For the past few issues, Golf Digest Middle East has been deconstructing the widely held perception that golf getaways are best sought outside the borders of the Gulf. The UAE is full of great hotels and outstanding golf courses, but for residents at least, the notion of putting them together is a relatively recent concept. While the options in Al Ain are limited (there is only one golf course worth playing and just a handful of quality hotels), this existing leisure monopoly nevertheless meets an impressive standard. In the Al Ain Rotana you have a five-star hotel that ticks all the boxes in terms of quality dining, luxury and location, and AESGC’s 18-hole course has improved markedly over the past few years. It is somewhat off the beaten track, but this layout may be the closest thing the UAE has to a hidden gem.

If Dubai and Abu Dhabi form two points of an equilateral triangle, Al Ain is situated at the third. A 70-minute drive from Dubai on a clear road, we set off early on a Friday morning behind the wheel of a brand new Mercedes-Benz C200, a sporty, muscular looking entry in the mid-size bracket that ranks as one of the smoothest, safest drives in the history of the famed C-Class. On a road littered with speed cameras, the car’s cruise control saved us from a potentially embarrassing tally of fines, because the ride is deceptively quick.