Al Zorah Golf Club in Middle East opens

Check out the Middle East's newest golf club

Golfers flocked to the Al Zorah Golf Club on 9 December to see the official opening of the Middle East’s newest championship golf course.

Golfers flocked to the Al Zorah Golf Club on 9 December to see the official opening of the Middle East’s newest championship golf course. The Nicklaus Design course, which is the first in the United Arab Emirates in over six years, opened its doors to golfers around the world.

The par-72 course, near Dubai, has been under construction for exactly two years. The Al Zorah Golf Club is located on a naturally-preserved environment of native sandy areas, lakes and nearly one million square meters of mangroves.

Al Zorah

It incorporates ten par-4’s, four par-5’s and four par-3’s that exposes golfers to the unique tidal system that changes the proposition of several holes depending on what time of day they’re played.

“During the construction phase we had more than 300 people working on the course and all have played a part in making Al Zorah Golf Club completely pristine and ready for action,” said Philip Henderson, General Manager for Al Zorah Golf Club.

“Outwith the native sandy areas, we used 300,000 cubic metres of sand, while there are also over 1.5km of boardwalks to cope with the incoming tides, so that gives an idea of the scale of work undertaken to open the course.”

Al Zorah

Meanwhile, Bruce Glasco, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director, Troon International Division, commented: “We’re delighted to have played a part in the world-class proposition at Al Zorah Golf Club, and the final product is even better than originally expected. Now the course is open for business, we look forward to providing the level of service that this incredible venue deserves and hope it continues to help earn plaudits of golfers from all corners of the globe.”

Golfers that attended the opening event were welcomed by The Pavillion clubhouse, which will eventually be replaced with a more impressive one in 2017. By the end of next year, golfers will be able to use the first of four marinas planned, as well as the five-star Oberoi Al Zorah Beach Resort.

The golf club has also been designated as a Free Hold Zone, meaning the land is legal to build on and live on. Al Zorah Golf Villas, built in conjunction with real estate developer Solidere International, offers a more relaxed way of living amongst the natural landscapes and wildlife.

For more information about the Al Zorah Golf Club, visit www.alzorahgolfclub.ae.

Thomas Patrick Clarke
Sports Digital Editor


Tom Clarke joined Golf Monthly as a sub editor in 2009 being promoted to content editor in 2012 and then senior content editor in 2014, before becoming Sports Digital Editor for the Sport Vertical within Future in 2022. Tom currently looks after all the digital products that Golf Monthly produce including Strategy and Content Planning for the website and social media - Tom also assists the Cycling, Football, Rugby and Marine titles at Future. Tom plays off 16 and lists Augusta National (name drop), Old Head and Le Touessrok as the favourite courses he has played. Tom is an avid viewer of all golf content with a particularly in depth knowledge of the pro tour.