Doha Golf Club
Peter Harradine carved Doha Golf Club out of the raw Qatari desert and opened it in 1997, the first grass course in the country and one of the first in the Gulf. A par 72 of about 7,374 yards from the tips, floodlit and threaded between rock outcrops and eight artificial lakes, it has hosted European and DP World Tour golf for decades.
Photo: Doha Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Peter Harradine designed Doha Golf Club on a stark stretch of desert north of the city, and when it opened in 1997 it gave Qatar its first true grass course. The Championship eighteen runs to about 7,374 yards, par 72, framed by towering coral rock formations, mature date palms and a chain of lakes that bring water into play across the back nine.
It is a resort style championship test rather than a links, and the contrast is the point: emerald fairways set against bare desert and floodlit for night golf to beat the Gulf heat. The course staged the Qatar Masters for many years and remains a fixture of the regional tour calendar, which keeps the conditioning sharp and the greens quick. For a visiting golfer building a Gulf trip, it is the established marquee round in Qatar, easy to reach and open to play.
Doha Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1997
- Designer
- Peter Harradine
- Type
- Desert championship
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,374 yds
- Green fee
- From about QAR 700
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Doha Golf Club and leading course databases. Harradine built the course between 1994 and 1996 and it opened in 1997, a par 72 of about 7,374 yards on the Championship layout, with a separate nine hole Academy course alongside. Indicative high season visitor green fees ran around QAR 700 on weekdays to QAR 850 at weekends in 2025 with a cart, and prices change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Doha is a course of two moods. The front nine plays across more open desert ground, generous off the tee but exposed to the wind that funnels in off the Gulf, while the back nine tightens as the lakes and the dramatic rock formations come into the picture. The Bermuda fairways run firm and the greens, kept quick for tournament weeks, ask for committed pace.
The closing stretch is where the course shows its tournament pedigree, water guarding several approaches and the breeze rarely letting up. The par 3s are strong and varied, and the reachable and unreachable par 5s give the round its rhythm. Course management matters more than raw length here: keep the ball below the hole and respect the wind, and the scorecard stays honest.
Night golf is part of the appeal. The Championship course is floodlit, so a late afternoon start can roll into a cooler twilight finish, a genuinely different way to experience desert golf. Pair that with the resort practice facilities and the big traditional Arabic clubhouse and Doha works as a relaxed, polished round at the center of a Gulf itinerary.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Open to visitors and resort guests; advance booking recommended, especially for the Championship course |
| Green fee | Indicative 2025 high season around QAR 700 on weekdays to QAR 850 at weekends, cart included; lower in summer and off peak |
| Booking | Reserve online or through the golf shop; tee sheets fill around tournament weeks and cooler months |
| On the day | Buggy is standard in the heat; soft spikes and collared shirts; the Academy nine suits a warm up or a shorter round |
| Getting there | West Bay area, about 20 minutes from central Doha and Hamad International Airport |
| Best months | November to April for comfortable daytime temperatures; floodlit twilight golf eases the heat year round |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from Doha Golf Club and tee time resellers; rates are indicative and move with season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers base themselves in Doha's West Bay or along the Pearl, both a short drive from the course and full of international hotels, dining and the marina life that defines the modern city. A West Bay base keeps the golf, the souqs and the airport all within easy reach.
For a golf focused stay, the lagoon and beach resorts north of the center pair well with early tee times, and the compact geography of Qatar means day trips to the dunes and the desert coast slot neatly around a round. Doha works best as the anchor of a wider Gulf trip taking in the region's other marquee courses.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Doha Golf Club.
Build a Qatar golf trip
We pair a round at Doha Golf Club with the best of the Gulf, secure tee times around the heat of the day, and book the lodging and logistics around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Doha Golf Club questions
Who designed Doha Golf Club and when did it open?
Doha Golf Club was designed by Peter Harradine and opened in 1997, the first grass golf course in Qatar, with the Championship course built between 1994 and 1996.
What is the par and length of Doha Golf Club?
The Championship course is a par 72 of about 7,374 yards from the back tees, set across desert terrain with rock formations and lakes, and there is a separate nine hole Academy course.
Can visitors play Doha Golf Club?
Yes. Doha Golf Club welcomes visitors and resort guests; advance booking is recommended, and indicative high season green fees ran around QAR 700 to QAR 850 in 2025 with a cart. Always confirm directly before booking.
Does Doha Golf Club have night golf?
Yes. The Championship course is floodlit, so a late afternoon start can finish under lights, a popular way to play in the cooler evening and beat the Gulf heat.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.