Al Badia Golf Club
Al Badia was one of Dubai's most admired city courses, a Robert Trent Jones II oasis design of about 7,303 yards laid out around lakes and waterfalls at Dubai Festival City beside the Creek. Opened in 2005, the championship layout has been closed to play since 2017, though the grounds are kept and a new RTJ II reversible short course and practice facility has since been added on adjacent land.
The verdict
Al Badia was, in its day, one of the most distinctive golf experiences in Dubai. Robert Trent Jones II built it on an oasis theme at Dubai Festival City, weaving the par 72 around a chain of lakes, streams and waterfalls just minutes from the airport and Downtown. It opened in 2005, quickly earned a strong reputation for conditioning and design, and hosted professional and amateur golf during its years in play.
What a traveling golfer needs to know today is that the original 18 hole championship course has been closed to play since 2017, when the land around it entered a longer redevelopment story. The grounds have continued to be maintained, and more recently Robert Trent Jones II returned to build a reversible short course and a large practice and learning facility on an adjacent parcel. We profile Al Badia for the record and because its status keeps changing, but anyone hoping to play the famous championship eighteen should confirm the current position directly before building a trip around it.
Al Badia Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 2005
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones II
- Type
- Oasis championship
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,303 yds
- Status
- 18 holes closed since 2017
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the architect and leading course databases; current status verified June 2026 from public reporting. Al Badia is a Robert Trent Jones II oasis design opened in 2005 at Dubai Festival City, a par 72 of about 7,303 yards from the back tees down to around 5,398 yards forward. The 18 hole championship course has been closed to play since 2017; the grounds are maintained, and RTJ II has since added a reversible short course and practice facility on adjacent land. Because the position has changed repeatedly, we do not quote a current green fee, and you should always confirm status, access and any pricing directly before planning a visit.
The course as it was built
The signature of Al Badia was water. Robert Trent Jones II routed the holes around interconnected lakes fed by streams and waterfalls, so the oasis theme was never decorative, it was the strategy. Carries over water, peninsula greens and lake edged fairways asked for nerve and accuracy, and the lush, tournament grade conditioning made it one of the more memorable parkland-style tests in a city better known for desert layouts.
From the championship tees it stretched to about 7,303 yards, a genuine test, while the forward decks at around 5,398 yards kept it playable for resort guests. Its proximity to the airport and Downtown, a short hop across the Creek, made it one of the most convenient premium rounds in Dubai during its years in play, which is part of why its closure has been so widely lamented by the city's golfers.
For golfers planning a Dubai trip today, the playable championship golf sits at the city's other venues. Build the week around the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club, the European Tour stage at Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth and the waterfront test at Dubai Creek across the water.
Current status and how to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Championship course | The original 18 hole RTJ II course has been closed to play since 2017 |
| Grounds | The course grounds have continued to be maintained since closure |
| New facility | RTJ II has added a reversible short course and a large practice and learning facility on adjacent land |
| Green fee | We do not quote a fee while the position is uncertain; confirm any current rates directly |
| Best alternative | For championship golf, play Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates or Dubai Creek nearby |
| Getting there | Dubai Festival City, about 2 km from the airport and roughly 15 minutes from Downtown Dubai |
Status verified June 2026 from public reporting and the architect. The situation at Al Badia has changed several times, so always confirm current status, access and any pricing directly before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Dubai Festival City has its own waterfront hotels, dining and the festival retail district beside Dubai Creek, and it remains a convenient, well connected base close to the airport. For a golf trip, most visitors stay there or in Downtown and the Marina, all within easy reach of the city's playable championship courses.
For a United Arab Emirates golf trip you can actually book today, pair the city's open venues such as the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Creek and the beachfront nine at Jebel Ali. See our Golf in the UAE hub and our best courses in Dubai ranking to shape the trip.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels near Dubai Festival City and the Creek.
Plan a Dubai golf trip around the open courses
Al Badia's championship course is not currently in play, so we route your Dubai week around the city's open venues and keep you posted if its status changes. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Al Badia Golf Club questions
Who designed Al Badia Golf Club?
Al Badia Golf Club was designed by Robert Trent Jones II, an oasis-themed par 72 of about 7,303 yards that opened in 2005 at Dubai Festival City.
Is Al Badia Golf Club still open?
The original 18 hole championship course has been closed to play since 2017. The grounds have been maintained, and Robert Trent Jones II has more recently built a reversible short course and practice facility on adjacent land. Always confirm current status and availability directly before planning a visit.
What is the par and length of Al Badia?
As built, the Al Badia championship course played to par 72 and measured about 7,303 yards from the back tees down to around 5,398 yards from the forward tees.
Where is Al Badia Golf Club?
Al Badia sits at Dubai Festival City beside Dubai Creek, about two kilometers from Dubai International Airport and roughly 15 minutes from Downtown Dubai.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; current status verified June 2026 from public reporting. Last reviewed June 2026.