Dubai Golf Holidays

Why Golfers Travel to Dubai

Dubai is warm and dry from October to April, with daytime highs in the mid-20s in midwinter. Rain is rare, so a golf trip rarely loses a round to the weather.

Flights from the UK to Dubai International take around seven hours, with direct services from London and several regional airports. Most of the courses are 20 to 40 minutes from the main hotel areas, and our packages include return golf transfers.

Golfers visiting Dubai will find:

• Championship courses that host the DP World Tour every season
• Night golf on a fully floodlit 18-hole course
• Five-star beach resorts on Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina
• Desert safaris, rooftop bars and world-famous brunches between rounds

The biggest advantage? Quality everywhere. Even our entry-level packages play courses that would be the best in town in most other destinations.

The Best Golf Courses in Dubai

The golf courses in Dubai are spread across the new city, from the Creek in the north to Jumeirah Golf Estates in the south. Here are the courses that regularly feature on our golf itineraries.

Emirates Golf Club

The Majlis Course opened in 1988 as the first grass course in the Middle East and is still home to the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Its Bedouin tent style clubhouse is one of the great sights in golf. Next door, the Faldo Course was redesigned by Sir Nick Faldo and is floodlit from tee to green, so you can play a full round after dark.

Jumeirah Golf Estates

Greg Norman’s Earth Course hosts the DP World Tour Championship every November, the final event of the Race to Dubai. Its sister, the Fire Course, is a slightly kinder test for mixed ability groups.

Trump International Golf Club Dubai

Trump International is a Gil Hanse design in DAMAC Hills with generous fairways, sandy waste areas and a lively clubhouse. It’s playable for higher handicaps and still a proper challenge from the back tees.

Dubai Hills, The Els Club and The Montgomerie

These three feature on most of our ready-made packages. Dubai Hills Golf Club is a modern course with views of the Burj Khalifa skyline. The Els Club is Ernie Els’ desert layout in Dubai Sports City, with rolling dunes and firm, fast greens. The Montgomerie in Emirates Hills is known for its par 3 13th, played to one of the largest greens in the world.

Arabian Ranches and Dubai Creek

Arabian Ranches Golf Club is a friendly desert course with good value green fees, ideal for the first round of the trip. Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club sits on the water near the old city, with its famous sail-shaped clubhouse, and hosts the Dubai Invitational each January.

When Is the Best Time to Play Golf in Dubai?

Dubai has sunshine all year. The question is how much heat your group can handle.

Winter (November to February)

Peak season, with daytime highs of around 24 to 30°C. Perfect golfing weather, so tee times and hotels are in high demand. Book early.

Spring (March to May)

March is still excellent. April and May get hot, so tee off early or play the floodlit Faldo Course in the evening. Prices start to drop.

Summer (June to September)

Very hot, with highs of 40°C and above. Golf moves to dawn or after dark, and hotels offer their best deals of the year.

Autumn (October)

The season opens again. Warm afternoons and good value make October a smart choice for groups who don’t mind the heat.

Planning a Golf Trip to Dubai

A golf trip to Dubai works best when you choose the area that suits your group.

Dubai Marina is best for nightlife, with bars, restaurants and the beach on your doorstep and a short drive to Emirates Golf Club, The Els Club and The Montgomerie. Stay at the InterContinental Dubai Marina, Millennium Place Marina or Media Rotana. For a beach resort feel, Palm Jumeirah has Atlantis, The Palm, Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah and Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Want to wake up next to the first tee? Vida Emirates Hills overlooks The Montgomerie and Radisson DAMAC Hills is on the doorstep of Trump International. Near the old city, the Park Hyatt Dubai sits beside Dubai Creek’s course and Vida Creek Harbour is our best value pick.

Between rounds, you can:

• Go dune bashing on a desert safari with a barbecue dinner under the stars
• Head up the Burj Khalifa, then watch the Dubai Fountain show
• Cross the Creek on a traditional abra boat and explore the gold and spice souks
• Spend a rest day at a Palm Jumeirah beach club or a Friday brunch

Our ready-made packages start with 5 nights and 3 rounds at Vida Creek Harbour and go up to 5 nights and 3 rounds at Atlantis, The Palm. If you’d prefer something tailored, you can build your own golf trip.

Travel Tips for Visiting Golfers

When planning your Dubai golf trip, a few practical tips will make it run smoothly.

Book tee times early - November to March is peak season, and tournament weeks close the host course and push up hotel prices.

Bring your handicap - Some championship courses set a maximum handicap, so bring your certificate or handicap app.

Dress the part - Collared shirts and tailored shorts or trousers on the course, and no denim in most clubhouses. Smart casual is expected in hotel bars.

Drink in licensed venues only - Alcohol is served in hotels, clubhouses, bars and restaurants, but drinking in public is against the law.

Check entry rules - British passport holders currently get a free visit visa on arrival. Check the latest FCDO travel advice before you go.

Travelling as a group? See how it works for small deposits and individual payments, ideal for golf societies.

Want links golf too? Add a few nights in Abu Dhabi, about 90 minutes down the coast, browse all our UAE golf holidays or see our winter golf holidays.