Golf in the UAE
Floodlit fairways, tournament courses and winter sun, from the Emirates Majlis and Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai to the first true links in the Gulf at Yas in Abu Dhabi. The courses that matter, the emirates, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Emirates Golf Club, Emirates Golf Club, via Google
Why golf in the UAE
In forty years the United Arab Emirates has gone from desert to one of the most polished golf destinations on earth. It began in 1988 when the Emirates Golf Club's Majlis became the first grass course in the Middle East, and the country now stages two of the biggest events on the DP World Tour, the Dubai Desert Classic at the Majlis and the season ending DP World Tour Championship on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The conditioning is immaculate, the clubhouses are lavish, and the whole machine is built around the travelling golfer, with caddies, buggies and floodlights as standard.
What makes the UAE a great trip is the concentration of quality and the certainty of the weather. From November to March the days are warm and dry and the courses are at their tournament best, while Dubai and Abu Dhabi pair the golf with some of the finest hotels, restaurants and beaches in the world. Abu Dhabi added the first genuine links in the region when Kyle Phillips built Yas Links on the Gulf shore, and Ras Al Khaimah in the north now offers a quieter, lower priced alternative an hour from Dubai. It is premium golf, but it delivers.
The emirates
Dubai
The hub of the country's golf, home to the Emirates Majlis, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Creek and Trump International, all within a short transfer of the beach hotels and the city. See our dedicated Dubai guide for the detail.
Abu Dhabi
The capital holds Yas Links, the region's best course, plus the National course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and the beachfront Saadiyat, a calmer, more spacious base 90 minutes from Dubai.
The Northern Emirates
Ras Al Khaimah, an hour north of Dubai, offers the lagoon golf of Al Hamra and a quieter, better value stay against a backdrop of mountains and the Gulf.
The courses that matter
Yas Links, Abu Dhabi
The first true links in the Middle East and widely ranked the country's best, with eight holes running along the Gulf shore beside the Yas Marina circuit. Firm, rumpled and genuinely strategic, the connoisseur's pick.
Emirates Golf Club, Majlis
The first grass course in the Middle East and the long time home of the Dubai Desert Classic, famous for the reachable par 5 18th beneath the wave shaped clubhouse. The historic heart of UAE golf.
Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth
A tree lined, American style championship course that hosts the DP World Tour Championship every November as the Race to Dubai reaches its climax, with a dramatic water guarded 18th.
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, National
A long time European Tour host with its landmark falcon shaped clubhouse, a generous, well bunkered desert course that has seen many of the game's biggest names lift a trophy.
Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
An iconic city course beside the creek, with the sail shaped clubhouse on the skyline and the marina alongside, central, polished and a fixture of any Dubai golf trip.
Trump International, Dubai
A Gil Hanse design with bold contours and a striking clubhouse, one of the more modern and dramatic tests in the city, floodlit for evening play.
Saadiyat Beach, Abu Dhabi
A beachfront course where gazelles roam and several holes run along the dunes above the sea, the most scenic round in the capital and a relaxed resort base.
Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah
A links style layout threaded between lagoons and the Gulf an hour north of Dubai, the standout of the quieter, better value Northern Emirates, often played under lights.
Designers and host history verified June 2026. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| November to March | Warm, dry days, cooler evenings, courses at their best | Prime season, book the tournament courses well ahead |
| October and April | Hotter but very playable, fewer crowds | Shoulder months with slightly softer rates |
| May to September | Severe heat, often above 40 degrees by day | Dawn rounds and floodlit twilight only, lowest prices |
Floodlights mean evening golf is part of the culture here, a real bonus in the warmer months when an early morning or a twilight round is the comfortable way to play.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee peak green fee | Around 800 to 1,200 dirhams, about US$220 to $330 | Yas Links, Majlis and Jumeirah Earth in winter |
| Twilight and summer | Substantially lower | Evening and off season rates fall sharply |
| A week, all in | Around US$3,000 to $6,000 per person | Four or five star hotel, transfers and several rounds, 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
Dubai International is one of the busiest hubs in the world, with direct flights from almost everywhere and the marquee courses within 20 to 40 minutes of the beach hotels. Abu Dhabi has its own well connected airport, closer to Yas Links and Saadiyat, and the two cities are linked by a fast 90 minute motorway, so a trip can comfortably take in both. Transfers are easy: taxis and ride hailing are cheap and plentiful, though many groups arrange a driver or a hire car to move between courses and emirates without fuss. Ras Al Khaimah is about an hour north of Dubai by road.
Where to stay
In Dubai, a beach hotel on the Jumeirah or Palm coast pairs the golf with the sand and the restaurants, while a Marina or Downtown base puts you closer to the city and Dubai Creek. In Abu Dhabi, the Yas Island and Saadiyat hotels sit right by the best courses and offer a calmer stay. Ras Al Khaimah suits a quieter, better value leg with the Al Hamra resorts on the doorstep. The choice really comes down to whether you want city buzz, beach resort or desert calm, and one planner can line up the right base for each part of the trip.
Plan your UAE golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
UAE golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in the UAE?
November to March is the prime golf season, with warm, dry days, cooler evenings and the tournament courses in peak condition. October and April are still very playable and a little cheaper. From May to September the heat is severe, regularly above 40 degrees Celsius, and golf is limited to dawn rounds and floodlit twilight play.
What is the best golf course in the UAE?
Yas Links in Abu Dhabi, the region's first true links by Kyle Phillips, is widely ranked the number one course in the country. The Emirates Majlis in Dubai, host of the Dubai Desert Classic, and the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, host of the DP World Tour Championship, are the other marquee names. Many trips combine two or three of them.
How much does a golf trip to the UAE cost in 2026?
The UAE is a premium destination. Indicative 2026 peak winter green fees at the marquee courses run from roughly 800 to 1,200 dirhams, around US$220 to $330, with twilight and summer rates much lower. A week with a four or five star hotel, transfers and several rounds typically lands between US$3,000 and $6,000 per head. Always confirm directly before booking.
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The Tee Sheet
Gulf course openings, tournament week tips and the winter sun trips worth taking. One considered email every other week.