying free for a week as a cousin lived in Jumeirah Beach residences. Bonkers how quickly these 40-odd 40+ storey residential blocks spring up out of the sand.

 

[srixon 1]

My first visit there was in 1990 and the only things to be seen between JebelAli and Dubai was the desert and the golf course which had not been open long. Someone has made a lot of money there selling concrete.
Does anybody know if the sand courses are still used?

 

[need_my_wedge]

The third tallest building in the picture does a great bottomless brunch

When I first went to Japan, there used to be a type of cafe called “No-pan kissa”. Not sure how or why they ever came into being. I never visited and I don’t think there are any left these days.

 

[4LEX]

No you do not. Pal of mine did exactly that and spent 6 months in a Dubai clink for falling asleep in a club and not reacting too well to the bouncer waking him up (nothing too bad, just a shove from the surprise). He got led out by the bouncers and the police were outside the club and arrested him for being drunk.

The bouncer in question actually made regular visits to him in jail to make sure he was being treated well!

Edit: but the brunches are incredible for many many reasons.

I can well believe that. I had a close escape involving a taxi driver who refused to take me from The Atlantis to another hotel on The Palm as it was too short. He'd obviously spent ages in the queue and didn't want a 2 minute fare. Ironically I was coming out of another bottomless brunch with some Emirates crew and one of them saved me from a fate similar to your friend!

That's a nice touch from the bouncer. How did your mate find it? What was the make up of the jail?

Totally agree, they're essentially lunches with endless drinks that turn into a night out. The food is incredible.

 

[4LEX]

Cost you over £100 a head though (5 yrs ago), more if you add alcohol (unlimited). We we bottomless brunch in the Jumeirah Beach hotel...spectacular in every way.

Played Emirates Montgomery and Jebel Ali. Latter was fun though only 9 holer when I played it Former as a great course to play in immaculate condition but just too built up around it for my liking.

Btw...Dubai ...interesting but I'd not pay to go back...just too gross for me. Though it was nice staying free for a week as a cousin lived in Jumeirah Beach residences. Bonkers how quickly these 40-odd 40+ storey residential blocks spring up out of the sand.

It's worth it though, fantastic food, views and service.

Dubai is like marmite, it's not for everyone but a great place for a long weekend!

 

[HeftyHacker]

I can well believe that. I had a close escape involving a taxi driver who refused to take me from The Atlantis to another hotel on The Palm as it was too short. He'd obviously spent ages in the queue and didn't want a 2 minute fare. Ironically I was coming out of another bottomless brunch with some Emirates crew and one of them saved me from a fate similar to your friend!

That's a nice touch from the bouncer. How did your mate find it? What was the make up of the jail?

Totally agree, they're essentially lunches with endless drinks that turn into a night out. The food is incredible.

Yeah, I myself had a close brush after getting far too drunk at the brunch at the westin, they shut all the shutters on the bar and turned it into a club. I tumbled out about 6pm and couldn't name anywhere but the burj al Arab. Taxi driver took me there and I got out without having a clue where I was.

Settled onto a bench and thought I would spend the night there before a concierge shook me awake and said "please sir, don't sleep there".

Eventually found my mates but it only really hit me the next day how close I got to ending up somewhere I really didn't want to.

My mate seemed to come out of it alright tbh, although he is the kind of bloke who you can imagine being the prison boss. I haven't asked too much about it and he's understandably not too forthcoming with details. He ended up banned from the UAE for a further 18 months so moved to Qatar instead.

 

[i*windows]

not sure it is a 'beautiful part of the world', I was lucky enough to play 15 years ago at night time and that was a fantastic experience. If you want beautiful then Omega European Masters - Crans-Montana - 26-29.08.2021 is the way to go ;-)

 

[sunshine]

not sure it is a 'beautiful part of the world', I was lucky enough to play 15 years ago at night time and that was a fantastic experience. If you want beautiful then Omega European Masters - Crans-Montana - 26-29.08.2021 is the way to go ;-)

I agree, an empty desert, now filled with skyscrapers and other artificial construction, has never wowed me as a beauty spot.