The Best Golf for a Buddies Trip in Dubai
Winter sun, tour venues, floodlit night golf and a city built for an evening out: Dubai is one of the great cold weather escapes for a group. The best courses sit within a short drive of one another and the hotels. These are the six rounds we would build a Dubai buddies trip around.
Photo: Emirates Golf Club, Majlis via Google.
How we chose
Dubai is made for a winter buddies trip. The marquee courses are tour venues in immaculate condition, the transfers are short, the hotels and nightlife are a few minutes away, and several clubs offer floodlit golf so a group can add a twilight nine. Our ranking rewards the courses that combine genuine championship pedigree with the easy access and big city energy that make a Dubai trip what it is.
We weighed design and tournament history, conditioning, the strength of the clubhouse experience and how readily a visiting group can get on. Dubai delivers on all of it, from the course where the Desert Classic is decided to the home of the DP World Tour Championship. Designers and tournament history were verified at the time of writing; green fees vary by season and time of day, so always confirm directly before booking.
Reviewed June 2026 by the GolfForKings editorial desk. How we research and rank.
The ranking
1. Emirates Golf Club, Majlis Course
The original and still the best. Karl Litten's Majlis was the first grass course in the Middle East when it opened in 1988, and it has hosted the Dubai Desert Classic since 1989, where the par 5 18th over water has decided so many titles. It is a fair, strategic and beautifully conditioned desert course framed by the city skyline, with a floodlit loop for evening play. The non negotiable round of any Dubai trip.
2. Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course
The season ending stage of the DP World Tour. Greg Norman's Earth course is a lush, tree lined, American style championship test of water, bold bunkering and a dramatic par 5 18th that the world's best play for the Race to Dubai each November. It is a real examination from the back tees and the most prestigious round a visiting group can play, immaculate from first tee to last.
3. Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
The most photogenic golf in the city. Set on the old creek beneath the famous sail shaped clubhouse, Dubai Creek pairs a recently redesigned championship layout with a marina, hotel and skyline backdrop. It is central, stylish and endlessly enjoyable for a group, the kind of round that ends with lunch on the water and the whole trip feeling like a celebration.
4. The Els Club
Ernie Els designed this big, links inspired desert course at Dubai Sports City with wide fairways, run offs and large, fast greens that reward the thinking player. It has hosted the Desert Classic and offers floodlit golf, and the relaxed, golf focused clubhouse makes it a group favourite, a serious test that never feels stuffy.
5. Dubai Hills Golf Club
The modern member's favourite. European Golf Design opened Dubai Hills in 2018, blending classic and contemporary ideas across rolling ground with the Burj Khalifa on the horizon. It is generous enough to be fun for all standards but clever enough to test the better player, and the stylish clubhouse and central location make it an easy, high quality addition to any itinerary.
6. Trump International Golf Club Dubai
A bold, dramatic Gil Hanse design at Damac Hills, full of rugged bunkering, sharp run offs and a striking modern clubhouse. It is fully floodlit for night golf and offers a different, more muscular test than the older courses, a strong choice for a group wanting a marquee evening round under lights to round out the trip.
When to go and what it costs
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Nov to Dec | Prime season. Warm, dry days and cool evenings, with the Desert Classic and Tour Championship buzz; book early |
| Jan to Mar | Peak golf weather. Comfortable temperatures and the best conditions of the year, the classic window for a group |
| Apr to May | Warming up. Still very playable, especially early morning, with rates beginning to ease as summer approaches |
| Jun to Sep | Very hot. Dawn tee times or floodlit evening golf only; best paired with the pool and the city rather than a full schedule |
Package guide. Dubai is a premium destination. Indicative 2026 peak season green fees at the marquee courses run from roughly 800 to 1,400 dirhams a round, and a four to six night buddies trip with several rounds, a good hotel and transfers commonly runs from around $2,500 to $5,500 per golfer, before flights, depending on the hotel tier. These are third party ranges, not our prices, and you should always confirm directly before booking.
Booking individual rounds? See our recommended tee time partner for the Dubai courses.
Plan a Dubai buddies trip
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and how many are in the group, and one concierge secures the tee times across the best courses, matches you to the right hotel and costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
Dubai buddies trip questions
What is the best golf course for a buddies trip in Dubai?
The Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club, a Karl Litten design that has hosted the Dubai Desert Classic since 1989, is the headline round and the first grass course in the Middle East. Greg Norman's Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, host of the DP World Tour Championship, is its closest rival.
When is the best time for a golf trip to Dubai?
November to April is the golf season, with warm, dry, comfortable days and cool evenings. Summer from June to September is extremely hot, so play is limited to dawn or under floodlights. The prime winter months book up early, especially around the Dubai Desert Classic.
Can you play golf at night in Dubai?
Yes. Several Dubai clubs, including Emirates Golf Club and The Els Club, offer floodlit nine hole loops for evening golf, a popular option in the warmer months and a fun way for a group to add a twilight round after a relaxed day.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers and tournament history verified June 2026 from the clubs and leading sources; green fees indicative for the 2026 season, always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.