This pristine little links is a year-round, after-dark beacon for newbies and experienced golfers alike

By Kent Gray
Gil Hanse’s first Middle East creation has received widespread acclaim since its opening in March 2017. Indeed, the renowned American architect’s 18-hole desert links at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai raced into the Golf Digest Middle East Top 10 course rankings within a year of opening, no small feat given the heady competition across the region.

Trump Dubai’s Par-3 course is a mini-me version of the immaculately maintained championship layout where Hanse has placed the same high premium on fun – think moonscape fairways, greens that are a joy to putt and tightly clipped run-offs that offer ample short game challenge.

The 1257-yard layout is now floodlit, meaning you can tee it up after work to dial in your wedge game or introduce friends or family to the game from as little as AED 100 per player.  The club offers tee times from 6.30am to 8.10pm, seven days a week and best of all, a challenge for all levels – the progressive tees offer holes as long as 210 yards while newcomers and juniors can play a course with tees set-up between 65 and 110 yards.

Fun. Illuminated. Just as Hanse envisaged it.