Emirates Golf Club

Emirates Golf Club is often called the home of golf in the Middle East. Its flagship Majlis Course opened in 1988 as the region's first grass course. It has hosted the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour for decades, and its lush fairways, strategic bunkering and views of the Dubai Marina skyline have been tested by generations of tour stars.

The Majlis is a par-72, 7,301-yard championship layout. It opens with a 452-yard par four uphill to an elevated green. The 5th, at 436 yards, is rated the hardest hole, and the 186-yard 7th is played over water. The 546-yard 18th, where the fairway turns 90 degrees left, is one of the great finishing holes in tournament golf.

The second championship course opened in 1996 as The Wadi, named after the Arabic word for valley. Six-time major winner Nick Faldo redesigned it in 2005, and it reopened as the Faldo Course in October 2006. It is a par 72 of 7,052 yards with wadi waste areas, deep Faldo-style bunkers and water. LED floodlights throughout the course make it a favourite for night golf.

There is also a nine-hole Par 3 Academy Course with six progressive tees on every hole and an oversized 15-inch cup on each green for beginners, plus a TrackMan Range with live shot data and games. The Peter Cowen Academy, run by PGA professionals, offers lessons and programmes for juniors, ladies and men. The renovated pro shop offers custom fitting with TrackMan, and Spike Sports Bar shows live sport on 16 screens.

When the Majlis Course opened in 1988, it was the first grass championship course in the Middle East and a landmark in the region's golf history. Its long link with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic made Emirates Golf Club known worldwide. The club added a second championship course, The Wadi, in 1996. After Nick Faldo's redesign in 2005, it was relaunched in October 2006 as the Faldo Course.