Golf in Qatar
Two championship courses, a European Tour pedigree and a modern Gulf city built for a short, sharp golf break. Doha Golf Club and Olazabal's Education City, the Qatar Masters, the winter season, the costs and how to plan it.
Photograph: Doha Golf Club, Doha Golf Club, via Google
Why golf in Qatar
Qatar is a compact, high quality golf destination rather than a sprawling one. The country has two championship courses, both in Doha, and both good enough to have staged the Qatar Masters on the European Tour, now the DP World Tour. That tournament pedigree, a guaranteed winter climate and a city that has poured a fortune into hotels, museums and dining make Doha an easy long weekend or a one stop addition to a wider Gulf trip. You are not coming for variety in the way you would to Dubai, but for two serious rounds wrapped in five star comfort.
The original Doha Golf Club, a Peter Harradine desert design from 1996, set the standard, with floodlit holes and the Qatar Masters in its history. Education City Golf Club, a Jose Maria Olazabal design that opened in 2019, raised the bar again, a lush, strategic layout around a dozen man made lakes with short and par 3 courses alongside. Between them they give the travelling golfer a genuine two course winter break, and Doha's position a short flight from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain makes it a natural leg on a longer Gulf itinerary.
How to think about a Qatar golf trip
The championship golf
Two tournament courses in Doha, the Harradine desert classic at Doha Golf Club and the modern, water laced Olazabal layout at Education City, both former Qatar Masters hosts.
The city break
Doha's Corniche, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Souq Waqif and a glut of five star hotels, a polished, easy city that turns two rounds into a complete short trip.
The Gulf add-on
A short flight from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, so Qatar slots neatly into a wider Gulf golf tour or works as a focused two course winter escape.
The courses that matter
Doha Golf Club
The original Qatari championship course, a true desert design by Peter Harradine with rugged sand and rock framing manicured fairways, floodlit holes for evening play and a long history of hosting the Qatar Masters. The signature stretch around the rocky outcrops is the most photographed golf in the country.
Education City Golf Club
The modern showpiece, a Jose Maria Olazabal design woven around a dozen man made lakes with far more vegetation than a typical desert course, plus a six hole championship loop and a floodlit nine hole par 3 alongside. Strategic and immaculate, and a recent host of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Designers, pars and yardages verified June 2026. Education City also offers shorter and floodlit par 3 options for evening golf. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| December to February | Warm, dry, comfortable days, cool evenings | Peak golf season, the best time to travel, book ahead |
| October, November, March, April | Warm to hot but very playable | Excellent shoulder golf with better value |
| May to September | Extreme heat, often above 40 degrees | Golf limited to dawn or floodlit evenings, avoid for a trip |
Qatar is a winter sun destination. The Qatar Masters has traditionally been played in the cooler months, which tells you when the courses are at their best. Travel between October and April.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Championship green fee | Around QAR 650, roughly $165 to $180 | Doha Golf Club, Education City similar |
| Short and floodlit par 3 | Lower | Six hole and nine hole par 3 options at Education City |
| A long weekend, all in | Around €1,800 to €3,500 per person | 5 star hotel, two rounds, transfers, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Hamad International Airport in Doha is one of the best connected hubs in the world, with Qatar Airways flying direct from across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, which makes Qatar unusually easy to reach and to fold into a wider trip. Both championship courses sit within the Doha metropolitan area, a short taxi or transfer from the city hotels, so you do not need a hire car for the golf. Doha is also a short flight from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, so adding a second Gulf country to the trip is straightforward. Taxis and ride hailing cover the city comfortably between rounds.
Where to stay
Doha's hotel stock is among the most luxurious anywhere, concentrated along the Corniche, in the West Bay towers and on the Pearl, with the Education City course set in the inland university district. Base in West Bay or on the Pearl for the views, the dining and easy transfers to both courses, or choose a resort with a beach if you want pool time between rounds. For a two course winter break the city centre is the simplest base; for a Gulf tour, pick the hotel that best links your onward flights.
Plan your Qatar golf trip
Tell us whether you want a focused Doha two course break or a wider Gulf tour, and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Qatar golf questions
How many golf courses are there in Qatar?
Two championship courses, both in Doha. The Peter Harradine designed Doha Golf Club opened in 1996 and the Jose Maria Olazabal designed Education City Golf Club opened in 2019, the latter with short and par 3 courses alongside. Both have hosted the Qatar Masters.
When is the best time to play golf in Qatar?
October to April, when the desert heat eases to warm and dry, with December to February the peak. The summer from May to September is extremely hot and golf is limited to dawn or floodlit evenings. Travel in winter.
How much does golf cost in Qatar in 2026?
Indicative 2026 championship green fees are around QAR 650, roughly $165 to $180, at Doha Golf Club, with Education City similar and shorter options priced lower. Always confirm directly before booking.
Can you combine Qatar with Dubai for golf?
Yes. Doha is a short flight from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, so Qatar works well as one stop on a wider Gulf golf trip or as a focused two course winter break in its own right.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, pars and yardages verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.