[COURSE PERMANENTLY CLOSED]
Dubai Festival City, Al Rebat St, Ras Al Khor, Dubai
Office
+971 (0)4 601 0101Fax
+971 (0)4 601 0102Academy
Al Badia Golf Club AcademyThe Course:
18 holes. Open parkland. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk (depending on how hot the day is).
Surroundings:
Desert and various construction projects.
Designer:
Robert Trent Jones Jr.
25.215687
55.363326
5 km SE of Al Garhoud Bridge
Follow the E11 (Sheik Zayed Rd >> Sheik Rashid Rd) heading north-east towards Deira. Cross the Al Garhoud bridge (over Dubai Creek) and stay in the right hand lane. Immediately over the bridge follow the D83 (Al Rebat Road) direction Al Warqa'a / Al Rashidiya. After approx 2 km (past Ikea and at far-end of the Universal American School) turn right off the D83, direction Al Badia Resort. Follow signs for approx 1 km to the large round golf clubhouse.
Al Badia
Al Badia Golf Club: GOLF COURSE WAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN FEBRUARY 2017. Despite the success of Al Badia, with its 420 members and over 50,000 rounds played per year, the owners (the billionaire Al Futtaim family) decided to convert the course into a giant garden for their own use, and the stunning clubhouse into a private Majlis, again for their own use.
[Original Where2Golf description]: Among UAE's many recently created golf courses, Al Badia (for a short time called Four Seasons Golf Club Dubai Festival City) is one of the best. This expansive and immaculately presented layout maintains the open feel of the desert while also featuring many substantive hazards.
Trent Jones' "rivers of sand" concept is based on several boulder-strewn sandy waste areas, the best example of which is found at the excellent par-5 13th. Also lining many fairways and lying in wait alongside several greens are plentiful "rivers of water", or more correctly, large, multi-tiered, salt water lakes (which are apparently home to crabs, prawns and anemones as well as abundant birdlife). Most dangerous of these water holes are two par-5's, the 5th and 18th, and three of the four par-3's.
With all this water and sand around, there is never a dull moment on this challenging and thoroughly interesting course. The often generous width fairways are most welcome when the wind is blowing here, but things have a habit of narrowing down the closer you get to the superb and not overly large greens - good approach work is needed to score well.
Beyond the course, various construction work is proceeding apace (most probably housing developments) but nothing that will unduly affect the playability of this wonderful course.
Course is permanently closed.
Non-metal spike facility. Golf carts are fitted with GPS.
Excellent
Al Badia means 'land of the Bedouins' and encompasses the time-honoured Bedouin traditions of hospitality, respect and love of nature.The inspirational rotunda-like clubhouse design has been likened to a swirling wind as well as the rotational movement of the golf swing.
Festival City, Dubai 45777
+971 (0)4 701 1111
Visit websiteInspired by a graceful sailboat, the InterContinental Dubai Festival City stands tall amid the local business and shopping districts, and in close proximity to Burj Dubai, the Business Bay and Dubai World Trade Centre. Bastakiya, Dubai Museum and Al Mamzar Beach Park are also nearby. The hotel has four restaurants, several stylish bars and a luxurious Spa. The hotel previously operated the "Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental Dubai Festival City" prior to its sale to the Al Futtaim Group, and the Al Futtaim's later decision to close the golf facility on a permanent basis in 2017.
No
Dubai Creek; Al Badia
Dubai CC; Arabian Ranches; Emirates; The Montgomerie
124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.
79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).
Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.
Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.
