Dubai is a city seemingly obsessed with raising the bar. Every new skyscraper must be taller than the last; every hotel more plush than its neighbour; and every mall bigger and shinier than last year’s model.
Judging by the Four Seasons Golf Club, it appears golf courses can also be added to that list.
Not only will it further enhance Dubai’s growing reputation among golfing tourists, but it has set a standard which every new course will probably now aim to surpass.
Not that confirmation was ever needed, but it gives an early insight to into how blindingly bright the future of golf is in Dubai.
With the Jumeirah Golf Estate’s four Fire, Earth, Wind and Water courses, Tiger Woods’ first foray into course design and Ernie Els’ course now in operation, the emirate will soon boast one of the most concentrated areas of golf courses on the planet. Combined with year-round sunshine and you have a mecca for golfers.
Four Seasons certainly has a clubhouse worthy of worship. Futuristic, but with elegant sweeping contours, the building is the focal point of the course and seems to pop up on the horizon of numerous holes.
It provides an early indicator that the Four Seasons Golf Club is no ordinary golf course.
But then it should as the cost of an annual membership is extraordinary. The price reflects their goal of attracting the more discerning golfer however, green fees, although not cheap, are comparable to other top courses in Dubai.
The first impression lasts throughout the 18 holes, which are marked by their variety and putting surfaces which any lawn bowler would be in awe of.
Eleven lakes meander throughout the 7,303-yard Robert Trent Jones II-designed course, but 64 bunkers and an abundance of doglegs also combine to form a formidable and highly interesting test of golf.
More than 100 tour championship events have been played on courses designed by Trent Jones II, who is the man behind Wentwood Hills in Wales, which will host the 2010 Ryder Cup. While many newly constructed courses can seem blatantly manufactured, this course, which opened in January 2005, has a natural feel to it.
Forgetting you are in the desert of course, it is possible to think the 18 holes were mapped around a genuine network of small streams and gentle rivers.
There is nothing gentle, though, about the monstrous 597-yard fifth hole, which would strike fear in even the most capable of players. With a large expanse of water hugging the fairway which doglegs right, the tee shot is intimidating.
The next shot is just as treacherous with a lake tight along the left of the fairway, which is also bisected by a stream. Two brilliant shots must then be followed by a third as the green is tucked round a further bend and water again lies in wait to punish overzealous pitches.
Thankfully the rest of the holes on the par-72 championship are fairer, but by no means easy. The ninth is particularly enjoyable, though the threat of a watery grave remains.
A lake skirting the right of the fairway and a stretch of sandy wasteland to the left makes the tee shot tricky, while the approach shot on the 409-yard hole is memorable. The shot to the green which is snug against the lake is framed by the clubhouse to the left, while two waterfalls to the right complete the scene.
While the spectre of water is everywhere, “rivers” of sand, pockmarked with palm trees, and Mediterranean-style houses dotted around the perimeter also combine to give the course the feel of a tropical oasis.
All good courses have a grandstand finish and the Four Seasons Golf Club is no different. A mammoth lake stands between the tee and the green, but what makes the
510-yard 18th interesting as well as daunting is that you have to hit over the water to the start of an arc-shaped fairway which curves round the banks of the lake. It’s a fitting finale and if you have cleared the water hazard and avoided the minefield of bunkers protecting the putting surface, the round is capped off with a content stroll towards the iconic clubhouse.
Green fees
To play at the weekend in the winter it costs Dhs 850, inclusive of cart strokesaver and range balls. During the summer it costs Dhs 400 for 18 all week, while various promotions are also in operation.
Equipment Hire
A set of TaylorMade clubs cost Dhs 150, while Adidas shoes cost Dhs 50.
Training facilities
Hitting from mats is typical of many driving ranges, but you can tee up on grass here. There is also a top-class short game practice area and a putting green, though access to all the training facilities is restricted to members, students and fee-paying golfers. The club’s golf professionals have a host of hi-tech training aids at their disposal, including an indoor science and putting laboratory and the latest swing analysis technology. An individual 45-minute lesson starts at Dhs 300 and a selection of tuition packages are also available.
The academy also offers various packages for lessons. Contact the club (links and numbers below) for details on the latest offers.
The 19th hole
The clubhouse is quite simply on a different level to any other in Dubai. Stepping into the locker rooms is like entering a tranquil spa retreat. Ambient sounds of nature provide the backdrop as golfers unwind in a luxurious complex featuring a lounge, plasma screens, sauna, steamroom, Jacuzzi and rain showers.
The serene theme continues throughout the clubhouse with curving roofs, blue glass, water features and wooden works of art. There are five food and beverage options, ranging from fine dining Italian to casual international cuisine, which can be enjoyed on the vast terrace overlooking the course.
Membership
The club offers three levels of membership, although membership is currently under review.
- Individual: Dhs 37,000
- Family: Dhs 55,500
- Corporate: Dhs 88,000
What to wear
Golfing attire dress and appropriate footwear must be worn. A smart/casual change of clothes to match the surroundings is advisable.
How to get there
From Emirates Towers, travel up Oud Metha Road, following signs for Business Bay Bridge. Then head in the direction of Ikea/Festival City. The area is still very much under construction and sign-posting is minimal, but look out for the ACE superstore and then take the next right. Allow 30-60 minutes for the journey.
More information
Tel: 04 601 0101
E-mail: golf.dub@fourseasons.com
www.fourseasons.com/dubaigolf
*All prices and information correct when first published in May 2008.
Have you played this course? Do you find its facilities to be accessible? Are the fees fair, low or high? How would you compare it to other courses in the country? Which is the best course in the UAE? Share your views with us.
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