There are many benefits to jetting off to play golf in a place like Abu Dhabi & Dubai.
Exciting off-course attractions, luxury hotels and world-class golf courses are but a few and the weather of course is a great plus too, with perfect conditions for golf on offer throughout much of the year.
There’s also the night-clubbing too…
Of course, we’re not talking about cramming yourself into a strobe light bonanza where the music is so loud it shakes your very bones. We’re talking about grabbing your golf clubs after you’ve enjoyed a bit of dinner and maybe a couple of drinks and heading out into the darkness of night for some golf under the lights.
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Floodlit golf is all the rage now in parts of the world where the climate permits and that makes sense too. The nights come pretty early in the Emirates so golf after about 7pm wouldn’t be on the cards without floodlighting.
And then there’s the climate.
It’s certainly still warm enough, even in a t-shirt, to play golf at night in Dubai. So that’s exactly what some of the guys from the Your Golf Travel office did on a recent trip to United Arab Emirates state.
Getting to the 1st tee around 9pm and enjoying 9 holes under the lights can be a big highlight of a golf trip. When the opportunity arises to play night golf while on holiday you simply must take it so with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the places you can tee it up when the sun has long since set…
There have always been 2 golf courses at Abu Dhabi Golf Club; the Championship Course which hosts the cream of the crop on the European Tour each year, and the Garden Course. It’s on the Garden Course, reduced to 9 holes and fitted with floodlighting in 2011, where you can enjoy a bit of night golf.
Check out Team YGT’s 3 Hole Challenge under the floodlights at Abu Dhabi Golf Club
The quality of the lights is brilliant – it’s probably easier to see your ball than it is during the day! –and it’s not just a par-3 course, as is the case at some other venues. Playing to a par of 36, there are 2 par 5s, 5 par 4s and two par 3s; a proper test of golf.
The course closes at 11pm so keep an eye on the time…but apart from that just enjoy it! Oh…and the refreshment booths on your way around too!
The championship course at Yas Links Golf Club is certainly the main attraction here. After all it ranked as the top course in the whole of the Middle East. But should you fancy hanging around in the clubhouse, maybe enjoying a bite to eat and a cold beer as you go, and then heading back out for a bit of fun under the floodlights, then why not do exactly that?
At Yas Links, the setting sun thankfully doesn’t signal the end of play for the day!
The par-3 Academy Course at Yas is fully floodlit until 10:30pm, not quite as late as Abu Dhabi GC, but with just par 3s to contend with, teeing off as late as 9pm still allows you to complete the course.
The practice areas are also under lights but let’s face it…you’re going to have a crack at the par 3 course instead of beating balls on the range…right?!
The Majlis Course at The Emirates Golf Club is undoubtedly the main attraction here. As the 1st 18 hole all grass course to be built in the Middle East, as well as the host of the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, it will always turn heads but its sister course, designed by Sir Nick Faldo, comes to life at night when the floodlights are switched on.
Play Night Golf in the heart of Dubai at The Emirates Golf Club
The Faldo Course is the only fully floodlit 18-hole course in Dubai, and thanks to its fairly central location, Dubai’s stunning night time cityscape serves as a dramatic backdrop. Rock up with your clubs from 4pm onwards and play until midnight!
“The Faldo Course can be played by day or by night, but there is something special about playing golf after the sun sets that most certainly cannot be experienced everywhere.”
Simon
Product Team
One of the most exciting options available after a round of golf in Dubai is to venture to TopGolf Dubai. Located within Emirates Golf Club, TopGolf is a perfect option for night golf with views across the Dubai skyline. TopGolf is a popular option for golfers staying in Jumeriah Beach Residences as it is just 15 minutes drive away or just 30 minutes from Dubai International Airport.
Whilst golf is a big draw to visiting TopGolf there are a whole host of different things to enjoy whilst there with top-rated bars and restaurants to a host of things to do in the evening. TopGolf is a place where golfers and non-golfers can have fun under the bright lights, regardless of ability or experience.
Perfect for groups and couples alike, TopGolf Dubai has quickly become a must-visit destination for those on golf holidays and regular vacations alike.
Once you’ve finished your TopGolf be sure to head to The Loft for a great place to relax and enjoy a drink whilst looking out over the Dubai Marina skyline. As 19th hole vistas go, this is pretty hard to beat.
Unlike the courses on offer in Abu Dhabi and Dubai mentioned above, Carya Golf Club in Turkey offers the full monty when it comes to night golf, as when the sun sets here, the whole 18 hole championship course is lit up, allowing golfers to play the full course long into the night.
Check out PGA Pros Mark Crossfield and Coach Lockey’s Night Golf Match at Carya Golf Club
The Montgomerie Maxx Royal features 6 pars 3s, 6 par 4s and 6 par 5s so the playing experience is an extremely dynamic one which keeps the golfer on their toes from start to finish. Fairways are generous but have been carved through the mature pines that typify the Belek region, placing an emphasis on accuracy from the tee, without being overly penal on the odd stray tee shot.
A great extra feature of this course is that the back nine holes are floodlit allowing golf to be played into the evening.
While Abu Dhabi and Dubai draw most of the plaudits when it comes to golf in the UAE, the likes of Ras Al Khaima and venues such as Al Hamra Golf Club provide excellent alternatives.
Al Hamra boasts an 18 hole championship course designed by Peter Harradine and with holes 1-7 and the 17th and 18th all fully floodlit, you can enjoy nine holes under the lights here, escaping the heat of the day with a fun round of night golf!
While the 9-hole Oceanico Academy Course, located between Oceanico Faldo and Oceanico O’Connor, is primarily aimed at beginners looking to hone their skills before tackling the main championship courses in The Algarve, it’s also a fantastic option for more seasoned players too, who might be looking for some golfing kicks even after the sun has set.
Throw a bit of Night Golf into the mix on your next Algarve Golf Holiday
Built to the same high standards as the main courses, this nine hole track is fully floodlit and with three tees on each hole which vary the line of play into the greens, there is plenty of variety too.
The exotic Ba Na Hills Golf Club in Vietnam is just 25 minutes from Da Nang International Airport and boasts a magnificent course designed by former world number one, Luke Donald, it comes as no surprise that it is regarded as one of the best golf courses in the world.
At night Ba Na Hills becomes the only comprehensive floodlit golf course in Da Nang, the entire course is lit from the first tee to the 18th green, allowing visitors the unique experience of playing golf after dark.