A compact island kingdom with a Colin Montgomerie championship course, floodlit evening golf and an easy hop from Dubai or Doha. Bahrain is the quiet, cultured alternative to the Gulf's louder golf capitals.
Photograph: Royal Golf Club via Google
Bahrain suits the golfer who wants Gulf winter sun without the scale and crowds of Dubai. The golf is concentrated, the island is small enough to cross in under an hour, and the pace is calmer. It is a natural add on for anyone already heading to the region, an extra two or three nights bolted onto a Dubai or Doha trip, or a long weekend in its own right for a small group.
It also suits travellers who care about more than the round: Bahrain has genuine history, from the Qal'at al Bahrain fort to the pearling trail and the Formula One circuit, and a food scene that rewards an evening off the resort. With floodlit golf available, you can play late into the cool of the evening, which changes how a winter trip flows.
Bahrain's only full championship course, designed by Colin Montgomerie at Riffa Views, about 25 minutes from Manama. A par 72 of roughly 7,102 yards with desert framing, water and a striking clubhouse, it is the round a Bahrain trip is built around. Indicative midweek green fees sit around BD60 for 2026.
The Royal Golf Club's nine hole par 3 course, also a Montgomerie design and fully floodlit. It is the ideal evening or warm up round, quick, fun and playable after dark when the desert heat has dropped, and it lets a mixed ability group play together without pressure.
One of the oldest clubs in the Gulf, founded by the oil company Bapco in 1938. Awali is a traditional desert sand course, played to oiled sand greens known as browns rather than grass, a curiosity and a slice of history that contrasts sharply with the manicured Montgomerie. Worth a round for the story alone.
Course designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the Royal Golf Club and leading course databases. Green fees are indicative third party figures for the 2026 season and change with demand. Always confirm directly before booking.
Land at Bahrain International, transfer to a Manama or Riffa hotel. An evening in the souq or along the waterfront, then dinner before an early round.
Play the championship course in the morning while it is cool, lunch at the clubhouse, then the Bahrain National Museum or the Qal'at al Bahrain fort in the afternoon.
A relaxed day, the beach or the pool, then a floodlit evening nine at the Wee Monty when the heat drops. Dinner in Adliya's restaurant quarter.
A morning on the pearling trail or at the F1 circuit, then home or a short hop on to Dubai or Doha to extend the golf.
Drives across Bahrain are short, rarely more than thirty to forty minutes. Dubai and Doha are both under an hour by air, which is why many groups combine Bahrain with a larger Gulf golf trip.
| Style | Per person, 2026 | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Long weekend break | From around £700 to £1,100 | 3 nights 4 star, 2 rounds, transfers |
| Five star island stay | From around £1,100 to £1,700 | 4 nights 5 star, 2 to 3 rounds, buggies |
| Bahrain and the Gulf combined | From around £1,700 upward | 7 nights split with Dubai or Doha, 4 to 5 rounds |
Indicative third party operator ranges for the 2026 season, including flights from the UK, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
The Bahrain golf season runs November to April, when daytime temperatures are comfortable and the evenings cool. December to March is the sweet spot. From May to September the heat is severe by day, though floodlit evening golf at the Wee Monty stays possible in the shoulder months.
Book the Montgomerie a few weeks ahead in high season, and if you are combining Bahrain with Dubai or Doha, tell us the order you want to play so we can route the flights and tee times together.
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and whether Bahrain is the whole trip or part of a wider Gulf tour. One concierge costs it to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
November to April is the season, with December to March the most comfortable. May to September is very hot by day, though floodlit evening golf stays possible in the shoulder months.
The headline venue is the Royal Golf Club at Riffa, with the Montgomerie championship course and the floodlit Wee Monty par 3. Awali Golf Club adds a historic sand course, giving a small but characterful golf scene.
Indicative 2026 midweek green fees at the Montgomerie sit around BD60 per round, with twilight and floodlit rates lower. Prices change with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
Easily. Both are under an hour away by air, so many groups bolt two or three nights in Bahrain onto a larger Gulf trip. Tell us in your brief and we will route it sensibly.
Gulf golf deals, new openings and the booking windows worth moving on first. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, tournament history and indicative third party green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.