How to Play the Emirates Majlis
The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club is the most famous course in the Middle East, a Karl Litten design that opened in 1988 as the region's first all grass course and has hosted the Dubai Desert Classic since 1989. A par 72 of around 7,301 yards weaving through desert, lakes and palm groves beneath the Dubai skyline, it is, unlike the great private links of Britain, fully open to visitors. Here is exactly how to play it in 2026, what it costs, and when to go.
Photograph: Emirates Golf Club Majlis Course, Zsolt Sasdi, via Google
The short answer
Book online and turn up. The Majlis is a fully public, resort style course with no handicap ballot and no members only days, so you simply reserve a tee time through Dubai Golf, a tee time platform, or a trip planner as part of a Dubai golf week. Pricing is dynamic: the indicative 2026 green fee runs from around AED 995 off peak to around AED 1,100 at peak times, roughly 270 to 300 US dollars, with a buggy usually included, higher in the prime winter season and over the Desert Classic, and lower in the hot summer and at twilight. Smart golf attire is required. Always confirm current availability and fees directly before booking.
How to book, step by step
| Detail | 2026 position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Fully open to visitors, seven days | No handicap ballot or members only days |
| How to book | Online via Dubai Golf or a tee time platform | Or through a trip planner on a Dubai golf week |
| Dress code | Smart golf attire | Collared shirt and tailored shorts or trousers; soft spikes |
| Buggy | Usually included in the green fee | Caddies available; carts standard in the heat |
Access and booking details verified in June 2026 from Dubai Golf and tee time platform listings; they can change, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking. Check tee time availability.
Majlis green fees, 2026
| Period | Indicative 18 hole fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peak winter | Around AED 1,100, about 300 US dollars | November to April; best conditions, scarcest tee times |
| Off peak and shoulder | Around AED 995, about 270 US dollars | Lower demand days; buggy usually included |
| Summer and twilight | Lower than the winter rate | Very hot; play early morning or twilight slots |
| Desert Classic week | Premium and books out far ahead | Usually January; a special time to visit |
Green fees verified indicatively in June 2026 from Dubai Golf and tee time platform listings; dynamic pricing means the figure changes by season, day and time, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
The round, caddies and what to expect
The Majlis is the course every golfer recognises from January television, the European Tour's long running Dubai stop and the scene of Tiger Woods's famous early wins in the desert. Litten routed it through stands of date palm and around lakes, with generous landing areas off the tee that tighten into firm, fast greens, and a closing stretch built for drama: the reachable par 5 eighth, the lake guarded ninth, and the grandstand finish at the par 5 18th. The wind and the run on the fairways are the defences. A caddie or a forecaddie helps with lines and the desert carries, and a buggy is standard in the heat. It is resort golf of the highest order, demanding but fair, and a thrill to play.
When to go and what to pair it with
Play in the cool season from November to April for the best conditions and weather, accepting the peak fee and booking tee times well ahead, or take the summer for much lower rates and early or twilight starts to beat the heat. Dubai is the most concentrated golf city in the region, so pair the Majlis with the floodlit Faldo course alongside it, the Greg Norman designed Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates that hosts the season ending DP World Tour Championship, the Address Montgomerie, Jumeirah's other courses, and Yas Links and Saadiyat in neighbouring Abu Dhabi. A long weekend covers three or four marquee courses with short transfers. Build it that way for the complete Dubai golf trip.
Plan a Majlis and Dubai trip
We book the Majlis tee time you want, pair it with the best of the Dubai and Abu Dhabi courses, and match the golf to the right hotel and transfers so the week runs smoothly. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Emirates Majlis booking questions
How do you book a tee time at the Emirates Majlis?
Unlike the great private links of Britain, the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club is fully open to visitors and books like a resort course. You reserve a tee time online through Dubai Golf or a tee time platform, or through a trip planner as part of a Dubai golf week, with no handicap ballot or members only days. Smart golf attire is required and tee times in the cooler winter months go quickly, so book ahead. Always confirm current availability and rates directly before booking.
How much does it cost to play the Majlis in 2026?
The Majlis uses dynamic pricing, with an indicative 2026 green fee in the region of AED 995 off peak to around AED 1,100 at peak times, which is roughly 270 to 300 US dollars, higher in the prime winter season and over the Dubai Desert Classic, and lower in the hot summer months and twilight slots. Buggy is usually included. Treat these as indicative figures and always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Who designed the Majlis and what tournaments does it host?
The Majlis was designed by the American architect Karl Litten and opened in 1988 as the first all grass course in the Middle East. A par 72 of around 7,301 yards, it has hosted the Dubai Desert Classic, now the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, since 1989, and its island fairways, palm framed greens and the famous closing par 5 eighth and ninth are familiar from decades of European Tour television. Always confirm current course information directly before booking.
When is the best time to play the Majlis?
Play Dubai in the cool season from November to April, when daytime temperatures are pleasant and the course is in peak condition, which is also when green fees are highest and tee times scarcest. The summer, from May to September, is very hot, so play early morning or twilight and expect much lower rates. The Dubai Desert Classic, usually in January, is a wonderful time to visit but books out far ahead. Always confirm conditions and fees for your dates.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.