MIDE 3-4 9/2/10 13:24 Page 37
ttglive.com
middle east knowledge
Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the length
of the Nile from Alexandria to Luxor.
“Egypt is increasingly developing tourism
segments such as golf,” says Egyptian State
Tourist Office UK director Khaled Ramy.
Iagto’s Walton says that Egypt is not
renowned as a golf destination despite
flourishing for tourism, but the sport
presents the country with a great opportu-
nity for growth from the UK as the product
and prices are already in place. And while
green fees vary, they are more in line with
European golf hotspots.
Areas seeing resort development with new
golf courses include the Red Sea Riviera and
Mediterranean coast.
s
Among new resort areas which have seen
T
r
oon Golf
Peltour Dubai Golf golf courses opening are Madinat Makadi,
Soma Bay, Taba Heights and Ain Soukhna
From left: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi; Taba on the Red Sea and Porto Marina, near
club
Heights on Egypt’s Red Sea coast; and Dubai’s Majlis course El Alamein, on the newly-rebranded “White
Med” coast. New Mediterranean charter
to date has been the Abu Dhabi Golf Club destination Marsa Matruh is also set to gain
(adgolfclub.com). The Saadiyat Beach Golf a course in the future.
Club (sbgolfclub.ae) by Gary Player opens for Sample package: Seven nights’ half-board at
public play on March 1. It is set alongside a Taba Heights (tabaheights.com) including four
six-mile white-sand beach on Saadiyat rounds, golf buggy and unlimited practice from
Island, where multimillion-dollar cultural £645 including flights and transfers.
Dubai tourism wheel” with the UK account- facilities being built include Louvre Abu ■ longwoodholidays.co.uk
ing for about 30% of rounds on Dubai Dhabi and the Guggenheim art gallery.
courses, more than any other market. The Yas Links golf course (yasisland.ae) OTHER DESTINATIONS.
An average round in Dubai costs about opens this summer on nearby Yas Island, Oman is one of the latest Gulf countries to
£120, still high compared with other areas, home to the new Formula 1 circuit. embrace golf, with its first grass course, the
although prices have come down from the According to Lawrence Franklin, 18-hole Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club
boom era peak in response to a fall in golf strategy and policy director for the Abu (muscathills.com) now open. A golf academy
tourist numbers. It’s also more affordable Dhabi Tourism Authority, there are plans opens there later this year. Green fees are
when packaged, advises Scott. for a further six courses linked to major just under £100, including buggy.
The newest of Dubai’s eight courses developments. “Golf plays an important role The Royal Golf Club in Bahrain
are the Earth Course and The Els Club in helping Abu Dhabi realise its tourism (theroyalgolfclub.com) opened in early
(elsclubdubai.com) designed by South plans,” he says. 2009 designed by Colin Montgomerie.
Africa’s Ernie Els in Dubai Sports City. Green fees in Abu Dhabi are slightly Green fees are around £100.
Tiger Woods’ first-ever design, Al Ruwaya cheaper than Dubai.
Golf Course (tigerwoodsdubai.com), is Sample package: Seven nights’ bed and break-
among several more planned, although fast in a five-star hotel with three rounds of
Weather wise: when to go
Dubai’s downturn has delayed the opening golf on Abu Dhabi Golf Course from £1,149,
until later this year. including flights via Doha. Middle East courses are open all year but
Sample package: A three-night spring golf ■ letsgo2golf.com the summer months can bring temperatures
break on a B&B basis at the Metropolitan Deira exceeding 50ºC and uncomfortably high
Hotel with two rounds of golf on the Majlis and EGYPT. humidity. November to April is the best
Dubai Creek (dubaigolf.com/dcgyc) courses cost The land of ancient pharaohs is now a land time for golf.
from £429 excluding flights. of verdant fairways. Just two nine-hole Egypt’s courses do not get as hot, and there
■ golfbreaks.com courses survived into the late 1990s from is little or no humidity. Temperatures can
colonial times, including the Mena House still be fierce between May and October, but
ABU DHABI. golf course (oberoihotels.com), towered over sea breezes cool Red Sea courses while the
Dubai’s UAE neighbour is now “leading the by Giza’s Pyramid of Cheops. The imminent Mediterranean coast has a more temperate
line in terms of rolling out new golf courses opening of two new Cairo courses – the climate.
and golf resorts” in the region, says Iagto’s Allegria (troongolf.com) by Jack Nicklaus and
Peter Walton – and all of them by top Katameya Dunes (katameyadunes.net) by
course architects. Nick Faldo – will take it to almost 20.
Find out more about the Middle East
The emirate’s sole championship course Egypt’s courses span everywhere from the at ttglive.com/destinations
12.02.2010 37
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