Trump International Golf Club Dubai
Gil Hanse does not put his name to many new builds, which is reason enough to pay attention to this one. Opened in early 2017 at the center of the DAMAC Hills development, Trump International Golf Club Dubai is a links inspired par 71 of 7,229 yards, all wide corridors, bold green shaping and sandy desert edges, backed by the best practice campus in the city. Here is the verdict, the facts, the holes and how to get on.
Photograph: Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, via Google.
The verdict
Strip away the name on the gate and judge the golf: this is one of the most interesting modern courses in the Gulf. Hanse and Jim Wagner, the team later celebrated for the Rio Olympic course and their restorations of the great American championship venues, built a layout that plays like a desert links. The fairways are generous, the trouble is short grass and sand rather than water on every hole, and the greens, full of movement, run offs and tucked pins, do the defending.
That design philosophy makes it a different day out from Dubai's older resort courses. A capable player can keep the ball on the ground, chase approaches in and recover with a putter from off the green, while the 7,229 yard back tees and firm conditions give a low handicapper everything he can handle. Within half an hour are the Emirates Golf Club Majlis and the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which is exactly the company this course deserves on a Dubai itinerary.
Trump International Dubai at a glance
- Opened
- 2017
- Designers
- Hanse & Wagner
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 7,229 yds
- Type
- Desert links
- Green fee
- ~AED 895+ peak
Designer, opening and layout verified June 2026. The course was designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner and opened in early 2017 within the DAMAC Hills community. It plays as a par 71 of 7,229 yards from the championship tees. Indicative winter peak rack rates have been around AED 895 midweek and AED 995 at weekends, with lower summer and Emirates Golf Federation rates; pricing is dynamic and changes by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Hanse and Wagner's shaping is the show here. Tees, fairways and greens flow into each other without the hard edges that date so many desert courses, and the bunkering is big, ragged and structural rather than decorative. The landing areas are wide enough that every member of a group will enjoy the driving, but the angles matter: take the wrong half of the fairway and the contoured greens shrug an approach away into a collection area.
The par 3s give the round its rhythm, varied in length and direction, with run ups that allow a low, chasing shot, a rarity in the Gulf. The closing run brings water into play around the stadium scale clubhouse, and the floodlit academy means a group can settle their presses on the par 3 course after dark, which is a very Dubai way to end the day.
Conditioning is to the city's usual immaculate standard, with firm, fast surfaces that suit the design. It is golf built for repeat play: the kind of course where the second round, played with knowledge of the greens, is better than the first.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private members' club that welcomes visitors on a pay and play basis, with tee times bookable online or through the golf shop |
| Green fee | Indicative winter peak rack rates around AED 895 midweek and AED 995 weekends; Emirates Golf Federation members and summer visitors pay meaningfully less, with promotional rates seen around AED 595 to 695 |
| Booking | Book ahead for November to April, when morning times sell out; summer golf is excellent value if you take dawn or evening slots |
| On the day | Buggies with GPS, a floodlit range, large short game areas and a 9 hole par 3 academy course; standard Dubai golf dress applies |
| Getting there | At DAMAC Hills off Hessa Street, around 30 to 35 minutes from Dubai International airport and 25 minutes from the Marina |
| Best months | November to April for the classic Dubai winter window; May to September is very hot, with rates to match the thermometer |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
DAMAC Hills has its own hotel and villa rental options around the course, and the Radisson hotel inside the community puts you minutes from the first tee. Most visiting golfers base themselves at the Marina, JBR or on the Palm, all within a 25 to 35 minute transfer, where the beach resorts make the non golf half of a Dubai trip effortless.
A classic Dubai golf week pairs this course with the Majlis, the Dubai Hills Golf Club and the Earth Course, with a desert dinner or the Dubai Mall filling the rest days.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts across the Marina, the Palm and downtown Dubai.
Build a Dubai golf week
We arrange tee times at Trump International and pair it with the Majlis, Dubai Hills and the Earth Course, with a beach resort base and transfers, costed to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge does the rest, with no obligation.
Trump International Dubai questions
Who designed Trump International Golf Club Dubai?
The course was designed by Gil Hanse and his partner Jim Wagner, the team behind the Rio Olympic course and a string of celebrated restorations, and it opened in early 2017 at the heart of the DAMAC Hills development.
What par and length is Trump International Dubai?
The championship course is a par 71 of 7,229 yards from the back tees. Hanse and Wagner gave it a links inspired character, with wide landing areas, bold green shaping, run offs and sandy desert flanks instead of dense rough.
How much does it cost to play Trump International Dubai?
Indicative winter peak rack rates have been around AED 895 midweek and AED 995 at weekends, with Emirates Golf Federation members and summer visitors paying meaningfully less, sometimes in the AED 595 to 695 range. Rates are dynamic, so always confirm directly before booking.
Is Trump International Dubai open to visitors?
Yes. It is a private members' club that welcomes visiting golfers on a pay and play basis, with online tee time booking. Morning times in the November to April peak go quickly, so book ahead.
What practice facilities does the club have?
The club has one of the best practice setups in Dubai: a floodlit driving range, extensive short game areas and a 9 hole par 3 academy course, making it easy to warm up properly or bring a beginner along for the trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening date and layout verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.