The Els Club, Dubai

Drawing inspiration from Ernie Els’ lifelong love of links golf, we set about recreating at The Els Club, Dubai some of these design features into a desert landscape. We call it a ‘desert links,’ featuring undulations and strong elevation changes for visual and strategic interest. Extensive use of dunes, sandy waste areas and native grasses and vegetation between wide fairways, along with a classic style of bunkering, add to the links effect. At 7,538 yards from the tips this is a test for the best, but four sets of teeing areas mean players of all standards can enjoy the challenge. The greenside protection system consists of sculpted bunkers, grassy swales and imaginatively designed greens featuring fine-textured Bermuda grass that are conducive to smooth, fast putting surfaces all year round. Indeed, the perfectly manicured playing surfaces are a constant theme and are a testament to the skills of The Els Club, Dubai team and our partners Troon Golf. They do things right. It starts in construction and we have seen that the sooner they are involved with their agronomy experts, who are some of the best in the business, the better the final product is. The Els Club, Dubai is proof of that. It is considered the best-maintained course in the region. We’re proud of that. The club is also complemented by the state of the art Butch Harmon School of Golf. The school features outdoor full swing, short game and putting areas as well as indoor swing studios, putting studio and gym. Work on your game where Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Ernie Els all work on theirs.