Story highlights
Annual "Race to Dubai" concludes in the United Arab Emirates
It is staged at the Jumeirah Golf Estates
The golf development has two courses
It’s an oasis in the desert with more than 4,000 trees, 15 lakes and 342 different types of wildlife. It’s also a “world-class golf destination” that plays hosts to Europe’s annual end-of-season shootout.
Every November since 2009, the European Tour’s top 60 players take part in the DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates as the season-long Race to Dubai concludes in the United Arab Emirates.
It’s one of two prestigious tournaments held in Dubai.
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On Sunday, it was China’s Li Haotong who took the other by pipping Rory McIlroy to win the Dubai Desert Classic and pocket a $500,000 winner’s check at the Emirates Golf Club and both players will be hoping to be at the Jumeirah Golf Estates development later this year.
The site has two championship courses – named Earth and Fire – designed by Greg Norman complemented by more than 1,800 villas and apartments.
The Earth Course, which hosts the DP World Tour Championship each year, is 7,706 yards in length.
At the center of the vast development is the clubhouse, which was opened by four-time major winner McIlroy and England’s 2013 US Open champion and Olympic gold medalist Justin Rose nine years ago.
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“From this view you can see the size of the clubhouse and the stunning view of both Dubai Marina and on a good day we can see the Burj Khalifa in the distance,” Nick Tarratt, who is a European Tour director in Dubai, told CNN as he surveys the development and its striking backdrop.
Away from tournament days, the clubhouse caters for all. Residents, guests and tourists can take full advantage of its dining and leisure facilities.
“I was here 10 years ago to start and be a part of this project. It is remarkable in that time to have seen it go from desert to this wonderful panoramic view,” Tarratt says as he stands on top of the tower.
Apart from the views, the estate offers plenty of opportunities to improve your golf game.
It houses the European Tour Performance Institute, a state-of-the-art practice facility based at the far end of the driving range, allowing golfers to make use of swing studios, putting labs, a fitting studio and gym.
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“Players come 12 months of the year to experience the facilities here,” Tarratt explained. “This isn’t just for the elite pros, this is for members, beginners, juniors, oversees visitors. It’s a teaching facility for all.
“The players often come here at the start of the season before the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the Dubai Desert Classic or later in the year for the DP World Tour Championship, so Dubai is book-ending the season.”
