Muscat Hills

The verdict

Muscat Hills broke new ground in Oman, opening in 2009 as the country's first 18 hole grass course. Paul Thomas, of David Thomas and Associates, routed the holes across 45 hectares of natural wadi terrain on the edge of the capital, using the rugged escarpments and dry watercourses as the framework for the design rather than fighting them.

It is a par 72 of nearly 7,000 yards, with generous fairways set between the wadi banks and approach shots that often play across rough desert ground to greens framed by the sea on one side and the Al Hajar mountains on the other. The setting is the headline, a striking contrast of green turf, bare rock and Gulf water. The course closed in 2020 and reopened in October 2023 under the LA VIE Club name, so a visiting golfer should book under the current branding and confirm access and rates before travelling.

The holes worth the trip

Muscat Hills is a desert course in the truest sense, the turf laid like a green ribbon through the natural wadi system. Off the tee the fairways are reasonably wide, but the wadi escarpments punish the wayward shot, and several approaches must carry rough desert ground to reach the putting surfaces. The greens are quick and the wind off the Gulf is a regular factor.

The setting does much of the work. With the Sea of Oman on one flank and the bare ridges of the Al Hajar mountains rising behind, the course offers some of the most dramatic backdrops in Gulf golf, and the elevation changes give a string of holes played down toward the water. It is scenery that lifts an honest, playable layout into a memorable round.

Its place in Omani golf history is secure as the first grass course in the country, and its position close to the international airport makes it an easy round to slot into a wider Gulf itinerary. Conditioning has varied through the closure and the relaunch as the LA VIE Club, so it is worth confirming the current state of play when you book.

Where to stay nearby

Most visiting golfers base themselves along the Muscat coast, where the capital's resort hotels sit on the beaches between the mountains and the sea, a short drive from the course. A Muscat base pairs the golf with the souqs, the grand mosque and the dramatic coastal drives that define the city.

For a golf focused stay, the hotels near the airport and the Al Mouj marina keep the tee times within easy reach and slot neatly around early starts. Oman pairs well with a wider Gulf trip, an unhurried, scenic counterpoint to the higher rise golf of its neighbours.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Muscat Hills.