Emirates Golf Club- Majilis Course.
Ranked · 6 courses · updated 2026

The Best Golf Courses in Dubai

Dubai turned desert into one of the world's great winter golf cities, with two DP World Tour courses, floodlit twilight rounds and clubhouses to match the skyline. From the Karl Litten course that started it all to Greg Norman's tour finale layout, here are the six we rate most highly, ranked, with our verdict on each and how to play it.

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By the GolfForKings editorial desk · How we rank · Last reviewed June 2026

Photograph: Emirates Golf Club- Majilis Course., Zsolt Sásdi, via Google

How we chose them

Golf in Dubai is barely forty years old, but the city has built one of the most concentrated collections of high quality, big budget courses anywhere, and it did it on sand. The story begins in 1988 with the first grass course in the Middle East, and since then Dubai has added a roster of signature layouts by Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Gil Hanse and Colin Montgomerie, two of which anchor the professional tour. What sets the city apart is the package: tournament pedigree, immaculate conditioning, floodlit golf after dark, world class hotels minutes from the first tee and a guaranteed dry winter. It is a short flight from Europe and a natural stopover from Asia, which is why it has become one of the most popular winter golf trips on earth.

We weighed design quality, conditioning, setting and tournament pedigree, and we favoured the courses that best reward a visiting golfer, all of which are open to play. Every fact here, from designers and opening years to yardages and host events, was checked at the time of writing. Where we mention green fees they are seasonal and indicative, and they run high in the winter peak, so always confirm directly before booking. The verdicts are ours, and the order reflects our editors' view rather than any single published list. If you want any of these built into a costed trip, that is what our concierge does.

The ranking

01

Emirates Golf Club, Majlis Course

Karl Litten, 1988 · Par 72, 7,301 yards · Emirates Hills

The course that started golf in the Gulf, the first grass course in the Middle East, a Karl Litten design opened in 1988 and named for the Arabic word for a meeting place. It has hosted the Dubai Desert Classic, now the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, since 1989, with a roll of champions that runs from Seve to Rory McIlroy. A par 72 of around 7,301 yards threading between desert sand and lakes beneath the wave shaped clubhouse, it remains the most historic and the most coveted round in the city.

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02

Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course

Greg Norman, 2009 · Par 72, 7,677 yards · Jumeirah Golf Estates

Dubai's modern championship benchmark, a Greg Norman design opened in 2009 and home ever since to the season ending DP World Tour Championship, the climax of the Race to Dubai. A par 72 stretching to some 7,677 yards through avenues of mature trees, lakes and a dramatic island fairway closing stretch, it is the most complete tournament test in the city and feels more like a tree lined parkland than a desert course. The biggest names in European golf settle the season here every November.

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03

Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Karl Litten, 1993 · Par 71, around 7,100 yards · Deira

The most photogenic setting in Dubai golf, a Karl Litten design from 1993 wrapped around a marina on the historic Creek, beneath a clubhouse shaped like the billowing sails of a dhow that has become a city landmark. A par 71 of around 7,100 yards, refreshed over the years, it offers waterside holes, downtown skyline views and a real sense of old and new Dubai meeting. Central, characterful and paired with a hotel and yacht club, it is a favourite for a one off round in the heart of the city.

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04

The Els Club Dubai

Ernie Els, 2008 · Par 72, 7,538 yards · Dubai Sports City

A genuine designer's course, laid out by the four time major champion Ernie Els and opened in 2008 in Dubai Sports City, a par 72 stretching to around 7,538 yards. Els drew on his love of links golf, with wide, rolling fairways, exposed sandy waste areas and large, contoured greens that put a premium on the ground game and shot shaping. Generously bunkered and beautifully presented, it is among the most strategic and admired modern courses in the city, and a strong DP World Tour venue in its own right.

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05

Trump International Golf Club Dubai

Gil Hanse, 2017 · Par 71, 7,229 yards · DAMAC Hills

The most acclaimed of Dubai's newer courses, designed by Gil Hanse, the architect behind the Rio Olympic course and a string of major restorations, and opened in 2017 at DAMAC Hills. A par 71 of around 7,229 yards, it leans on Hanse's links inspired style, with firm, rolling ground, rugged bunkering and a floodlit finishing stretch for night golf. Walkable, strategic and a clear step up in design ambition, it has quickly become one of the most respected rounds in the city.

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06

The Address Montgomerie Dubai

Colin Montgomerie and Desmond Muirhead · Par 72, 7,461 yards · Emirates Hills

A links flavoured desert course shaped by Colin Montgomerie with the late Desmond Muirhead, a par 72 of around 7,461 yards in Emirates Hills, attached to the Address hotel. It is best known for its enormous, dramatically bunkered par 3 thirteenth, said to be one of the largest single greens in the world, and for a generally bold, undulating style. Floodlit for twilight golf and minutes from the marina, it rounds out a Dubai itinerary with a course that does not lack for character.

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Designers, opening years, yardages and host events verified June 2026. All six are open to visiting golfers. Green fees are seasonal and indicative, and run high in the winter peak. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm fees, dress code and tee times directly before booking. Check tee time availability.

Play the best of Dubai

Tell us which of these are on your list and roughly when, and whether you want the tour courses, a city base or a hotel on the golf. One concierge arranges the tee times and hotel and costs the trip to the head, with no obligation.

Dubai golf questions

What is the best golf course in Dubai?

The Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club is our pick, the first grass course in the Middle East, a Karl Litten design from 1988 and the long time host of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour. Greg Norman's Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, home of the season ending DP World Tour Championship, is the other course at the top.

Which Dubai courses host the European Tour?

Two Dubai courses anchor the DP World Tour calendar. The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club hosts the Hero Dubai Desert Classic early in the year, a tournament played in Dubai since 1989, while the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates hosts the season ending DP World Tour Championship, the climax of the Race to Dubai. Both are playable by visitors outside tournament weeks.

When is the best time to play golf in Dubai?

The cooler months from November to April are the golf season in Dubai, with warm, dry days ideal for play and the two tour events bracketing the calendar. From June to September the heat is severe and many golfers play only at dawn or under floodlights. Winter is peak season, so book tee times and hotels well ahead.

Are Dubai golf courses open to visitors?

Yes. Dubai's courses are resort and daily fee layouts built for visiting golfers, with floodlit twilight golf, academies and high end clubhouses. Green fees at the championship courses are among the highest in the region, especially in peak winter season. Many courses set dress codes and tee time rules, so always confirm fees, dress code and availability directly before booking.

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Gulf course openings, Desert Classic and Race to Dubai news and the trips our concierge is quietly building. Every other week.

Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Last reviewed June 2026. We verify designers, opening years, yardages and host events at the time of writing and review them again on a schedule.