Emirates Golf Course, Dubai

[srixon 1]

It's hard to believe how much the landscape has changed around this golf course during the last 30 years. They must have used a fair bit of concrete and glass by the looks of all the skyscrapers there are. My first visit to the area was back in 1990 whilst serving in the navy. We used to berth at a place called Jebel Ali, which at the time was a massive container port. We used to travel the 20 miles to Dubai (for a night out in the hotel bars) in mini buses. During the journey between Jebel Ali and Dubai we saw nothing except for the Emirates golf course, lots of sand and a few camels. There was absolutely nothing else to see back then. At that time the course had only been open for two years, and only one Desert Classic had been played. At the time I was willing to pay the £50 green fee but nobody else was, so I never got to play there. My next, and last visit was 1996, and I still didn't get to play there as the green fees had gone absolutely stupid, and even I wasn't going to pay them. We played on the sand courses instead which was an experience.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I played the Faldo Course a couple of years back. Frankly as much as I enjoyed the condition of the course and the interest of the holes - I couldn't escape a feeling of playing surrounded by a building site. A member I was playing with pointed out on one of the holes how they had to shorten the hole by moving the tee forward something like 100yds as new house building was so close to the edge of the tee and LHS of the hole that too many balls were (or would be) flying into the houses...

Disappointing for my £150. I actually probably enjoyed more playing the much cheaper 9 hole Jebel Ali (resort) course a couple of times. Much quieter - loads of wildlife.

We were staying with my cousin in one of the Jumeirah Beach tower block apartments. IIRC there are about 40 of them (all 40+ storeys) and the lot went up in about two years. Apparently the objective for Dubai is to get to a population of 10,000,000 - as at that level they'll have a self-sustaining economic ecosystem.

 

[Depreston]

I played the Faldo Course a couple of years back. Frankly as much as I enjoyed the condition of the course and the interest of the holes - I couldn't escape a feeling of playing surrounded by a building site. A member I was playing with pointed out on one of the holes how they had to shorten the hole by moving the tee forward something like 100yds as new house building was so close to the edge of the tee and LHS of the hole that too many balls were (or would be) flying into the houses...

Disappointing for my £150. I actually probably enjoyed more playing the much cheaper 9 hole Jebel Ali (resort) course a couple of times. Much quieter - loads of wildlife.

We were staying with my cousin in one of the Jumeirah Beach tower block apartments. IIRC there are about 40 of them (all 40+ storeys) and the lot went up in about two years. Apparently the objective for Dubai is to get to a population of 10,000,000 - as at that level they'll have a self-sustaining economic ecosystem.

it's a tremendous resort that place and a canny 9 holer

i enjoyed playing night golf on the faldo course. some stunning back drops imo

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

it's a tremendous resort that place and a canny 9 holer

i enjoyed playing night golf on the faldo course. some stunning back drops imo

I can imagine the lights of the tower blocks and Burj Khalifa make a spectacular backdrop for night golf - nicer than during the day

 

[4LEX]

Early morning golf at The Emirates or Dubai Creek on a Friday before a massive brunch and all dayer

 

[Dogma]

I'm out here now watching the golf.

Have been coming out to Dubai every January for the last couple of years.

Did Abu Dhabi last year to see Brooks and DJ.

Absolutely love it and would move out here in a heartbeat, but my Wife couldn't leave the dog

 

[Wabinez]

I can imagine the lights of the tower blocks and Burj Khalifa make a spectacular backdrop for night golf - nicer than during the day

it is....but the Burj Khalifa is a good number of miles away from where the course is, and you can’t ‘really’ see it

 

[Aussie Swinger]

It's hard to believe how much the landscape has changed around this golf course during the last 30 years. They must have used a fair bit of concrete and glass by the looks of all the skyscrapers there are. My first visit to the area was back in 1990 whilst serving in the navy. We used to berth at a place called Jebel Ali, which at the time was a massive container port. We used to travel the 20 miles to Dubai (for a night out in the hotel bars) in mini buses. During the journey between Jebel Ali and Dubai we saw nothing except for the Emirates golf course, lots of sand and a few camels. There was absolutely nothing else to see back then. At that time the course had only been open for two years, and only one Desert Classic had been played. At the time I was willing to pay the £50 green fee but nobody else was, so I never got to play there. My next, and last visit was 1996, and I still didn't get to play there as the green fees had gone absolutely stupid, and even I wasn't going to pay them. We played on the sand courses instead which was an experience.

I was in the Navy too Srixon and can totally relate to your description above. I did a couple pof Armilla patrols from 1988 and Gulf War 1 in 1991. Was on the Manchester. Sometimes I would take the transport from Jebal Ali Freeport into Dubai just to get a KFC some evenings. Other nights getting blotto in Oancho Villas and some other Bars in the hotels. Can I ask what ship you was on back then. I remember a few of the boys playing Emirates not long after it opened. I did not play golf back then, but played footy for the ship and went on plenty of ‘Hash’ runs with the local expats.?good memories...

 

[srixon 1]

I was in the Navy too Srixon and can totally relate to your description above. I did a couple pof Armilla patrols from 1988 and Gulf War 1 in 1991. Was on the Manchester. Sometimes I would take the transport from Jebal Ali Freeport into Dubai just to get a KFC some evenings. Other nights getting blotto in Oancho Villas and some other Bars in the hotels. Can I ask what ship you was on back then. I remember a few of the boys playing Emirates not long after it opened. I did not play golf back then, but played footy for the ship and went on plenty of ‘Hash’ runs with the local expats.?good memories...

I was a member of the ship's Lynx flight on HIS Jupiter. We were in Mombassa on R&R when Iraq invaded Kuwait so we were called straight back to the gulf area to do patrols.