Emirates Golf Club celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. Author Rodney J. Bogg, the Middle East’s predominant golf historian, charts the remarkable rise of the club that put the region on the global sporting map
Wednesday, March 8, 1988 began as a typical day – blue sky, glorious sunshine, no wind and perfect temperatures – but was destined to become, as Neville Parker wrote in the Gulf News the following morning, “A Golden Moment in Dubai’s History”.
For this was the day that the eagerly anticipated Emirates Golf Club opened its doors to the world. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (pictured below left), the man whose vision had created this, the first all-grass championship golf course in the Middle East, was there, as were the Crown Princes of every one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, to witness Zia-ul-Haq, the then President of Pakistan, inaugurate the Karl Litten designed course with a golden club brought to him by the UAE’s world champion parachute team.
(Left) HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was on hand to open the club. (Right) the world champion para team fly into the opening ceremony
The opening was followed by an exhibition match – the East-West Challenge – featuring Europe’s Howard Clarke and Sam Torrance for the West against Roger Davies and Graham Marsh for the East, which was won by Clarke and Torrance on the final hole.
The clubhouse was much smaller than today
That opening day will be remembered by every one of the 3500 guests as one of the most memorable in Dubai’s amazing history, as His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum cut the ribbon at the entrance to the magnificent Bedouin camp shaped clubhouse to open what was destined to become one of the landmarks in this remarkable city.
What is even more remarkable, however, is the fact that in 1988, Emirates G.C. was a full 25km from the city, with virtually nothing between the old Defence Roundabout (now the Dubai Mall interchange) and the site, which had been chosen for its elevation and natural terrain, both of which enabled Florida-based course architect Litten to create one of the finest courses in the world, one that would witness some of the greatest golf in the history of the European Tour.
“It was destined to become one of the landmarks in this remarkable city.”
It was also significantly smaller than the sophisticated resort that it is now – it opened with just one golf course, one driving range, four tennis courts, two squash courts, a swimming pool, a gym, and, surprisingly, the first and only lawn bowling green in the country. The clubhouse was also much smaller than today, with no terrace overlooking the putting green (as can be seen on the aerial shot opposite page), a terrace which was created by the three extensions to the Spike Bar and Pro-shop that were carried out over the next 10 years.
The bowling green soon became a grass tennis court, and then a five-a-side football pitch, but everything else still remains – testimony to the quality of the design and construction, both of which have endured for 30 years. Even the car park and cart paths have lasted for all that time, whilst the eponymous Majlis on the 8th green still overlooks the course in all its majesty.
(Left) Jamie and The Divots entertain. The clubhouse under construction
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed had inherited his father, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s amazing vision, and created Dubai’s first grass golf facility as an addition to the infrastructure of a city that wished to attract both commerce and tourism as part of its long-term diversification from its reliance on oil revenues.
Emirates G.C. was, however, destined to do far more than that and was immediately overwhelmed by golfers, visitors and the world’s curious press. Its attraction to wildlife was another plus, with ornithologists – including US President Jimmy Carter – eager to see the myriad species of birds that had never been seen in the region before this haven of green appeared in the desert.
The first Desert Classic, then known as the Karl Litten Desert Classic, was won by Mark James in 1989. The Englishman edged Australian Peter O’Malley in a playoff after both ended with 277 aggregates, -11.
More importantly, the club put Dubai firmly on the world’s sporting map as it became the European Tour’s first permanent venue outside mainland Europe when the 1st Dubai Desert Classic took place in March 1989, just a year after the opening of the course, with future Ryder Cup captain Mark James being the first to receive the magnificent silver dallah trophy from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed.
Related: Emirates Golf Club returns to No.1 in the Top 10 Courses in the Middle East rankings
The Desert Classic continues today as the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and has seen some of the world’s greatest golfers lift the trophy, not to mention some of the most dramatic finishes in European Tour history. Who will ever forget Thomas Bjorn’s victory over Tiger Woods in 2001, or Tiger’s dramatic finish in 2008 to take the title for the second time, something that only Ernie Els and Stephen Gallacher have repeated. It is also worth noting that the Desert Classic launched several illustrious careers, including those of such greats as Ernie Els – who is the only three-time winner – and Rory McIlroy, who both recorded their first European Tour wins in Dubai.
Back to 1988, Emirates G.C. had opened as a members’ club under Chairman His Highness Sheikh Butti Al Maktoum, and with James Williams proving himself the perfect head club professional the club was an instant success and membership was full within six months. It was immediately evident that one golf course was not going to meet the demand from both local and international golfers, and the first nine holes of the Wadi course opened in 1992, to be increased to 18 holes just four years later, allowing the club to open its doors to visitors and corporate golf.
“Emirates G.C. was an instant success with membership full within six months.”
In 1999 Dubai Golf was formed under the Chairmanship of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum who led both the Emirates and Dubai Creek golf clubs in the same way as Emirates Airline, with quality always the first priority, and approving the club’s first major refurbishment in 2000, and the return of the Desert Classic in 2001 after its two years at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
Mohamed Juma Buamaim became the first UAE National General Manager in 2000, and he immediately began to re-establish the club spirit among the membership, as well as re-establishing the Majlis course as the permanent venue for both the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, now the Omega Dubai Classics. When Mohammed left to create the MENA Golf Tour and Golf Citizen, Chris May returned, and eventually took over as CEO of Dubai Golf, but not before overseeing the redesign of the Wadi course by Sir Nick Faldo, to enable the building of villas on the property.
Rod Bogg, Nick Faldo and Mohamed Juma Buamaim at the Faldo opening
After the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club opened in 1993 golf tourism really began to take off and Emirates Golf Club became the benchmark for the many new developments that followed in the late 90s and early 2000’s. Indeed, when wasl Asset Management took ownership of Emirates G.C. in 2008 they immediately began a modernisation programme that brought the Emirates G.C. firmly into the 21st century.
With the latest refurbishment, which has introduced Jones The Grocer to the Club and a new Spike Bar on the first floor (where many believe it should always have been), Emirates G.C. has taken on a new lease of life and continues to be the benchmark for other clubs. With TopGolf is on the way, and the Majlis course recently voted the number one golf layout in the Middle East by Golf Digest Middle East, the future looks bright.
When you look at the club now, and how it has progressed over the last 30 years, it would have been impossible for anyone who was at the opening in 1988 – when the club was a 45-minute drive from the city, and when you could still see the sea from the 8th green – to have foreseen the amazing golf and leisure resort that it is today.
The Majlis’ 7th
Thirty years ago it was called the ‘The Desert Miracle’, and although it has now been swallowed by the incredible expansion of Dubai, it is still fondly referred to as such, with the name being adopted for the detailed history of the club that was published by Motivate on the occasion of the Club’s 25th Anniversary in 2013.
“It’s impossible to have foreseen the amazing resort that it is today.”
This year Emirates Golf Club celebrates its 30th anniversary, and it must be gratifying for its creator, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to see it continue to flourish and project the image of Dubai to every corner of the golfing globe.
Copies of The Desert Miracle, and the 25 Years of the Dubai Desert Classic, are available in limited numbers from Motivate at Media One Tower.
