Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth Course)
About
One of the best courses on Earth and host to the climax of the DP World Tour
Site of The Race to Dubai, where 60 of the best players on earth compete for $10m in the season finale to the European Tour, the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates is a picture-perfect parkland course of rolling, carpet-like fairways, abundant bunkering, and a large variety of wildlife, all of which contribute to a magical, yet very challenging experience.
The Front Nine
The opener, a downhill par 4 with a fairway pockmarked by bunkers and a tricky, sunken green is followed by the first realistic birdie chance, a long uphill par-5 where rewards await anyone who can carry the fairway bunker designed to protect the direct route. A trio of bunkers protect the small green, so you'd best be long off the tee if you want a chance of putting for eagle.
Another seven bunkers are in evidence at the cresting par-4 3rd, but if you can reach the plateaued section of fairway you've got an enticing approach to a green guarded by twin bunkers in front. If you've kept your ball out of sand thus far, it's a record that may not last at the very long par-3 that follows, whose very firm green is guarded by another four sand traps, two of them absolute monsters. One of the hardest holes on the course, even a bogey is nothing to sniff at.
Despite being a parkland course, unusually for Dubai, it's at this point that you realise that sand is something of a recurring theme. The elevated green at the uphill 5th is protected by a myriad of deep bunkers, and the challenge of picking the right club is matched only by the danger that lurks for getting it wrong. The second par-3 on the front nine features water from tee to green, but a large, flattish green and only one bunker to the right mean you should have a chance of scoring well.
From there, you cross the stepping stones past a picturesque waterfall en route to the 7th, a long uphill par-5 that snakes between yet more bunkers and plays longer than its yardage would suggest. Realistically, you're not reaching the well-guarded green in two, leaving yourself with an awkward wedge approach over more sand to a green where it's imperative to end up below the hole.
The front nine ends with a classic, doglegging par-4 with a smallish green that's mercifully free of bunkers, followed by the longest par 4 on the course. Although it seems relatively straight forward from the elevated tee, the uphill approach into the long, well protected green is the key to walking off this hole with a par. Bunkers positioned both front right and front left make for an extremely difficult approach, and missing the very elevated putting surface will leave you facing a near impossible up and down.
The Back Nine
The pair of par 4s that open the back nine at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates shoudn't cause too many problems, although you need to watch out for a green that runs away from you at the pretty 10th.
The 12th plays uphill to a really narrow elevated green, and finding any of the five fairway bunkers will make reaching the putting surface in regulation a very big ask, while the green at the par-3 that follows is split into three heavily contoured sections, and if the pin is placed the left it's almost impossible for us amateurs to make par.
After the monstrous 626-yard 14th, a genuine par five even for the professionals, we arrive at the final four holes, which have been dubbed by designer Greg Norman as "the most challenging mile in golf". It's safe to say he's not wrong. The short, uphill par-4 15th is beseiged by sand traps, and while a narrow area of safety to the left is your best bet off the tee, it'll leave you a very challenging approach over a monstrous bunker to a narrow landing zone, with more sand behind.
The very shallow green at the 16th juts out awkwardly into a lake, and you'll only have a good view of it if you can safely avoid the bunkers and find safety on the left hand side of the fairway, as a tree will obstruct the view of anything played to the right. You'll need to apply some serious backspin to ensure you can hold the green on what is a very nervy approach.
Many a round has come unstuck on the final par-3, the 17th, which requires a long carry to a very pictureque island green surrounded by a quartet of sand traps, while the last is a design masterpiece that will live long in the memory. A gently doglegging par-5 with a snaking creek that splits the fairway in two and wraps around the green, it's a truly magical hole. There are multiple routes to the two-tier putting surface, but none of them are free of danger.
While a conservative approach is recommended, it's hard to resist imagining yourself coming up the last needing a birdie to win the tournament, and nobody will begrude you optimistically reaching for a hybrid in a likely futile attempt to reach the green in two.
The Facilities
The newly opened clubhouse provides you with everything you could ever need before or after a round on one the world class golf courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates, including high-quality locker rooms, a well-stocked pro shop and a wide selection of bars and restaurants. No Dubai golf holiday can possibly be complete without booking a tee time at what is rightfully regarded as the shining light of the Dubai golf scene.
Reviews
Stunning golf course with facilities to match!
Course condition was fantastic, could'nt be better. Welcome from arrival to finish matched the course condition. Staff were excellent, friendly and helpful. Unfortunately I had to stop after the 8th hole as I felt unwell and returned to the Clubhouse. I hope to contact the Club in the coming days to ask if I could finish my round before I end my holiday as I would hate to miss out.Excellent course and lovely day
The course is in excellent condition except today the bunkers were hard and not raked. They should be better for this courseIconic course, but didn’t blow me away
Upon arriving I was expecting more from the pro shop, which I’d describe as functional rather than ‘selling the facility’. You could tell that it had recently held a major event as some areas of the course had been well trampled. Some of the holes are truly spectacular, choose your tee boxes wisely as it is a long course, and one of group I played with really struggled. Ticked another course off the play list, would I return, I’m not sure, which sums up my thoughts on the total package.Course Info
Key Facts
Notable Awards
Amenities
Scorecard Summary
Tee | Par | Length | CR | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Black | 72 | 7706 yds | 77.5 | 140 |
Blue | 72 | 7045 yds | 74.6 | 134 |
White | 72 | 6473 yds | 71.8 | 131 |
Red (W) | 72 | 5435 yds | 71.8 | 128 |
Technical Difficulty
Handicap Requirements
There are no handicap requirements at Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth Course).
Prices
Green Fees
20 Nov 24 - 08 Dec 24 | Mo - Th | Fr - Su |
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| 18 Holes + Shared Cart | from | from |
09 Dec 24 - 05 Jan 25 | Mo - Th | Fr - Su |
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| 18 Holes + Shared Cart | from | from |
06 Jan 25 - 15 Feb 25 | Mo - Th | Fr - Su |
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| 18 Holes + Shared Cart | from | from |
16 Feb 25 - 30 Apr 25 | Mo - Th | Fr - Su |
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| 18 Holes + Shared Cart | from | from |
01 May 25 - 31 May 25 | Mo - Th | Fr - Su |
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| 18 Holes + Shared Cart | from | from |
Course Location
Address
Nearby Airports
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Weather Forecast for Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth Course)
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